Realme C55 Review: Design Is Its Strong Suit, But Performance Lacks
Realme’s C55 grabbed headlines when it was initially launched in Indonesia, boasting the world’s first Android smartphone to feature a Dynamic Island-like function, dubbed "Mini Capsule" by Realme. Now, this budget smartphone has finally arrived in India, but it seems the "Mini Capsule" is not the most captivating aspect. What truly sets the Realme C55 apart is its aggressive pricing and eye-catching design. While Realme’s C-series has traditionally catered to the entry-level market, the C55 deviates with a bolder design and a price tag that places it firmly in the budget segment, targeting a slightly higher price point than its predecessors. This strategic move positions the C55 as a potential successor to the Realme C33 (2023) and a significant upgrade from the C35.
However, the absence of 5G connectivity and the underwhelming implementation of the "Mini Capsule" were immediately apparent in the early impressions of the device. After a month of testing, these shortcomings haven’t faded, and several additional drawbacks have emerged, particularly regarding the user interface and battery life. Given the crowded landscape of budget smartphones, the question emerges – does the Realme C55 stand out as a compelling option? Let’s dive into a detailed analysis to find out!
Realme C55 Price in India
The Realme C55 comes in three configurations: a 4GB RAM and 64GB storage variant priced at Rs. 10,999, a 6GB RAM and 64GB storage variant priced at Rs. 11,999, and a more competitive 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant priced at Rs. 13,999. The availability of multiple options showcasing Realme’s commitment to offering diverse choices within the C-series, particularly notable as the Realme C55 is the first C-series model to feature 8GB of RAM. The device is available in two color choices – Sunshower or Rainy Night. For this review, the 8GB RAM variant in the Sunshower finish was tested.
Realme C55 Design
The Realme C35 saw a noticeable shift in design philosophy for the C-series, moving away from the rudimentary entry-level phones of the past. While that device’s design was its sole redeeming factor, the Realme C55 pushes the boundaries even further. Its sleek, modern aesthetic is characterized by clean lines, a sculpted body, and flat sides. The front features a flat display with a hole-punch style for the camera, maintaining a contemporary look. The bezels, while thin on the sides and top, are thicker at the bottom.
Flip the phone over, and you’ll be hard pressed to recognize it as a budget smartphone. The rear panel boasts a striking dual-tone finish, featuring a finely striped matte texture dominating most of the surface and a polished section encircling the protruding cameras. This unique design element adds a touch of sophistication rarely seen in budget devices. The matte finish also effectively resists fingerprints. Both the rear panel and frame are crafted from polycarbonate, offering enhanced drop resistance compared to glass. The display is protected by Panda glass, which is susceptible to smudges but can be easily wiped clean.
The phone’s weight, at 189g, leans towards the heavier side, but its slender profile of 7.89mm compensates for this. Although it lacks an IP rating and stereo speakers, it does include a 3.5mm headphone jack and a Type-C USB port at the bottom. The fingerprint sensor is integrated into the power button, which proved slightly difficult to press due to its flush positioning along the frame’s flat sides.
Realme C55 Specifications and Software
Powering the Realme C55 is a MediaTek Helio G88 SoC, which unfortunately means that 5G connectivity is out of the picture. Realme claims to have employed LPDDR4X RAM and EMMC 5.1 storage. The SIM tray offers two nano-SIM slots and a dedicated slot for a microSD card with up to 1TB of storage, providing ample expansion options.
Connectivity features include 4G LTE, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, and the standard array of sensors and global positioning systems. Fueling the device is a 5,000mAh battery, and the box includes a 33W wired charger.
Running on Realme UI 4.0, which is based on Android 13, the Realme C55 comes loaded with a plethora of Realme and third-party apps. This results in an abundance of duplicate applications, including two messaging apps for SMS, two file managers, two note-taking apps, and numerous other duplicates. The sheer volume of apps can be overwhelming, especially for new users, and the inability to uninstall most of them is a frustrating aspect. While most pre-installed third-party apps can be uninstalled, reclaiming some storage space, it’s still a noticeable inconvenience. Adding to the frustration are the daily ad notifications and promotional messages from apps like the Game Center and App Market.
Realme C55 Performance
The Realme C55 boasts a 6.72-inch full-HD+ IPS LCD display with a maximum screen refresh rate of 90Hz. The display intelligently switches between 60Hz and 90Hz depending on the application and content being viewed. The display delivers vibrant colors and sufficient brightness for outdoor visibility on sunny days. Viewing angles are also commendable. In terms of streaming, the device is Widevine L1 certified, allowing full-HD quality playback.
Despite the initial excitement around the device, the overall usage experience fell short of expectations. Realme UI 4.0 demonstrated lackluster optimization for the hardware, evident in various scenarios. Navigation, app minimization, navigating video-heavy feeds in apps like Instagram, and standard use cases exhibited noticeable stuttering and lag. The hardware felt overwhelmed by the demands of everyday interactions. Having tested the 8GB RAM variant, one can only imagine the difficulties users might encounter with the 4GB RAM version. Even while streaming videos, some stuttering was observed, although the latest software update, released shortly before publishing this review, addressed this issue.
