realme 13 Plus 5G 256GB

The Realme 13+ leverages the 50MP Sony LYT-600 sensor for the primary camera, which appears to have become a go-to choice for smartphone OEMs in this range. Realme has provided OIS support for crisp shots and stable videos. However, the brand has skipped the ultra-wide camera, perhaps to keep the distinction between its camera-focused Realme 13 Pro series. The other two cameras on the back are for macro and portrait shots. On the front, there's a 16MP camera inside the hole-punch cutout.If an ultra-wide camera isn't a priority, the Realme 13+ delivers crisp shots packed with details. While there might be some inconsistency in noise and softness, the issue is negligible unless you crop the image.I was particularly impressed by its natural colours in good lighting conditions. The phone tends to boost the sky colour, but I am sure users will enjoy the dramatic effect on their social media channels. The same colour science and treatment applies to low-light shots, and the phone does a decent job of balancing light and preserving colours effectively.Similarly, the front camera takes natural shots in daylight, though low-light selfie shots can be inconsistent. Another bug I noticed in my review was the portrait performance. In some instances, the portrait mode was "locked", and the images lacked a bokeh effect. The same issue was noticeable in selfies occasionally. If the camera can add the bokeh in photos, the separation between the subject and background isn't always great.I compared its shots with the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion and OPPO F25 Pro, and the Realme 13+ offered better camera performance, at least with images without a human subject. However, a lack of ultra-wide cameras is a sure setback.Daylight and low lightAs mentioned, the Realme 13+ is capable of crisp shots, especially in this case (image below). Compared to the Edge 50 Fusion, it captures more details in the background without compromising the dynamic range. Even compared to the OPPO F25 Pro, its image offers more details.Notably, the Realme 13+ accurately detects the reds in the image, which wasn't the case with Edge 50 Fusion and OPPO F25 Pro.Even in dim conditions, I found Realme 13+'s camera shots more pleasing than the two competitors.Portrait and selfieHowever, portrait shots on the Realme 13+ were inconsistent - at least during my week-long test. The bug prevents the bokeh effect in photos, and hopefully, Realme will address this via an OTA update.In the shot below, Realme failed to add a bokeh in the background. Motorola's shot looks slightly more pleasing with the natural shallow depth of field. On the other hand, the Realme 13+ detect the subject's skin colour accurately. The brown T-shirt may appear slightly boosted, though it offers an aesthetic appeal.What I don't appreciate is the lack of facial details with the selfie camera. While Realme's shots may appear more vibrant compared to Motorola's, there's a noticeable softening that hides facial details. On the other hand, Motorola's camera captures more detail, but the colours often require some adjustment through the native editing tools.VideoVideo recording on the Realme 13+ is decent too. The phone supports 4K at 30fps, and you can also shoot at 60fps in 1080p resolution. The primary camera, equipped with OIS, offers average stability, and the colours are vibrant. For basic Instagram Reels or casual videos, the recording capabilities are sufficient. However, if you're an upcoming content creator, you might want to consider increasing your budget for a more advanced option.

As mentioned, the Realme 13+ gets the new Dimensity 7300 SoC, which also powers Rs 36,999-worth OPPO Reno 12 Pro (review) and Rs 15,999-worth CMF Phone 1 (review) by Nothing. The base variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage costs Rs 22,999, and the model above with 256GB storage costs Rs 24,999. If you pick the 12GB RAM and 256GB option, which I am reviewing, the price goes up to Rs 26,999.The pricing may seem well-planned, as Realme aims to cover almost all price points under Rs 30,000. However, it can cause confusion among number-focused customers who prefer to do their research before making the final purchase.The Realme 13+ achieves decent scores in benchmarks, including AnTuTu, Geekbench, and CPU Throttle. Its scores were slightly better than the CMF Phone 1, which utilises the same chipset.Even the relatively more expensive Realme 13 Pro with Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 was slightly behind. However, the Infinix GT20 Pro (936985) remains the top scorer in the segment based on AnTuTu. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3-powered Nord CE4 was also ahead.Beyond numbers, the Realme 13+ was a decently reliable smartphone during my review. The MediaTek chipset and 12GB RAM offered a smooth performance, though with some visible stutters. I also noticed bugs on YouTube, especially when auto-rotate was enabled. Realme must also consider improving its UI, which seems to be getting more pre-installed apps each year.That way, the Moto Edge 50 Fusion seems a better choice, thanks to features like Moto Connect for seamless connectivity with Windows PCs.Pre-installed appsOS UpdatesRealme 13+652 years OS + 3 years securityMotorola Edge 50 Fusion353 years OS + 4 years securityOPPO F25 Pro662 years OS + 3 years security

While Realme has a standard 5,000mAh battery on the Realme 13+, the phone supports 80W charging. The overall battery performance was also solid despite using the phone with the highest settings enabled (120Hz refresh rate, performance mode, and high brightness).Even the charging speed is super fast, which many customers will appreciate. With the bundled charger, the phone attained full charge from 20 percent in just 31 minutes.SmartphoneCharging Time (20 to 100 percent)Realme 13+ (80W)31 minutesMotorola Edge 50 Fusion (68W)56 minutesOPPO F25 Pro (67W)42 minutes