Realme 13+ Review: A Solid Gaming Phone with a Few Shortcomings
Realme recently launched the Realme 13+ as part of its Numbers series, a phone touted as a powerhouse for gaming and a successor to the popular Realme 12+. However, with the Realme 12+ having been released just five months earlier, one may wonder if the upgrade is worth it. While the Realme 13+ boasts a new processor, design refinements, and a few other improvements, the question remains: is it enough to justify a purchase, especially if you already own the 12+? This review dives deep into the Realme 13+’s features, performance, and camera capabilities to help you decide.
Realme 13+ Design: A Refined Look with Mixed Results
The Realme 13+ maintains a similar front-facing design to its predecessor, the Realme 12+, but embraces a new rear panel pattern and a subtly redesigned camera module. Realme claims the pattern is inspired by "Victory" and "Speed", featuring a subtle curve below the camera module that adds a touch of distinctiveness. The top part of the phone sports a plain matte finish, while the bottom boasts a marble-like design. Our review unit came in Dark Purple, which leans more towards black than purple.
Dimensions: 161.7 x 74.7 x 7.6mm
Weight: 185g
Colors: Dark Purple, Speed Green, and Victory Gold
The camera module adopts a more oval shape compared to the circular one on the 12+, with the ring surrounding it showcasing etched camera specifications. The new design is undoubtedly a step up, but the absence of the leather finish is somewhat missed. Thankfully, the entire rear panel is matte and fingerprint-resistant. The slightly curved edges at the back contribute to a comfortable grip.
Realme uses die-cast aluminium and a one-piece metal skeleton to ensure durability. The phone boasts flat sides, which enhance its sturdiness and well-balanced feel. The power and volume buttons reside on the right, while the top features a 3.5mm headphone jack, a speaker grille, and a microphone. The bottom houses another microphone, speaker grille, USB Type-C port, and SIM tray slot.
Key Design Highlights:
- IP65 rating: An upgrade from the Realme 12+’s IP54 rating for enhanced water resistance.
- Red rubber gasket: Found on the SIM card tray, adding to the phone’s overall durability.
Realme 13+ Display: Vivid and Smooth, but with a Questionable Choice
The Realme 13+ features a flat display with slim borders at the top and sides, while the chin is slightly thicker. It’s protected by Panda Glass and comes with a pre-installed screen protector, which is best replaced with a more robust alternative. The display utilizes a Samsung-made E4 AMOLED panel, providing a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and full-HD+ resolution. The peak brightness reaches 2,000 nits, making it readily visible in outdoor environments. In line with Realme’s claims, the panel achieves 100 percent P3 colour gamut, leading to vibrant colours and deep blacks.
Key Display Specifications:
- Screen size: 6.67-inch full-HD+ AMOLED
- Refresh rate: 60/120Hz
- Protection: Panda Glass
The display offers four color modes in the Settings app: Vivid, Natural, Cinematic, and Brilliant. For those who prefer punchier colors, Vivid or Brilliant are the preferred choices. The screen supports HDR10+ and offers HDR image support, and you can find a dedicated "Bright HDR video mode" for optimal content viewing. For individuals using their phone with wet fingers, the display includes the Rainwater Smart Touch feature.
The display features a hole-punch cutout for the front camera at the top, with an in-display fingerprint sensor positioned at the bottom. While the fingerprint sensor placement is not ideal for everyone, its functionality is reliable.
Realme 13+ Software: A Positive Step with Bloatware Concerns
Realme’s reputation for bloatware is well-documented, and the Realme 13+ unfortunately follows suit. It runs Android 14-based Realme UI 5.0 out of the box, pre-loaded with a plethora of games, Glance lock screen, Hot apps, Hot games, and more. Luckily, many of these can be uninstalled, and features like Hot Apps can be disabled. However, a bloatware-free experience would have been a welcome addition.
Realme has committed to two years of OS updates and three years of security patches, which is a typical offering in this price range. Realme UI 5.0 introduces AI-powered functionalities like AI Clear Voice, aiming to improve call quality, and Smart Loop for effortless content sharing between apps. Additionally, users will find features like Air gestures, Smart sidebar, Split view, and others accessible under Settings > Accessibility and Convenience.
Key Software Aspects:
- UI: Realme UI 5.0
- OS: Android 14
- Latest security patch: July
Realme 13+ Performance: Gaming Powerhouse, but with UI Hiccups
The MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy SoC powering the Realme 13+ excels in daily use and gaming, making it one of the phone’s key selling points. While some minor hiccups might occur during UI navigation and app launches, the phone demonstrates impressive gaming performance without any lag.
