Ever notice how many people are rocking phones that look like they’ve been through a war? Cracked screens, dings, the whole nine yards. And honestly, who can blame them? Smartphones can be pretty expensive, and nobody wants to risk breaking another one.

That’s why, beyond all the AI-driven bells and whistles, more and more manufacturers are finally waking up to the importance of durability. Which brings us to the realme C75. It might not have 5G or a ton of AI tricks, but it’s built to take a beating. Like, really built tough.

realme‘s reinforced its structure to make cracked screens from drops a lot less likely. Plus, it boasts IP66, IP68, and IP69 ratings. That last one is the highest level of dust and water protection you can get. So yeah, this thing should be completely dustproof and can handle high-pressure water and high-temperature environments without even flinching.

Perhaps the best part? It’s surprisingly affordable, starting at just P8,999, or roughly $155, in the Philippines. That price point immediately raises a question, though: Is the realme C75 too good to be true? Can a device this rugged and this affordable really deliver? It’s a tempting combination, but as we all know, sometimes cost-effective options come with compromises. Read on to find out if the realme C75 actually lives up to the hype.

The realme C75 at a glance

A solid step up

realme’s budget-phone strategy continues to evolve, and the C75 is yet another prime example. While it shares the boxy form factor with flat sides and rounded corners common to many modern handsets, it’s a clear departure from its predecessor, the realme C65. The camera array remains in the upper-left corner, but the back panel and camera housing have been completely redesigned.

Of course, aesthetics are always subjective, but our Lightning Gold unit definitely gives off a more premium vibe. The colorway and concentric-circle effect, shifting as it catches the light, are surprisingly eye-catching, especially for a smartphone in this segment.

Size-wise, the realme C75 is nearly identical to its predecessor. However, it manages to pack a slightly larger display. Despite a notable battery upgrade, the new model only adds a hair more weight and thickness, coming in at just 7.99mm. realme attributes the C75’s shimmering back panel to a “nano-level coating and micron-level imprinting” process, claiming it enhances light perception for a more “three-dimensional, transparent, and tactile” feel. Now, we’re not entirely sure about all of that, but the matte finish does feel genuinely great in hand. It does a fantastic job of resisting fingerprints, too.

For audio, the realme C75 inexplicably got rid of the headphone jack for those who prefer wired listening. It will certainly be missed. The single, bottom-firing speaker does get reasonably loud, though the bass is, shall we say, lacking. Par for the course in this price range, really. And thanks to the brand’s UltraBoom feature, the volume can be cranked up to a claimed 400%. While that sounds impressive, it also introduces noticeable distortion at higher levels. realme pitches this for calls in noisy environments, and honestly, that’s probably the only time you’d want to use it.

You’ll find two nano-SIM slots for dual 4G connectivity here, along with a microSD card slot for expandable storage. NFC, however, is nowhere to be found, though that’s completely understandable in this segment.

Up front, the realme C75 gets a nice upgrade with a sharper 6.72-inch 1080p LCD panel. That’s a jump from the 6.67-inch 720p screen on the previous model. The refresh rate is still up to 90Hz, but the peak brightness now hits 690 nits, which should make it a bit easier to see outdoors.

The Mini Capsule — realme’s take on the Dynamic Island — is back on the C75, and it’s doing a bit more this time around. It still hangs out around the front camera cutout, showing things like charging status, low-battery warnings, data usage, weather alerts, timer, and step count. You know, the usual suspects.

But now, the Mini Capsule has some extra tricks up its sleeve. You can swipe to control music apps like YouTube Music and Spotify, and it even displays ride-hailing status from Grab, much like we’ve seen on recent OPPO smartphones.

IP69 ruggedness, budget price

Of course, the realme C75’s main selling point is its ruggedness. The company’s calling it “waterproof, drop-proof, and worry-proof,” thanks to an IP69 rating, ArmorShell Glass, and an internal ArmorShell Protection structure.

That IP69 rating is the real kicker here. It’s the highest level of dust and water protection you can get, and frankly, it’s pretty rare to see it on any phone, let alone one this affordable. We’re talking protection against high-pressure water jets and even steam cleaning. In a place like the Philippines, where the weather can be unpredictable, that kind of peace of mind is invaluable.

@revuphilippines We made soup with the #realmeC75. 😁 It certainly took the heat! 🔥 It’s diving in at 6 p.m. on Jan. 23 — mark your calendars! Visit www.revu.com.ph for updates. #WaterproofWorryproof #realme #realmePH #realmePhilippines #RevuDotComDotPH @realme Philippines @monch @Alora Uy Guerrero ♬ original sound – Revu Philippines

Boiling test? No problem! :p

realme is also touting ArmorShell Glass, a supposedly super-strong display glass made with a mix of lithium, aluminum, and boron for better scratch and impact resistance. And inside, there’s this ArmorShell Protection structure that the brand says can handle drops from up to two meters.

