The realme 9 smartphone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 chipset with 8GB of RAM, Android 12 OS, and realme UI 3.0 software.

I tested its gaming performance by playing some of the most popular games while measuring the average framerate using GameBench Pro. This includes Mobile Legends, Call of Duty Mobile, and Genshin Impact.

 

GameBench Pro FPS Test Results

GameGraphics QualityFrame Rate
Mobile LegendsHigh59 fps
Call of DutyMedium57 fps
Call of DutyHigh44 fps
Genshin ImpactLow27 fps
Framerates measured by GameBench Pro.

 

 

Mobile Legends

FPS test while playing Mobile Legends on the realme 9.

FPS test while playing Mobile Legends on the realme 9.

The realme 9 can run Mobile Legends at high graphics quality. For the FPS test, I also enabled high-quality shadows and character outlines.

After a ranked match, GameBench Pro measured an average framerate of 59 fps. That’s just a hairline short of a perfect 60 fps framerate!

It felt smooth for the most part of the match but there are noticeable lags and frame drops during clashes. Setting the graphics quality to medium made the gaming experience smoother.

 

Call of Duty Mobile

FPS test result of Call of Duty on the realme 9.

FPS test result of Call of Duty on the realme 9.

Just like Mobile Legends, the realme 9 can also run Call of Duty Mobile at high graphics quality.

I played several multiplayer matches and the resulting average framerate is 44 fps. That’s a janky gaming experience, especially with a first-person shooter game.

Changing the graphics quality to medium improved the gaming experience with occasional frame drops only. It increased the average framerate to a more respectable 57 fps.

 

Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact FPS test on the realme 9.

Genshin Impact FPS test on the realme 9.

Genshin Impact is a very resource-intensive game. It can still run on the realme 9 but the default graphics quality is low.

As usual, I strolled from Starfell Lake to the castle and measured the average framerate at 27 fps. That makes the game almost unplayable.

This also pushed the phone’s temperature to 40°C which feels warm but not too uncomfortable especially when the free phone case is used.

 

Conclusion

The realme 9 has enough processing power for the casual gamer. It can run Mobile Legends and Call of Duty Mobile smoothly at medium graphics quality.

However, setting the graphics quality to high results in several frame drops and an overall laggy gaming experience. More resource-intensive games like Genshin Impact are also out of its league.

It may not be an ace in gaming but other aspects of the device such as photography, AMOLED display, and a fast-charging battery looks promising. We’ll talk about these in the full review.


UP NEXT: realme 9 Full Review!



realme 9 specs:

Average rating of 3.3 stars from 107 users.
  • 6.4-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED Display (1080 x 2400 Pixels), 411 ppi
  • Android 12 Operating System
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 Chipset
  • 6 GB of RAM
  • Triple Cameras (108+8+2 MP) with LED Flash
  • 16 Megapixel Front Camera
  • Dual SIM (Nano-SIM)
  • 128GB Internal Storage
  • Expandable Up to 256 via microSD
  • 4G LTE, 3G HSPA+, 2G EDGE & GPRS Networks
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac (dual band)
  • Bluetooth 5.1
  • USB Type-C
  • 3.5mm Audio Jack
  • Fingerprint Sensor (under-display)
  • 5000mAh Battery
  • 33W Fast Charging (Dart Charge, 100% in 75 minutes)
  • 160.2 x 73.3 x 7.99 mm @ 178 g
  • 14,999.00 Official Price in the Philippines