The Best
- Autonomy for several days
- Eye-catching design
- Performance according to the input range
- Economic price
The Worst
- Without NFC or USB-C
- The prolonged charging system
- HD + screen
- Camera quality in dark scenes
The Realme C3 arrives in Europe seeking to captivate the young public and other consumers who are not looking for a mobile with great features and a low budget. But will the realme C3 be the best option if we look for a cheap phone? In this analysis, we will tell you.
After renewing the higher ranges, it was the turn of the most modest part of the realme catalog. The company had to give a new air to its cheaper mobile phone with new, somewhat more robust features, but maintaining an adjusted price as the brand has already accustomed us.
The realme C3, presented in India in February, has finally arrived in Europe. It lands in our country, promising significant autonomy, excellent performance, and a striking design so as not to go unnoticed, all for 139 euros.
In this analysis, we will delve into each of the Realme C3 specs offered by this new low-end smartphone to know if it is worth buying compared to other terminals on the market. Let’s see it.
Realme C3 Specs
| Display | LCD de 6,5 inch Resolution HD+ (1.600 x 720px) 20:9 |
| Processor | Helio G70 |
| RAM | 3 GB |
| Memory | 64 GB MicroSD 256 GB |
| Cameras | Main 12 Mpx f / 1.8 Depth 2 Mpx Macro 2 Mpx |
| Front Camera | 5 Mpx |
| Battery | 5.000 mAh |
| Connectivity | Dual SIM 4G Wi-Fi Bluetooth |
| Android | Realme UI |
| Dimensions | 164,4 x 75,0 x 8,95 mm 195 g (with battery) |
| Price and availability | 139 euros |
Realme C3 analysis summary:
- Design: not to go unnoticed
- Screen: low resolution and without HDR, one of its weak points
- Performance: for everyday life and more
- Software: Android 10 with realme UI, the right combination with some overhead
- Cameras: four good cameras that don’t cover all spectra
- Autonomy: seems eternal but sins when connected to the charger
- Connectivity: without NFC, the realme C3 loses points
- Conclusion: good value for money, but I could hope for more
A mobile to not go unnoticed
The realme C3 cannot be said to be a comfortable mobile, but neither can we completely rule out its design. In this case, style stands out more than functionality, although there is a compelling reason behind that snag. This phone is fat and heavy, and the fault lies with the massive battery inside.
Its 8.95 mm thickness and its weight of 195 grams make this model uncomfortable using one hand. Still, they are measures similar to the other models we find in the market with a 5,000 mAh battery like the one that realme has integrated into this mobile.
If we take a quick look within the same brand, the dimensions of the realme 5 are more considerable. At the same time, the Samsung Galaxy M20 achieves exceptional thinness and lightness while also having a large battery. In the end, it is essential to use it, as has happened to us, especially if we consider that the other two models with which we have compared it has higher prices, closer to the mid-range than the entry-level one.
A series of subtle rays shoot out from the primary camera, making it the focus of all eyes and the protagonist from the rear. It is a perfect effect to emphasize the importance of the camera on the mobile. That, added to the bright red color, gives it the touch that the realme C3 needs to not be mobile on the street.
Realme has chosen the intense colors because the brand focuses this terminal on a young audience that prefers them to other, more sober-colored mobiles. It shows the modest price also in that the casing is plastic and does not even try to imitate glass.
In that case, we perceive a slight relief throughout the back that is noticeable with the look and the touch. A sequence of rough waves that do not disturb when touched but help the phone not to run the risk of crashing to the ground.
Screen with low resolution and without HDR, one of its weak points
The screen, that component without which it would be practically impossible to use any phone, has acquired a new relevance due to the video games and series that we consume with our mobiles. The screen of the realme C3 has the right size to see any content, although it does not get rid of the edges that take away some space; in particular, it occupies 89.8% of the front.
We are talking about a 6.5-inch LCD panel and a resolution of 1,600 x 720 pixels, that is, in 20: 9 format. Some characteristics that are not bad to be part of an entry phone. This element’s quality and brightness have allowed us to use the mobile without complications.
