The Realme 13 Pro series, announced earlier this month, succeeds the Realme 12 Pro and 12 Pro+. The Realme 13 Pro and 13 Pro+ share the same chipset, unlike their predecessors, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 and Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, respectively. In fact, the two phones are largely identical, differing primarily in two key areas: the rear camera setup and quick charging capabilities. In this review, we will focus on the Realme 13 Pro+ and explore how its upgraded features, particularly the enhanced rear camera setup and faster charging, set it apart from the standard Realme 13 Pro.
1. Design and build
- 161.3 x 73.91 x 8.41mm,185.5 grams (leather)
- 161.3 x 73.91 x 8.23mm, 190 grams (glass)
- IP65 rating | Gorilla Glass 7i protection for display
- Colors: Emerald Green (leather), Monet Gold (glass)
Unboxing, the Realme 13 Pro+ retail package reveals the handset, an 80W charger, a USB-C to USB-A cable, a SIM ejector tool, a safety guide, a quick guide, and a protective case. The Emerald Green edition, which I received for review, has a leather back, while the Monet Gold features a glass back.
Like the Realme 12 Pro series, the 13 Pro+ continues to feature a curved-edge OLED panel on the front, a plastic frame, and a round camera module on the back. The device feels good in the hand, and its IP65 rating protects it from dust and low-pressure water jets, making it resistant to splashes and light rain.
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2. Display and Audio
- 6.7-inch OLED FHD+ (2412 x 1080p), 10-bit colors
- 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate, 2160Hz PWM dimming
- 100% DCI-P3 color gamut
- TB: 600nits, GMB: 1200nits, LPB: 2,000nits, MMB:600nits (Typical Brightness, Global Maximum Brightness, Local Peak Brightness, Manual Maximum Brightness)
- Dual speakers
The display of the Realme 13 Pro+ appears to be identical to that of the previous model. However, the new phone comes with better brightness. Color profiles available on the device include Vivid (P3), Natural, and Pro (Cinematic and Brillant). There is an “AI Eye Comfort” option in settings, which allows the phone to detect eye fatigue with AI and adjust the screen color temperature in real-time.
The Realme 13 Pro+ lacks HDR support, which means it can’t stream HD content available on Netflix and YouTube. However, it is compatible with Widevine L1.
The speaker setup includes a bottom-firing speaker and an earpiece-embedded one. The bottom speaker appears to produce about 60 percent of the sound output. Overall, the 13 Pro+ offers a decent experience when watching a movie.
3. Performance and Software
- Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
- LPDDR4x RAM | UFS 2.2 (128GB/256GB) / UFS 3.1 (512GB) storage | Up to 12GB virtual RAM
- Variants: 8GB+256GB | 12GB+256GB | 12G+512GB
- Android 14 | Realme UI 5
- 5,200mAh battery | 80W charging
- 9-layer cooling system (4500mm² tempered VC + 9953mm² graphite + 3394mm² large vapor chamber)
The Realme 13 Pro+ has the 4nm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 onboard. In terms of performance, it is not better than the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1. In a nutshell, the S7sG2 offers a bit smoother experience for everyday tasks and slightly better gaming performance. It is good to see Realme pack a large battery of 5,200mAh inside the 13 Pro+. With an 80W in-box charger, the device can go from 0 to 100 percent in 50 to 55 minutes.
The Realme UI 5, based on Android 14, includes software features such as AI Smart Loop (similar to Google’s Circle to Search), AI Smart Recognition, Air Gestures, Smart Image Matting, Microsoft Phonelink, and File Dock. The phone is set to receive Android 15 and Android 16 OS upgrades, along with three years of security updates. While the UI experience is quite good, there are many pre-loaded apps. Ideally, I would prefer an app drawer with fewer preinstalled apps, allowing for a more customized experience where I can install apps according to my preferences. Additionally, the 13 Pro+ also shows system ads, which can be turned off in the settings. Nevertheless, apart from these hiccups, the Realme UI 5 experience is, as usual, quite smooth and stutter-free.
There’s feedback for the brand. While there are several AI functionalities, they seem to be buried deep within the settings. For example, AI Smart Loop and AI Smart Recognition are located under Settings > Accessibility & convenience. Additionally, there are numerous features within “Accessibility & convenience,” such as in-app air gestures available under Smart Sensing. It would be good if Realme simplified the interface so that these features were more easily accessible.
