Last year, we reviewed the realme C75, and this year the brand follows it up with two variants under the C-series: the realme C85 and realme C85 5G. Both devices are shaping up to be some of the most practical and durable smartphones in realme’s lineup, especially for users who wants toughness in this segment.
For this write-up, we received the realme C85 5G, the top variant of the series. It’s clearly built for users who need a phone that can keep up with their lifestyle—whether for work, school, or personal entertainment.
For its price and availability, the realme C85 5G retails at PhP14,999 and is available in all realme stores nationwide, as well as through online e-commerce partners on Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop.
Now, let’s jump into the review.
Unboxing
The packaging of the realme C85 5G comes in a familiar design with a bright golden-yellow colored box and made of thick cardboard material.
Open it up, and here’s everything you’ll find inside:
- Quick Guide
- Safety Guide
- SIM Ejector Tool
- Clear Protective Case
- realme C85 5G unit
- USB-A to USB-C Cable
- 45W Power Adapter
- Screen Protector already pre-applied
Design and Build Quality
The first time I held the realme C85 5G out of the box, I immediately felt its premium weight and solid build. I like its modern aesthetics sporting a flat design on both the front and back. Plus, the rounded corners make it comfortable to grip, especially during long gaming sessions.
It stays slim at 8.38mm despite its large battery (more on that later) and at 255 grams carries a bit of heaviness but still it feels light and comfortable to hold.
For color options, the device comes in two variants, the Peacock Green and our review unit in a vibrant Parrot Purple.
For the Parrot Purple color variant, the back panel is made of durable plastic material. What makes this shade stand out is that it doesn’t use a flat matte or glossy panel, instead, it aims for a playful, appealing, and still premium looking without being too flashy. The rear panel features a 3D feather-inspired texture with a flowing gradient purple hue and a hint of shimmer, topped off with a nice matte finish.
So far, I received a lot of positive feedback about this color, especially from my female colleagues and friends. They all loved the design, and I feel it really appeals to the feminine side. If ever you want a more subtle color the Peacock Green might be your liking.
The rear cameras arranged vertically, LED flash, and a new Pulse Light feature all placed in a rectangular shaped camera module with curved edges to complement the design of the phone.
realme keeps things simple with a clean and straightforward port and button layout. On the right side edge, you’ll find the volume rockers and the power/sleep button, which also doubles as the fingerprint scanner.
The left side is completely clean to admire the slim profile of the phone.
The top edge houses the secondary microphone.
Found on the bottom edge, you get the SIM card tray, USB-C port, speaker grille, and primary microphone.
If you want a phone that’s truly durable, the realme C85 5G has you covered. It boasts a triple IP rating with an IP66, IP68, and IP69K.
I tested the phone for my durability video challenge, ranging from spill tests and wash tests to a submersion test. For the spill test, we poured soda, beer, energy drink, ketchup, soy sauce, and even dishwashing liquid on it, and afterward, we washed it off under running water. The IP69K rating makes the phone completely dust-tight and resistant to high-temperature, high-pressure water jet sprays. So if you accidentally spill hot coffee on the phone, it’s going to be okay.
For water resistance, here are a few things you should remember:
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It can withstand submersion up to 6 meters for 30 minutes.
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It is resistant up to 36 different liquids—including hot tea, soda, mouthwash, dishwashing liquid and more.
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It can handle high-pressure water jet sprays, plus rain and everyday splashes.
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It’s designed to endure water temperatures ranging from 0°C to 85°C.
With all of those tests, the phone had no issues at all, and the Rainwater Smart Touch feature kept the screen responsive even when my fingers were slightly wet.
We also performed several drop tests, and with its MIL-STD 810H military-grade standard, we were confident that it could withstand the impact and it did.
The SonicWave Water Ejection was also useful, we tried it after rinsing the phone during our wash test, it helps push out excess water from the speaker grill.
Just a quick reminder: please don’t try these tests at home. We conducted them in a controlled environment to show that the features really work. Doing these challenges yourself may damage your phone or even void your warranty.
Going over to the front, the realme C85 5G offers a 90.4% screen-to-body ratio, and while the bezels are not equally thin all around, they do not distract our viewing experience. The front camera is positioned at the top center with a punch-hole design.
Display
One of the first things I noticed on the new realme C85 5G was its large 6.8-inch display, which gives you more screen real estate to view your content. Although it uses an LCD panel, thanks to its 1,200 nits peak brightness, 1570 x 720 resolution, and support for 16.7 million colors, the images still looks vibrant, clear, and enjoyable whether you’re watching videos or playing games.
