The Realme C67 emerges as a noteworthy contender, especially in the budget segment. Launched on December 19, 2023, it marks Realme’s stride into offering feature-packed devices at an accessible price point. As we dive into the full review of the Realme C67, it’s essential to understand where it stands in today’s market and what it brings to the table.
The C67 isn’t just another entry in the vast sea of budget smartphones. It represents a fine balance between affordability and functionality. With its attention-grabbing design, commendable camera capabilities, and robust performance for its class, the Realme C67 aims to set a new benchmark for what you can expect from a budget device in 2024. This review will take you through the phone’s design aesthetics, performance metrics, camera quality, and much more, to see if it lives up to the expectations set by its predecessor and stands out in the fiercely competitive budget smartphone market.
Realme C67 Features
- Streamlined Design with a Slim Profile
- IP54 Dust and Splash Resistance
- Efficient Snapdragon 685 Processor
- 6.72″ FullHD+ Display, 90Hz Refresh Rate
- Up to 950 nits Peak Brightness, Widevine L1 Certification
- Realme UI Based on Android 14
- 8GB RAM and Up to 256GB Internal Storage
- 108MP Main Camera with Advanced Photography Features
- 5000mAh Battery + 33W SuperVOOC Fast Charging
- 4G, NFC, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Unboxing Experience
The Realme C67 offers an experience that’s both satisfying and promising from the moment you lay your hands on the box. Upon opening the box, the first thing you encounter is the C67 itself, elegantly seated at the top and covered with a protective film. Beneath the phone, you’ll find the essential accessories thoughtfully packed. There’s a 33W SuperVOOC charger accompanied by a USB Type-C cable that promises durability and efficient charging and data transfer. Realme’s inclusion of a clear silicone case is a thoughtful touch, allowing you to protect your new gadget from day one. The SIM ejector tool, neatly tucked away, is another small. Also, there is a quick-start guide, and warranty information is easy to find and read.
Design and Build Quality
When examining the front design of the Realme C67, it becomes evident that Realme has focused on creating a modern and user-friendly interface that resonates well, and features a large 6.72-inch display, this sizeable screen accounts for an impressive 87.8% screen-to-body ratio, minimizing bezels to provide an immersive viewing experience. The front camera of the C67 is housed in a punch-hole cutout, in the top place to maximize screen real estate while minimizing interruption to the display. Despite being a budget device, it does not compromise on build quality. The front glass is durable and capable of withstanding everyday use.
The Realme C67 exemplifies a modern aesthetic in smartphone design, skillfully blending functionality with visual appeal. At first glance, it’s evident that Realme has made significant strides in refining the design language of its C series, and the C67 boasts a slim profile, measuring just 7.59mm in thickness, which not only contributes to its sleek appearance but also enhances its ergonomics. Despite its slender build, the phone feels robust and well-constructed, a balance that is often challenging to achieve in budget smartphones. Weighing in at 185 grams, the Realme C67 strikes an optimal weight that feels substantial without being burdensome, ensuring comfortable one-handed usage.
Realme offers the C67 in two captivating color variants: Sunny Oasis and Black Rock. The Sunny Oasis variant is particularly striking, featuring a dynamic, three-color gradient coating that creates a mesmerizing light effect. This coating isn’t just visually appealing; it’s a technical achievement, utilizing a 20nm-thick process that gives the phone’s back a color-changing sheen under different lighting conditions. The Black Rock variant, on the other hand, opts for a more understated elegance, with a starry finish that exudes sophistication.
The camera module’s design is a blend of functionality and style. It features a classic placement on the back, with shiny rings encircling each lens, adding a touch of elegance to the phone’s overall look.
In terms of durability, the Realme C67 doesn’t cut corners. It comes equipped with IP54 certification, providing resistance against dust and water splashes. This level of protection is a welcome feature, especially considering the unpredictable nature of daily use and accidental exposure to elements like rain or spills.
The phone includes all the standard ports and buttons one would expect. It features a USB Type-C port. Additionally, the Realme C67 is equipped with two microphones which aid in noise cancellation and clearer communication. The inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack is for those who prefer traditional wired headphones or earphones. Audio output is facilitated through a set of stereo speakers, strategically placed to deliver an immersive sound experience. One speaker is located at the bottom, while the other doubles as the earpiece at the top.
