realme 13 5G In-Depth Review
realme has recently launched the highly anticipated realme 13 Series 5G through a live stream on realme’s official Facebook page and YouTube channel. The realme 13 Series 5G includes the realme 13+ 5G and realme 13 5G, both of which solidify realme’s position in the gaming scene with their latest release in the Number Series.
The realme 13 Series 5G is not only designed for people seeking a reliable smartphone, but it also comes packed with advanced technology, making it the preferred device for gaming enthusiasts.
Since I've already unboxed the device and shared my gaming review of the realme 13 5G, in this review, I will delve deeper into the smartphone's other features to help you decide if it's the right choice for you.
Design and Walk Around
The realme 13 5G incorporates design elements from previous models in the realme 13 Pro Series 5G. The design, named Victory Speed, draws inspiration from the word "Victory" in games like Honor of Kings and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. This design finish is less prone to fingerprint smudges and scratches, which I find appealing.
Additionally, the device features ArmorShell, realme’s own technology which was first featured in realme Note 60. This technology is created to enhance the durability of the brand’s devices to endure accidental scenarios that may damage them.
The realme 13 5G smartphone is available in two colors - Speed Green and Dark Purple. I have the Dark Purple variant. In addition to its design, the device is thin at 7.79mm and weighs only 190 grams, making it easy to hold for longer periods.
The realme 13 5G boasts a 6.72-inch FHD+ (2400 x 1080) IPS display on its front, featuring a 120Hz refresh rate. The display has a centered hole-punch 16MP camera on the top and a thin, discreetly etched earpiece above it.
On the back, there's a large protruding camera module that houses the dual-camera setup along with a single LED flash. The two cameras are the 50MP main + 2MP mono lens.
The right side features the standard volume rocker and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor that is embedded in the power button, while the top has the secondary noise-canceling microphone, a speaker grille, and a hybrid SIM tray which allows the option of using either two SIM cards, or one SIM card plus one microSD card.
At the bottom, you'll find the USB Type-C charging port, downward-firing speaker, primary microphone, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Display and Multimedia
The realme 13 5G features a large 6.72-inch IPS LCD display with FHD+ (1080 x 2400) resolution, offering a screen-to-body ratio of 91.4%. It boasts a 120Hz refresh rate and a touch response rate of 240Hz.
The device is equipped with a 6-level dynamic refresh rate that adjusts automatically to different scenarios. It also supports Eye Comfort Features and Rainwater Smart Touch.
The IPS screen delivers vibrant colors and decent viewing angles. It has a brightness of up to 580 Nits that peaks at 690 Nits on HBM, but it could benefit from slightly more brightness for comfortable outdoor use.
The stereo speakers on the realme 13 5G are decent and can produce loud sound. For better audio quality, it is recommended to use headphones or a Bluetooth-enabled external speaker.
Camera
Rear Cameras
The realme 13 5G features a dual-camera setup, which includes a 50MP F1.8 primary camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and a Samsung S5KJNS sensor. This primary camera is complemented by a 2MP F2.4 lens, serving as a black-and-white sensor to enhance portrait shots.
Even though the phone is primarily marketed for gaming, the rear camera still captures vibrant and accurate colors with crisp details in bright lighting conditions. However, its dynamic range could be improved in some situations. In indoor and low-light environments, the camera performs well when Night Mode is enabled, producing high-quality low-light photos.
Front Selfie Camera
The realme 13 5G is equipped with a 16MP front camera with an F2.45 aperture. It includes realme's typical camera user interface features for taking selfies and supports various photo modes. The front camera delivers decent-quality photos, particularly in well-lit conditions. Although the background blurring for portrait selfies is not flawless, it generally performs well.
Video
For video recording, the Realme 13 5G can capture up to 2K resolution at 30 frames per second (fps) with its main camera and 1080p at 30 fps with the front-facing camera. Although it features Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS), the recorded video from the main camera may still appear shaky.
realme UI, Apps, and Security
The realme 13 5G smartphone runs on an updated version of realme UI based on Android 14. The UI is user-friendly and comes with Google's standard app suite and some unnecessary pre-installed apps.
For security, the realme 13 5G is equipped with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button, as well as facial recognition for device unlocking. The fingerprint sensor works quickly and accurately, but the face unlock feature may slow down in low-light situations.
Additionally, the device offers a suite of features called Real Essentials to enhance the overall user experience:
- Air Gestures: Uses AI Algorithms to identify hand gestures with the selfie camera and perform actions like swiping up and down.
- Smart Code Scan: Allows easy scanning of QR codes with a double tap on the back of the device.
- Dynamic Button: Enables custom-mapping on the power button for various functions or applications.
- Rainwater Smart Touch: Allows the display to remain accurate even when wet, enabling usage with wet or moist hands.
- Riding Mode: A dedicated function for easy access to essential functions while driving or traveling, such as Google Maps, Google Dialer, and Music.
Hardware and Performance
The realme 13 5G is a gaming-focused smartphone powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor, which is built on a 6nm production process. It is equipped with two Cortex-A76 cores, six Cortex-A55 cores, and a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU.
