Realme is one of the brands that has grown the most in the last three years and is the world’s 7th largest manufacturer. The Chinese brand is launching very complete smartphones in all price ranges and has a large market share, especially in the basic range.
Two of its most successful models are the C35 and C30 series, two cheap smartphones for those who want something for basic use and do not need high performance. These are models that you can buy for between 100 and 150 euros, making them really affordable.
Next, let’s do a review of the features so you can see the differences between the Realme C35 and the. Realme C30.
Design
We start by comparing the Realme C35’s design to that of the C30. The C35 has flat edges that look good and the material on the back, although plastic, is very adequate. The back has a very nice mirror effect that does not dazzle.
However, we have to say that it is not a comfortable phone to hold. The flat edges, no matter how good they are, will end up being uncomfortable.
Cheap Smartphone Realme C35 unboxing
The back of the Realme C30 is not flat, as it has a relief that makes it difficult to slide in the hand or on surfaces, but on the other hand it is the perfect place to remove dust. The brand has also opted for a flat design on the C30, which is uncomfortable to use for minutes at a time, so carrying a case is highly recommended.
Battery
The battery is 5000 mAh in mobile phones and gets a pretty good autonomy, which will let you last all day without any problems.
Realme C35 features
The C35 comes with an 18W fast charger, which isn’t the fastest but isn’t the worst either, charging from 0% to 100% in about an hour and a half. The C30, on the other hand, does not have fast charging.
Display
Regarding the display, we mentioned that both the C35 and C30 have IPS screens. It is a good IPS panel and the size is just right for multimedia use, with good colour calibration. However, the brightness on both handsets is too low for good outdoor viewing. Even in not so bad lighting conditions, we found it difficult to get a good view of outdoor content.
IPS Full HD Realme C35 IPS Display
There are differences in resolution, as the C35 has Full HD (2408 x 1080) with a pixel density of 401 per inch, while the C30 drops down to HD+ resolution (720 x 1600 pixels) with a pixel density of 270. This means that when you are watching multimedia content, the image is not completely sharp and the colours are not the most accurate on the market, but for the undemanding, which is the C30’s target audience, it is more than enough.
Camera
In terms of photography, the Realme C35 is undoubtedly the winner, and without sacrificing any quality, it beats the C30 by a considerable margin.
The C35 comes with a 50MP main camera module, a macro lens and a black and white portrait lens.
Realme C35 Cameras
Capturing colour with a single lens in sunlight is good, but as the example shows, detail is lost and it is impossible to distinguish between bricks and buildings when zooming in. In fact, in this case, we did not notice any significant difference whether HDR was on or off.
On the selfie camera, we found that using HDR improved detail, especially in the sky, but when it was off the sky looked blurry, while turning it on improved colours. Otherwise, it works well, but when zooming in, there are losses and very pixelated results with no improvement in detail.
One of the problems with the medium and basic macro modes is that they are very difficult to focus. However, the results in this mode are not bad and details are clearly visible. However, the blurring effect on the rest of the image is unrealistic.
We were not expecting such a good night mode on the Realme C35, and in fact we found the results to be very poor in terms of detail and high in noise. However, as with other phones in this range, we were pleased to see that the brightness was not exaggerated by the software. We would have liked to see a longer exposure time to capture more detail. Night selfies did not produce good results as the screen did not help to increase brightness.
Overall, the Realme C35 delivers on its promises. It offers a great colour palette that isn’t oversaturated, and you’ll find the same natural tones in portrait mode. However, it would be more interesting if the Realme C35 had a telephoto lens instead of a macro lens, which would have more practical applications.
In the case of the Realme C30 the camera is much worse and only gives acceptable results outdoors in good light. Indoors or at night it is practically unusable.
Night mode does absolutely nothing and actually makes the picture worse. In our opinion, it would have been better to do without it altogether. There is only the main lens and no extra one.
The HDR mode on the selfie camera, just like on the C35, must be activated, otherwise the highlights will be overexposed and a lot of detail will be lost. The quality of the front camera is lower, as the resolution drops to 5MP and the aperture is f/2.2 instead of f/2.0.
