Realme C11 Review

The new Realme C11 comes as an answer to the issue of rising costs throughout the trade. It is priced at Rs. 7,499, and is positioned beneath the Realme C3, which till now was the corporate’s most reasonably priced entry-level telephone. The funds finish of the market, which is perpetually squeezed by way of margins and suppleness, is after all the worst hit by value revisions. If your funds is lower than Rs. 10,000, even a distinction of Rs. 500 between fashions and variants may swing your choice.

The Realme C3 (Review) was launched beginning at Rs. 6,999 at first of this 12 months, however a number of revisions later the identical unit now prices Rs. 8,999. The very related Narzo 10A (Review) was meant to be a step up, however its value of Rs. 8,499 introduced in May has now grow to be Rs. 8,999 as properly. That has not solely prompted confusion, but in addition left a spot on the backside of the market to be stuffed.

It’s unlucky that you do not get as a lot to your cash anymore, however the previous few years have seen such intense competitors that the general normal for the funds section has risen significantly, and it’s best to nonetheless be capable of get a great deal. Is the Realme C11 the proper telephone on the proper time? Read on to search out out.

Realme C11 value and specs

There’s just one configuration of the Realme C11 on the time of launch, with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, and it’ll value you Rs. 7,499. Realme has used the brand new MediaTek Helio G35 SoC, which is touted as a “mainstream gaming” resolution. Other than these core specs, the C11 has so much in frequent with the C3 and Narzo 10A. You get a really related 6.5-inch 720×1600-pixel HD+ display, and a 5000mAh battery.

The main rear digital camera has a 13-megapixel decision, in comparison with 12 megapixels on its two siblings. That would possibly seem to be a slight enchancment, however the aperture is down from f/1.Eight to f/2.2 which suggests it will possibly’t soak up as a lot gentle per publicity. The entrance digital camera is unchanged at 5 megapixels and f/2.4.

This is a dual-SIM system with assist for VoLTE. It solely helps single-band Wi-Fi however there’s Bluetooth 5. You get all the standard sensors together with a compass and gyroscope. Storage may be expanded by as much as 256GB utilizing a microSD card within the devoted slot. One notable omission is that there is no fingerprint reader, identical to with the Realme C3.

You do not get a fingerprint sensor, however the textured rear is sweet for grip

Realme C11 design

As far as funds telephones go, I believe the Realme C11 seems to be fairly good. It has so much in frequent with different funds Realme telephones, and as standard, you would not simply be capable of inform them aside taking a look at them from the entrance. The display takes up almost all the face of the telephone, however there is a pretty thick chin and a waterdrop notch on the high. My evaluate unit had a pre-applied adhesive scratch protector that did not fairly attain the corners of the display.

You have a selection between Rich Green and Rich Grey, that are each muted and impartial sufficient to go well with everybody. At this value stage, there are not any shiny finishes or gradients. The physique is made solely of moulded plastic, and the rear does have a really delicate texture of wavy traces, aside from a thick stripe that runs vertically by means of the digital camera bump. I just like the impact, and it helped with grip, however I additionally noticed high-quality particles of mud and dirt getting trapped within the ridges as I used the telephone.

Realme has lastly modified the usual rectangular digital camera module that we have seen on a number of fashions now, getting into for a sq. form this time. There are solely two cameras, so this was clearly finished primarily for type, however it works. I’m not a fan of the outsized Realme emblem although, and you aren’t getting a case within the field with this telephone to cowl it up.

The quantity buttons are above the ability button on the proper, which is uncommon for Realme. The firm continues to make use of the Micro-USB normal on its funds telephones, and it is about time to maneuver on. There’s additionally a 3.5mm audio socket and a single speaker on the underside.

Weighing 196g and measuring in at 9.1mm thick, the Realme C11 is comparatively cumbersome. I discovered one-handed use a bit troublesome, however the textured rear makes it simple to shuffle this telephone round within the palm with out worrying that it’d slip. It would not appear to be an costly telephone, however the construct high quality is stable and I could not discover any fault with the development high quality or end. I might have favored bolstered glass on the entrance, although.

The energy and quantity buttons are on the proper

Realme C11 software program and utilization

Realme’s software program is usually problem-free, in comparison with what another producers load onto telephones, particularly within the funds section. I did not have bother with commercials or annoying notifications, aside from a number of clickbait “news” articles pushed by the Realme UI browser. Considering that Chrome is on the homescreen, there is no want for this browser in any respect, however I could not disable or uninstall it.

The evaluate unit that Realme despatched out had some preloaded bloatware, together with not less than one app that is now banned in India. Realme clarified to Gadgets 360 that some batches of the C11 have been manufactured and packaged earlier than the ban was introduced. While some early clients may also see these non-functional icons, the apps in query have been faraway from models shipped out later.

The different preinstalled apps embrace Doc Vault to your DigiLocker account, Realme Paysa for private loans and insurance coverage (which requires permission to always monitor your messages and site), Realme Link to handle numerous Realme equipment and get after-sales service, a Realme Store app for getting merchandise, and Realme Community for firm updates and boards. Many of those apps have overlapping capabilities, however some may be uninstalled.

Realme UI seems to be and behaves very similar to inventory Android, and there are some customisations together with themes. Beyond the standard Android 10 options, you possibly can change the icon grid density, alter icon type, and activate some gestures to make utilizing the big display simpler. Within the Settings app you will discover choices for split-screen multitasking, app cloning, sport optimisation, privateness safety, and gestures. One neat contact is the flexibility to share your music with another person by utilizing Bluetooth and wired headsets concurrently.

