The Realme C53 was launched in Malaysia today with it being another affordable device targeting consumers who don't want to spend more. Devices in this category are not given much attention by the majority of users because the starting price usually offers less than satisfactory performance.
But in the case of C53 is this true or with the help of good software the shortcomings that usually exist in very affordable devices can be solved? This is the fastest for Realme C53.
SPECIFICATIONS
Realme C53
6.74″ IPS LCD screen,
1080 x 2400 , 90Hz
Processor Unisoc Tiger T612 (12nm)
2 X 1.8 GHz Cortex-A75 chips
6 X 1.8 GHz Cortex-A55
Mali-G57 Graphics Chip
RAM 6+6 GB LPDDR4X
Internal Storage 128 GB UFS 2.2
Micro SD up to 2TB
Primary Camera 50MP, f/1.8 (Wide Angle)
?MP (AI)
Selfie Camera 8 MP f/2.0
5000 mAh battery
33W wired charging
SIM/Telephony Dual SIM nano / 4G
NFC None
Audio Jack Yes
Waterproof None
Scan System Side-by-side fingerprint scanner
Selling price
RM 599 (6/12GB)
SCREEN
The 6.74″ FHD+ screen is from the IPS LCD family but supports a 90Hz refresh rate. The screen can be changed to a dynamic setting of 90Hz, or 60Hz. Scrolling and animations on the screen are less smooth despite the 90Hz mode. We realize that if more applications are placed in the background, the animation of the device becomes less and less stable. It is clear that the C53 does not have enough power to maintain a stable refresh rate.
In terms of screen design, it is very retro. There is a notch for the camera at the top, a chin bezel and fairly thick sides. A rather strange decision considering that the Realme C55 previously used a screen hole design for the camera. The screen is still of the flat type so the video content being watched does not face the issue of it coming out to the side
Because the screen is of the IPS LCD type, the maximum color reproduction and clarity of the screen is not very high. When used outdoors, the content becomes a little difficult to see. These are all standard issues for LCD screens. The built-in fingerprint scanner is also missing with it being placed on the power button on the right side.
Review INFO – Realme C55 Trapped In A Mini Imagination Capsule
FINGERPRINT SCANNER
The fingerprint scanner is placed on the right side built into the power button. There is no groove on the power button to make it easier for scanned fingers to find the scan zone. Fingerprint scanner performance is less consistent. Sometimes it operates fast and sometimes it says finger can't be detected. This sort of thing happens a lot on the entry-level devices we review.
DESIGN
The joke in the office is that the C53 is a cousin of the iPhone 14 Pro. From the back, it cannot be denied that the design of the C53 camera arrangement has similarities with the 14 Pro. The difference is in terms of building materials that are more economical. The entire back panel is made of plastic material with a smooth wood grain finish. But we realize that it is not easy to trap dirt.
It looks like there is a tri-camera but actually there are only two sensors used. One 50MP wide-angle sensor, one AI sensor and the other is a flash light. The camera hump is large but not high. When placed on the table, it does not tip over.
The body has flat sides that remind us of the design of the Nord CE 3Lite. The device is very comfortable to hold because of the flat body design. There is a power button and audio adjustment on the right side. These buttons are firm and pleasant to press when used. On the left side there is a tray for dual-SIM nano and a micro SD card up to 2TB.
A mono speaker, USB-C charging port and 3.5mm audio jack are placed on the bottom. There is no infrared emitter on the top. The frame of the device is made of sturdy metal material. When pressure is applied the device does not bend. Good news for those who fear accidentally sitting on the device.
The device also feels light in the hand but doesn't feel cheap. All the components we mentioned earlier are included in the body of the device which does not pass any waterproof standards. This is not surprising because so far there will not be a device with IP53 capabilities let alone IP68 at a price below RM700.
USAGE AND SOFTWARE
Reame UI T Edition operating system is used with it based on Android 13. C53 is the first device we use with this new operating system. It differs from the regular Realme UI as it looks more like stock Android thus reminding us of the Pixel 4a and Nokia devices. The interface design is minimalistic and uses flat colors. With an almost stock interface, Realme UI T Edition should be lighter to run.
Let's start with the positive first. Realme UI T Edition looks very neat because there are no unnecessary extra elements. Animation when smooth is pleasing to the eye. Large iconography on the notification tray makes it easy to tap shortcuts for WiFi, Bluetooth, flashlight and more without having to blink. It's a friendly interface for the nearsighted or the elderly.
There are additional features such as RAM Expansion which adds up to 6GB more RAM virtually. There are options of 2GB, 4GB, 6GB and turn it off directly. Throughout the review we used 4GB for a total memory of 10GB.
There is a Phone Manager application that can help launch the device. Memory can be cleared and unnecessary files are deleted directly so as not to check the storage. Like the C55, the C53 also has a Mini Capsule feature. This is Realme's answer to Dynamic Island on an iPhone 14 Pro. Mini Capsule only displays charging status, total travel sites and data usage only at this time.
All the main apps we want to use can be downloaded including Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, COD Mobile and TikTok. The Unisoc Tiger T612 chip may not be as famous but the good news is that there are no barriers to downloading apps like some MediaTek Dimensity chips.
We have already written about goodness. Now it's time to touch on the shortcomings. The device is not smooth to use no matter what kind of application we use. Open Chrome? Applications open slowly and scrolling is not smooth. YouTube? Sometimes the video being watched stops momentarily when a notification is received. Videos can be played up to 1080P but it feels like it's not at 60FPS. The issue can be resolved if the quality is lowered to 720P. Netflix does not allow HD streaming let alone HDR.
