realme C35 REVIEW: An Entry-Level SmartPhone With Premium Looks!

With realme’s vision to provide accessible smartphones for Filipinos, the brand has yet again launched another phone device under its C-Series lineup. The realme C35. It’s slim, it’s chic and classy, it’s powerful!

I was able to take this newest realme C-Series phone to test. As you read further, you’ll get to know the realme C35 more. I’m so excited to share with you my user experience which might help you decide if this is the phone for you.

But first, let’s unbox it.

What’s inside the package?

• realme C35 Unit
• Quick Guide
• Important Information Guide
• SIM Ejector Pin
• 18W Charger Adapter
• Type-C USB Cable

You may also watch my unboxing video below.

Maybe you are looking for the free phone case right?. Surprisingly, realme does not include one with the C35 package. But don’t worry, you can buy lots of affordable cases online.

DESIGN & DISPLAY:

realme C35 may be a budget or entry level phone, but it boasts an eye-catching and premium-looking exteriors which makes it a stand out from other phones under the same price segment. That Dynamic Glowing Design at the flat back panel looks pretty cool right? especially when reflected on by light. At first glance you wouldn’t think that this is a budget phone.

I got the Glowing Green color and the C35 is also available in Glowing Black. Since it has a glossy finish, it tends to attract fingerprints and dirt smudges.

Source: Jacob and Katie Schwarz YouTube Channel.

realme C35 has a Video Display Enhancement feature which helps in adding up brightness and vividness on videos. I’ve tried watching 4K video samples in YouTube to test the display quality. At 1080P quality, for me it looks a bit high in contrast. Texture is average. Some videos came out quite overly saturated. But overall, it still delivers acceptable and clear display of colors which is still enjoyable to watch.

As for the refresh rate, the C35 has up to 480 nits of brightness in normal lighting conditions, and up to 600 nits on auto under direct sunlight. It also has a touch-sampling rate of 180Hz for better touch responsiveness.

SOFTWARE:

realme C35 runs on UI R Edition based on Android 11. As the simple version of the realme UI, realme limited the customization options to just widgets and wallpapers. No options for app layout, icons, and transitions. There are pre-installed apps as well which can be uninstalled to save up some storage if you preferred.

PERFORMANCE:

The realme C35 definitely can handle my everyday smartphone demands. Scrolling, posting on social media, sending emails, watching movies, playing games. Multitasking is no problem as I can jump from one app to another smoothly. Thanks to its reliable Unisoc T616 Processor. I can also play Mobile Legends on high graphic settings (ULTRA GRAPHICS not supported). In-game, I did not encounter any issues, but there were times that I experienced some frame drops on some animations within the app.

In terms of storage, the realme C35 is available in 4GB+64GB and 4GB+128GB storage variants and supports up to 256GB via micro-SD card which I think is decent enough to store up some photos, cideos and some files.

 CAMERA:

FRONT CAMERA. The realme C35 is equipped with an 8MP Sony IMX355 Front-facing Selfie Camera that captures average quality selfie photos. Color saturation is good, but it lacks a bit in texture and clarity which is understandable because it is still an entry-level smartphone. Beautification and filters are also available to give your selfie photos a different look. For presence of significant and different light exposure, activating the HDR Mode could be of help.

REAR CAMERA. The realme C35 has an AI Triple Camera which includes a 50MP primary camera partnered with two other lenses-  a f/2.8 B&W for portrait shots and a f/2.4 macro lens.

Actually, I do not expect the rear camera of the C35 to produce high quality photos just like the higher realme phone models knowing the fact that it is an entry-level smartphone. In my observation, the snaps are just fine. The color saturation is good . Contrast can be a bit high on most photos and details are much visible when there’s really good lighting.

For indoor shots, photos are a bit soft-focused, but still has nice saturation.  Portrait shots are ok too except for some blurry edges. Macro shots are a hit or miss.

For me, the photo quality is still decent enough to post on social media. With minimal editing and some filters, the photos will look much better.

The realme C35 can also record videos up to 1080p at 30fps. Quality wise, video quality is average in daylight. Since it lacks in stabilization, videos also appeared quite shaky. In low light, videos looked  noisy which is quite expected on any smartphones.

Aside from the features that I mentioned above, realme C35 also these additional camera functions that users can enjoy:

• Burst
• Filter
• Time Lapse
• Macro
• Night Pro
• Pro
• Panorama

BATTERY LIFE:

One of my favorite features of the C35 is the 5,000mAh battery capacity which can lasts more than a day with normal usage such as browsing, posting on social media, listening to music, messaging and doing some calls.

For heavy users like me who loves to play mobile games a lot, watch movies, frequent social media scrolling and more, expect the battery to last less than a day(for me about less than 15 hours).

Charging though is a bit slow as the 18W charger could juice up the phone’s battery to full level for more than 2 hours.

VERDICT:

Even though it is considered under the entry-level/budget segment smartphone, the realme C35 is definitely a solid and eye-catching device which passed the TÜV Rheinland Smartphone High Reliability Certification.

It has a fair performance when it comes to my day to day smartphone usage.The interface and 6.6-inch display may not be top-notched, but for me, it’s smooth enough to browse and big enough to enjoy when watching and playing games. Plus it has a decent main camera, long battery life, and a price that will not burn a whole in your pocket.

If your priority is to buy a smartphone with the specs that I mentioned above, then the realme C35 smartphone is a good option for you.

PRICE AND AVAILABILITY: