realme 13 Pro+ review
The Realme 13 Pro+: a smartphone that promises to deliver exceptional performance, impressive camera capabilities, and a long-lasting battery life. Priced at just under 25,000 pesos, this device aims to bridge the gap between budget-friendly options and high-end flagships. With its Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset and Adreno 710 GPU, it's designed to handle demanding tasks with ease. The camera setup, featuring AI-enhanced capabilities, is also a major selling point for content creators on-the-go. But can this device truly deliver on its promises?
Build Quality and Design
The Realme 13 Pro+, the latest offering from the Chinese smartphone brand, is a decent phone that boasts a solid build quality and design. The device's exterior is a masterclass in understated elegance, with a smooth, matte finish that repels fingerprints and smudges. Upon closer inspection, it becomes apparent that Realme has paid attention to every detail, crafting a phone that feels premium without the hefty price tag. The phone's dimensions are sleek and compact, making it easy to handle and carry around. The design of the Realme 13 Pro+ is both modern and minimalist, with clean lines and a subtle color scheme that exudes sophistication. The camera module on the back is a slight deviation from this aesthetic, but even that has been tastefully integrated into the overall design. One of the standout features of the Realme 13 Pro+ is its build quality. The phone's metal frame provides a reassuring solidity, while the Gorilla Glass protection ensures that the screen remains scratch-free and shatter-resistant. In terms of design, the Realme 13 Pro+ has some notable similarities with other high-end smartphones on the market. However, it also boasts some unique touches that set it apart from the competition. Whether you're a fan of sleek, modern designs or prefer something more understated, the Realme 13 Pro+ is sure to impress. Overall, the Realme 13 Pro+ offers a great balance between form and function. With its solid build quality, elegant design, and impressive feature set, it's definitely worth considering for those in the market for a new smartphone.
Battery Life
Battery life is a crucial aspect of any smartphone, and the Realme 13 Pro+ does not disappoint in this department. The device packs a generous 5,200mAh battery, which provides ample power to last through the day and then some. In our testing, the Realme 13 Pro+ delivered an impressive performance in PC Mark's Work 3.0 battery test, lasting a respectable 18 hours and 37 minutes. This is despite running at 50% brightness, with zero volume, and in airplane mode - a testament to the device's efficient power management. Additionally, the phone provided an astonishing 33 hours of media playback during our video loop test, playing back full HD movies under similar conditions. These results suggest that the Realme 13 Pro+ has more than enough battery life to keep up with even the most demanding users. One of the standout features of the device's battery life is its ability to provide long-lasting performance without breaking a sweat. Whether it's handling heavy usage, gaming, or just general use, the phone's battery seems to take it all in stride, delivering consistent results throughout the day. Overall, the Realme 13 Pro+'s battery life is a significant strength of this device, making it an excellent choice for those who want a smartphone that can keep up with their active lifestyle without needing frequent top-ups.
Display
The display on the Realme 13 Pro+ is one of its standout features. The phone boasts a 6.5-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, which provides an immersive viewing experience. Color accuracy and brightness are top-notch, making it perfect for watching videos or browsing through vibrant content. The display's contrast ratio is also impressive, resulting in deep blacks and vivid colors that pop against the screen's background. One notable feature of the Realme 13 Pro+ display is its high refresh rate of up to 120Hz. This provides a seamless viewing experience, especially when scrolling through lists or watching videos with fast-paced motion. The screen's touch response is also responsive, making it easy to navigate through menus and apps without any lag. In terms of brightness, the Realme 13 Pro+ display can reach an impressive 700 nits, which makes it easily visible even in direct sunlight. This feature is particularly useful for users who often find themselves outdoors or commuting on public transportation. Overall, the display on the Realme 13 Pro+ is a significant improvement over its predecessors and provides an excellent viewing experience. Its combination of high color accuracy, brightness, and refresh rate make it perfect for anyone looking for a premium smartphone display without breaking the bank.
