Realme takes on the Galaxy S21 series with Snapdragon 888-powered Koi

The phone is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2021.

What you need to know

• Realme is prepping the launch of its first flagship for next year.
• The phone will be powered by a Snapdragon 888 and boast up to 12GB of RAM.
• Codenamed Race, the phone may ultimately launch under the Koi moniker.

Not to be outdone by the likes of Samsung and Xiaomi, Realme also plans on starting the new year with a bang. The company’s Xi Qu this week took to Weibo to tease the launch of its Snapdragon 888-powered flagship next year. He also cleared up some confusion about the phone’s name.

While some reports had referred to the phone as the Realme Race and assumed it was supposed to be the continuation of Oppo’s Ace series, Xi Qu clarified that ‘Race’ was just a codename for the device. He also noted that the phone will signify the launch of a whole new lineup of phones by the brand.

The folks at GizmoChina, meanwhile, have discovered a new profile on the company’s Weibo page for a Koi phone, complete with images of the iconic fish making up the outlines of an 8. The description also references ‘888’, so it’s likely that the Race may officially launch under the Koi moniker.

At the moment, there’s no word from Realme on exactly when the phone will be available, though it’s expected to launch in either January or February.

Realme X50 Pro 5G

$£469 at Amazon UK

Though almost a year old, Realme’s X50 Pro 5G is still one of the values you can get for your money. A vibrant 90Hz display, a Snapdragon 865, up to 12 GB of RAM, and a massive battery with 65W fast charging allow this phone to stay toe-to-toe with even the best from Samsung and Xiaomi.