Reviews

Realme 13+ 5G Review

September 29, 2024

Design & Build

Realme is known for its innovative designs, often appealing to a wide range of consumers with varying tastes. The Realme 13+ 5G follows suit with what the brand calls its “Victory Speed Design,” which blends style with functionality. Available in three vibrant colors—Victory Gold, Speed Green, and Dark Purple—the design is clearly aimed at a younger, dynamic audience while still offering a mature aesthetic. I reviewed the Victory Gold variant, and upon unboxing, the design immediately stood out.

The back panel combines a marble-like texture on the lower half with a smooth gold finish on the upper section, where the large circular camera module is housed. The module includes three cutouts, though only two are functional cameras. The back’s glossy yet minimalistic look is both eye-catching and sophisticated. In terms of build quality, the Realme 13+ 5G feels premium, though at 185 grams and 7.69mm thick, it can feel somewhat hefty. While the weight might not be an issue for all users, those who prefer lighter phones or use their device with one hand for extended periods might find it a bit cumbersome.

The frame of the Realme 13+ 5G is solid, with a uniform gold color and rounded edges that improve grip and comfort. On the right side, you’ll find the power button and volume controls, while the left side is left completely clean.

The bottom houses a SIM tray, USB-C port, and speaker grille, while the top edge has a secondary speaker, an infrared sensor, and a 3.5mm headphone jack—a rarity in today’s market. Despite the bulk, the device’s overall design is sleek and functional, with an IP65 rating providing some level of dust and water resistance. However, this rating isn’t as comprehensive as higher-rated devices, so it’s best to keep it away from heavy exposure to moisture.

Display Quality

The Realme 13+ 5G impresses with its 6.67-inch E4 OLED display, which delivers vibrant colors and sharp visuals. The display’s brightness levels are stellar, thanks to OLED technology, making it a pleasure to use outdoors or under direct sunlight. Realme has paired this with a 120Hz refresh rate, ensuring smooth transitions, whether you’re scrolling through social media, gaming, or watching videos.

Additionally, the 180Hz touch sampling rate enhances responsiveness, so even the lightest touch is registered accurately and swiftly, which is ideal for gamers and content creators alike.

Customization options in the display settings allow users to switch between Light and Dark Modes, adjust HDR settings, and modify font sizes or enable eye comfort modes. The 120Hz refresh rate is customizable too, with options to switch to standard or auto modes for better battery efficiency. Watching HDR content on the Realme 13+ 5G is a treat, as the display is optimized for dynamic range, ensuring you get vivid colors and deep contrasts.

Software Experience

The Realme 13+ 5G runs on Realme UI 5.0, which is based on Android 14. The user interface is vibrant, clean, and intuitive, offering plenty of features like Always-On Display (AOD), Sleep Capsule, Kids Mode, and Smart Sidebar. However, one of the major drawbacks of this device is the pre-installed bloatware.

Apps like Amazon, Netflix, LinkedIn, and games come pre-loaded on the device, taking up valuable storage space and cluttering the user experience. While some of these can be uninstalled, Realme’s proprietary apps remain non-removable, which might be frustrating for users who prefer a cleaner, less-cluttered UI.

Despite this, the overall software experience is smooth. Features like the Smart Sidebar make multitasking a breeze, allowing quick access to apps and functions without leaving your current screen.

Additionally, features like AI Smart Loop and AI Summary provide personalized content recommendations based on your usage patterns, although some users may find these unnecessary.

Performance & Gaming

At the heart of the Realme 13+ 5G lies the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy chipset, paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Realme also offers 14GB of Dynamic RAM expansion, allowing a total of 26GB for improved multitasking. During testing, the phone performed admirably in everyday tasks like browsing, messaging, and media consumption. There were no noticeable lags, even with multiple apps running in the background.

For gaming enthusiasts, Realme has introduced ‘GT Mode,’ a performance-boosting feature borrowed from its flagship GT series. While this mode does enhance gaming performance, it also leads to higher battery consumption, so it’s a feature best used sparingly. The Realme 13+ 5G supports 90 FPS gaming, which is a standout feature in this price range.

During gameplay, titles like PUBG and Call of Duty ran smoothly at high frame rates. However, I did notice some heating after prolonged gaming sessions, even though Realme claims the device has a 6050mm² vapor cooling system to manage thermal performance.

This was particularly noticeable when playing graphics-intensive games, where the device warmed up after 15 to 20 minutes.

Camera Performance

The Realme 13+ 5G’s dual-camera setup consists of a 50MP primary Sony LYT-600 sensor with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and a 2MP mono lens. The front houses a 16MP selfie camera. Starting with the main 50MP sensor, the photos captured in natural lighting are impressive, with vivid colors, sharp details, and minimal edge distortion. The zoom functionality works well at lower levels (1x and 2x), but detail loss is apparent as you zoom in further (5x, 10x, and 20x).

In low-light settings, the primary sensor performs respectably, though noise becomes more noticeable, especially in indoor shots.

Edge clarity is maintained, and colors remain fairly accurate, but the quality dips when compared to shots taken in better lighting. The inclusion of Street Mode and Portrait Mode, complete with various filters, adds to the phone’s photography capabilities, making it a solid option for social media enthusiasts.

The 16MP front camera captures clear, vibrant selfies, even in challenging lighting. The AI Clear Focus feature ensures that subjects remain well-defined, although the overall effect feels somewhat over-processed in low-light conditions.

Battery Life & Charging

The Realme 13+ 5G is equipped with a 5000mAh battery, which supports a full day of usage. Even with heavy gaming, video streaming, and social media use, I still had about 20-25% battery remaining by the end of the day. This is impressive for a phone in this price range. The 80W wired fast charging feature is a game-changer, allowing the device to charge from 0 to 100% in just under 45 minutes.

For users frequently on the move, Realme offers Power Saving Mode and Super Power Saving Mode to stretch the battery life even further. Gamers will appreciate the ability to enable GT Mode, though it does consume more battery. Still, for a phone in this price bracket—around $300 USD—the battery life and fast-charging features are impressive.

Final Verdict: Is the Realme 13+ 5G Worth It?

At around $300 USD, the Realme 13+ 5G offers fantastic value for money. Its powerful MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset, large RAM capacity, and stunning display make it a solid choice for gamers, content creators, and everyday users. The 50MP Sony sensor ensures quality photography, though the 2MP mono sensor is underwhelming. Minor drawbacks include some heating during gaming and the presence of bloatware, but these don’t overshadow the overall performance and features of the device.