Is the Realme 13+ a Worthy Upgrade?
Realme’s latest numbers series launch in India brought two new contenders to the mid-range arena: the Realme 13 and the Realme 13+. These devices, priced under ₹30,000, promise upgraded processors, refined designs, and several improvements over their predecessors. But the Realme 13+, launching just five months after the Realme 12+, has many wondering – is the upgrade worth it? After spending nearly 10 days with the Realme 13+, I’ve discovered the reasons behind this quick iteration, and the answer to that upgrade question may surprise you. Let’s dive into the specifics.
Realme 13+ Design: New Rear Panel Takes Center Stage
The Realme 13+ mirrors the design of its predecessor from the front, but the back undergoes a refresh. A new rear panel pattern and a slightly redesigned camera module catch the eye. Inspired by the concepts of "Victory" and "Speed," the pattern features a curved design beneath the camera module, creating a distinct look. The top part of the phone boasts a clean matte finish, while the bottom showcases a marble-like design, which is more prominent under certain lighting. We opted for the Dark Purple color option, which leans closer to 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 now adopts a more oval shape, replacing its previous circular design. It features a ring around the module that is engraved with camera specifications. The new design is undoubtedly more appealing than its predecessor, but there’s a sense of nostalgia for the leather finish. On the bright side, the entire rear panel boasts a matte finish, resistant to fingerprints. Slightly curved edges contribute to the phone’s comfortable grip.
Realme embraces durability with die-cast aluminium and a one-piece metal skeleton. The flat sides of the phone lend a sturdy and balanced feel. The right side houses the power and volume buttons, while the top integrates a 3.5mm headphone jack, a single speaker grille, and a microphone. The bottom houses the other microphone, speaker grille, USB Type-C port, and SIM tray slot.
The Realme 13+ boasts an IP65 rating, a significant upgrade from the IP54 rating of the Realme 12+. This improvement is further reinforced by the SIM card tray, now featuring a red rubber gasket for enhanced protection.
Realme 13+ Display: Vivid and Smooth Visuals
The Realme 13+ sports a flat display with slim borders at the top and sides, balanced by a slightly thicker chin. Protected by Panda Glass and pre-installed with a thin film, this screen benefits from a proper screen protector for optimal protection.
The display utilizes a Samsung-made E4 AMOLED panel, delivering up to a 120Hz refresh rate and full-HD+ resolution. This combination allows for smooth scrolling and vibrant visuals. The panel boasts a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, ensuring outdoor readability. Realme emphasizes that the panel achieves a 100 percent P3 color gamut, translating into vibrant colors and deep blacks in real-world usage.
Screen size: 6.67-inch full-HD+ AMOLED
Refresh rate: 60/120Hz
Protection: Panda Glass
Four color modes are readily available in the Settings app: Vivid, Natural, Cinematic, and Brilliant. For those who appreciate vibrant visuals, Vivid or Brilliant are the ideal choices. The display supports HDR10+ and offers HDR image support, which makes the Bright HDR video mode a valuable addition. The Rainwater Smart Touch feature ensures a responsive touch screen even in wet conditions.
A punch-hole cutout at the top accommodates the selfie camera, while an in-display fingerprint sensor resides at the bottom. While the placement of the fingerprint sensor is a matter of personal preference, the sensor’s functionality remains reliable.
Realme 13+ Software: A Constant Battle Against Bloatware
Realme’s budget and mid-range offerings are notorious for their bloatware, and the Realme 13+ unfortunately follows suit. The phone runs Realme UI 5.0 based on Android 14, coming pre-installed with an array of games, the Glance lock screen, Hot apps, Hot games, and other unnecessary applications. The good news is that most of these can be uninstalled, and apps like Hot Apps can be disabled. However, their presence on the phone in the first place leaves a sour taste, especially considering the level of bloatware removal offered by competitors.
Realme pledges two years of OS updates with three years of security patches, aligning with the industry standard for mid-range devices. Realme UI 5.0 introduces AI-powered features such as AI Clear Voice for enhancing call quality and Smart Loop for streamlined content sharing. Other features include Air gestures, a Smart sidebar, a Split view, and several more accessible through Settings > Accessibility and Convenience.
