realme Philippines finally launched its latest entry-level smartphone under the C series model with the realme C53.
“Charge Like A Champion” is how realme Philippines describes the realme C53 to its users as it offers a large 5,000 mAh battery with support for a 33W SuperVOOC fast charging technology. It’s twice as fast as other regular smartphones in the market that carries a regular 18W charging feature only.
Aside from the battery and fast charging feature, the C53 has additional features like a 50MP main camera, a large 90Hz HD+ display, 2TB storage expandability, RAM expansion technology, and the Mini Capsule with all its three functions.
The budget-level enthusiasts will be pleased that the realme C53 is priced at only Php7,999. A very affordable phone that boasts spec-wised features.
We’ve tested the built-in features of the phone for several weeks and we would like to share the full review of the realme C53.
Design and Build Quality
The realme C53 will be available in two color variants in Champion Gold, and our review unit in Mighty Black.
It has a modern squared-off body with rounded edges at the corners and a smooth flat frame matte design.
The thickness of this phone is only 7.49mm and weighs 182 grams.
It’s still lightweight, comfortable to hold, and offers an easy grip even with just one hand.
The back panel is made of durable polycarbonate plastic material with a matte finish to help prevent fingerprint smudges. There’s a slight shimmer effect when you tilt it sideways.
To keep up with the trending modern rear camera design of phones these days. realme has made its camera lenses with a large ring design which is housed in a squared-type camera module. To make it more stylish the camera module is slightly bumped up and gets a glass-type surface finish.
The usual buttons and ports are all present on the phone including the essential parts like the dedicated card slot, USB-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a fingerprint scanner embedded in the power button.
A clear protective case is now included in the box to provide protection against scratches, dings, and minor drops of the phone
On the front, the large display has thin bezels except for the bottom chin and it uses a waterdrop notch design on the front camera.
In general, The aesthetics of the realme C53 is durable, stylish and provides a slim form factor.
Display
The realme C53 employs a 6.74-inch HD+ display using an IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 720×1600 pixels.
It supports a 90Hz refresh rate for a smoother experience when scrolling and transitions on the screen. The phone is very responsive with its 180Hz touch sampling rate good for playing your favorite FPS or RPG games.
It has a screen pixel density of 260 PPI which can produce good image quality on the display.
The realme C53 has a 90.3% screen-to-body ratio to allow for a larger viewing area.
While the display gets brightness levels of around 400 nits, the outdoor visibility is decent under direct sunlight with a bit of struggle. But, when you’re using it indoors it is perfectly clear and bright.
Under the display settings, you’ll find some other useful features that you can tweak or adjust the appearance of your device’s screen.
- You can enable Adaptive Brightness to automatically adjust the screen’s illumination based on the ambient lighting conditions.
- To reduce the amount of blue light emitted from the display, it has a Night Light feature to show warmer colors on the screen making it easier for your eyes to read.
- The Video Display Enhancement feature will boost the video display quality to make it brighter and more vivid colors for a better viewing experience. You can use the feature from the following applicable programs: YouTube, Google Meet, Files by Google, and Photos.
Overall, the display of the realme C53 is still good to look at as it provides vivid colors, sharp text, good contrast, and with decent viewing angles.
Performance
Under the hood, the realme C53 is powered by a Unisoc T612 octa-core processor manufactured using a 12-nanometer process technology with clock speeds up to 1.8GHz. It has two fast ARM Cortex A75 cores and six power-efficient ARM Cortex A55 cores with both chipsets having speeds up to 1.8 GHz.
The Unisoc T612 processor is focused on power efficiency while providing the phone to have an affordable price point.
It has 6GB RAM, 128GB internal storage, and ARM Mali-G57 for its GPU.
The C53 also features a Dynamic RAM expansion of up to 6GB increasing the RAM to a total of 12GB. You also have microSD card expansion capabilities up to a maximum of 2TB in case you need additional storage.
Here are our benchmark score results on the realme C53.
- GeekBench6: 419 Single Core / 1465 Multi-CoreCPDT: 172.57 MB/s Write, 99.50 MB/s Read
- PCMark: 7682 Work 3.0 Performance
- 3DMark: 423 Wild Life (2.50 fps)
With the built-in hardware on the realme C53, it can perform any task that we could throw at from web browsing, watching videos, listening to music, checking e-mails, and even playing games on it.
As for the audio quality, the Realme C53 has one speaker which relies upon its bottom-firing speakers for external sound. It has an ultra-boom speaker mode an extra option to boost the volume to an even higher level up to 150%.
