REALME C35 REVIEW: BRING ON THE BLING

realme’s newest entry-level smartphone is one of its best-looking yet. 

 

Chic and classy are not the usual terms used to describe an entry-level smartphone, but with the arrival of realme’s Philippines latest addition to its C-series lineup, those adjectives have never been more fitting.

 

There was a time when it was very easy to spot entry-level phones--they were bulky, plasticky and the design looked like something that arrived a few years too late.

 

In contrast, the realme C35, stands out with its modern, squared-off look, glasstic back and unique glow colorways. 

 

But is it more than just a fancy-looking phone? 

Here is our unboxing and first impressions of the realme C35.

I have always been a fan of the realme C-series because it always hit the sweet spot between performance and price. But if there was one issue I’ve had with the series is that it doesn’t always stand out in terms of its looks. 

 

So when realme sent their latest device for review, I really wasn’t expecting much in terms of its design.

 

I was wrong.

 

Since I didn’t go on the web to see how it looks, I was thinking “Glowing Green” was going to be a similar color to that of the realme 9 series. So when my partner and I unboxed it we both gasped when we took it out from the plastic wrap. It was gorgeous. I didn’t just love the color---I adored it. It may just be my fave realme color of all--for now. 

 

realme’s maketing campaign for this smartphone is “Chic and Classy,” so does it mean the C35 is all about looks? Read more to find out.

@lola_lamon Look how chic and classy my new @realme Philippines C35 is. Watch until the end of the unboxing #realmec35 #realmeph #chicandclassy #fyp #fy ♬ Dancing In The Moonlight - Instrumental - Naimai

 

UNBOXING:

The phone comes in realme’s tradmark yellow box. Unlike the redesigned box of the realme 9 series,  it retains the same look as its predecessors. 

 

Inside the box you’ll find the “Welcome to the realme family” greeting and the compartment which stores the  SIM ejector tool and some paper documentation. Underneath is the realme C35 unit, and at the bottom is a 18W charging adapter and USB-A to USB-C charging cable. The screen protector is already preinstalled on the unit.

 

It doesnt include a pair of earphones or a silicone case--something you should really get.

 

BUILD AND DESIGN

 

Okay, there’s no other way to put it. The realme C35 looks a lot like one of those recent competitors Phones--and that alone is a big reason to choose it over the competition. 

 

The phone is made of a combination two “glasstic” panels with a polycarbonate frame thats made to look like metal. The sides of the phone are flat with rounded edges. The glasstic back has a clear and reflective finish which makes it prone to fingerprints and smudges and can be quite slippery. This is why I suggest you get a case to protect your phone and make it a bit easier to hold.  The phone comes in a 8.1mm Ultra Slim Design, the thinnest and lightest in the C-Series as it weighs only 189 grams making it very easy to use with one hand. 

 

The realme C35 comes with a screen-to-body ratio of 90.7%, with an almost bezel-less design. Paired 

with the aesthetics of the Dynamic Glowing Design, which gives off an effect when reflected on by 

light, the realme C35 allows for a visual experience.

 

It comes in two colors; Glowing Black, and the one we have is the Glowing Green which more like “mint” and it is unlike any color we’ve seen in a smartphone. It will also be available in two variants 4GB+64GB and 4GB+128GB variants.

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Exploring the ports and button placements, on the right you’ll find the power button, which also acts as a fingerprint scanner. 

 

Located on the left is the SIM tray (two nanoSIM cards and a dedicated microSD card slot) and volume rocker, while on the bottom is the USB-C charging port, along with the speaker grille, microphone, and 3.5mm headphone jack. 

 

To guarantee its quality the phone has undergone and passed the rigorous TÜV Rheinland Smartphone High-Reliability Certification.

 

Overall, I like the design, color and build of the C35. 

 

DISPLAY AND SOUND 

Checking out the display, the realme C35 has  a 6.6-inch IPS panel with a FHD 2408 x 1080 resolution which is  unlike most smartphones in the same price segment. This means you get a clearer more colorful and immersive viewing experience. In addition the realme C35 maxes at up to 480 nits of brightness in normal lighting conditions, and up to 600 nits on auto under direct sunlight making the screen still quite visible.  For gamers, the touch-sampling rate of 180Hz for better touch responsiveness is worth noting. 

 

Now for the sound,  the realme C35 has  a single downward-firing speaker, which does the job but could get easily distorted at max volume. Limiting it to 70percent might be the ideal level but it may sound too soft especially if you are outside or in a noisy area. So its best to have your favorite pair of earphones or external speakers for a better multimedia experience. For voice calls though using the loudspeakers are okay. 

CAMERA

realme has done wonders for its smartphone cameras in the last couple of years and I’d say the C35 proves that a good quality camera doesn’t need to be expensive. It has a 50MP AI Triple Camera which includes a 50MP primary camera partnered with two other lenses, a f/2.8 B&W for portrait shots and a f/2.4 macro lens from up to 4cm to cater other mobile photography needs. 

 

The main camera delivers nice details especially in well-lit situations and outdoor shots during the daytime are social media and vlog ready even without editing. Videos can be recorded at up to 1080p/30FPS (without stabilization) which is par for the course within this segment.

 

Like other smartphones at this price point though,  the camera does struggle when the lights go low. You’ll notice lesser details and photos tend to look washed out a bit with some noise. They are still usable though and NightMode does help a bit to boost brightness. 

 

As for the front camera, the 8-megapixel Sony IMX355 selfie shooter you get the same output. Photos taken in good lighting are impressive while the loss of details are evident even when using the screen as a flash. Faces look a bit on the yellow side but you can easily edit it with the pre-installed photo editor. 

 

PERFORMANCE AND BATTERY

The realme C35 is controlled by a Unisoc Tiger 616 (T616) processor with an octa-core processor clocked at a maximum of 2.0GHz, a Mali-G57 GPU, along with 4GB of RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage.

 

Its not the usual processor I usually read about, but so far after using it the past few weeks, I’d say it works great for all the basic tasks I usually do and that’s social media uploads, web browsing, checking emails and a few casual tita games. 

 

 When it comes to multitasking, I did notice a bit of lag, but its not something that’s frustrating. So I do suggest you close those apps you aren’t using. 

 

 

As for the battery, it has a 5000mAh battery that is slighly smaller than the C25 but it lasted me for an entire day of blog coverage with still a bit of juice left. You also get an 18W Quick Charge adaptor to help it charge faster.  In terms of storage, the realme C35 is expandable to 256GB via micro-SD Card--which is spacious enough to store all your photos and videos. 

  

  

REALME C35: VERDICT

For its minty color and iPhone-ish design alone the realme C35 is an easy recommendation for those who need to follow a strict budget. If you are looking for an affordable everyday smartphone, the realme C35 a is mighty impressive choice.  It delivers a pretty good main camera,  reliable performance and again deceivingly stylish design that makes it look more pricey than its actual tag. 

 

Available in two colors: Glowing Black and Glowing Green, the realme C35 is now available for an SRP of only P8,499 for the 4GB+64GB variant, and P9,499 for the 4GB+128GB variant.

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