realme Philippines finally unveiled last October 24 its new realme Series 5G under its Number series lineup. The launch event highlighted the realme 13 Series 5G’s capabilities as a gaming phone, with top content creators and e-sport gamers attesting to its key features showcasing the phone’s potential to deliver and elevate gameplay experience.
The realme 13 5G series offers two variants – the realme 13 5G and the realme 13+ 5G. Both of these models feature flagship chipsets, fast charging technology, high refresh rates, a VC cooling system, and reliable cameras, all at an attractive price point.
The realme 13 5G will retail for PHP 16,999, while the realme 13+ 5G is priced at PHP 19,999 available in all realme concept stores nationwide and official e-commerce partners in Shopee and TikTok Shop.
As promised, we’re continuing our review of the realme 13 5G, now that the embargo has been lifted. Let’s dive in for the hands on review.
Design
The realme 13 5G will be available in two color variants – Speed Green a color who want to make a bold statement, and our review unit in Dark Purple a more classic shade yet elegant look.
The rear panel of the realme 13 5G features the brand’s signature Victory Speed Design, underlining its gaming-oriented identity. The “Victory” word draws inspiration from popular titles like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Free Fire as it supports the phone’s appeal again to game enthusiasts.
Looking closely, the back of the realme 13 5G shows off a two-tone curved design that finely divides each surfaces. The top section features a flat solid color, while the bottom reveals an appealing lightning-reflecting texture when you tilt the phone sideways. realme has added a shimmering and glittery effect on the whole back panel giving the design a more sophisticated and refined look.
The four camera lenses are housed within a circular camera module that closely resembles the watch face design of its realme 13 Pro Series 5G.
It’s comfortable and easy to hold for long hours weighing only 190 grams with thickness at 7.79mm and all corners has rounded edges.
The right side edge will have access to the volume rockers and power/sleep button with an integrated fingerprint sensor for biometrics and they also added an extra function with a Dynamic Button.
You can enable the Dynamic Button to activate or open an intended function or application by double tapping, double press or sliding along the length of the button. It can be mapled to toggle screen-off settings such as toggle for ”Silent / Ring / Vibrant” or “Do Not Disturb”
The left side edge is completely clean.
The bottom edge houses the microphone, USB-C port, speaker grille, and a 3.5mm audio jack to plug your wired headphones.
The SIM card tray, secondary speaker and microphone are found on the top edge.
The front has a flat-screen with thin bezels surrounding the top and each sides while the bottom bezels are slightly raised. The front-facing camera has a small, centered punch-hole design positioned close to the top bezel.
The realme 13 5G is made more durable by designing it with an ArmorShell Protection to withstand daily wear and tear. It can even resists bends and drops with the array of selected materials used both inside and out of the phone. An IP64 rating can help the device further from accidental water splashes and dust.
If that’s not enough, the realme 13 5G undergone rigorous quality assurance tests by the brand such as multiple button clicks, exposure to extreme temperatures and humidity.
Surrounding several sides of the phone is an Antenna Array Matrix System improving the quality of signal and connectivity capabilities of calls, mobile data and gaming. It allows the NFC technology to use the antennas for seamless wireless transactions from any angle for convenience.
Display
The realme 13 5G comes with a large flat 6.72-inch IPS display with a Full HD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and a typical peak brightness of up to 580 nits, ensuring that everything on the screen appears sharp, detailed, and easily visible even under bright outdoor conditions.
It also has a high screen-to-body ratio at 91.4% for more screen space content and good touch inputs for faster in-game actions thanks to its 240Hz touch sampling rate.
It sports a high refresh rate of up to 120Hz that helps us scroll through our social media feeds and playing our favorite mobile games feels silky smooth. You can set it with the standard 60Hz or opt for the Dynamic Refresh Rate to automatically select the necessary refresh rate to switch from a lower or higher refresh rate according to its usage. It helps saves power and extend battery life of the phone.
The Dynamic Refresh Rate on the realme 13 5G offers a total of six levels of adjustment. It can drop to 45Hz when the phone is idle or in standby, 48Hz or 50Hz during video playback, 60Hz for reading, 90Hz while scrolling through social media apps, and peaks at 120Hz for a smoother experience when going thru phone’s system UI.