Display Quality
In the market of budget smartphones, the display often plays a crucial role in influencing buying. The Realme C67, with its 6.72-inch IPS LCD screen, presents a compelling case in this regard, providing ample screen real estate for various multimedia content. The resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels aligns well with its screen size, offering a clear and sharp visual experience. With a 20:9 aspect ratio, the device provides an elongated display, beneficial for reading, browsing, and enjoying videos.
One of the standout features of the C67’s display is its peak brightness of 950 nits, which is quite high for a budget device. This level of brightness ensures that the screen remains legible even in bright outdoor conditions. The typical brightness of 800 nits is more than sufficient for indoor use. In terms of color reproduction, the IPS LCD panel of the Realme C67 does a decent job. While it may not match the vibrancy and deep blacks of an AMOLED display, it produces reasonably accurate colors and satisfactory contrast levels, making it suitable for everyday tasks and media consumption. The screen-to-body ratio of approximately 87.8% is commendable, minimizing bezels for a more immersive viewing experience.
The Realme C67 steps up the game in the budget segment by offering a 90Hz refresh rate. This is a significant improvement over the standard 60Hz found in many budget phones. The higher refresh rate contributes to a smoother scrolling experience, whether browsing through web pages or navigating the user interface. This feature is particularly noticeable when playing games that support higher frame rates, providing a more immersive experience.
Audio Quality and Multimedia
The Realme C67 is equipped with stereo speakers that deliver a surprisingly robust audio experience for its price range. The speakers offer clear and distinct sound, with a respectable balance between treble and bass. While they lack the punchy bass found in more premium devices, the overall audio quality is more than satisfactory for everyday use.
In an era where many manufacturers are omitting the headphone jack, Realme has retained the 3.5mm audio jack in the C67. This inclusion is a significant advantage for users who prefer using traditional wired headphones or earphones.
When it comes to streaming, the device’s Widevine L1 certification is a significant plus. This certification allows users to stream high-definition content from popular platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and others. The experience of watching movies or TV shows on the Realme C67 is quite enjoyable, thanks to the combination of a large screen, decent display quality, and effective sound output.
Performance
The Realme C67 is powered by the Qualcomm SM6225 Snapdragon 685 chipset. This 6 nm process technology processor consists of an octa-core CPU configuration, featuring 4×2.8 GHz Cortex-A73 and 4×1.9 GHz Cortex-A53 cores. Accompanied by the Adreno 610 GPU, the device strikes a balance between efficiency and performance. It’s designed to handle everyday tasks with ease, providing smooth performance for the average user.
Realme offers the C67 in two configurations: 128GB with 8GB RAM and 256GB with 8GB RAM. The internal storage is ample for most users, and the dedicated microSDXC slot allows for storage expansion. Also, This generous amount of RAM is sufficient for multitasking and keeping multiple apps running smoothly in the background and the additional benefit of virtual RAM expansion.
However, it’s important to note that while this feature improves multitasking, it can’t compensate for the physical RAM limitations when dealing with highly demanding apps. Son The device can handle switching between apps reasonably well.
Real Usage and Benchmarks
In day-to-day use, the Realme C67 performs admirably. It handles common tasks like web browsing, social media, and streaming with no significant lag or stuttering. The Snapdragon 685, though not the latest chipset, still holds up well for light to moderate usage. When it comes to gaming, the device can run less graphically demanding games like Candy Crush or Mobile Legends smoothly. However, for more intensive games like Genshin Impact, lowering the graphics settings might be necessary for an optimal experience.
Benchmark tests reflect the phone’s position as a budget device. The multi-core scores are respectable, indicating good handling of tasks requiring more processing power. The phone doesn’t aim to break performance records but rather provides a reliable and consistent user experience. On Antutu, it scores around 322,399, which is quite impressive for a budget device.
Heat Management
During extended use, the Realme C67 manages heat effectively. It doesn’t get uncomfortably hot, even during prolonged gaming sessions or while using demanding applications. This effective heat management contributes to the overall stability and longevity of the device.
Software and User Interface
The Realme C67 runs on Android 14, the latest iteration of Google’s operating system at the time of its release, offering a fresh and up-to-date software experience. Realme enhances this with its own custom layer, Realme UI, known for its clean and user-friendly interface. This combination delivers both the novelty of the newest Android features and the personalized touch of Realme’s software design.
Realme UI on the C67 is designed to be intuitive and efficient. The UI is sleek and uncluttered, making it easy for users to navigate through apps and settings. It comes with a range of customization options allowing users to personalize their experience. This includes themes, icon packs, and a customizable always-on display.