The Realme 13 Pro+ scores 652,858 in AnTuTu, indicating good overall performance. It should be able to handle most everyday tasks, multitasking, and even demanding games with reasonable ease. In the CPU Throttle app, the throttle percentage is at 73%, which indicates that the CPU is currently running at about 73% of its maximum potential performance. I did not experience frame drop issues in demanding games like PUBG (Ultra/Ultra HDR) and Genshin Impact. While the Realme 13 Pro+ can handle intensive tasks, it is not a gaming-focused phone. Since it is more of a photography device, you should look at the Realme GT 6 or 6T for a top-notch gaming experience.
4. Cameras and Other Features
- Front: 32MP Sony IMX615
- Rear: 50MP Sony LYT-701 with OIS | 8MP Smartsens SC820CS ultrawide | 50MP Sony LYT600 telephoto with OIS
The HyperImage+ logo on the camera module of the Realme 13 Pro series represents Realme’s new AI photography architecture, which aims to improve the camera experience and image quality. This includes packing flagship-grade optics (LYT-701, industry first on Realme 13 Pro+), the AI HyperRAW algorithm processing images in RAW format, and the AI HyperRAW algorithm processing images in RAW format. For cloud-based editing, Smart Removal lets you erase unwanted objects or people from photos, and Group Photo Enhancement optimizes group shots by adjusting lighting and facial features. Additionally, Audio Zoom enhances video audio quality by focusing on sound from specific sources.
As expected, daylight shots captured using the primary camera of the Realme 13 Pro+ are impressive. The 50-megapixel main camera captures images at 12 megapixels by default and supports up to 120x digital zoom. Color reproduction and details are accurate, with a satisfactory dynamic range. In low-light conditions, the main camera produces impressive shots with excellent details and color saturation. There’s a dedicated Action Mode feature, which can capture clear and more stable photos (up to 3x zoom) and videos when there’s movement involved. I feel that the LYT-701 when coupled with a flagship processor will produce even better results, especially in low-light conditions.
Shots captured using the 8-megapixel ultrawide camera are consistent with the primary camera. In both daylight and low-light conditions, the dynamic range is good.
When you use the phone for portrait shots, the periscope telephoto camera, which supports up to 3x optical zoom, comes into action. While it captures decent shots in daylight, the night selfies carry some noise.
The 32-megapixel selfie camera supports 0.8x and 1x zoom options in Photo, Portrait, and Video modes. It captures 32-megapixel resolution shots by default, which can result in excessively large file sizes, potentially taking up significant storage space.
When it comes to video shooting, the Realme 13 Pro+’s primary camera can shoot up to 4K 30fps. The ultrawide and telephoto cameras support 1080p video recording at up to 30fps and 60fps, respectively. The front camera supports up to 4K 30fps video shooting.
Ultra Stead (OIS) is only available when you are shooting 1080p 60fps videos using the primary camera. The 30fps and 60fps videos are captured with EIS enabled by default. That means there is no stabilization while capturing 4K videos.
The Photos app provides two photography-related AI features. The AI Eraser does well at removing people and objects from an image. Sometimes, it may take a couple of tries to get some unwanted objects removed according to your preference. Otherwise, the feature functions pretty well. There’s AI Ultra Clarity for enhancing details in existing shots.
The in-screen fingerprint scanner on the Realme 13 Pro+ 5G operates flawlessly. However, I would have preferred its placement a bit higher. The Realme Lab available in Settings has two additional features, Dual-mode Audio (produces audio through Bluetooth earphones and wired earphones simultaneously) and heart rate measurement using the in-screen fingerprint sensor.
The x-axis vibration motor’s intensity can be increased according to preference via Settings. However, the Indian variant lacks support for NFC connectivity, unlike its global version.
5. Verdict and competitors
To sum up, the Realme 13 Pro+ is a reborn 12 Pro+ with a bigger battery with faster charging, better optics, and plenty of AI features. Only flagship phones, typically priced above Rs 50,000, come with periscope telephoto cameras. With the exception of the Realme 12 Pro+, which is now available at a reduced price of Rs 28,999, only the Realme 13 Pro+, priced around Rs 30,000, features a periscope telephoto snapper. Furthermore, it is blessed with a flagship-level primary camera. Hence, it manages to offer a better photography experience than the 12 Pro+. It is speculated that the Realme GT 7 Pro flagship phone, arriving by the end of this year, may inherit the LYT-701 primary camera from the 13 Pro+.
Realme 13 Pro+ price in India
The prices of the Realme 13 Pro+ variants in India, which include 8GB+256GB, 12GB+256GB, and 12G+512GB, are Rs 32,999 (~$393), Rs 34,999 (~$417), and Rs 36,999 (~$441), respectively. It is available for purchase through Realme India’s website, Flipkart, and offline stores.
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