There’s a Micro-USB port, 3.5mm audio socket, and speaker on the underside

Realme C11 efficiency and battery life

Being an entry-level smartphone, the Realme C11 allows you to run no matter Android apps you need, however the expertise won’t at all times be nice. I noticed and felt some hesitation every time I did even easy issues like waking the telephone from standby and pulling up the app drawer or process switcher. There is noticeable lag not simply when launching and multitasking between apps, but in addition when scrolling by means of photographs within the gallery. It’s disappointing that the utilization expertise wasn’t smoother.

Benchmark scores revealed that the mix of the Helio G35 SoC and 2GB of RAM is just barely sufficient for an entry-level telephone. Scores have been round what we noticed from the Realme C2 and Redmi 7, which at the moment are pretty dated. I logged a rating of 104,616 in AnTuTu, and Geekbench crashed regardless of repeated makes an attempt to run it. The fundamental 3DMark Sling Shot graphics check managed solely 844 factors, and GFXBench’s T-rex check additionally solely managed to run at 33fps.

If you are anticipating to run current-day video games, you will want a better funds. PUBG Mobile defaulted to its lowest graphics setting however was nonetheless uneven, with a number of glitches and texture pop-in. There was even lag within the menus. PUBG Mobile Lite was smoother, although. Asphalt 9: Legends additionally took some time to load, and there was stuttering throughout races as properly. The gaming expertise general wasn’t nice, however not less than the telephone did not get scorching in any respect.

The display is fairly good contemplating the value of this telephone. Colours are moderately punchy and viewing angles are greater than sufficient. Videos look high-quality, however the speaker is just not all that good. Music sounded tinny and harsh, and I discovered that even dialogue was vague in lots of situations.

On the opposite hand, battery life is superb. The low-end processor, coupled with the 5000mAh battery, delivered an exceptional 28 hours, 25 minutes in our HD video loop battery check. With on a regular basis utilization, involving a variety of audio and video streaming, some digital camera use, and just a little gaming, I used to be capable of make the C11 final a day and a half earlier than needing to plug it in to cost.

The redesigned digital camera bump offers the C11 a considerably contemporary look

Realme C11 cameras

My expectations clearly need to be in verify when reviewing a low-cost telephone. There are a number of modes and choices akin to Panorama, Time Lapse and Slo-mo, and Realme boasts that the C11’s Night mode is a primary for this value section. As with every part else on this telephone, the digital camera app would not load very quick which could make it exhausting to take spontaneous pictures.

Photo high quality is considerably disappointing, although as soon as once more we’ve to contemplate the value level that Realme has achieved. Colour gradients and textures aren’t rendered all that properly, and element is certainly misplaced in finer objects. Flowers and leaves did not at all times look pure, and we additionally noticed how the C11 can battle with exposures when there are pronounced highlights and shadows in the identical body.

Realme C11 daylight digital camera pattern (faucet to see full dimension)

Realme C11 daylight digital camera pattern (faucet to see full dimension)

Portrait pictures had properly blurred backgrounds however publicity was poorer. There’s additionally no solution to alter the blur earlier than or after taking a a shot. Some of the close-ups we took got here out surprisingly properly. Overall, photographs look ok on the telephone’s display and in addition you possibly can enlarge and crop just a little, however you’ll see the failings very simply at 100 p.c scale.

When it involves low-light pictures although, the Realme C11 actually struggled. Several of our samples have been too murky to make out something in any respect, although some have been acceptable. The telephone had bother locking focus and we might need to faucet the display once more after any motion.

Realme C11 low-light digital camera pattern (faucet to see full dimension)

Realme C11 low-light digital camera pattern with Night Mode (faucet to see full dimension)

Night mode did make an enormous distinction, however surprisingly, not at all times for the higher. The telephone did nonetheless have bother focusing, and the outcomes are barely cropped so it’s a must to take note of body composition. Night mode pictures had a lot better distinction and vibrant elements of the body have been sharper. On the opposite hand, particulars in darkish areas have been usually misplaced, and as well as, noise was additionally worse. You would possibly discover a evening shot taken with out Night Mode to be extra helpful.

Video is recorded at 1080p by default. It’s not too unhealthy, however colors are positively not very vibrant and particulars are simply common. Any movement whereas recording video, even sluggish panning, prompted the publicity to fluctuate and a few odd artefacts. Stabilisation is totally non-existent. Footage shot at evening is ineffective except there’s a supply of synthetic gentle instantly over your topic. The entrance digital camera takes moderately good pictures within the daytime however not at evening, even in a well-lit room.

Realme C11 portrait digital camera pattern (faucet to see full dimension)

Realme C11 selfie pattern (faucet to see full dimension)

Verdict

After an extended interval of reductions and value wars between smartphone producers, we’re seeing prices rise throughout the trade. Several fashions have had their costs elevated simply weeks or months after launch, which after all implies that a variety of calculations and comparisons need to be reworked earlier than you can also make a shopping for choice. It is doubtless irritating that the Realme C11 is costlier and fewer highly effective than the Realme C3 and Narzo 10A have been on the instances of their launch.

We would have favored higher efficiency, and it is clear that 2GB of RAM is inadequate – particularly since this implies an update to the total Android 11 expertise will likely be unimaginable. Usage is not easy with the C11, however you’ll run a lot of the apps you want. The digital camera is unexciting, however serviceable.

In context of the brand new actuality of as we speak, that is nonetheless an honest entry-level telephone. However, you will get a much better expertise in case you can spend just a little extra and decide up the Realme Narzo 10A as a substitute. In addition, you could possibly anticipate Xiaomi’s upcoming Redmi 9 sequence, or take into account just lately launched funds fashions from Samsung, Infinix, and Honor.