One of the notable additions is the ‘Mini Capsule 2.0’, Realme’s take on an interactive notification and status system. It’s an innovative feature that displays information like music playback, weather updates, and battery status in a dynamic, minimalistic way, reminiscent of the Dynamic Island feature on iOS but with Realme’s unique spin.
Software Performance and Updates
Performance-wise, the Realme UI on the C67 is smooth and responsive. Transitions between apps are fluid, and multitasking is handled efficiently, thanks to the optimized software and the capable hardware under the hood. Realme has a decent track record with software updates, and the C67 is expected to receive regular updates for security patches and major Android versions for a couple of years, ensuring that the device stays secure and up-to-date.
Realme’s software also includes various utility features like Game Mode, which optimizes the phone for a better gaming experience, and Focus Mode, which helps in reducing distractions. The inclusion of Android 14 means users get the latest in terms of privacy features and system-wide improvements, such as better permission management and new media controls.
Camera Capabilities
At the heart of the Realme C67’s photographic prowess is its 108 MP main sensor. This high-resolution sensor is a game-changer in the budget smartphone category, offering exceptionally detailed and vibrant images. The large megapixel count means that photos retain their clarity even when zoomed in. Complementing the primary sensor is a 2 MP depth sensor. While it might seem modest in specifications, this sensor plays a crucial role in portrait photography. It works in tandem with the main camera to create a depth-of-field effect, artfully blurring the background and bringing the subject into sharp focus.
Camera Performance
The camera’s daylight performance is particularly noteworthy. Under bright conditions, the Realme C67’s camera captures images that are not only high in resolution but also exhibit vibrant colors and a balanced dynamic range. When it comes to low-light photography, the C67 holds its own. The night mode feature enhances the photo quality in dimly lit conditions, intelligently reducing noise and improving clarity. While it’s not without its limitations – some loss in detail and clarity in extremely dark conditions is noticeable – the overall performance is more than satisfactory for a phone in this segment.
The Realme C67’s video capabilities are equally commendable. It supports 1080p video recording at 30 fps, backed by gyro-EIS for stabilization. This feature is particularly useful for recording smooth and steady videos while on the move, reducing the shake and jitter commonly associated with handheld video recording.
The front of the phone houses an 8 MP selfie camera, capable of capturing clear and natural-looking selfies. It’s a versatile camera for everyday use, adept at video calling and casual vlogging, with support for 1080p video recording.
Beyond the hardware, the Realme C67’s camera app enhances the photography experience with a variety of modes and settings. Users can explore the Pro mode for manual control over settings, play with the unique filters in the street photography mode, or capture expansive scenes in panorama mode. The interface of the camera app is intuitive, allowing quick access to different modes and settings, and the responsive nature of the app adds to a satisfying user experience.
Battery Life and Charging
The Realme C67 boasts a substantial 5000mAh battery, aligning it with the current standards of mid-range smartphones. This capacity is quite generous, especially considering the phone’s budget-friendly positioning. For the average use, the phone can easily last through a full day of mixed usage, which typically includes browsing, social media, streaming music or videos, and occasional photography. When it comes to more intensive tasks like gaming or continuous video playback, the battery drain is noticeable but still manageable, allowing for several hours of entertainment.
Complementing its substantial battery life, the Realme C67 supports 33W SuperVOOC fast charging. So, The 33W charger included in the box is capable of replenishing the battery from 0 to 50% in approximately 30 minutes, which is impressive for a device in this price bracket. A full charge from empty to 100% can be achieved in just under 1.5 hours, which is quite efficient and convenient.
While the charging speed may not break any records when compared to the ultra-fast charging capabilities seen in some high-end models, it strikes an excellent balance between speed and battery health. The Realme C67 doesn’t support wireless charging, which is understandable given its positioning as a budget device.
Price and Value for Money
The Realme C67, with its competitive pricing, positions itself as a strong contender in the budget smartphone segment. At approximately 160$, it offers a blend of features that cater to both essential and advanced smartphone needs. This pricing strategy is particularly significant given the phone’s specifications and the features it brings to the table.
While the Realme C67 may not excel in every aspect compared to some higher-priced models or even some close competitors in its price range, it offers a balanced combination of features that are more than sufficient for the average user. Its strengths in performance, battery life, and primary camera capabilities make it a worthy option for those looking for a budget-friendly smartphone without significant compromises.