Operating system and extras
When it comes to the operating system, although both come with Android 11-based software, there are differences as the C35 comes with a more complete version and has already received the update to Android 12. The C35 comes with the Realme UI R Edition version, which includes more extra features such as chat bubbles, security privacy, power menu features, additional link KPIs, etc. The software is almost pure Android, although it has its own customisation layer. This phone runs Android 12, and although it is a low-end phone, there is nothing negative to say about it. Moreover, the brand has already confirmed the update to Android 13 for Q3 2023.
On the other hand, the C30 comes with the Realme UI Go Edition version, which offers less customisation and more basic features. This is something we have already seen on very cheap smartphones. The Android GO system is a simplified version of the Android operating system. It allows the phone to keep up with certain system updates without consuming too many hardware resources, which makes the system run smoother. The operating system interface differs from traditional Android, with a quick settings panel that more prominently displays information about the battery, mobile data limit and available memory.
The C30 will also be running Android Go 11 until the third quarter, when it will be upgraded to Android Go 13.
Performance
Now it is time to see what the Realme C35 and C30 can do. We are talking about two cheap phones, so you have to bear in mind that their performance is not going to be particularly remarkable and that they are focused on a use for the essentials. Nevertheless, they will be sufficient for simple use.
The Realme C35’s UNISOC T616 processor means that, on paper, you can’t expect much from this device. However, despite the basic nature of this chip, we were pleasantly surprised by its performance considering this is an entry-level phone. For example, we had to push it a bit before noticing some lag when running some demanding applications in the background or when playing high-performance games.
Realme C30 vs C35 – Differences
In everyday use, the device is not the fastest, but it does not take longer than expected to open an application or complete a task.
In the case of the Realme C30, it is equipped with the UNISOC T612 processor, another unknown to many users, but one that is starting to surprise more and more. And it has returned to give very good feelings in applications and less demanding games. For everyday use, the experience is more than acceptable for a phone at such an affordable price.
Comparison features Realme C35 vs C30
| Realme C35 | Realme C30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.6″ screen | 6.5″ screen |
| Screen resolution | FHD (2408 x 1080) PPI: 401 | FHD (2408 x 1080) PPI: 401 |
| Touch sampling rate | 180 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Brightness | Up to 600 nits | Up to 600 nits |
| Processor | Unisoc T616 | Unisoc T612 |
| CPU | Eight-core CPU, 12 nm, up to 2.0 GHz | Eight-core CPU, 12 nm, up to 2.0 GHz |
| GPU | ARM Mali-G57 | ARM Mali-G57 |
| RAM Memory | 4 GB/6 GB LPDDR4X | 2GB/3GB/4GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | 64 GB/128 GB UFS 2.2. Expandable up to 1 TB | 32 GB/64 GB UFS 2.2. Expandable up to 1 TB |
| Main camera | 50 MP f/1.8 | 8 MP f/2.0 |
| Macro lens | f/2.4 | – |
| B&W portrait lens | f/2.8 | – |
| Front camera | 8 MP f/2.0 | 5 MP f/2.2 |
| Video recording | 1080P/30fps (rear) / 720p/30 fps (front). | 1080P/30fps (rear) / 720p/30fps (front) |
| Battery | 5000 mAh battery | 5000 mAh battery |
| Fast charging | 18W fast charge | – |
| Operating system | Realme UI R Edition based on Android 11 | Realme UI Go Edition based on Android 11 |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi 2.4/5 GHz, 3.5 mm headphone jack, USB type C Slot for 3 cards | Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi 2.4, 3.5 mm headphone jack, USB type C Slot for 3 cards |
| Dimensions | 164.4 x 75.6 x 8.1 mm | 164.1 x 75.6 x 8.5 mm |
| Weight | 189 grams | 182 grams |
| Colors | Glossy black and glossy green | Lake blue, bamboo green, denim black. |
| Price |
Realme C35 vs C30 final opinion Which one is better to buy?
As we saw in the comparison, the C35 is much better at photography and has a higher resolution screen. In our opinion, the Realme C30 is too basic a handset and we would only recommend it to people who are not going to take pictures or consume multimedia content. It can be recommended as a gift for employees as a business phone for functional use, or for older people who do not use the phone beyond making calls and communicating via social networks.
For users who want to take pictures, play games and watch movies or TV shows, the C35 is a much better option.
