realme’s C-series smartphones have always been positioned for creators and consumers who have smaller budget capacity. While it is the case, I have seen how this latest smartphone by realme captured the basic needs of consumers, and turned it into its core strength especially when compared to budget smartphones in the market.
realme C53 Unboxing
The unboxing experience of the realme C53 is nothing short of the ordinary. You’ve got all the essential stuff in the package. Apart from the phone, you’ll get the silicon case, Type-A to Type C USB Cable, Warranty Card, Quick Guide, SIM ejector pin, and a 33W SupeVooc Charging Adapter.
realme C53: A quick look of its specs
The realme C53 comes in two distinct colors: Mighty Black and Champion Gold. What I received is the Might Black variant. It packs 6GB RAM (that can be virtually extended) and 128GB storage. In terms of processor, it is powered by a Unisoc T612 Processor, which should be good enough for casual mobile games and social media production. I have a video that details that things you can do with this smartphone, and I must say that its performance its somewhat identical to other Narzo smartphones. While some may think that the choice of Unisoc SoC is odd, but it’s very likely a strategic initiative by realme to manage the costing of this series. In line with this, I have to tell you: don’t expect this phone to perform just like the the other number numbered-realme devices (e.g., realme 8, 9, and 10, etc.).
The phone also has an interesting combination of cameras. It has a 50MP + .8MP rear facing cameras, and an 8MP selfie camera. The performance of cameras are average, but I am someone who can be pleased very easily. I’ll talk more about the cameras later.
In terms of battery capacity, the realme C53 has 5000mAh with a capacity to sustain 33W SuperVOOC charging. This means that you can charge it to 50% in 30 minutes, and to 100% in just 88 minutes. It’s an impressive feature, and it’s something that you’ll likely be more thankful for when you’ve got this as your daily driver. In fact, if there’s anything that makes this phone a total champion, then it would be this particular feature.
iPhone-esque Design and High Refresh Rate Display
This phone’s design has a striking similarity to the iPhone 14 Pro Max. It has hints of the iPhone’s design, and quite honestly, it might be one of the reasons why people would buy one. I am not sure if this will make sense, but it looks like an iPhone without trying to look like an iPhone. Trippy.
It has a 7.49mm ultra slim design with slightly rounded edges. It’s like the younger brother to the realme C55 sans the mini capsule. (It still creatively mimics dynamic island in a different form, but it lacks the aesthetics as seen from the realme C55.)
The display, however, has 90Hz refresh rate and touch response rate of 180Hz. It is very likely that you’ll be playing games with this phone at low graphics settings, but you’ll be pleased with how responsive it is, thanks to its display performance.
Cameras are decent, but not entirely mindblowing
As mentioned earlier, the phone packs a 50MP + .8MP rear cameras, and an 8MP selfie camera. These are decent for a phone with a budget package. Does it fare well though? Yes, but it isn’t something that can outperform other midrangers. For a phone that will likely cost less than the realme C55 (yes, we don’t have yet the price as of this writing), it’s impressively good, but not mindblowing. I will have a in-depth discussion about its camera performance in my full review.
The Real Champion: Battery performance and charging time
At full charge, I was able to use the realme C53 for 14 hours and 27 minutes with 25% battery remaining. This is its performance 48 hours after we unboxed the device. It might get even better after battery optimization, which usually happens after 2 weeks OOBE (out of the box experience).
Now, the fact that you’re able to charge this to 50% in 30 minutes makes the overall realme C53 experience even better.
Initial Verdict
My initial verdict? It’s an interesting device. It’s packed with the necessary features that makes it an ideal budget smartphone. I like it how it looks. The cameras are decent, and my initial battery experience is impressive. The performance can be better, but this is something that I don’t expect to outperform midrange smartphones. Should I grab it? Yes, but only if the price is decent. As of this writing, we still don’t have the price of the realme C53. My “guess-timate”: it will cost less than the realme C55, but will likely cost more than the narzo 50A. If such is the case, this is going to be a champ!
Catch our full coverage of the realme C55. Price and early bird offers will be announced on June 22, 2023.
Giancarlo Viterbo is a Filipino Technology Journalist, blogger and Editor of gadgetpilipinas.net, He is also a Geek, Dad and a Husband. He knows a lot about washing the dishes, doing some errands and following instructions from his boss on his day job. Follow him on twitter: @gianviterbo and @gadgetpilipinas.