Realme 13+ Performance: A Gaming Powerhouse
The Realme 13+ is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy SoC. This chipset proves to be a solid choice for both daily use and gaming, one of the phone’s primary selling points. While the UI navigation and app launching might experience occasional hiccups, the phone maintains its prowess during gaming sessions. This chipset is a perfect fit for budget gaming.
Chipset: MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy
RAM: Up to 12GB
Storage: Up to 256GB
The phone also benefits from up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, which further enhance its multitasking and storage capabilities.
Benchmarking reveals impressive performance across the board. But real-world usage paints an even brighter picture. The 6050mm² stainless steel vapour cooling chamber is a core reason for the exceptional gaming experience. Even during demanding BGMI sessions, the phone exhibits only slight warmth. Running BGMI at maximum graphics settings delivers smooth gameplay at 80-90fps. The GT mode lives up to its promise, achieving maximum frame rates across various games, including COD.
Beyond gaming, the Realme 13+ delivers stellar performance during phone calls and 5G download speed tests. The dual-speaker setup delivers loud and clear audio, though I yearned for a more prominent bass response.
Realme 13+ Cameras: A Solid Performance
While Realme outlined a performance-centric approach for its non-Pro number series, the Realme 13+ cameras pleasantly surprise. The rear camera boasts a dual setup, which unfortunately lacks an ultrawide lens. The camera app is designed for user-friendliness, offering direct controls for various modes, including a Pro mode.
Main Rear Camera: 50-megapixel Sony LYT-600, f/1.8, OIS
Secondary Camera: 2-megapixel
Selfie Camera: 16-megapixel
The 50-megapixel Sony LYT-600 primary sensor shines in daylight conditions, producing images brimming with detail, slightly boosted colors, and a commendable dynamic range. White balance remains accurate in daylight, resulting in images devoid of unnatural hues. The Sony sensor performs admirably even in low-light conditions, adequately capturing light. The camera automatically switches to night mode, requiring a few seconds for processing, but the results are more than usable. Noise is present, but to a manageable extent.
Depth sensor is a letdown: The secondary camera, a depth sensor, aids in portrait photography but pales in comparison to an ultrawide lens. The selfie camera lacks skin tones and detail but delivers decent pictures in daylight. Low-light performance suffers significantly.
Video recording reaches a maximum resolution of 4K at 30fps, while ultra-steady video is achieved at 1080p at 60fps. The video quality is solid, producing well-stabilized shots with punchy colors in daylight.
Realme 13+ Battery: Enduring Power
The Realme 13+ houses a 5,000mAh battery, easily capable of lasting a full day or even longer with moderate usage. While 5,000mAh is not an exceptional capacity in this price range, the 80W fast charging support is a standout feature.
Battery Capacity: 5,000mAh
Fast Charging: 80W
Charger: Included
Our HD video loop test demonstrated impressive battery endurance, with the phone running for about 29 hours. Regular usage yielded an average screen-on time of 6-7 hours with the display set at 120Hz. The phone’s 80W fast charging capabilities are equally impressive, charging from empty to 100% in just 55 minutes. A mere 30 minutes of charging is sufficient for a full day’s worth of power.
Realme 13+ Verdict: A Solid Choice, but Don’t Rush to Upgrade
For those seeking a budget phone that excels in gaming and boasts exceptional battery life, the Realme 13+ earns a strong recommendation. It delivers excellent performance, a decent primary rear camera, a smooth display, a clean design, and top-tier 80W fast charging.
However, if you own a Realme 12+, I recommend holding off on the upgrade. Although the Realme 13+ offers improvements, the benefits may not justify the cost.
Alternative contenders in the same price range exist. The Nothing Phone 2a presents a compelling option with its unique design, comparable performance, decent cameras, and notably superior software experience. The Motorola Edge 50 Fusion also boasts superior cameras, software, and overall design. And finally, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 offers a well-rounded experience with improvements across various aspects.
Ultimately, the decision rests with you. If performance and long battery life are your priorities, the Realme 13+ is a solid choice. But if you’re seeking a substantial upgrade from your existing Realme 12+ or are looking for the best overall package, exploring alternatives might be worth considering.