However, it is not a screen to see quality content or a lot of resolution. Nowadays, we are spending more time in quarantine, and it is better to go to the TV or the screen of a larger tablet that offers a higher quality to watch series and movies in great detail.
But if what we are looking for is a phone with which to consult social networks, watch videos sporadically on the internet and play video games without much graphic load. This model adapts perfectly to these needs, despite not even having the possibility to use HDR, a method to include a more dynamic range to images, that is, a higher amplitude of tones.
As for the brightness level indoors, there is no problem with the automatic adjustment mode, we do not force the view, and we correctly see every detail of the screen. Outdoors, things change; you can see it with a little more effort, and the automatic adjustment does not finish increasing the brightness enough, so we have had to adjust it manually. This phone can increase the intensity to 480 cd / m2, a familiar figure for this range, but that on very sunny days can give us some problems, mainly if we use the dark mode.
Day-to-day performance and more
We now jump into the realme C3. At the heart of this mobile, we have the 12-nanometer, eight-core Helio G70 processor accompanied by 3GB of RAM and 64GB storage, which can expand with a microSD card. This set offers quite acceptable performance for the price they are asking us.
The ability to increase the storage with an extra card is excellent news because right now, between games, photos, and applications, the 64 GB can quickly become saturated. On the other hand, the 3GB may be a bit short, but the option of choosing the version with 4GB of RAM is available.
For its part, the processor fulfills simple functions and defends itself when spending a little more effort with more complex tasks such as video games. We did not expect a great result when playing; this type of mobile allows you to enjoy these distractions without great fanfare.
Here are the results of the performance tests we have carried out to compare this mobile with others of a similar level. In all, the results defended against other processors and mobiles.
In terms of performance, this phone has a Snapdragon 665 and a Snapdragon 720/730. So it is pretty helpful if we take a look at the price it has.
As we said, its performance has failed us at some point when changing from one application to another, but in general terms, we liked it a lot, and we have no significant complaints.
Android 10 with realme UI, an excellent combination with some overhead
Realme uses Android to build on its latest version, Android 10, and its realme UI personalization layer, which is the same for all the brand’s mobiles. It is easy to use the software, which you quickly adapt if you have not had a mobile phone of this brand before.
To start, we have a drawer to save all the applications and leave the widget and apps we use the most on the home page. We also have a horizontal multitasking section and a navigation bar to move around the phone that we can replace with quick gestures that work very smoothly.
It is not that they are not suitable applications; they work well, but they take up space, and most of the time, we already have other, more known applications that do the same. The good thing is that they can be uninstalled without significant problems and forget about them.
Biometric systems
Like most current mobiles, this model includes two types of biometric systems to protect our data from curious people who want to access our mobile without our permission. The fingerprint reader on the back and facial recognition on the front protect our privacy.
The fingerprint reader is efficient and moderately fast that recognizes our faces. This system works quite well, but without other depth sensors, it is more comfortable to fool and, therefore, less secure. Of course, it is the usual method in entry-level and mid-range mobiles, so we cannot ask much more about it.
Four good cameras, although we miss the optical zoom.
Triple cameras have come to low-end mobiles. Phones that a year ago only had one sensor on each side or at most two on the back now play with wide-angle, macro, and telephoto sensors to complete their capabilities when taking pictures.
They are simple combinations; of course, the large 48 Mpx sensors have not yet leaped this range. Then, we will have to settle with a realme C3 that includes the primary sensor of 12 Mpx in the rear part with an aperture of f / 1.8. They are followed by a 2 Mpx depth sensor that is in charge of portraits and differentiates the background of the object and a third macro sensor of 2 Mpx that allows us to get close to details up to 4 cm away.
The camera has a 4x digital zoom and AI and HDR systems that help improve images a bit. Meanwhile, the front camera is 5 Mpx and has intelligent systems to give more play to the photos. Below we will see some examples of each of these sensors and photography modes to get a clearer idea of ​​the quality offered by this set of lenses, but first, let’s see what the realme application is like to take these photographs.