The sound quality of the speaker is decent with clear vocals, and good mid-range but lacks a bit of bass. You can pair your Bluetooth earbuds or connect to the 3.5mm audio port for an external audio device for better sound performance.
Camera
Going into the camera department, you have a dual camera setup at the back comprising a 50MP main camera with f/1.8 aperture and a 0.8MP portrait sensor. Missing on the phone is an ultra-wide lens that can capture more of your surroundings.
For selfies and video calls, you get an 8MP with f/2.0 aperture and a 78-degrees field of view on your front camera.
It has phase-detection autofocus (PDAF) to quickly focus on the subject and face detection for a detailed and well-exposed face leaving it unsharp.
On the camera app, you get 4 shooting modes ready for use: night, video, photo, and portrait. Select more options to reveal 6 more shooting modes with time-lapse, pro, pano, slo-mo, QR code, and 50M.
The viewfinder on the default photo mode has a Google Lens at the bottom right while on the top you have the flash, HDR, color filter, and settings. Auto HDR is available, too.
There are no zoom switch options on the viewfinder only the normal 1x zoom is available. It is capable of taking zoomed photos up to 10x.
But another thing lacking is an ultra-wide camera.
Shots on the main camera during well-lit conditions can produce photos that are good, resolved detail is enough, contrast is decent, and the noise is kept low. The colors are natural but when you turn on the HDR the colors are a bit oversaturated, but likable.
Indoors with bright ambient lighting can also capture good-quality photos
At low light scenarios, using the night mode made the photos still acceptable but it’s a little soft, noise is present, and the details are still there.
Here are some sample photos on the realme C53.
1x Photo, Indoor – Ambient Lighting
1x Photo, Outdoor – Sunny Weather (HDR Off)
50M mode, Outdoor – Sunny Weather
1x Photo, Outdoor – Sunny Weather (HDR Off)
1x Photo, Outdoor – Sunny Weather (HDR On)
2x Photo, Outdoor – Sunny Weather (HDR On)
5x Photo, Outdoor – Sunny Weather (HDR On)
10x Photo, Outdoor – Sunny Weather (HDR On)
Selfie, Indoor – Ambient Lighting
Selfie Portrait Mode, Indoor – Ambient Lighting
1x Photo, Indoor – Ambient Lighting
Night mode, Outdoor – Low Light
The realme C53 supports video resolutions of 1080p, 720p, and 480p at 30fps with the rear camera.
On the selfie camera, it can record at 720p, 480p, and CIF resolutions at 30fps.
There is no electronic stabilization on the camera, it would be good to use a gimbal for smooth footage and prevent those shaky videos.
Software
The phone runs with realme UI T Edition based on Android 13.
The drop-down menu is more organized and you have easy access with 4 toggle options on the control panel.
It comes with pre-installed apps like Agoda, Discord, Facebook, Fineasy, Lazada, LinkedIn, Shopee, Spotify, and TikTok. If you don’t like these apps you can easily uninstall them.
You also have Google apps and realme’s very own proprietary apps.
Customization is doable on the phone, you can change either the wallpaper of your device, UI colors, font size, or set up your live wallpaper to animate your lock screen or home screen. There is also a dark theme which can save extra battery and easy readability during the night.
For the realme C53, you also have the Mini Capsule feature that sits right in the front camera area. The innovative feature extends a pill-shaped bar to display the phone’s data consumption, daily step count, or charging status upon plugging in the phone and when charging is complete.
Although its usage is not that much it is still neat and looks novel. You can turn it off if you don’t feel it useful.
realme promises 2-year major update cycles and 2-year security support for the realme C53.
So far, the realme UI T Edition runs smoothly, simple, and is easy to use. We did not encounter any lags or crashes.
Biometrics and Connectivity
For biometrics, the realme C53 has a side-mounted fingerprint sensor and face unlock. The initial setup is easy and both features unlock the phone right away.
Additional security can also be added with the usual screen lock using either the swipe, pattern, pin, or password.
The handset allows dual standby with two nano SIM cards. It can provide network bands signal speeds for 2G, 3G, and 4G.
As for connectivity, we have the following: WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, OTG, USB-C, and a 3.5mm audio port.
Battery
Everything is powered by a large 5,000mAh battery with support for 33W SuperVOOC fast charging, and it comes with the appropriate charger.
The C53 can recharged 29% of its dead battery in 15 minutes and 52% in just half an hour.
It took us around 1 hour and 19 minutes to fully charge the phone from 0 to 100 percent.
realme claims that a fully charged battery on the C53 can offer its users either up to 86 hours of music streaming, up to 36 hours of phone calls, up to 16 hours of YouTube playback, or 38 hours of standby time.