This phone caps off with an edge in its refresh rate at 144 Hz, which is honestly a pleasant surprise compared to the usual 120 Hz we see from other phones. It’s also paired with a 180 Hz touch sampling rate. It makes the entire on-screen experience feel snappier, very smooth, and responsive as I scroll through social media apps and navigate the phone’s menus.
When playing games like MLBB, Call of Duty, and PUBG, we were only able to reach up to 120 Hz. We haven’t tried achieving 144 Hz yet, but after confirming with the realme team, there is a list from their global office of apps that support it. I think it ultimately comes down to user experience, and we can definitely say that browsing through photos as we are going back and forth feels much more fluid and fast.
Under bright sunlight, the display held up decently well and indoor use will have no problem looking at the screen due to the phone’s high peak brightness.
Hardware and Performance
Chipsets and components powering the realme C85 5G includes a MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset with clock speeds of up to 2.4GHz along with an Arm Mali-G57 MC2 GPU and all built on a 6nm process making it power efficient.
The RAM offers 8GB LPDDR4X, which can be expanded up to 16GB through the Dynamic RAM Expansion feature for a total of 24GB. I was able to keep a bunch of apps open without feeling any slowdown because of this. As for internal storage, you get 256GB using the standard eMMC 5.1 flash memory. Storage of the phone can be added via a microSD card up to 2TB.
We did some benchmark test on the realme C85 5G, check out the results below:
- GeekBench 6 CPU: 728 Single Core / 1863 Multi-Core
- GeekBench 6 GPU: 1390 OpenCL Score
- CPDT: 116.17 MB/s Write, 114.72 MB/s Read
- PCMark: 10197 Work 3.0 Performance
- 3DMark: 1394 Wild Life (8.35 fps)
These benchmark scores just shows us that the realme C85 5G delivers solid everyday performance with the storage speeds decent for quick app loading, and productivity tasks can run efficiently with the PCMark result we had.
While it’s not built for heavy-graphic gaming titles, the phone handled casual and moderately demanding games we installed such as Mobile Legends: BangBang, COD Mobile, and PUBG Mobile at medium or its default settings. We enjoyed smooth gameplay overall, and even Real Racing 3 ran well as we pleasantly drive to the finish line.
Heat build up during our long gaming sessions with the phone is kept to minimal thanks to its large 5330mm2 vapor chamber cooling system.
Connectivity
During my testing, 5G connectivity was fast and stable, with no issues when sending text messages or making phone and video calls. The device also supports NFC, OTG, and Bluetooth.
The AI Outdoor Mode is genuinely a handy feature for using the phone outdoors, such as for motorcycle delivery riders relying on navigation and calls. When it’s activated, the phone automatically adjusts settings like boosting screen brightness, increasing call volume, and optimize network performance for a more consistent experience.
Sound quality
Audio comes out from the single, bottom-firing speaker and the quality is pretty decent with clear vocals great for listening to podcast or acoustic music. Mid and highs are present but the bass falls out a bit.
At around 70% volume, you get good sound output and loudness, but pushing it higher or max starts to introduce some noticeable distortion. You can also max out the volume using the UltraBoom speaker feature, which boosts the sound output up to 400% for online meetings or watch news for the voice to be more prominent.
Camera and Photo Samples
Talking about the cameras, there’s a slight noticeable improvement in the setup. At first glance, the rear module may look like a triple-camera system, but only two lenses are actually functional.
The main camera now uses a 50MP lens with a Sony IMX852 sensor, a solid upgrade not found in last year’s model. It also features an f/1.8 aperture, a 76-degree field of view, and PDAF (Phase Detection Autofocus) for fast and accurate focusing.
The primary camera has a good step up with the inclusion of a Sony IMX852 sensor for photos to look cleaner in low light, dynamic range improves, add more details and colors are more natural.
The next lens is a 2MP flicker sensor to minimize banding and flicker when shooting under artificial lights.
The main camera performed well in my shots. Photos taken during daytime looked great, with good detail, dynamic range, and accurate colors. Even indoors with bright ambient lighting, colors remained accurate and sharp. In low-light situations, the quality becomes a bit soft during the process as it tries to reduce noise, though some shots still show noticeable grain. In fairness, the Sony IMX852 sensor was a big help in improving photos compared to the previous model, so I can say it offers a slight upgrade in overall image quality.
For selfies, the realme C85 5G still gets the same 8-megapixel front camera as its previous model with an f/2.0 aperture, field of view at 80-degree, and face detection.
In bright conditions, it delivers clear and good facial detail shots that are fine for everyday use and social media posting. But once the lighting starts to drop, the quality softens noticeably which something we would pretty much expect at this level.
Recording videos offer a 720p and 1080p resolutions with frame rate at 30fps only.