In addition, the realme 13 5G features Dynamic RAM Expansion technology, allowing users to virtually expand their phone's RAM up to 14GB using the internal storage to enhance overall performance and multitasking. The device's 4GB of physical RAM can also serve as "Dedicated Gaming Memory" for quick game launch or startup.
In my testing, despite the device having Dimensity 6300 instead of the Dimensity 7300 Energy found in its realme 13+ 5G sibling, the device still delivered an impressive performance. It smoothly handled resource-intensive applications and provided a seamless gaming experience. It effortlessly supported medium to high graphics settings for popular games such as Asphalt 9: Legends and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
Additionally, the realme 13 5G offers several notable gaming features:
- GT Mode: Allocates resources to prioritize high frame rates, high image quality, and low temperature, ensuring stable 60fps gaming for extended sessions.
- Vapor Chamber Cooling System: Utilizes graphite sheets and other materials in a 9-Layer Cooling System to reduce temperatures of heat sources by up to 12°C overall, maintaining the device's temperature at around 39°C to 41°C during intense use sessions.
- AI Boost 2.0: Allows users to choose between Smooth Boost or Game Boost to prioritize overall productivity or gaming performance.
- 6-Axis Hypersensitive Gyroscope: Enables more precise aim control when gyro is activated in FPS games.
- Mobile Antenna Array Matrix System: Surrounds the device with several antennas to ensure no signal loss during gaming and enables the use of 360° NFC for wireless transactions.
The realme 13 5G is available in the Philippines with 256GB of storage. My unit with 256GB of storage used 20.9GB out of the box. If you need more storage, you can expand it up to 2TB via its hybrid SIM tray.
Additionally, the phone has an IP64 Dust & Water Resistance rating, which ensures its safety against accidental splashes and other incidents.
Below are the benchmark scores from this device:
- AnTuTu v10.3.4 – 451,374
- AnTuTu Storage Test v10.3.4 – 43,249 (527.3 MB/s Seq. Read, 498.0 MB/s Seq. Write)
- Geekbench 6.3.0 – 785 (Single-core), 1,973 (Multi-core)
- PCMark – 10,082 (Work 3.0)
- 3DMark – 2,652 (SSE – OpenGL ES 3.1), 2,530 (SSE – Vulkan)
Battery and Connectivity
The realme 13 5G comes equipped with a 5,000mAh battery that can last a whole day of moderate usage without requiring an additional charge. For gaming, the battery allows up to 7 hours of gaming on a single charge. In the PCMark Work 3.0 Battery Life Test, the device scored around 12 hours and 41 minutes.
Furthermore, the realme 13 5G is bundled with a 45W SUPERVOOC charger that can charge the 5,000mAh battery from 0% to 50% in just 30 minutes, and from 0% to 100% in 1 hour and 20 minutes.
In addition to the battery and charger, the realme 13 5G offers standard connectivity features such as dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by), 5G Connectivity, WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS, a 3.5mm audio jack, and USB Type-C.
realme 13 5G Specifications
6.72-inch FHD+ (2400 x 1080) IPS display, 391ppi
120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate
MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor (6nm)
Mali-G57 MC2 GPU
12GB RAM with Dynamic RAM Expansion
256GB of internal storage
Up to 2TB Expandability via microSD Card
Dual-rear cameras (50MP F1.8 OIS main + 2MP F2.4 B&W camera)
16MP F2.45 front camera
Dual-SIM / 5G
WiFi 5 / Bluetooth 5.3
GPS, A-GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS
USB Type-C / Dual stereo speakers / 3.5mm audio jack
Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
IP64 Dust & Water Resistance
realme UI 5.0 (Android 14)
5,000mAh Battery with 45W SUPERVOOC Charge
Dimensions: 165.6 x 76.1 x 7.79mm
Weight: 190g
Colors: Speed Green and Dark Purple
What’s inside the box
If you missed the unboxing of the realme 13 5G, here's what you would find in the box: the phone, a USB Type-C to USB-A charging cable, a 45W SUPERVOOC Charger, a SIM card ejector tool, a protective silicone case, a quick start guide, and essential product information, including the warranty card.
Price and Availability
The realme 13 5G (12GB+256GB) is officially priced at Php16,999 SRP. Here are the details of the available online and offline offers for this smartphone.
From October 25 to November 3, every purchase of any smartphone from the realme 13 Series 5G at any realme physical store nationwide will come with a FREE realme Buds worth P1,399.
During the promo period, customers can also join the Spin The Wheel activity at selected realme physical stores to get the chance of winning amazing prizes such as realme TechLife Robot Vacuum, realme Pad X (6GB+128GB Wi-Fi), DIZO Power Bank 10000 mAh, or TechLife 20W Charger with Type-C Cable.
For online shoppers, the realme 13 5G is available exclusively on TikTok at P1,400 OFF. This offer is valid until October 27.
Verdict
Despite a price increase compared to its predecessor, the realme 13 5G is definitely worth considering. This smartphone delivers impressive performance, a competitive camera, a sleek design, and various features that enhance both daily use and gaming experiences.
When compared to other mid-range smartphones, the realme 13 5G stands out as an excellent option.
No comments: