Content
- Equipment and design
- Software
- Cameras
- Performance & Tests
- findings
Today we have two budget smartphones on the testRealme - C30, which can be bought from 7990 rubles, and C31, which is priced at 11,990 rubles. Is this a good choice for the money? How are smartphones different from each other? Is it worth it to pay extra for the C31? And why was the Realme C30 very interesting to me as a reviewer? Let's answer all these questions.
 |
Technical characteristics | |
|---|---|---|
| Realme C30 | Realme C31 | |
| Network | 2G, 3G, 4G | |
| Firmware | Android 11 | |
| Screen | 6.5″, 1600x720 pixels, 269 ppi, IPS, 400 nits | |
| Chipset | UniSoC Tiger T612, 12 nm CPU: 2 x A75 x 1.8 GHz + 6 x A55 x 1.8 GHz GPU: Mali-G57 |
|
| Ram | 4 GB | |
| ROM | 32 GB | |
| SIM and memory card | triple tray | |
| Camera | Main: 8 MP, f/2.0, autofocus | Main: 13 MP, f/2.2, autofocus Macro: 2 MP Depth sensor: 0.3MP |
| Selfie | Waterdrop notch.5MP | |
| Battery | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | USB Type-C, 10W | |
| Wireless interfaces | WiFi 2.4 GHz bluetooth 5 |
|
| NFC | Not | |
| Biometrics | Not | Fingerprint scanner (side) |
| Sound | 3.5mm headphone jack | |
| Water protection | Not declared | |
| Dimensions and weight | 164.1 x 75.6 x 8.5mm 182 g |
164.7 x 76.1 x 8.4mm 197 g |
Equipment and design
Realme C30 and C31 come in the same yellowboxes that differ only in the printed model name. The kit is also identical: the smartphone itself, a SIM needle, a USB cable and a 10W charger. There is no film either in the kit or on the phone itself, except for the sticker with advertising. By the way, tearing it off is a whole quest, but otherwise you won’t start working with a smartphone. There is no cover either, but it would not hurt.
Both smartphones are made entirely of plasticcases, but that's where the similarities end. Realme C31 looks like the most standard Realme smartphone: two large camera eyes on the back, rounded ends, volume buttons on the left side, a fingerprint scanner in the power button (quite nimble). There are two colors - light gray and very dark green.
But Realme C30 is very atypical for Realme.And I'm not only talking about flat ends or the fact that there is not a single dummy camera here - the main camera is all. I'm more likely talking about a very unusual structure of the back panel (these stripes are not a drawing, the cover is really embossed). And, of course, about the volume buttons on the right side. Realme, like OPPO and OnePlus, usually places them on the left - sometimes they even say that this is the fundamental difference between this branch of BBK and Vivo / iQOO, in which the volume buttons, on the contrary, are always on the right. But in the budget model, apparently, they decided not to follow the branded “design code” so much. There are two colors: green and blue.
Both smartphones received triple trays (2 xnano-SIM + microSD), as well as microUSB connectors for recharging, standard vibration motors and mono speakers. In terms of speakers, however, there is a significant difference: the Realme C30 has sound emitter holes on the bottom, while the C31 has holes on the back, which means they overlap if the phone is lying on a table or bed. In terms of volume, they are similar, and the sound quality is somewhat better with the C31. The ergonomics of the phones is different and, of course, in favor of the rounded C31, but the C30 is quite comfortable. The dimensions are almost identical, and the difference in weight, although it is 15 g, is almost imperceptible.
The screens of two smartphones are perfect on paperthe same: 6.5″, 1600x720 pixels, 60 Hz, touch 120 Hz and no oleophobic coating. The viewing angles are not bad, there is enough brightness outside in the autumn. The behavior of the panels when tilted is different; on some sides the brightness drops more on the C30, on others on the C31, but overall the quality of the displays is parity. The matrices were calibrated well; I didn’t feel any difference in the striking blue or yellowness. And those differences that exist are most likely due to the randomness of the matrices. I note that there is some sharpening, but much better than itel Vision 3+, for example.
