The Realme 13 Pro series is here, and I’ve been using the Realme 13 Pro+ for a couple of weeks. Today is Aug 04, 2024, and I’m excited to share my thoughts. While it’s not a major upgrade over the Realme 12 Pro+ in terms of sheer numbers, there are a few hardware changes that make it better to use. There are also new AI features claimed to improve user experience and the photography prowess of the phones. Just like last year’s 12 Pro+ model, the new Realme 13 Pro+ is also mostly all about the cameras.
Realme 13 Pro+ Review: Design
The design of the new 13 Pro+ is mostly similar to last year’s model, but now there’s a glass-back variant as well. The Monet Gold color option, which we received, has a glass back with a unique pattern that looks like sand waves. The edges of the rear panel are curved, making it easy to hold. The frame is still plastic, though.
Realme has kept the large circular watch-dial-like camera module with the flute bezel, but now it has the HyperImage+ logo at the bottom. One thing missing from the leather variant is the strip found in the older model that ran vertically across the center of the rear panel. The rear is cleaner now, with the camera module being the standard design element.
Button placements are pretty much the same as the older model. The volume and power buttons are on the right edge, with the left edge not housing anything. You’ll find a speaker grille and a mic at the top, and another mic, SIM tray, USB Type-C port, and a second speaker grille at the bottom. The phone has an IP65 dust and water resistance rating. In the box, the phone is accompanied by an 80W charger, a USB Type-A to Type-C cable, a case, a SIM ejector tool, and some paperwork.
Realme 13 Pro+ Review: Display
The Realme 13 Pro+ comes with a familiar-looking display setup. There’s a 6.7-inch AMOLED curved panel that offers full-HD+ resolution with up to 120Hz refresh rate. You can choose between 60 and 120Hz refresh rates, and there’s an auto mode that selects the best refresh rate based on what’s happening on the screen. The display has slim bezels all around and a hole-punch cutout at the top center. There’s also an under-display fingerprint scanner that’s placed at the bottom. It works well, and I never faced any issues with it.
The display doesn’t support HDR, but it is a 10-bit panel. Realme provides Vivid, Natural, and two Pro modes and also lets you adjust the screen color temperature. While all this sounds very similar to the display on the older Realme 12 Pro+, there are some improvements. The new phone now offers a much brighter panel with a peak brightness rating of 2,000 nits. The display is easier to read outdoors thanks to the improved brightness. A protection film is also pre-applied on the display, but I’d recommend removing it and installing a different screen guard. The display gets Armor Shield Glass with Corning’s Gorilla Glass 7i. Once again, the curved sides make the phone appear and feel thinner than it is.
Software: AI and Bloatware Infused
The Realme 13 Pro+, like most phones in this segment, gets a lot of useful features with a hint of bloatware on the side. The phone runs Android 14-based Realme UI 5.0 out-of-the-box, and Realme has promised to provide two years of software updates and three years of security patches. If you ignore the bloatware, such as Hot Apps and Hot Games, including the Glance lock screen and ad-filled keyboards, you’ll find that the UI is pretty nice to use. It’s smooth, and I didn’t notice any major lag when navigating between apps.
Coming to the AI features, there are things like AI Screen Recognition, which is kind of like Google’s Circle to Search. You also get an AI Smart Loop feature that makes sharing images, text, and other things easier. Realme has also included the Air Gestures feature here, which lets you control some apps on the phone using air-based gestures. It works sometimes but is mostly a gimmick. There are other AI features, such as AI Eye Comfort, that can detect eye fatigue and adjust the screen temperature. All it does is change the display temperature to warmer, and I’m not so sure you need AI to do this.
There are also two AI features included in the camera called AI Eraser and AI Ultra Clarity, and these work quite well. Realme is calling its new image processing algorithm AI HyperRAW. You also get a few other AI features, such as AI Group Photo Enhance for selfies and AI Audio Zoom when recording videos.
Performance: Decent
If you’re looking for a performance monster in this price segment, then you should not be considering the Realme 13 Pro+. While it does offer decent performance when it comes to multitasking and gaming, there are other phones in the segment that are much more powerful. There’s no major upgrade in the performance department compared to the outgoing 12 Pro+. You get the same 4nm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 SoC paired with the Adreno 710 GPU. Our review unit came with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage, which is the top-end variant. You get LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 3.1 storage.
The phone performed well in daily tasks such as using the Chrome browser, running multiple apps in the background, using the camera, and scrolling through social media apps such as Instagram. Gaming on the phone is also pretty decent, as it’ll play any game you’ll throw at it. However, graphics-intensive games will most likely run on medium settings, as I encountered with Genshin Impact and BGMI. The phone did get a little warm during long gaming sessions and when using the camera for an extended period of time, but nothing to put you off.
We ran some synthetic benchmarks on the Realme 13 Pro+ just to see how it performs against its competitors, and it didn’t do a great job. Of course, these scores don’t really mirror real-world usage, but they do paint a picture. The phone performed similarly to its predecessor, the Realme 12 Pro+, which is not a good look. However, the 13 Pro+ was not made to please performance enthusiasts; it was made for those who want really good cameras at mid-range pricing.
For connectivity, there’s Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and the usual set of GPS features. The phone gets dual 5G standby and uses nano-SIM cards.
Cameras: Impressive
This is where the phone really comes into its own. The cameras are the star of the show, especially the telephoto. Out of the four cameras on the phone, three are from Sony. Realme announced its tie-up with Sony to use Lytia sensors across all its flagship devices. Apart from the dual 50-megapixel sensors at the back, you get an 8-megapixel ultra-wide unit and a 32-megapixel front camera.
The camera app is easy to use, and everything is front and center. You get access to five focal lengths ranging from 0.6x to 6x. Let’s look at the main camera first. The 50-megapixel Sony LYT 701 sensor produces excellent results in good lighting conditions with plenty of details, great dynamic range, and accurate white balance. At times, the saturation can go a little overboard, and you get very contrasty pictures, but this happens only when there’s a lot of foliage. The camera also fares well in low light conditions, and there’s a dedicated night mode. There’s good detail, even in the shadows, and you will generally not find any issues with white balance, color saturation, and exposure. The camera also does a great job of producing very accurate skin tones.
The 50-megapixel telephoto sensor is a standout. It captures clear, detailed shots even at higher zoom levels. The ultra-wide camera is decent but not exceptional. It gets the job done for wide shots but lacks the detail and dynamic range of the main sensor. The front camera is impressive, capturing sharp and well-lit selfies.
Battery Life: Long-Lasting
The Realme 13 Pro+ comes with a 5,000mAh battery that easily lasts a day with moderate use. Even with heavy usage, including gaming, streaming videos, and using the camera, the battery held up well. The phone supports 80W fast charging, and it can charge from 0 to 100% in about 35 minutes. This is a big plus for those who are always on the go.
Conclusion: Is It the Best Camera Phone in Its Segment?
The Realme 13 Pro+ continues the tradition of offering excellent camera performance in its segment. The design is premium, the display is bright and vibrant, and the battery life is impressive. While it may not be the top performer in terms of raw power, it more than makes up for it with its camera capabilities and user-friendly features. If you prioritize camera performance and a good overall experience, the Realme 13 Pro+ is a strong contender in the mid-range segment.
Starting at Rs. 32,999 for the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage variant, it offers good value for money. The 12GB + 256GB and 12GB + 512GB variants are priced at Rs. 34,999 and Rs. 36,999, respectively. With its new features and improvements, the Realme 13 Pro+ is likely to be one of the best camera phones in its segment.