Realme UI features such as Flexible Windows, Kids Space, Smart Sidebar, Quick Launch, and Simple Mode are all missing from the C53. The device becomes a fairly basic device because it only has the features offered by stock Android only.
BENCH MARK
The buttery-smooth usage experience on the roadside burger bro's table passes because the Unisoc Tiger T612 is underpowered. It is only equipped with 2x Cortex A75 cores and 6x Cortex A55 cores and it is manufactured using the old 12nm technology. When the Geekbench 6, Antutu 3D and 3D Mark benchmark application scores are used, the scores recorded are as below.
We compare Realme C53 scores with Realme C55 (Mediatek Helio G88), Redmi 12C (Mediatek Helio G85 ), and Infinix Note 12 2023 (Mediatek Helio G99)
Geekbench 6
Realme C53 – 408/1421
Realme C55 – 420/1377
Redmi 12C – 403/1212
Infinix Note 12 2023 – 577/1833
AnTuTu 3D
Realme C53 – 253,978
Realme C55 – 251,263
Redmi 12C – 212,386
Infinix Note 12 2023 – 377,936
3DMark
Realme C53 – 108
Realme C55 – 745
Redmi 12C – 188
Infinix Note 12 2023 – None
Is the Unisoc Tiger T612 a chip that can be used for the first one? The answer is no. We started the test with the light application Candy Crush first and the performance was satisfactory. Then you try with Temple Run 2 and Subway Surfer which can be run but on low graphics settings. The game will stop momentarily when the notification is received.
Then we dare to install COD Mobile. The application can be run but the time taken to launch it is quite long due to the usage of UFS 2.2 memory which is not very fast. COD Mobile can also only be played on the lowest settings making the graphics not as beautiful as can be enjoyed on mid-range devices. No smoke effects, no shadows, low quality textures and low resolution too.
But COD Mobile can be played quite smoothly. Surprising actually because in 10 vs 10 mode the frame rate only freezes if there are a lot of explosions. The same thing happens when running Asphalt 9. The graphics still look great just not at the highest frame rates.
The C53 can be used for starters as long as the owner chooses low settings. On a small screen we feel the difference in high resolution and texture is not so obvious. But for higher enjoyment, we only recommend playing 2D games on C53.
TELEPHONY And GPS
5G network can be enjoyed along with VoLTE feature and VoWiFi your telecom company supports it. Clear voice calls are possible without frequent dropout issues. The GPS performance is also good because the location can be tracked in the Waze and Google Maps applications in just a few seconds. Two 5G SIMs can be supported simultaneously as long as the micro SD card does not take up the second SIM slot.
CAMERA
The camera system used is quite unique as it combines a wide-angle 50MP sensor and another AI sensor. On the front, an 8MP sensor is used and it is placed in a notch. There is no OIS system included with all image stabilization done electronically.
The camera app has various features such as portrait, landscape, night and 50MP. The mode options are limited when compared to other Realme devices. We are aware that the time taken to focus and capture the image is slow. Like there is a time gap of one second for every action performed in the application. The camera also lacks the ultra-wide-angle support that is now commonplace.
Picture quality is only mediocre in good lighting situations and disappointing in less than ideal situations. In bright weather in the middle of the day, the picture taken still looks dark. In the building, everything looks dark as if there is a lack of lights. Mods can look a bit fake. The color reproduction is rather dull and does not reflect the actual situation.
The picture also looks soft because when the process of taking pictures is slow and there is no OIS, sharp images are impossible to take. But we have to be fair because the C53 is a device sold at a price of RM600 so all these shortcomings are inevitable.
BATTERY
The included 5000 mAh battery life is good with an average SOT of 9-10 hours per day on moderate usage. The best life we achieved during the review period was around 21 hours. This is only on fairly light use. When the battery runs out, it can be recharged in around 70 minutes using the supplied 33W charger. The charger uses to USB-C.
AUDIO
The speaker is just mono at the bottom and there is also a 3.5mm audio jack. The audio quality produced by this speaker is nothing short of amazing. Even loud it felt empty. At the highest setting the sound becomes a little broken so that it is difficult to distinguish the instruments in the music being played.
IN THE BOX
Here is what is received in the box with purchase.
1x Realme C53
1x 33W Charger.
1x Silicone frame.
1x USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
1x Manual.
1x SIM Pin.
CONCLUSION
Realme C53 with Unisoc Tiger T612 is not a powerful device. This chip is rarely used and the benchmark scores confirm it. But C53 uses Realme UI T Edition which is almost stock. This helps reduce the need for higher processing power. However, the lack is still noticeable, especially for those who have used more powerful devices. Even though the screen is 90Hz, the scrolling animation on the screen looks better than 60Hz. Doesn't look smooth with stuttering animations.
Various applications can be installed and used but the time period to launch them feels slow. For example to capture a picture there is a waiting period of about one second. Change mode? One more moment to wait. If you watch a video at 1080P settings, the video will pause for a moment if a notification is received. But surprisingly the C53 can still play games like COD Mobile and Asphalt 9 quite smoothly at low settings.
At a price of RM599, it is a device in the same class as Realme C55 and Redmi 12C. In our opinion the Realme C55 is a better value option. If there is no other option we can recommend the C53 as a first phone for a child for example. It is much better than the Redmi 12C which still remains the worst device of 2023.
Pro
Neat design does not look like a cheap device.
The back panel is not easily dirty.
Long lasting battery with 33W fast charging.
There is an audio jack.
Android 13 with an almost stock Android launcher.
Cons
The user experience is not very smooth.
The fingerprint scanner is inconsistent.
Mini Capsule is still just a gimmick.