The new Realme C3 is set to launch in the Philippines on March 5, and, as we mentioned in a previous article, we expect to see the non-Indian version of the phone with triple rear cameras and a fingerprint sensor make its debut in the country.
(Update, March 5: Our review is up! Read Realme C3 review: A real powerhouse for less.)
(Update, March 5: Just launched! Read Realme C3 with Android 10, Helio G70 only P5,990 in the Philippines.)
In case you didn’t know, the C3 is Realme‘s latest release in its entry-level C series. The phone packs some great specs for the price, including the first MediaTek Helio G70 chipset in a mobile device.
SEE ALSO: Realme biggest winner in Philippine smartphone market in Q4 2019
This particular piece of silicon has garnered a bit of discussion. It’s said to offer as much power as Qualcomm’s popular Snapdragon 665 (which is used in phones such as the Realme 5i, OPPO A5 and A9 2020, and Redmi Note 8) for less money.
While the price of the upcoming budget handset remains up in the air pending its official local announcement, the good news is that we can already share our first impressions, as well as some benchmarks and pictures taken with our review unit. If you want a more in-depth look at the Realme C3, check out our hands-on below.
Box contents:
- Realme C3 unit
- User guide
- SIM-eject tool
- 10-watt wall charger
- MicroUSB cable
Realme C3 first impressions
The Realme C3 shares the same overall design and reassuring build quality as the recently launched Realme 5i. That said, the similarities end when you take a closer look at the back of the C3, which has three rear cameras — one less than the 5i. You get a primary 12-megapixel sensor and two secondary sensors for macro and portrait photography on the new Realme; it’s missing an ultra-wide camera.
The version that will be available in the Philippines has three cameras on the back and a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor
The Sunrise design, which was introduced on the 5i, also has a different focal point, and makes it seem like light rays are being refracted from the main camera module. It’s nice to look at, especially on the red variant, and, more importantly, allows the C3 to stand out further in its class.
The HD+ LCD display measures 6.52 inches and has an extra-tall aspect ratio of 20:9. We’re not sure if it’s the same exact panel used on the 5i, but the specs are virtually identical. That’s not bad at all; in fact, it’s good for a device of this price range.
The Realme C3’s HD+ LCD display measures 6.52 inches and has an extra-tall aspect ratio of 20:9
Looking at the bottom, you’ll find a microUSB port flanked by a headphone jack and a single speaker. You can use the microUSB of the C3 to juice up other devices, but it doesn’t ship with an OTG cable. If you don’t own one, you can pick them up off online for super cheap.
The Helio G70 under the hood is indeed a revelation; it powers through most smartphone tasks with relative ease despite “only” 3GB of RAM onboard. Hardly surprising considering that MediaTek is marketing this chipset for heavy gaming at lower resolutions.
The Helio G70 under the hood is indeed a revelation; it powers through most smartphone tasks with relative ease. It can also play intensive games at mid to high settings without stuttering or dropping frames consistently
It can also play intensive games like Black Desert Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile at mid to high settings without stuttering or dropping frames consistently. And, yes, the Realme C3 will run Mobile Legends at high settings and is compatible with the game’s High Frame Rate or HFR mode. Here are the benchmarks of our unit, which has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.
Realme C3’s Antutu and Geekbench benchmark scores
Notably, the C3 comes with Realme UI on top of the latest Android 10 operating system. Realme UI is a major software update that does more than the usual, implementing improvements to system performance. It likewise introduces several key features, including a system-wide dark mode; a new file-sharing system that supports Android 10-based OPPO, Vivo, and Xiaomi devices; and the ability to customize icons.
Realme C3 camera samples
On the back, the Realme C3 is equipped with a 12-megapixel primary sensor behind f/1.8 lens. The camera is paired with two dedicated sensors for macro and portrait shots, and you can enable them in the Camera app by switching between shooting modes.
As you’d expect, daylight photos look good, with adequate details and decent dynamic range. Unfortunately, the C3 doesn’t come with Realme’s awesome Nightscape mode for taking bright pictures in low light. Still, the night shots we took looked detailed enough out of the pocket.
Pictures captured on the Realme C3. Zoomed-in photos: 2x and 4x
The 5-megapixel front camera is also quite good, and we were able to take pleasant portrait-style selfies even when lighting conditions weren’t ideal. As always, we’ll have more to say about the C3’s front and rear cameras — and the rest of the package — in our full review, so check back next week for that.
Realme C3 specs
- 6.52-inch waterdrop LCD display, 1,560 x 720 resolution (20:9)
- Octa-core MediaTek Helio G70 processor
- 3GB RAM
- 32GB expandable storage
- Triple 12-megapixel, f/1.8 (main), 2-megapixel (depth), 2-megapixel (macro) rear cameras
- 5-megapixel, f/2.4 front camera
- 5,000mAh battery with reverse charging
- Fingerprint sensor
- Realme UI based on Android 10
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