Realme 13+ Review: It shines in terms of performance and power

Expanding on its 13 series, Chinese smartphone manufacturer Realme has launched the Realme 13+. Unlike the 13 Pro that runs on the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, the new Realme 13+ is powered by the Dimensity 7300 chipset. However, it is cheaper than the 13 Pro, bringing it closer to the 20K segment. For buyers, the launch of the Realme 13+ brings an additional option in the 13 series lineup. Let’s take a closer look at the Realme 13+.

Design

It seems like a slight downgrade from the 12 series, which had a faux leather back. The Realme 13+ has a glossy marble pattern on the back. Despite the glossy back, the phone is smudge-proof. I would have preferred the pattern to cover the entire body, though, as it stops right before the circular camera module.

The phone is IP65-rated. Realme has kept the familiar button and port layout, with the volume button and power button on the right. At the bottom, you’ll find a hybrid SIM tray (capable of holding two SIM cards or one SIM and an SD card), a USB-C port, and a speaker grille. The inclusion of a 3.5mm audio jack is a welcome feature. The fingerprint sensor is integrated into the display and responds quickly.

Display

The realme 13+ has a 6.67-inch OLED display, offering a sharp visual experience with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 FHD+. It supports a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, providing smooth scrolling and an immersive visual experience. The display also offers a touch sampling rate of 180Hz, with an instant peak of 1200Hz, making it very responsive to touch. The brightness is impressive, with a typical level of 600 nits and a peak of 2000 nits, ensuring clear visibility in bright outdoor conditions. The display also supports Rainwater Smart Touch, making it work well in wet conditions.

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Compared to the Realme 13 Pro, both devices share some key features, including a 120Hz refresh rate and 2,000 nits peak brightness, for smooth visuals and strong outdoor performance. However, the 13 Pro has a slight edge overall.

Operating system

The Realme 13+ runs on Realme UI 5.0, which is built on Android 14. Unfortunately, the operating system is loaded with pre-installed apps, which makes it feel a bit cluttered. The phone includes AI Boost 2.0, which intelligently optimizes app performance based on your usage habits, improving efficiency. Additional AI features like AI Smart Loop and AI Clear Voice further improve the experience. AI Smart Loop is particularly useful for increasing multitasking and general usability.

Editor

The realme 13+ handles demanding tasks and resource-intensive games with flying colors, thanks to its MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset. The processor delivers strong performance, outperforming most rivals in its class, though it slightly lags behind the budget iQOO Z9 in benchmarks. With up to 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage, multitasking is smooth, and storage speeds are impressive. The phone also includes a stainless steel vapor chamber cooling system, so it stays cool during prolonged gaming or heavy use.

In benchmarks, the Realme 13+ puts up solid results, scoring 1,052 points in the GeekBench single-core test and an impressive 2,938 points in the multi-core test. Its GPU performance is equally commendable, with a score of 2,596. These scores beat those of the Realme 13 Pro and outperform competitors like the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion and the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite.

In everyday use, the phone runs smoothly, with smooth animations and no lag. It handles everyday tasks with ease and reaches up to 90 FPS in games like BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile. Enabling GT Mode further enhances gaming performance, offering features like Geek Power Tuning for clock speed management, Game Focus Mode, and Voice Changer for a more immersive gaming experience.

Camera

The Realme 13+ impresses with its camera setup, with a 50MP Sony LYT-600 primary sensor paired with a 2MP secondary lens. In daylight, the main camera takes vibrant photos with balanced dynamic range and accurate colors. Outdoor photos show sharp details, although there is some HDR blooming at times, but it doesn’t significantly reduce the overall quality.

Close-up shots have a nice, natural feel, and portrait shots offer realistic skin tones, although edge detection could be a little more accurate. The 2x zoom on the sensor delivers decent results, retaining good detail and dynamic range with minimal compromise. Night mode is competitive in its class, handling low-light scenes well with minimal noise, although finer detail could use some improvement.

The 16MP front-facing selfie camera, housed in a punch-hole cutout, delivers solid results. Selfies are sharp with good color reproduction, and even in Portrait mode, it handles background separation reasonably well, making it a reliable option for social media.

Battery

The realme 13+ is equipped with a 5000mAh battery that can easily last you a whole day, whether you’re gaming, streaming, or multitasking. It supports 80W Ultra Charge, which significantly reduces charging times. The included charger charges the phone from 0 to 100% in 42-46 minutes, making it very convenient for users on the go.

Verdict

The Realme 13+ stands out in terms of performance and power, outshining competitors like the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion, Nord CE 4 Lite, and even the Realme 13 Pro. Overall, the Realme 13+ stands out as a strong contender in the mid-range market, offering an all-round experience with minor areas for improvement such as bloatware reduction.

The Realme models start at Rs 22,999, which can make it difficult to choose as they are very similar in terms of design and performance, which could lead to internal competition within the series.