When we use the phone starting from morning till the afternoon with moderate use like checking our emails, updating our social media, watching YouTube videos, and some camera test. We were left with a remaining 16% battery on the phone at around 6:35 PM.
The realme C53 is able to quickly charge its battery due to its High Voltage, Low Current Charging technology with numerous built-in safety features to make sure that your phone is protected and no accident will happen. But still, we would advise you to always check your phone during charging, don’t leave it under direct sunlight, and make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
There are app battery settings to improve the battery life of the phone by optimizing, managing, or stopping unusual events from a certain app that may consume more battery power.
You can also opt to enable the normal power saving mode or super power saving mode that can further save battery power but with few certain restrictions. Use the super power saving mode if you know you’ll be away from a charger for an extended period and you want your phone to last a little longer.
What We Like
- Slim and Lightweight
- Large HD+ Display
- 90Hz Refresh Rate
- 50MP Main Camera
- Dynamic RAM Expansion (6GB)
- Expandable Storage Up To 2TB
- 5,000mAh Battery
- 33W SuperVOOC Fast Charging
- Dedicated Card Slot
- Mini Capsule
- Simple UI
- Fast Biometrics
- Price
What We Want
- 1080p Selfie Video
- 1080p at 60fps
- Ultra-wide Lens
- Less Bloatware
Conclusion
The realme C53 offers a nice slim form factor and looks premium. We just like how the phone is lightweight and comfortable in our hands.
Aside from the built-in 6GB and 128GB storage, you have Virtual RAM expansion of up to 6GB and expandable storage of up to 2TB.
The quality of the HD+ display is pretty decent and you get a 90Hz refresh rate for a smooth scrolling experience.
The camera performance turned out quite good, too. I just wish it had an ultra-wide but other than that it is capable of producing decent image quality.
Even with a large 5,000mAh battery, the realme C53 can last only a day on moderate usage. Good thing we don’t need to worry as it comes with a 33W SuperVOOC fast charging feature to quickly juice up the battery. In our charging test, we had it recharged at 52% of its dead battery in just 30 minutes.
At PHP7,999, the realme C53 offers a good set of features that matter for an entry-level phone. If you’re not too keen on the specs and you’re looking for an affordable phone then the realme C53 might be the phone you need.
Price and Availability
The official price of the realme C53 (6GB+128GB) smartphone is PHP7,999
realme Philippines will have an early-bird offer via online with a less PHP1,000 off with the realme C53 now priced at PHP6,999.00 on June 23, 2023 exclusive to realme’s official TikTok Shop and Lazada flagship store
Customers will get a FREE TechLife Portable Blender 40W, worth PHP 999, from June 23 to July 2, 2023 only. This promo is available in all realme offline stores nationwide.
From June 23-25, walk-in customers at select realme stores are also entitled to join the realme Mystery Box promo where they can get a chance to win prizes worth up to PHP 1,699 like the DIZO Watch 2 Sports, or realme Cooling Back Clip.
Note: The product/prize to be won will be on top of getting the TechLife Portable Blender 40W default freebie.
Full Specifications – realme C53
- Price: PHP7,999
- Colors: Mighty Black / Champion Gold
- Screen Size: 6.74-inch HD+
- Screen Type: LCD
- Screen Resolution: 720×1600 pixels
- PPI: 260
- Screen-to-Body Ratio: 90.3%
- Refresh Rate: 90Hz
- Touch Sampling Rate: 180Hz
- Brightness: 450 nits (typ)
- Processor: Unisoc T612
- GPU: ARM Mali-G57
- RAM: 6GB (Up to 6GB RAM Expansion – Virtual RAM)
- Storage: 128GB (Up to 2TB Expandable Storage via micro-SD Card)
- Battery: 5000mAh
- Charging Wattage: 33W
- Rear Camera: 50MP+0.8MP
- Front Camera: 8MP
- Audio Ports: 3.5mm Headphone Jack
- Audio Certification: N/A
- Operating System: realme UI T Edition, Android 13
- Voice Assistant: Google Assistant
- WiFi: 2.4GHz / 5GHz
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0
- Frequency Bands: 2G / 3G / 4G
- Dimensions: 167.26mm x 76.67mm x7.49mm
- Weight: 182g
- Warranty: 1 year
- In the Box: realme C53 unit, 33W SUPERVOOC Charging Adapter, Type-A to Type-C USB Cable, Warranty Card, Quick Guide, SIM Ejector Pin, Clear Protective Case, and Screen Protect Film