Key Performance Specifications:
- Chipset: MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy
- RAM: Up to 12GB
Storage: Up to 256GB
Benchmark Results:
| Benchmark | Realme 13+ | Motorola Edge 50 Fusion | Nothing Phone 2a |
|---|---|---|---|
| AnTuTu v10 | 6,85,135 | 6,12,950 | 6,88,079 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 | 12,377 | 14,055 | 12,486 |
| Geekbench Single | 1,044 | 1,018 | 1,100 |
| Geekbench Multi | 2,945 | 2,949 | 2,448 |
| GFXB T-rex | 61 | 104 | 60 |
| GFXB Manhattan 3.1 | 50 | 49 | 57 |
| GFXB Car Chase | 29 | 25 | 34 |
| 3DM Slingshot Extreme OpenGL | 5,174 | 4,758 | 5,902 |
| 3DM Slingshot | 6,672 | 6,414 | 6,872 |
| 3DM Wild Life | 3,161 | 3,035 | 4,165 |
| 3DM Wild Life Unlimited | 3,155 | 3,065 | 4,272 |
The Realme 13+ shines in benchmarks, but even more so in real-world usage. The 6050mm² stainless steel vapour cooling chamber plays a crucial role in its gaming prowess. Even during extended BGMI sessions, the phone exhibited minimal warmth. With maximum graphics settings enabled, BGMI ran smoothly at 80-90fps. The GT mode effectively maximized frame rates in all games tested, including COD, delivering on its advertised capabilities.
Beyond gaming, the phone performs well in phone calls and 5G download speed tests. The dual speaker setup on the phone boasts loud and clear sound, but a more pronounced bass response would have been appreciated.
Realme 13+ Cameras: A Decent Offering with Room for Improvement
Realme initially suggested that its non-Pro Numbers series would prioritize performance over cameras. However, the Realme 13+ demonstrates a respectable camera setup, especially during daylight. It features a dual camera configuration at the back, lacking the ultrawide lens found on its predecessors. The camera app is intuitive, providing direct controls for all modes, including a Pro mode.
Key Camera Specifications:
- Main Rear: 50-megapixel Sony LYT-600, f/1.8, OIS
- Secondary Camera: 2-megapixel
- Selfie Camera: 16-megapixel
The primary 50-megapixel Sony LYT-600 sensor delivers commendable daytime photos. Images boast impressive detail, slightly enhanced colours, and a decent dynamic range. The white balance is accurate in daylight conditions, preventing any unwanted color casts. The Sony sensor maintains its quality in low-light environments, effectively capturing enough light. The camera automatically engages night mode, taking a few seconds to process, but the results are usable. While some noise is present, it’s relatively minimal.
Camera Sample Images:
- Daylight Photos: [Insert links to camera sample images here]
- Lowlight Photos: [Insert links to camera sample images here]
- Portrait Photo: [Insert links to camera sample images here]
Unfortunately, the secondary camera is a depth sensor that assists with portrait photos, but the results are not particularly impressive. For the front, the selfie camera struggles with skin colors and detail, but it produces acceptable photos in daylight conditions. However, low-light performance deteriorates noticeably. The Realme 13+ can record videos at a maximum resolution of 4K at 30fps. To attain ultra-steady video, you must switch to 1080p at 60fps. Video quality is decent, and well-stabilized daylight shots with punchy colours are achievable.
Realme 13+ Battery: Long Lasting with Blazing Fast Charging
The Realme 13+ houses a 5,000mAh battery that easily lasts for a full day or longer with moderate usage. While 5,000mAh is not groundbreaking at this price point, the inclusion of 80W fast charging is a significant advantage.
Battery and Charging Specifications:
- Capacity: 5,000mAh
- Fast charging: 80W
- Charger: Included
In our HD video loop test, the smartphone lasted a remarkable 29 hours. Day-to-day usage yielded approximately 6-7 hours of screen-on-time with the 120Hz refresh rate enabled. Charging speeds are impressive, with the phone going from empty to fully charged in around 55 minutes. A 30-minute charge grants enough power for a full day of use.
Realme 13+ Verdict: A Contender with Competition
If you seek a budget-friendly phone that excels in gaming and boasts exceptional battery life, the Realme 13+ is an excellent option. It also offers a respectable main rear camera, a smooth display, a minimalistic design, and segment-best 80W fast charging. However, if you own a Realme 12+, upgrading might not be necessary.
The market offers several alternatives in the same price range. The Nothing Phone 2a is an attractive option if you desire a unique design, similar performance, decent cameras, and a vastly improved software experience. The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion also offers better cameras, software, and design. You might also consider the OnePlus Nord CE 4, which delivers overall improvements across various aspects.
Overall, the Realme 13+ is a solid phone, particularly for gamers. However, consider your specific needs and the available alternative phones before committing to the purchase.