There’s an eye comfort mode to help reduce eye strain during extended play sessions.
In case your hands get sweaty during intense gaming sessions or like that one instance when my hands were still wet after washing dishes, the display remains responsive from clicks and swipes thanks to its Rainwater Smart Touch feature. I was able to unlock the phone, scroll and type quick messages on it.
Performance
At its internal cores, the realme 13 5G packs a MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset with a 6nm octa-core processor. It consists of two powerful Cortex-A76 cores clocked up to a maximum of 2.4GHz and six power-efficient Cortex-A55 cores that runs at 2.0GHz. It should be able to handle most day-to-day tasks with ease.
Complementing the MediaTek chipset is the Mali-G68 MC4 GPU that can support graphic quality settings from medium to high depending on the game.
The phone is already fitted with a hefty 256GB internal storage to accommodate your files from photos, videos, documents, and download your game apps. If you still need more space, it has an expandable storage option up to 1TB via MicroSD.
The internal memory offers a 12GB of RAM. Then if I need to do multitasking, enhance gameplay, run apps faster, or improve the performance, I can use the extra srorage of the phone to activate the Dynamic RAM Expansion feature.
Users have the option to choose between 4GB, 8GB or 14GB in the Dynamic RAM Expansion (DRE) how much storage to allocate as virtual RAM, so your internal memory can go up to a total of 26GB (12GB RAM + 14GB DRE). The games was able to open quickly and loads faster with its Dedicated Gaming Memory as it allocates a 4GB of physical RAM to reduce waiting.
Here’s our benchmark scores on the realme 13 5G.
- GeekBench 6 CPU: 790 Single Core / 2003 Multi-Core
- GeekBench 6 GPU: 1410 GPU OpenCL Score
- CPDT: 235.13 MB/s Write, 389.77 MB/s Read
- PCMark: 10088 Work 3.0 Performance
- 3DMark: 1364 Wild Life (8.17 fps)
Targeting gaming enthusiasts, the realme 13 5G comes equipped with features such as the GT Mode, a Vapor Cooling System, and 6-Axis Hypersensitive Gyroscope designed to enhance and improve the overall gameplay experience. Let’s discuss each of these features.
Usually offered on their flagship phones, the GT Mode when activated can boost the performance of the phone by optimizing CPU and GPU performance while maintaining a low temperature on the phone. It also tries to run the game to retain a stable 60fps and higher image quality.
The Vapor Chamber Cooling System on the realme 13 5G uses graphite sheets and other materials in a 9-Layer cooling system that covers an area of 2249mm². It was very beneficial during high intense gaming that helps regulate the phone’s temperature to prevent overheating. We felt that the back of the phone gets slightly warm after more than an hour of playtime, but it’s still tolerable as the VC Cooling System is working to help dissipate the heat. Checking the device’s temperature through the game sidebar, it shows that it would typically range between 34 to 37 degrees Celsius, keeping it within a comfortable range during gameplay.
For FPS gaming, the 6-axis hypersensitive gyroscope can aid users a more accurate and responsive aim control.
We previously published a gaming review of the realme 13 5G, and in general, our experience was highly enjoyable and satisfying. The popular game titles like PUBG, Call of Duty Mobile, Mobile Legends Bang Bang, and Genshin Impact ran smoothly which delivers a solid gameplay performance on the device. While we generally experienced good frame rates, there were occasional drops, though these were rare.
Additionally, if you are into lighter or casual mobile games, it will ran with no issues at all ensuring long uninterrupted hours of gameplay on the realme 13 5G.
The dual stereo speakers audio quality on the phone is good as the vocals are clear and loud at its full volume. However, you can still crank up the volume with its UltraBoom feature, which can boosts the volume up to 200%; though at that level, the audio may become overly loud and less pleasant. I found this feature particularly useful for online meetings, where voice clarity is important, or for phone calls when you’re in a noisy environments. The sound quality using your wired headphones or Bluetooth earbuds is good as well.
The phone also supports 5G network, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 5, and additional biometrics with a face unlock or the usual screen lock (numeric, alphanumeric, and pattern) for extra layer of security.
Camera and Photo Samples
In the camera department, the realme 13 5G doesn’t disappoint, with the brand assuring users that it delivers good photo quality for your social media consumption.