It is a fluid and straightforward application, similar to the one found in all the brand’s phones, but in this case, with fewer options than we would see in a more premium mobile. All buttons and options like HDR, portrait mode, switching from rear to front camera, or filter to enhance photo colors can be quickly reached on the first page. Somewhat more hidden is the panoramic or macro mode.
We can now go to see the photos that this photographic equipment gets. Generally speaking, the images are of good quality, with excellent color calibration. They move most skillfully in bright scenes outdoors, although indoors, they also behave very well within the capacity offered by a 12 Mpx lens.
We now turn to talk a little about the 8 Mpx front camera. Once again, it is essential to have good light so that the photograph becomes as pleasant as possible. To decorate the selfies we want to take, we can choose to use Portrait Mode or use the beauty effect.
We must also stop at the video recording, especially their rear cameras. The realme C3 manages to record at 1080p and 30 fps; it is not the wrong resolution for mobile with these characteristics. Still, the main problem we have detected is the stabilization system, which you can see in this test video.
Its autonomy seems eternal, but it is slow when charging.
We have now come to one of the strengths of this phone. Its 5,000 mAh battery is the first of what it has boasted when presenting it, and it is not for less because it offers considerable autonomy. Cells of this size have reached the simplest models much faster than many other premium features and are widely accepted to be able to forget about the charger.
Three days is the maximum time to use the mobile with a single charge. In general, it has been about 48 hours; of course, it all depends on the use we make of the mobile. Now, we are confined at home, on weekends, without work. And with all the time in these devices, the battery has lasted a little less.
Still, mobile users who are not fans of video games or who prefer to consume series and movies on television. The autonomy of realme C3 can be eternal. When it comes to charging the battery again, things change. Realme has not invested in a fast-charging system to deal with the daunting task of filling this battery. What’s more, you have chosen MicroSD as the port. All this is summarized in the 10 W charger, which takes almost three hours to return the phone to 100% power.
Without NFC, the realme C3 loses points.
The connectivity of the realme C3 is as functional as bad, and it has positive aspects and others that we like so much. Generally, this section has been regulated until most terminals offer the exact specifications and the most current, but the entry range is having a more challenging time catching up.
This model has WiFi 802.11 b / g / n, which is not the latest standard, WiFi AC. Still, we have not noticed many problems when downloading files or consuming streaming videos, which is the activity that requires the best connection. That means that the terminal works on the 2.4 GHz frequency but does not reach 5 GHz, at which the most modern WiFi can work.
On the other hand, we have Bluetooth 5.0, the fifth version of this type of wireless connection. In addition to offering higher speed when transmitting data, it also increases the signal distance range by four times. This allows us to move further away from our wireless headphones or the smartwatch and continue receiving information from the phone.
What we will not find in this mobile is NFC technology. That is, we cannot use it to pay, and we will continue to depend on cards and cash when shopping.
There is a large number of users who have not become accustomed to this function and therefore do not miss it on their phones. Nevertheless, little by little, it is a technology implemented in more services, from paying a purchase to passing the metro ticket or sharing quick information with another mobile that is nearby. That implies that these terminals will become obsolete before those that include an NFC connection.
Another aspect that subtracts points from this mobile is the lack of a USB-C connector to charge the mobile. And to transfer files from one device to another. The realme C3, as we have seen in the previous section, is equipped with a micro USB, the old standard. And that supports a lower transmission speed.
Apart from these two drawbacks, we find other good news: the realme C3 is a Dual SIM phone. That is, we can use two nanoSIM cards simultaneously, and we also have a third space to include a microSD with which to increase internal storage by up to 256 GB.
Taking into account that the mobile phone alone offers up to 64 GB. It is an excellent option to increase that capacity as it is becoming easier with photos, games, and applications to saturate the phone.
Realme C3 is good for the money, but we could hope for more.
Now we know each aspect that makes up this new realme mobile. We come to the critical question, is it worth taking on? It is not a bad phone if we think about its price. For 139 euros, we can have functional autonomy, an attractive design, four cameras, and acceptable performance and screen.
Still, we do not want to fail to emphasize that, within its price range. The realme C3 more than meets the expectations that we had put in it. And therefore, it could be an acceptable option if we do not want to spend more money.
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