Realme X2 Pro vs Redmi K20 Pro vs Asus 6z: Who takes the crown of the flagship killer?

Realme just announced its flagship X2 Pro handset in India. And, while the X2 Pro offers flagship specs at a more-than-reasonable price, it doesn’t stand alone. The Redmi K20 Pro and Asus Zenfone 6 or 6z in Indian markets are capable of matching X2 Pro’s value proposition, which begs the question – Which of these three smartphones offers the best value and price-performance?

In terms of design, all three phones are pretty evenly matched, opting for Corning Gorilla Glass on both the back and front as well as an aluminium frame. However, the Redmi K20 Pro and Asus 6z both get notch-less screens with slim bezels, while the Realme X2 Pro gets a small waterdrop notch.

Of the three devices, we found the finish on the Asus 6z more on the classy side, while the Redmi K20 Pro features a more edgy finish. The Realme X2 Pro, mainly, the Lunar White finish delivers a nice balance between style and class. Design and finish on the three devices would depend on users’ preferences, but if you ask us, we’d have to give this one to the Asus 6z.

While Realme and Redmi opt for Super AMOLED panels, Asus goes the old fashion LCD route. All three panels feature 100-per cent DCI-P3 coverage and HDR10 support. Despite an excellent LCD screen, it isn’t nearly as good as the OLED displays on the Redmi K20 Pro and Realme X2 Pro. But if we had to pick one, it would definitely be the Realme X2 Pro. Especially considering, it offers 1,000 nits of peak brightness as well as a 90Hz refresh rate.

When it comes to performance, none of these three phones is going to disappoint. All three phones have an undeniable good price-to-performance ratio with flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 series chips. But while Xiaomi and Asus pack a Snapdragon 855 chipset, Realme utilises a Snapdragon 855+ SoC, which delivers a marginal increase in performance. Moreover, the UFS 3.0 storage standard on the X2 Pro, guarantees faster read/write speeds.

Today, optics is arguably the most crucial driving factor behind buying a smartphone. All three phones feature a different camera layout with the Realme X2 Pro getting a quad-camera setup, the Asus 6z opting for a dual camera module, and the Redmi K20 Pro offering a triple-camera system. However, the extra camera on the Realme X2 Pro is just a 2-megapixel sensor for depth, while the Asus losses out on the telephoto lens.

When it comes to rear camera performance, the Realme X2 Pro has a clear advantage over the Redmi K20 Pro. We’ve had the opportunity to test camera performance on both devices, and the results on that 64-megapixel shooter does surpass the 48MP sensor on the Redmi K20 Pro. Moreover, the Realme X2 Pro also does a better job of selfies than the K20 Pro, and in this case, the difference is quite significant. When it comes to best overall camera experience, the Realme X2 Pro is undoubtedly the way to go.

But if you tend to use the front camera a lot and selfies are your top priority, go with the Asus 6z. The flipping camera module on the 6z allows you to use the two rear cameras as front shooters, which means detailed selfies, capable of competing with results on the premium handsets from Samsung, Apple, Google, and Huawei. Moreover, the ultrawide lens will let you fit even more into your frame.

In terms of battery life, it should be a ‘no brainer’. The 5,000 mAh battery capacity on the Asus 6z exceeds that on the Realme X2 Pro and Redmi K20 Pro by 1,000 mAh. But Realme has managed to pull another rabbit out of the hat with the X2 Pro, offering 50W fast-charging support, which gets the phone powered up little over half an hour. Yes, 0 to 100 per cent in about 30 to 40 minutes.

All three handsets were launched with their respective company’s custom skin over Android 9 Pie. However, the Redmi K20 Pro has already been updated to Android 10 with an MIUI 11 skin. While the Asus 6z will receive the Android 10 update before 2020, i.e. if it already hasn’t yet. The Realme X2 Pro won’t receive an Android 10 update until 2020. So, we’re going to have to give this one to Asus, but it isn’t because of Android 10.

Asus’ new ZenUI 6 delivers a near-stock Android experience, comparable with OnePlus’ OxygenOS. And, while MIUI 11 and the upcoming ColorOS 7.0 will offer a better user experience than previous editions, we don’t think it will deliver an experience as smooth and clean as ZenUI.

The Redmi K20 Pro and Asus 6z clearly have the upper hand over the Realme X2 Pro, when the price is concerned. However, price isn’t as important as value. And Realme offers so much more in terms of value – A stunning display, an impressive camera, blazing-fast performance, and even faster charging on a pretty sizeable battery. In terms of value, the improvements that come with the X2 Pro make up for the heftier price.

After our comparison, it is safe to say that in terms of offer the best overall flagship experience at the best price, the Realme X2 Pro is undoubtedly the best flagship killer.

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As important as the stock Android experience on the Asus 6z is, it simply cannot compete with the numerous improvements the X2 Pro offers.

However, the Asus 6z does have somewhat of an edge in selfies, providing a significant improvement over the other two devices. Moreover, ZenUI is one of the cleanest Android skins we’ve witnessed in 2019. But you also have to keep in mind that software on a smartphone can improve with time, hardware, on the other hand, cannot.