Realme 13+ 5G first impressions: Aims to be the package

Realme has launched the Realme 13+ in India. This is an affordable phone with a big screen, a 50MP Sony camera, and a big 5000mAh battery. One look at the phone and you will know it is a Realme. It has the same design language as the rest of the 13 series devices.

Realme 13+ comes with metal sides and a plastic back. The phone feels well put together and you can rest your finger on the camera ring for additional grip. You’ll see the Realme signature dial-shaped camera bump, but there’s no golden ring around this one. There are four slots, three of which house the cameras and the flash.

Before we go about the detailed first look, here’s a quick rundown of the Realme 13+ specifications. This should give you an idea about what this phone offers on paper.

Realme 13+ specifications

Realme 13+ first impressions

I got the Realme 13+ a few days before its launch and started using it as my secondary device. Here are my detailed Realme 13+ first impressions that will give you a better idea about what to expect from this phone.

Realme 13+ Display: This phone has a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen with Full HD+ resolution. It’s a high refresh rate screen with decent brightness. I could easily use it under overcast weather, but it looks slightly dim under direct sunlight. This is a smooth and responsive display with slightly chunky bezels at the top and chin. However, you’ll probably not notice them unless you go looking for them.

Realme 13+ cameras: This phone has good hardware-software synergy. There are 3 camera cutouts at the back, the Realme 13+ has a single 50MP rear camera and a 16MP front camera. Now coming to the camera’s first impressions, the shooting experience vs the results are two different stories. While taking the pictures, I noticed some exposure issues but clicked anyway. The results were much better than what I initially saw.

AI corrections and enhancements are subtle but they are there. The camera captures enough details for the AI corrections to look good. I also took a selfie with the sun and clouds behind me, and the Realme 13+ cleverly balanced the photo. The Realme 13+ cameras are promising in the first look, but there will be a full review with extensive testing.

Realme 13+ performance: This phone has a Dimensity 7300 chip with 12GB RAM. You can also borrow up to 14GB from storage to use as virtual RAM, giving it 26GB of memory. I played Freefire Max on the Realme 13+ for about an hour. This was at max graphic settings with Bluetooth earphones connected. While I put the phone in GT mode too, you’ll have to play longer to see the GT mode taking over. There was no lag, or frame drops in my testing, but I did notice the phone’s back heating up a bit. The rest of the day was normal camera and social media usage and it didn’t heat through any of it.

Battery and charging: In my initial testing, The Realme 13+ 5G lasted half a day at 50% charge. It comes with an 80-watt Ultra charger in the box, but you’ll see more about it in the full review, since I haven’t entirely drained the phone yet.

Realme 13+ first look: Rounding up

Good display, good cameras, a capable chip, and 80-watt fast charging. My Realme 13+ first impression is that this phone is promising. It has the specifications and performance potential of a good mid-range daily driver. On the downside, the display could’ve been slightly brighter, and the smooth-textured back panel could be polarizing for someone who wants to buy a subtle or more premium-looking phone.

Rest assured, we’ll be doing a comprehensive review of this phone’s cameras, performance, battery, charging, and other AI features in the Realme UI. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to drop your comments and questions.