The rear camera sports a dual camera setup with a 50MP resolution using a S5KJNS sensor with an f/1.8 aperture, offering a 79-degree field of view and optical image stabilization for sharper photos and reduced shake on video recordings. This is also paired with a 2MP depth sensor for your portrait shots.
A 16MP lens with an aperture of f/2.45 is fitted on the front camera for your selfies while the 82.6-degrees field of view can capture good groufie shots.
The rear camera supports video recordings up to 2K resolution at 30fps, with additional options for 1080p and 720p resolution at both 30fps and 60fps.
For vloggers, the front camera can save footages with resolutions of 1080p and 720p at 30fps only.
The camera app has a simple and user-friendly interface with all the necessary functions neatly organized for easy access. You have a total of 15 shooting modes with the first sets already available – Night, Street, Video, Photo, and Portrait. Clicking the more options will reveal the other shootin modes – Pro, Pano, Hi-res, Movie, Slo-mo, Time-lapse, Dual-View Video, Text Scanner, Group Portrait, and Tilt-Shift.
On the top of the viewfinder, you’ll find the flash, Google Lens and a hamburger menu for the settings of the camera app along with the aspect ratio, timer, HDR, and interval shooting.
The zoom switch conveniently allows for a quick toggle between 1x and 2x zoom, and can go up to a maximum of 10x zoom using the zoom switch dial.
Sharing some of our sample photos we took with the realme 13 5G.
1x Photo mode, Outdoor, Cloudy Weather
2x Photo mode, Outdoor, Cloudy Weather
10x Photo mode, Outdoor, Cloudy Weather
1x Photo mode, Outdoor, Sunny Weather
1x Photo mode, Indoor, Ambient Lighting
1x Photo mode, Indoor, Ambient Lighting
1x Photo mode, Indoor, Ambient Lighting
1x Photo mode, Indoor, Ambient Lighting
1x Photo mode, Outdoor, Low Lighting
Night mode, Outdoor, Low Lighting
Selfie, Indoor, Sunny Weather
Selfie, Outdoor, Low Lighting
During daylight or bright ambient lighting conditions, the main camera can produce detailed images, decent color reproduction, and good amount of contrast.
Shots in low-light scenarios are still decent in terms of image quality, however, even with Night Mode, some noise will still be present.
The front camera can capture decent looking selfies with clear facial details and natural colors in well-lit conditions. However, in low light situations our selfies struggle slightly, with a bit of blur on facial details.
For group selfies, we recommend trying the Group Portrait mode which can recognize up to 12 faces for the photos to get sharp facial details for everyone.
The photos would undergo an AI-driven image post-processing, which makes the necessary adjustments to enhance the final image quality.
Software and Apps
Out of the box, the realme 13 5G runs with latest realme UI 5.0 software based on Android 14.
It comes with the basic Google apps you need, realme’s very own proprietary apps, and a few casual games. There’s also a lot of other preloaded apps such as Agoda, Booking.com, Facebook, Fineasy, Fitbit, Lazada, LinkedIn, Netflix, Prime Video, ReelShort, Shopee, Spotify, TikTok, and WPS. If you don’t want some of the apps you see, you can easily uninstall it right away.
The phone acquires an array of special features launched from the realme UI 5.0 software, such as Real Essentials, which enhances the user experience with convenient and easy-to-use functions to improve everyday interactions on the phone.
Included are the File Dock, PhoneLink, AI Smart Loop, AOD (Always-On Display), Flash Capsule, Smart Image Matting, Air Gestures, Smart Code Scan, AI Boost 2.0, and Riding Mode. We will have each of these features explained so you can have an idea of its purpose.
Located at the smart sidebar, the File Dock offers a cross-app sharing feature to easily transfer or drag texts, links, images or a screenshot into a temporary folder which you can later drop them on another app.
You can use the Smart Image Matting on your photos to automatically scan your preferred subject after a long press and extract it from the background. The isolated subject can have quick edits, save, copy, share, add as a sticker and even drag into the File Dock.
The Smart Code Scan allows a double tap on the back of the device to scan a QR code.
To help you stay focused and safe while driving, the phone includes a dedicated Riding Mode, which gives you a important functions to access like Google Maps, music player, Google Dialer, and a list of contacts, including recent contacts.
