With a 50-megapixel primary camera that captures amazing images both during the day and at night, the Realme C35 is among the top low-cost cameras of early 2022. It also excels in terms of software and performance. Given the device’s cost, some people may find the design and display to be subpar, but that is understandable.
With its GT 2 Pro and GT 9 Pro Plus, which offer premium features to the mid-range market, Realme has established itself as the brand to watch in 2022. The business now appears to be aiming for low-cost phones as well.
We were taken aback by how much the Realme C35 seemed like a mid-range device when we were writing this evaluation. Compared to many other phones at this budget, it was faster to use, had a more appealing appearance, and took much better-looking photos.
It is also reasonably priced. The Realme C35 is part of the company’s extremely low-end lineup of gadgets, which are typically unimpressive phones. This could also be said of the C31, which came out with the C35. Nevertheless, for the amount you’re paying, this more expensive phone is really capable.
It’s also affordable. Usually mediocre phones, the Realme C35 is part of the company’s incredibly low-end gadget collection. This also applies to the C31, which was replaced by the C35. However, this more costly phone is incredibly powerful for the price you’re paying.
The Realme C35 outperforms the majority of other low-cost phones in terms of capturing color and light in well-lit or nighttime scenes. It may not be as good as the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, but considering the performance of other low-cost phones, it’s still impressive that it can distinguish objects in photos.
It’s unfortunate that the phone doesn’t have more features; it lacks an ultra-wide camera and a number of settings you may anticipate, including a document-scanning tool or a portrait mode for the front-facing camera. But you can’t expect the moon at this price.
Given that cheap devices are normally known for their slow performance, we were taken aback by how quick the Realme C35 felt when in use, especially when we noticed that the specs list listed a Unisoc processor, which is usually very poor.
Whether you’re surfing through social media or switching between apps, the Realme feels perfectly comfortable for daily usage. Although playing expensive games is unlikely to be enjoyable, this device isn’t designed for people who prioritize gaming.
The Realme C35, like most low-cost phones, will last for a long time between charges; in our experience, it will be more like two days than one. Indeed, charging isn’t very quick, but how many low-cost devices have that feature?
As you can see from the review’s images, the Realme C35 is a really unique-looking phone. It has a glossy green color that Realme refers to as Glowing Green, though it also comes in black. Whether or not you find it appealing will depend on your personal preferences. However, the C35 is not a very comfortable device to hold due to its size and pointy, flat sides.
Whenever we have praised the Realme C35, it has been followed by a qualifier or small critique. However, considering the cost of the phone, it is very simple to ignore these drawbacks. The Realme is a good substitute for low-to-mid-range smartphones because it performs admirably. In fact, for anyone searching for a new phone at this price, it ought to be their first choice.
Design
Unless you’re looking at the black version of the phone, the Realme C35’s vivid Glowing Green color may attract your attention from a distance.
Up close, this phone has a more conventional appearance, with a rectangular camera bump protruding from its plastic back, a USB-C connector and 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom, a volume rocker on the left edge, and a power button with an integrated fingerprint reader along the right edge.
The fingerprint scanner was a little erratic to use, but we managed to get it to function by registering the same finger repeatedly.
The phone is a little annoying to hold. It is a quite angular instrument that is uncomfortable to grasp in the hand due to its large size and flat sides. We would advise picking up a case as a result.
Display
The C35’s FHD (1080 x 2400) screen resolution caught us off guard because many low-cost phones use HD. It implies that you may play games or use streaming services at their standard resolution. The panel feels somewhat large at 6.6 inches wide, with a tiny notch breaking up the surface area.
The LCD technology and maximum brightness of only 600 nits are less striking than the resolution. Although these are price-tier characteristics, they do result in less vivid colors and a slightly dimmer screen than we would want.
We occasionally—not frequently, but occasionally—had trouble seeing the screen in brighter conditions.
Cameras
The Realme C35’s primary camera is one of its best features. Utilizing the Sony IMX766 sensor seen in many phones, this 50-megapixel f/1.8 camera is surprisingly capable.
It’s excellent for absorbing light, which has two advantages: it captures more detail in low light and at night, and it takes up color well. Although the Realme may not be able to take nighttime photos on par with the iPhone, we were nevertheless impressed by the results considering the phone’s pricing.
The Realme C35 is one of the greatest low-cost camera phones available because of this sensor, although it has “one of” rather than “the” of two minor problems.
First of all, there aren’t enough additional cameras. A 0.3-megapixel f/2.8 depth sensor and a 2-megapixel f/2.4 macro are available, although neither really improves the situation. In order to provide some adaptability, we would have preferred to have an ultra-wide camera.
Second, identical colors appear indistinguishable in certain pictures due to the absence of HDR or anything even close to it in the AI department.
Night, Pro, and Panorama are just a few of the reasonably well-rounded modes available in the camera app’s list. There are, nevertheless, one or two noteworthy omissions. The front-facing camera cannot be used to capture portrait photos, and there is no document-scanning option.
The 8-megapixel f/2.0 selfie camera is perfectly suited for its intended use, producing sharp, crisp images. However, as we’ve already discussed, don’t expect a Portrait mode, rich levels of detail, or subtle color reproduction.
One peculiarity—or perhaps a feature—of the camera app is that images appeared far better after they were taken than they did in the camera preview. Even though we’re accustomed to some disparity, the Realme C35 made a noticeable impact. If nothing else, the outcomes were better.
Up to 1080p video recording at 30 frames per second is suitable for any content intended for social media.
Performance and Specs
The Unisoc Tiger T616 chipset serves as the Realme C35’s operational “brains.” If you’re familiar with mobile technology, the word Unisoc probably conjures images of slow, stuttering phones, but we weren’t too impressed with the C35.
When using social media apps and checking emails, as well as for basic chores like navigating between menus, the phone was rather speedy to use. Although that is “budget phone quick” rather than “premium phone quick,” the Realme did not crash or feel unresponsive during our tests.
But this isn’t a phone for gamers. You shouldn’t expect to launch PUBG Mobile, turn up the graphics to Ultra level, and expect to enjoy yourself because high-end games will not run well on this phone. However, you’ll be alright if you mostly play games like Pokémon Go, Candy Crush, and Angry Birds.
The phone has 64GB or 128GB of storage and 4GB of RAM; if you want your phone to last for a while with a lot of programs installed, we suggest getting the latter. It should come as no surprise that the C35 is simply a 4G phone given its price.
Software
Realme UI is installed on top of Android 11 on the Realme C35. Since many Chinese firms prefer to utilize their own forks of the well-known open-source software, this is primarily a design adjustment. The menus of Realme UI, on the other hand, resemble stock Android quite a bit.
Whether you’re in the Quick Settings list, app drawer, or main menu, the end result is a neat-looking menu structure. Additionally, bloatware—or pre-installed apps—is actually less prevalent than it usually is.
We’ll have to wait and see if Realme continues to support the handset, as Android 11 wasn’t the most recent version at the time the Realme C35 was released. This is because most phone makers update their low-cost smartphones sporadically.
Battery life
The Realme C35’s large 5000mAh battery is included. As a result, the C35 is among the longest-lasting smartphones we’ve tested recently because to its LCD 60Hz screen and lack of 5G connectivity.
A day of use was readily completed by the phone, and it usually lasted far into the second day as well. Social networking, photography, and the occasional additional app download were all part of that.
It will take you more than an hour to fully charge the phone at the 18W charging speed, which is definitely not fast. This phone is for people who don’t charge their gadgets in the morning but rather overnight.