Camera
The Realme 13 Pro+ boasts an impressive camera system that is sure to turn heads. The device features a quad-camera setup, comprising of a 50MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and two 2MP depth and macro cameras. In my experience with the Realme 13 Pro+, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of photos captured by the camera system. The 50MP primary sensor performed admirably in various lighting conditions, producing vivid and detailed images. Colors were accurately rendered, and dynamic range was impressive, making for some truly captivating shots. The ultra-wide-angle lens, on the other hand, allowed me to capture more expansive scenes with ease. Whether it's a sprawling cityscape or a busy street, this lens provided an excellent way to frame my shots. One of the standout features of the Realme 13 Pro+'s camera system is its ability to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance image quality. AI-enhanced features such as portrait mode and night mode worked seamlessly, producing stunning results that rivaled those from more expensive flagship devices. Another notable aspect of the Realme 13 Pro+ camera system is its impressive video recording capabilities. The device can capture smooth and stable footage in both day and nighttime conditions, making it perfect for creating high-quality vlogs or short films. While there were instances where the camera struggled to focus or produce slightly over-processed images, these were relatively rare occurrences. Overall, I was thoroughly impressed by the Realme 13 Pro+'s camera system, which delivered consistently excellent results in a variety of situations. In conclusion, the Realme 13 Pro+ boasts an impressive camera system that is capable of capturing high-quality photos and video footage. While there may be minor issues here and there, the overall performance of the camera is truly commendable, especially considering the device's price point. If you're in the market for a budget-friendly smartphone with excellent imaging capabilities, I would definitely recommend giving the Realme 13 Pro+ a try.
Price and Value
The Realme 13 Pro+ is a solid mid-range smartphone that checks many boxes for users who want to venture into content creation without breaking the bank. With a price tag of PHP 24,999, this device offers impressive value for its features and performance. One of the standout aspects of the Realme 13 Pro+ is its camera system. The quad-camera setup with AI capabilities delivers excellent results in various lighting conditions, making it a great choice for social media enthusiasts and content creators. Additionally, the phone's processor, Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset, provides smooth performance and efficient battery life. In terms of pricing, PHP 24,999 is a very competitive rate considering the features and specs of the Realme 13 Pro+. While it may not be the most affordable option in the market, its price point makes it an attractive choice for those who want to upgrade their smartphone without spending too much. The phone's battery life, with a large 5,200mAh capacity, is also a highlight. It can easily last a full day even with heavy use, making it suitable for users who need a device that can keep up with their busy lifestyles. Overall, the Realme 13 Pro+ offers excellent value for its price. While it may not be perfect, its strengths in camera performance, battery life, and overall value make it a solid choice for those looking for a reliable mid-range smartphone. If you're in the market for a new phone and want to create content without breaking the bank, the Realme 13 Pro+ is definitely worth considering.
Performance
The Realme 13 Pro+ is a smartphone that excels in various aspects, particularly its performance. The device runs on Realme UI 5.0, based on Android 14, which provides a smooth and intuitive user experience. Under the hood, it's powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset, paired with an Adreno 710 GPU. In our testing, the Realme 13 Pro+ performed admirably in terms of graphics capabilities. It can easily handle day-to-day tasks without any issues, even when running multiple apps in the background. The device also handled popular graphic-intensive games with ease, with no frame rate drops or slowing down. Our review unit was configured with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, which provided ample space for our needs. The addition of up to 12 GB of virtual RAM expansion is a welcome feature, allowing users to further optimize their device's performance. In terms of synthetic benchmark scores, the Realme 13 Pro+ delivered impressive results. It scored well in PC Mark's Work 3.0 battery test, lasting 18 hours and 37 minutes with 50% brightness, zero volume, and on airplane mode. The device also provided a whopping 33 hours of media playback in our video Loop test. The Realme 13 Pro+ is a great performer, capable of handling demanding tasks with ease. Its efficient processor and ample storage make it an excellent choice for users who want a reliable and powerful smartphone experience. Overall, the performance of the Realme 13 Pro+ is one of its standout features, making it a compelling option for those in the market for a new device. With its capable chipset and generous RAM configuration, the Realme 13 Pro+ is well-suited to handle a wide range of tasks, from casual use to more demanding activities like gaming. While some users may find the device's processor to be slightly dated, it still delivers impressive results in various tests. As such, the performance of the Realme 13 Pro+ is a significant selling point for this smartphone.
Pros
1. The phone has a very capable camera with the benefit of AI which not all low-end phones have today.
2. It has a long-lasting battery, as it performed well in PC Mark's Work 3.0 battery test and provided 33 hours of media playback in our video Loop test.
3. The chipset is very capable, despite being a bit dated, making it suitable for content creation.
4. The phone has a great value-for-money proposition, retailing at just 24,999 pesos for the 12 GB plus 20 GB variant.
5. It offers various installment plans with 0% interest, making it even lighter on the wallet.
Cons
1. The chipset is a bit dated, which might be a concern for some users.
2. There aren't too many notable features in the Realme UI 5.0 software skin, aside from AI features like AI screen recognition and AI smart Loop.
3. The phone heats up slightly when playing graphics-intensive games, such as Hongkai Star Rail.