Realme C3 review: Good performance overall, but camera disappoints

This smartphone could be a good option for those looking for a performer, but if you are looking for Instagram-worthy pictures, you might not be impressed

After launching several smartphones last year, Chinese smartphone brand Realme is continuing to bring more smartphones to the Indian market. After the Realme 5i, the company has brought the Realme C3, aimed at those who love to binge-watch movies and web series.

The Realme C3 comes with some notable software and hardware upgrades over the Realme C2, including MediaTek's Helio G70 Processor chipset and a 5,000-mAh battery.

In the first impression, we felt the smartphone was worthy of some praise but we couldn't just do that at its face value, so we used the phone for a few days and here is what we found:

 

Design and display

The phone's textured back panel is a deviation from the usual gradient design we see in most smartphones these days. Apart from that, the phone is lightweight, despite a 5, 000mAh battery.

The power and volume buttons are on the right and left sides, respectively. But they are very sleek, hence a bit difficult to locate. The phone has a tray for two Nano-SIMs and a microSD card. There are a Micro-USB port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a loudspeaker at the conventional bottom position.

Despite 195g weight, the Realme C3 feels light. The phone is available in Frozen Blue and Blazing Red colour options.

 

When it comes to display, the smartphone has a 6.5-inch LCD screen with 1,600 x 720 pixel resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, and 89.8 percent screen-to-body ratio. The screen has Gorilla Glass 3 protection.

The display may not impress much at first, but it seems fine when you get used to the phone. This smartphone is for those people who watch a lot of web series and shows on their phone. For that, it just fits fine. But you would have to adjust brightness when using it outdoors. Since it doesn't have a Widevine L1 certification, you will not be able to play HD videos on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, etc.

Overall, it looks like any other smartphone in its price range, but the back panel separates it from others.

 

Performance and battery

This is an area where the Realme C3 impresses the most. Apart from the social media apps and moderate camera use, the smartphone can easily handle gaming, the credit for which goes to its configuration.

We didn't find much lag, but since it is a starting range phone, don't expect the navigation to be too fast; it will take its own sweet time. There is not much noticeable lag anywhere, be it switching from one app to another, or just regular use.

We played ‘Call of Duty’ for hours on the phone. Although it was not the best experience, the fact that a smartphone in this price range is able to run heavy games without too many hiccups should be appreciated.

The 5,000mAh battery adds more value. We could play games for hours and stream an entire India vs New Zealand T20 match, and still it lasted for hours easily. The phone takes its own time to fully charge, thanks to a Micro-USB port — a Type-C port would have been better.

The phone gets almost full marks on almost all parameters here.

 

Camera

The Realme C3 has a dual-camera set-up on the rear that includes a 12-megapixel primary sensor paired with a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The smartphone has a 5-megapixel selfie shooter. The camera failed to impress on several fronts. The pictures are hazy and there's too much noise if outdoor conditions get slightly challenging.

We didn't like the selfie camera either. The colours were too soft, and since there are enough good camera phones in the price range of around Rs 10,000, it would be better to spend a little extra.

 

Verdict

The Realme C3 is available for Rs 6,999 for the 3GB+32GB variant, and Rs 7,999 for the 4GB+64GB variant. The addition of MediaTek Helio G70 processor is a welcome move, as it makes the phone a performer. But the phone’s cameras disappoint. It could be a good option for those looking for a performer, but if you are looking for Instagram-worthy pictures, you might not be convinced.
 

Pros:

Performance

Battery life

Cons:

Camera set-up disappoints