Software
With software for these two, everything is difficult:The C30 runs Android 11 with Realme UI Go Edition while the C31 runs Android 11 with Realme UI R Edition. It's in the official specs. In fact, they work on pure Android with small Realme UI inserts (icons, branded applications, some settings sections, etc.) Realme C31 has more of these inserts, and C30 is perceived just like a vanilla phone. Well, as for the "Go Edition", this is expressed only in the preset application "Gallery Go" instead of Google Photos. At the same time, there are no “Photos” traditional for Realme on either phone. More firmware details in comparison in the gallery:
Realme C30
Realme C31
Cameras
Realme C31 has a triple main camera:13-megapixel base (Sony IMX258, which was still in the LG G6), 2-megapixel macro camera (GalaxyCore GC02M1 or OmniVision OV02B10, as you're lucky) and 0.3-megapixel plug (BYD BF20A1 or SuperPix SP0A09). As you can see, the production of the third camera was given to completely unknown companies, but the Realme C30 is still more interesting. There is only one camera and only 8 megapixels, but this is SmartSens SC800CS - the world debut of a young Shanghai manufacturer of matrices! Let's see what it can do against the almost six-year-old flagship camera:
Realme C30
Realme C31
And you know, SmartSens is not bad.I expected that the 8-megapixel non-name sensor would merge the 13-megapixel Sony dry, but nothing like that happened. Moreover, I like some photos from Realme C30 even more than shots on C31 - no oversharpening, more natural colors (the flower is actually purple, not crimson), less chromatic aberration. However, I can’t help but note that there is much more noise in the photo from the Realme C30, and the detail in general is still inferior (megapixels mean something). Well, with a lack of light, the photos on the C30 turn into a mess, and in the pictures from the C31 at least something is visible.
Although the C31 has one obvious advantage:2 MP camera for macro. Usually we perceive such cameras as useless plugs, but with a relatively weak main camera, it is quite possible to use it. Indeed, the macros on the C31 look quite decent.
5-megapixel front camera - nothing special.It will do for video calls and self-portraits for worried parents. And post this in in… I wouldn't use telegram. By the way, the C30 again uses SmartSens (SC501CS), and the C31 again uses random – GalaxyCore GC5035 or Hynix Hi-556. Thus, Realme uses sensors from six different companies to produce the C31 - it seems that this is a record.
You can write video on both smartphones, but it is not necessary.1080p@30fps on the main camera, 720p@30fps on the front camera. There is a constant autofocus, but it works slowly. For a smartphone for 7990 rubles, this is normal, but for a dvenashka I would like more (and some Infinix offer this more).
Performance and tests
Hardware for smartphones is the same:chipset UniSoC Tiger T612, 4 GB RAM, 32 GB ROM in the junior version. You can be suspicious of UniSoC, and indeed - outdated Android and display sharpening, apparently, have their roots precisely in the features of the chipset. But we also have to admit that this chipset offers very good performance for smartphones in the region of 10,000 rubles. Here you have two productive Cortex-A75 cores, and a relatively up-to-date 12nm process technology (many budgets still sit on 28nm chips), and Mali-G57 graphics.
Realme C30
Realme C31
As a result, in 3DMark, smartphones were only10% weaker than Snapdragon 680 devices like Xiaomi Redmi Note 11. Now remember how much Redmi Note 11 costs and how much Realme C30 costs. At the same time, the phone is somewhat weaker in terms of CPU, but this has little effect on real performance.
What about games?At “high” graphics settings, you can run in PUBG Mobile, on the older model with “low” Genshin Impact is playable according to its parameters (but for some reason it simply cannot be installed on the lower version). There shouldn't be any problems with games of a lower class. In other words, the level of gaming capabilities of these smartphones is really closer to those models that cost about 17-20 thousand rubles in Russia.
Realme C31
Realme C30
Realme C30 and C31 batteries have a capacity of 5000mAh, all differences between them are either statistical error or fluctuations in production lines. For example, the discharge for two hours of video on both smartphones was 23%, for an hour in the game - 14%. As a test game, I chose SuperTuxKart, the average frame rate on both devices was 23 fps. In practice, you can count on results like 7-8 hours of screen for 2-3 days of use. This is not a record figure, but very worthy.
Fast charging in smartphones, alas, was not delivered -only 10 watts. A full charge took me 2 hours and 55 minutes; in half an hour, smartphones were charged by 22-23%, in an hour - by 43-45%, in two hours - by 81-85%. I indicate the range not because I forgot, but because the C30 and C31 had slightly different indicators. C31 initially charged faster (it ran 4% ahead in two hours), but then it braked sharply, and they reached the 94% mark at the same time. Most likely, this indicates a different calibration of batteries in smartphones.
Conclusions
So, that's all you need to know about the two budgetRealme smartphones. Unusual performance for the price segment, simple cameras, good autonomy, slow charging, good screens, pure Android with pieces of Realme UI. Is it worth it to buy a younger device if you are looking for a smartphone in the region of 8000 rubles? Definitely yes. Should I overpay for Realme C31? In my opinion, no. The best ergonomics and the ability to install Genshin Impact do not cost 4000 rubles, and I would not write down the advantage in terms of the camera - if you don’t need a camera, then the C30 will do, and if you need it, then the C31 won’t like it either. But before buying, I advise you to look at both smartphones in stores - fortunately, Realme are sold literally everywhere.
Discounts on Realme in Telegram!
© Oleg Lazarev.