Check out our sample photos:
1x Photo mode, Outdoor, Sunny Weather
1x Photo mode, Indoor, Ambient Lighting
1x Photo mode, Indoor, Ambient Lighting
1x Photo mode, Outdoor, Sunny Weather
1x Photo mode, Outdoor, Cloudy Weather
1x Underwater mode (Fish Tank), Indoor, Ambient Lighting
1x Photo mode, Indoor, Ambient Lighting
1x Photo mode, Outdoor, Low Lighting
2x Photo mode, Outdoor, Low Lighting
1x Night mode, Outdoor, Low Lighting
Selfie, Indoor, Ambient Lighting
Selfie – Portrait mode, Indoor, Ambient Lighting
Battery
The realme C85 5G isn’t just tough on the outside, it’s also durable in terms of battery performance, and it truly shines in this aspect.
You’re getting a remarkable 7000mAh battery capacity paired with 45W SUPERVOOC fast charging to quickly top it up. realme claims that it can charge from 0 to 50% in about 42 minutes.
In our charging test, starting at 5% battery, the phone reached 29% in the first initial 15 minutes and climbed to 44% after another 15 minutes. Overall, it took about 1 hour and 34 minutes to fully charge the 7000mAh battery from 0 to 100%.
Charging Time Log (5% battery)
- 6:05 – 6:20 29% 15 minutes
- 6:20 – 6:35 44% 15 minutes
- 6:35 – 7:00 72% 25 minutes
- 7:00 – 7:20 89% 20 minutes
- 7:20 – 7:30 96% 10 minutes
- 7:30 – 7:39 100% 9 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 34 min
The big sized battery easily powered me through a full day of heavy use. Even after hours doing these activities from scrolling on our social media apps, taking photos for the review, online calls, watching videos, and gaming, I still had around 17% battery left in the evening.
However, if you’re a light user just checking or answering emails, making calls and texting, updating social media apps, and browsing the web. It can last up to two days before needing a charge.
Based on our experience and the PCMark battery test, the realme C85 5G scored a notable 15 hours and 9 minutes which just proves that the device can easily last a full day of heavy use.
We love that it comes with a Bypass Charging feature, which keeps the device cooler and helps maintain battery health while using the charger especially during gaming. This is a feature gaming enthusiasts will surely appreciate, knowing that this phone has one.
With that whopping battery, the phone can also be used as a power bank to recharge my IoT devices like Bluetooth earbuds and smartwatch through its reverse charging feature.
Power Saving Mode is available under the battery settings to help extend battery life when there’s no access to a charging port or if a power bank is drained. Under Battery Health options, you can slow down battery aging by limiting charging to 80% or 90%, helping prevent the battery from degrading over time.
Software
Out of the box, the software of the realme C85 5G runs on the latest realme UI 6.0 based on Android 15. The new software has a refreshed UI design featuring a Fluid Liquid Glass elements on the control panel, folders, and icons. These rounded, semi-transparent visuals give the interface a modern look to complement the phone’s overall aesthetic.
Just like its previous model, the phone comes with quite a bit of bloatware, which some may find excessive. But no worries on our side as we can easily delete the unnecessary apps we don’t need. Still, we appreciate the pre-installed ones which we usually use, like Facebook, Netflix, TikTok, and more.
The realme C85 5G comes with Google Gemini and Google Circle for Search a feature that are now commonly integrated into new phones nowadays. Many users are already using them, so it’s great to see these tools available on this device.
Enable the AI Smart Loop to use gesture-based drag-and-drop functionality, which can suggest the most suitable app for your content.
In the photo gallery, you have two ways to edit or enhance your images: the AI Editor and the new AI Edit Genie debuting on the realme C85 5G.
Under the AI Editor in the Photo app, you can choose from five editing tools. The most popular is AI Eraser, which removes unwanted objects or people from your shots. Remove Reflections helps clear distracting glass reflections, while AI Glare Remover reduces harsh light glare for cleaner, more polished photos.
If you have slightly fuzzy photos or zoomed-in shots that lost detail, AI Ultra Clarity can help sharpen and restore them. And if you captured a photo too quickly or with shaky hands, AI Unblur can rescue those images by reducing blur and improving overall clarity.
Unblur
Changed the background sky
The AI Edit Genie lets you edit photos using voice commands instead of selecting or manually tapping through menus. There’s a text box area to refine or add more instructions before the editing begins, giving you more control over the final output.
Final Output
It successfully changed the sky to blue and removed the people, but it also ended up replacing the building in the background.
Trying the AI Edit Genie, I was able to transform a plain dark sky into a starry night and even remove people from a photo with a simple command. You can continue adding instructions after each render until you achieve the look you want. It’s a bit of a hit-or-miss experience at times, and some results may not match what you planned, but with a little patience, you’ll eventually get the final image you’re aiming for.
