The Realme C53 recently arrived in India. Notably, the variant released in India is different from the version sold in Southeast Asia.
The Indian variant of the handset comes with a 108MP rear camera. This makes it the most affordable smartphone with such a camera in the country, as it starts at only ₹9,999. In comparison, the Southeast Asian variant features a 50MP camera.
In addition to the device’s camera, the device’s design is also attractive. These two features make it stand out from other similarly priced smartphones in the region.
Realme India sent me a unit of the Realme C53 to try out. After a few days of using it, I have expressed my thoughts on it in this article.
Before I share my experience with the phone, I would like to clarify that the brand had no editorial input or early look.
Realme’s budget smartphone portfolio
The ₹10,000-₹15,000 price segment is considered the hottest category in India’s smartphone market. After a few quarters of decline in this segment, things are currently looking up. Brands have finally begun releasing interesting devices, like the Realme C53.
Let’s take a quick look at Realme’s budget smartphone portfolio to understand the positioning of its latest C and Narzo series phones.
The newly released Realme C53 is aggressively priced at ₹9,999 and ₹10,999 for 4GB + 128GB and 6GB + 64GB memory configurations, respectively.
It is placed below Realme Narzo N53, Realme Narzo N55, and Realme C55. For the unaware, the Narzo N53 is the original C53 sold in Southeast Asia.
Therefore, the Narzo N53 is almost identical to the C53, with a few changes. The Narzo model offers faster charging instead of a higher-megapixel camera, a slightly different design, and comes in a single 6GB + 128GB version priced at ₹10,999.
On the other hand, the Realme C55 and the Realme Narzo N55 are one and the same. Compared to the C53 and Narzo N53, they arrive with a faster chip and a better display. They also retain faster charging from the Narzo N53 and start at ₹10,999.
All in all, Realme is offering a total of four devices in the ₹10,000-₹15,000 price segment in India. Each one of them differs in one way or another, with not so much difference in price.
What makes Realme C53 special?
The pricing of the Realme C53 is perfect at ₹9,999 for the base 4GB + 128GB variant. If you are willing to buy this phone, then this is the version you should go for and not the 6GB + 64GB variant that costs ₹10,999.
Higher storage makes more sense than higher RAM for this handset. Because it is a budget smartphone powered by a Unisoc Tiger T612 SoC. This chipset can run all modern apps without any hiccups, but it is not meant for heavy multitasking, and therefore, going with more RAM is useless.
Despite oddly resembling iPhone Pro models, the Realme C53 is arguably one of the best-looking smartphones in the segment. The people I showed the device to were surprised that it costs just ₹10,000.
The phone’s body is entirely made of plastic, but it does not feel cheap at all. It is well-built and makes no creaking noise. I received the Champion Black color option, but you can purchase it in the Champion Gold hue as well.
You not only get a 3.5mm headphone jack but also a dedicated MicroSD card slot. The handset ships with a translucent case featuring flaps for both the USB Type-C port and the audio jack.
Though the Realme C53 has three circular islands on the rear, you only get one usable camera. The main camera is a 108MP Samsung HM6 sensor, and it is paired with a monochrome sensor. On the front, an 8MP shooter is located underneath the dewdrop notch.
To my surprise, the primary 108MP camera on the phone does perform very well for the product’s asking price. But you need good lighting to achieve better results.
The images are detailed with creamy natural bokeh. You get a 3x zoom option, which the brand claims to be lossless. The zoomed-in pictures are as good as the regular shots with a different perspective.
The image quality takes a major hit when the sun sets. Similarly, the video recording capability is just passable. Finally, the selfie camera delivers average pictures and makes dark-skinned people look fairer even when beautification is turned off.
Anyway, I cannot find a major complaint in the camera department given the pricing of the handset. It is adequate for the price.
The software on the Realme C53 is comparatively light when compared to what you find on more expensive devices from the brand. Because it boots Realme UI T Edition based on Android 13.
This version of Realme UI has multiple AOSP (stock Android) elements throughout the UI. The most notable ones are quick toggles and Settings. Thus, the smartphone runs smoother on the budget chip.
Finally, the Realme C53 can easily last more than a day with regular usage. The 5,000 mAh battery is difficult to drain in a single day unless you engage in excessive gaming or camera usage.
What could have been better in Realme C53?
Even though I love the way the Realme C53 looks, the phone’s design is not perfect. First and foremost, the flat sides are sharp. Hence, it is uncomfortable to hold for a longer time without the case.
Secondly, the side-mounted fingerprint sensor is too small. I had to register my fingers multiple times to get it correct.
Further, the rear camera module collects dust around it very quickly. You may have to wipe it several times a day.
I also didn’t like the display on the Realme C53. Not because it is just an HD+ (1600 x 720 pixels) panel but due to its color reproduction.
I tried both ‘Vivid’ and ‘Gentle’ color profiles. Neither of them feels good to my eyes. The colors are so off that I felt the pictures from the camera were terrible. Only when I checked the same images on a better display I realized the true potential of the phone’s main camera.
General consumers will most likely like the oversaturated colors. But this screen is definitely not for me.
Though the software on the handset is light, it retains all the negative things that I found on the Realme 11 Pro. Companies follow this trend to offset the retail price, but it is not the right thing to do.
Last but not least, the Realme C53’s 18W charging is painfully slow. It takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes to fill the battery. Realme is known for fast charging, and hence, it feels so weird to experience a Realme smartphone with slow charging.
Should you buy Realme C53?
The Realme C53 is a good buy at ₹9,999 for 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. It is a well-rounded package with an eye catchy design and a surprisingly good primary camera. The 6GB + 64GB variant of the device at ₹10,999 is not recommended, as you have better alternatives from Realme itself.
If you don’t care about the camera but want faster charging, then you should opt for the Realme Narzo N53. If you want a better display and a faster chipset, then the Realme C55 or Realme Narzo N55 should be your pick.
Realme has got you covered in the ₹10,000-₹15,000 price segment with the aforementioned four products with slightly varying differences. It is truly a smart move by the brand.
However, it is worth noting that none of these handsets offer 5G support. I wouldn’t consider it a con. But if you are planning to use the phone for a longer period, you may want to look elsewhere, like the exceptionally priced Redmi 12 5G.
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