The "Mini Capsule" has not witnessed any significant changes since its initial introduction a month ago. For most users, it might remain a hidden feature, as the animated notification prompts that expand around the hole-punch camera are easily missed. Samsung’s approach with pop-up notifications, offering a similar capsule shape and displaying various notification types, is arguably a more effective implementation.
Benchmark results on the Realme C55 were predictable, given the MediaTek Helio G88 SoC. Performance scores were underwhelming, with even the iQoo Z6 Lite, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 SoC, achieving better results. The Realme C55 scored 2,57,736 points in AnTuTu, 422 points in Geekbench’s single-core test, and 1,411 points in the multi-core test. Graphics performance was similarly uninspiring, explaining the stuttering and lag observed in the user interface. The device managed 39fps in GFXBench’s T-Rex test, 14fps in Manhattan 3.1, and 8.5fps in Car Chase.
Gaming performance fell below average. Call of Duty: Mobile was playable at Medium graphics quality and High framerate, but lag emerged after about 15 minutes of gameplay, coinciding with the phone beginning to heat up. Even at the lowest graphics setting (Performance), Asphalt 9 Legends proved too demanding, resulting in frequent lag and stuttering. Ultimately, the Realme C55 is better suited for simpler casual games. While the single speaker delivers impressive volume, sound quality suffers from distortion at higher volumes.
Daily usage patterns for the Realme C55 included an hour of gaming, one to two hours of video streaming (over Wi-Fi), navigating various social media apps, and two email accounts syncing constantly. Despite a relatively moderate usage pattern, the phone struggled to last a full day on a single charge, a surprising outcome given its 5,000mAh battery. While this could be attributed to the low-end processor, the expectation was that the battery would comfortably exceed a day, a common feature in most modern budget smartphones. The standard HD video loop battery test results were disappointing, lasting only 14 hours, 43 minutes, placing it at the lower end compared to other devices in this price range. On a positive note, the 33W charger quickly restored the phone from empty to full in just 1 hour, 10 minutes, demonstrating efficient charging capabilities.
Realme C55 Cameras
The Realme C55 features a dual rear camera setup: a 64-megapixel primary camera and a 2-megapixel depth sensor that enhances Portrait mode by providing depth data. Selfies are handled by an 8-megapixel front camera. The camera app interface boasts user-friendliness with all essential controls readily accessible around the viewfinder. Realme boasts that the 64-megapixel sensor originates from the older GT Master Edition; however, it’s important to acknowledge that camera performance is heavily influenced by the processor, and the GT Master Edition utilized a superior mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC.
In daylight, image quality was surprisingly impressive, showcasing decent dynamic range and good detail. While colors exhibited a slight tendency towards oversaturation and a faint bluish tint, these minor imperfections are manageable considering the budget segment. Close-up shots captured sharpness and clarity, with minimal noise and well-defined detail. However, indoor focusing proved sluggish even during daytime, requiring manual taps to achieve accurate focus on objects.
Selfies in daylight appeared slightly sharpened but with acceptable detail and dynamic range. Edge detection in Portrait mode using the selfie camera was average for this price point. In low light, selfies exhibited softness and noise regardless of the chosen mode, and edge detection remained inaccurate.
The camera’s low-light performance in Auto mode was underwhelming. Struggles with focusing in dimly lit scenes resulted in softness and lack of detail in the resulting photos. Turning to the dedicated Night mode significantly enhanced image quality, delivering significantly more detail, sharpness, and enhanced texture definition. Despite these impressive results, capturing an image takes 4-5 seconds, highlighting the need for a stable hold to maintain image quality.
Video recording capabilities are limited to 1080p at 60fps. Footage showcased decent detail but suffered from low dynamic range and clipped highlights. The absence of stabilization resulted in noticeably shaky videos. Recording in low light at 1080p 30fps yielded improved quality with acceptable dynamic range but still exhibited low detail and noise. Furthermore, footage remained shaky, and focusing issues persisted.
Verdict
As we enter 2023, various smartphone brands are entering the budget segment with 5G models. Notable examples include the Infinix Hot 20 5G (starting at Rs. 11,499) and the Poco M4 5G (starting at Rs. 11,999). Additionally, devices like the iQoo Z6 Lite 5G, priced at Rs. 13,999 onwards, excel in software performance, camera capabilities, and 5G connectivity.
Realme believes it has struck a chord with its intriguing design (for a budget smartphone) and the decent camera capable of producing good daylight photos. However, the battery life falls short of expectations for a budget smartphone, and the software is weighed down by bloatware. Despite boasting 8GB of RAM, my review unit encountered lagging and stuttering throughout the review period, casting a shadow on the overall experience. These shortcomings make the Realme C55 a difficult recommendation. Consider it only if you prioritize a good camera or are willing to overlook its flaws for its unique design.