Essentially, realme’s gone all-in on ruggedness with a budget model. The C75’s even got a TÜV Rheinland Rugged Smartphone certification — apparently, the first one ever! — and it passed military-grade shock resistance tests under the MIL-STD-810H standard. In other words, this thing is built to take a beating — or, in our case, a boiling test.

realme Philippines is so confident in the C75’s durability that they challenged us to boil our unit. Yes, you read that right. Boil it. We embedded a video where we literally placed the C75 in a hot box filled with water, reaching scorching temperatures. Spoiler alert: It survived. And it came out perfectly usable, showing absolutely zero signs of having been subjected to a hot-tub torture test. We’re impressed!

If you do happen to accidentally get some water inside, the realme C75 has a neat trick up its sleeve: SonicWave Water Ejection. This feature vibrates the speaker at a specific frequency to, realme claims, eject up to 50% of any excess water. So, if your smartphone takes an unplanned swim in the pool, a quick tap should have it blasting clear tunes again in no time. Just head to the realme Lab tab in the Settings app, choose Eject Water From Speaker, and then hit Eject Water.

Average performer

The realme C75’s camera setup is pretty straightforward. You’ve got a 50-megapixel sensor and a filler sensor that helps with flicker detection. The main camera has an f/1.8 aperture and a 25mm equivalent focal length, which is pretty standard fare for a budget phone.

Honestly, the main camera is decent for an entry-level device. It delivers good dynamic range and sharpness. Low-light shots, though? They tend to get noisy, and you’ll probably see some smudging. Video recording maxes out at 1080p 30fps. Surprisingly, there’s a Slo-mo mode that can shoot HD footage at up to 120fps, but it needs really good lighting to be usable. Basically, this isn’t the camera we’d bring with us on a road trip, but it will do the trick for basic social media photos and videos.

For selfies, the C75 sticks with an 8-megapixel shooter, just like the last version. In good light, it takes decent photos with enough detail and sharpness. It gets the job done. But, as expected, things get pretty soft as soon as the light dips.

Sample shots

The realme C75 runs Android 14 with realme UI 5.0 on top. Under the hood, it’s packing a 12nm MediaTek Helio G92 Max chip. It’s a budget-friendly processor, and while it’s a slight upgrade over the Helio G91, it’s still a 4G chip. You get 8GB of physical RAM paired with 128GB or 256GB of expandable storage.

Now, about gaming performance. Yes, you can technically play demanding games like Genshin Impact on this model. However, be prepared to wrestle with the graphics settings and set them to the absolute lowest preset if you want to avoid a stuttering mess. Pushing the phone too hard will reveal its limitations.

For day-to-day use, though, our initial experience suggests that navigating the interface is generally smooth, especially with the 90Hz refresh rate. We did encounter some occasional sluggishness when the handset was under a heavy workload, but nothing too dramatic. Still, it’s a bit of a shame that realme didn’t spring for a slightly more powerful and modern chip, like the Helio G99 or Helio G100. Those are at least proven and reliable 4G options. But, realistically, we suspect a significant portion of the development budget was likely allocated to the C75’s rugged design and that all-important IP69 certification. You can’t have everything all the time.

On the bright side, the battery life is fantastic. We easily squeezed over 40 hours out of a single charge on our unit. The realme C75 had no problem lasting us two full days of regular use.

The smartphone’s 45-watt max charging speed is even more impressive. That massive 6,000mAh battery only took about 90 minutes to go from zero to 100% in our tests. Hitting 50% took roughly 45 minutes. Even better, the included power brick is surprisingly compact and supports 10-watt output, which is nice for safely charging other, less power-hungry devices like wireless earphones and smartwatches.

Final thoughts

Unlike the company’s premium models, the realme C75 isn’t trying to be a flagship killer. It’s a budget phone with a specific focus: ruggedness. And in that regard, it absolutely delivers. The IP69 rating, coupled with realme’s ArmorShell Glass and ArmorShell Protection, and that boiling test, speaks volumes.

While performance is adequate for everyday tasks and the camera is decent enough in good lighting, the C75’s true strength lies in its durability and above-average battery life. If you’re the kind of user who’s tough on their devices, or if you simply need a phone that can withstand the elements, the realme C75 is worth a look.

realme C75 specs

• 6.72-inch LCD display, HD+ resolution, 90Hz refresh rate, 690 nits peak brightness
• 12nm MediaTek Helio G92 Max processor
• Mali-G52 GPU
• 8GB RAM
• 256GB expandable storage
• Dual 50-megapixel main, depth rear cameras
• 8-megapixel front camera with Mini Capsule
• Side fingerprint reader
• 6,000mAh battery with 45-watt fast wired charging
• realme UI 5.0 based on Android 14
• IP69 rating + ArmorShell Glass
• Colors: Lightning Gold, Storm Black

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