In case you didn’t know, all these AI editing tools require an active internet connection (wi-fi or mobile data) to process and render the editing process.
Final Output
realme C85: Same Robust Durability, More Affordable
If you really like the phone but it’s still beyond your budget or you prefer something below the PhP14K mark, you might want to consider its sibling, the realme C85. It comes with a few differences such as being a 4G device with a different processor and camera setup but the durability remains solid. You still get triple ingress protection and military-grade standard resistance, making it a tough and reliable option at a lower price.
The realme C85 has two variants 8GB+256GB priced at PHP12,999 while the 6GB+128GB variants retails for PHP9,999.
What We Like
- Triple IP Rating (IP66, IP68, IP69K)
- MIL-STD 810H Military-grade Standard
- Slim and Modern Flat Design
- Large Display with 144 Hz Refresh Rate
- Expandable Storage
- 16GB RAM Expansion
- 7000mAh Battery
- 45W SUPERVOOC
- Reverse Charging
- Bypass Charging
- Improved Camera Quality
- AI Outdoor Mode
What We Want
- AMOLED Display
- 1080p at 60fps
- OIS
- Dual Stereo Speakers
Conclusion
After more than a week, let me share what it’s been like using the realme C85 5G:
- Using the display has been a genuinely pleasant experience, thanks to its smooth, responsive, and bright screen. Changing the display with an AMOLED panel would be a good improvement for the next model.
- The build with a modern flat design, and ergonomic rounded corners make it comfortable to hold for hours.
- Durability is one of its stand out features, as the triple IP rating (IP66, IP68, IP69K) and MIL-STD 810H military-grade standards ensure the phone can handle spills, accidental drops, and dust with ease. I’s clear realme focused on creating a phone that’s tough enough for real-world challenges. It is ideal for users who are outdoor enthusiasts, industrial workers, motorcycle delivery riders, and anyone needing extra durability in their phone.
- On the performance and hardware side, the realme C85 5G is equipped with a new chipset, more RAM, bigger storage with expandable storage option for more additional space. All-day tasks is a breeze while productivity apps, and casual to moderately demanding games run smoothly,
- A big leap is the battery capacity with a 7000mAh paired with 45W fast charging and the Bypass Charging feature ensures the phone stays cool and quality of the battery helps minimal wear.
- The camera system also sees a noticeable improvement, thanks to the 50MP main camera having a Sony IMX852 sensor, however an ultrawide lens could have been a good inclusion.
- Combined with AI-powered features on the realme UI 6.0 software from photo editing, Google Gemini, Google Circle to Search, and AI Smart Loop it adds convenience and intelligent functionality to daily use.
While the realme C85 5G is set with a higher price tag than last year’s model at PHP14,999, the new upgrades in terms of design, durability, battery, and camera make it a worthwhile investment for users seeking a more robust and reliable phone.
We feel the realme C85 5G strikes as one of the best choices in the rugged smartphone segment today.
Full Specifications – realme C85 5G
- Price: PHP14,999
- Color: Parrot Purple, Peacock Green
- Dimensions: 166.07 x 77.93 x 8.38mm
- Weight: 255 grams
- Durability Features: Drop, Dust,&Water Resistance; Military-Grade Shock Resistant; Triple IP Rating (IP66/IP68/IP69K)
- Battery Capacity: 7000mAh
- Fast Charging: 45W SUPERVOOC
- Charging Features: Bypass and Reverse Charging
- Display Size: 6.8-inch
- Display Panel Technology: LCD
- Refresh Rate: 144Hz Refresh Rate
- Peak Brightness: 1,200 nits
- Touch Sampling Rate: 180Hz
- Resolution: 1570 x 720 pixels
- Screen to Body Ratio: 90.4%
- Bezels: 2.45mm Top x 4.97mm Bottom x 1.93mm Left&Right
- Colors: 16.7 million
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 6300 2.4GHz, 6nm
- GPU: Arm Mali G57 MC2
- RAM: 8GB LPDDR4X (16GB RAM Expansion)
- Storage: 256GB eMMC5.1 (Expandable 2TB MicroSD)
- Cooling System: 5330mm² Vapor Chamber Cooling System
- Rear Camera: 50MP Sony IMX852, f/1.8, FoV 76-degree, PDAF / 2MP Flicker
- Front Camera: 8MP, f/2.0, FoV 80-degree
- Video Camera: 1080p at 30fps
- Software: realme UI 6.0, Android 15
- Sound: Bottom Firing Speakers, 400% UltraBoom Speaker
