realme C3 Review: Your next Best Budget Gaming Smartphone!

realme is currently the fastest-growing smartphone brand in the Philippines, and their latest entry-level smartphone, the realme C3, is the first budget device equipped with a gaming-focused processor, the MediaTek Helio G70, and is quickly becoming the best entry-level device.

 

The realme C3 retails for only ₱5,990 and it's already available in both retail and online stores. We’ve been using the realme C3 for weeks now, and here’s our review of this new budget gaming device.

realme C3 Specs:

Android 10, Realme UI
6.52-inch HD+ IPS Display (1600 x 720 resolution) at 270ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass, 20:9 aspect ratio
2GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio G70 processor
Mali G52 GPU
3GB RAM / 32GB storage
Expandable via microSD
12MP, f/1.8 primary camera + 2MP macro + 2MP, f/2.4 rear camera camera
5MP, f/2.4 selfie camera, AI Beauty and AI HDR
Rear fingerprint scanner
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot
Dual SIM, Dual Standby
4G VoLTE
Bluetooth 5.0
FM Radio
Face unlock
3.5mm headphone jack
5,000mAh battery, 10W charging
Colors: Frozen Blue, Blazing Red
195g

Design and Construction
The realme C3 carries the same look as the previous realme 5i, it has a matte back cover with a sunrise (sun rays) pattern that looks nice but is also a fingerprint and smudge magnet.

This budget phone features a splash-resistant design and is available in Blazing Red and Frozen Blue.

It has a durable frame made of plastic materials and looks well-built. On the back, there is a triple camera, a biometric scanner that unlocks the phone quickly, and realme branding. 

It has a triple card slot, that supports two nano SIMs and a dedicated microSD card for additional storage.

At the bottom is the 3.5mm audio jack, a microphone dot, a mono loudspeaker, and a micro-USB port, realme hasn’t adopted the use of a Type-C port on its entry-level devices, perhaps because it’s cheaper in terms of production.

Display
Upfront is the large 6.5-inch display with a mini-drop notch where the selfie camera is placed, it has a thin bezel at the side and a thick one at the lowermost part. It has an 89.8% screen-to-body ratio, a 20:9 aspect ratio, and a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection.

The display has a good brightness level, with good contrast, and the colors look great. It is a great device to enjoy playing games and watching videos. It also features eye protection that makes the display easy to look at and does not strain the eye.

Performance
Powering this budget gaming device is the MediaTek Helio G70 processor, paired with the Mali G52 for graphics, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of internal storage. The phone performs well in terms of daily use; the new realme UI is responsive and can handle tasks smoothly.

This budget phone is designed to perform well in gaming, it can handle the most popular games available in the Google Play store. For hungry power games, it can perform with little lag and some dropped video frames.

For benchmarks, the realme C3 scored 180,201 on AnTuTu, which is better compared to other brands within its price point.

Games like Call of Duty run smoothly in low to medium settings, as do Asphalt 9 and PUBG Mobile. It can also run NBA 2K20 on default settings, and Mobile Legends players will also love this phone not only because of its performance but also because of its long game time.

The speakers are not great but also not bad, they have average sound quality, so it’s better to use earphones or wireless earbuds for a more enjoyable gaming experience.

realme IU
The new realme IU 1.0, offers new features and customization. It features improved colors, animation, and overall experience. This new IU allows you to make it your own, you can personalize how the icon looks, and gestures and motions are also supported. It supports App cloning, Slip screen, Game Space, Cloud backup, privacy, and more.

 

One of its cool features is Dual Mode Music Share, now you can share your music via wired earphones and via Bluetooth wireless connection. That is indeed a nice feature. Another one is Focus mode. This pauses selected applications, mutes notifications, and plays ambient sounds to help you minimize distractions and get things done.

While the Game Space gives the game app extra RAM and resources for optimal performance and power consumption, it also blocks notifications for a more immersive experience.

Finally, Personal Information Protection, its built-in security protection, with these 3rd party apps won’t be able to get your personal data. Overall, the realme IU is responsive, easy to use, offers a lot of customization, and is more secure.

Battery
The realme C3 packs a massive 5,000mAh battery with longer battery life, it also supports reverse charging, so you can share its power with your friends or on your other gadgets.

As for the battery life, it can last for more than a day if you use battery optimization. The systems offer power-saving options to extend battery life. Charging the battery takes about less than 4 hours using the included charger, which is not really fast, so it's always a good idea to charge the battery at home before going to sleep.

Camera
Equipped with a triple camera setup with a 12-megapixel, f/1.8 primary camera, a 2-megapixel macro camera, a 2-megapixel, f/2.4 portrait rear camera setup, and a 5-megapixel selfie camera placed at the notch.

 Sample Photos here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAN1nP

The camera features ultra macro, portrait, HDR mode, and chroma boost, it's capable of 4x zoom, video recording at 1080p resolution; and also slo-mo video.

Photos taken outdoors are nice with good colors and plenty of details, but in images taken in low-light conditions, noise is visible, sometimes it's a bit grainy, and it also lacks some details. But hey, for its price point, the cameras can perform very well.

Pros
Good design
Nice screen
Budget-friendly
Good performance
Long battery life
Reverse charging
new realme IU

Cons

Plastic body
Limited storage only 32 onboard
Still uses micro-USB
slow charging
Not Full HD+ display

Verdict
The realme C3 offers value for money, with its 6.52-inch HD+ Display great for watching YouTube, Netflix, and other videos, while the realme IU has a refreshing look with a lot of features, and with its MediaTek Helio G70 chipset and huge battery life, it's an ideal mobile budget gaming device. If you are looking for a smartphone under the ₱6K price point, the realme C3 is the best option, it's priced at only ₱5,990 and it is now available nationwide.