The selfie camera combined with hand gestures enables Air Gestures that allows you to answer or mute calls and even scroll up or down on apps like Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube with a simple swipe up or down.
The Mini Capsule that stretches out an elongated pill shaped bar on the front camera, offers a more interactive experience with real-time notifications and animations (audio recording, timer, music) that stays on top of the display much longer.
With its partnership with Microsoft, the realme 13 5G can be controlled from your computer to answer calls, move files or pictures, and use your phone apps directly from a PC or windows laptop.
AI Smart Loop functions like a Smart Sidebar that intelligently suggesting apps based on your usage patterns. It allows you to quickly drag and drop files between apps, making multitasking more efficient and enhancing productivity.
The AI Boost 2.0 optimize the performance of the phone for stability with two tailored options based on the users need – Smooth Boost for productivity or Game Boost prioritizing gaming performance.
Battery
Powering the realme 13 5G is a large 5000mAh battery with support for 45W SUPERVOOC fast charging, and the adapter is included in the box.
In our charging test, the battery reached an initial charge at 25% in just 15 minutes and went up to 66% after 30 minutes. The phone was able to have a full charge from 0 to 100% in just 1 hour and 17 minutes.
realme 13 5G Charging Results
- 7:25 – 7:40 : 25% 15 minutes
- 7:40 – 7:55 : 45% 15 minutes
- 7:55 – 8:10 : 66% 15 minutes
- 8:10 – 8:20 : 79% 10 minutes
- 8:22 – 8:44 : 100% 22 minutes
Under the PCMark Work 3.0 Battery test, the realme 13 5G achieved a good benchmark score of 17 hours and 46 minutes indicating that the phone can comfortably last a full day with varied usage patterns.
It features a fireproof design and 38 safety protections against overvoltage, overcurrent, overheating, and circuit issues ensuring worry-free during charging.
Conclusion
The realme 13 5G is a solid mid-range smartphone that can be an ideal choice for mobile gaming enthusiasts offering a wide range of built-in features that enhance the gaming experience. What makes it a standout option for gameplay? Key features include a large FHD+ display, smooth 120Hz refresh rate, flagship chipsets, up to 26GB of RAM, GT Mode, Vapor Chamber Cooling System, 6-axis hypersensitive gyroscope, and a long-lasting battery. With all of these features it provides a smooth, immersive, and extended playtime for gamers.
The phone’s screen is quite impressive even with an IPS panel delivering sharp details, good contrast, and vibrant colors. Aside from gaming, you’ll love the smooth scrolling experience as you browse your social media feeds for long hours and enjoy watching any multimedia content on it.
The realme 13 5G also has dependable cameras even if it does not support an ultra-wide lens, it’s still perfect for capturing key moments or victory shots after a winning game.
Beyond its imaging capabilities, the software impresses us with additional features that enhance productivity and convenience, such as File Dock for efficient file management, PhoneLink for seamless device connectivity, Flash Capsule for quick look to key functions, and Riding Mode for safe driving assistance.
If you’re passionate about mobile gaming and want a device that delivers an outstanding gameplay experience, we highly recommend the realme 13 5G.
realme 13 5G Specifications
- Price: PHP16,999
Colors: Speed Green, Dark Purple - Display: 6.72-inch FHD+
- Screen Panel: IPS LCD
- Resolution: 2400 x 1080 pixels
- Pixel Density: 392 PPI
- Refresh Rate: 120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 6300
- GPU: ARM Mali-G57
- Storage: 256GB (Expandable up to 1TB)
- RAM: 12GB RAM
- Rear Camera: 50MP Main camera (f/1.8, 26mm) OIS, 2MP depth sensor
- Front Camera: 16MP (f/2.5, 24mm)
- Sound Quality: Dual Stereo Speakers
- Connectivity: 3.5mm audio port, Dual nano-SIM, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS, USB Type-C
- Network: 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G
- Biometrics: Fingerprint sensor (side-mounted), Face unlock
- Software: realme UI 5.0 (Android 14)
- Battery: 5,000mAh
- Fast Charging Technology: 45W SUPERVOOC
- IP Rating: IP64
- Dimensions: 6 x 76.1 x 7.8mm
- Weights: 190 grams
