The budget segment is better than ever!

Realme’s mission to dominate the budget end of the market just got a serious boost with its newly launched Realme C3. This performance-focused smartphone has us impressed with its overall value, making it our choice for the king of budget mobiles so far this 2020.

But the phone will be going up against the Redmi Note 8, which has a proven track record in overall sales and the best selling Android phone in the final quarter of 2019. How exactly does the Realme C3 stack up to this proven performer?

Realme C3 (Philippines) Specs

• MediaTek Helio G70 octa-core processor
• Mali-G52 MC2 GPU
• 3GB RAM
• 6.5-inch HD+ LTPS IPS mini drop display, Gorilla Glass protection
• 32GB of expandable storage
• Triple rear cameras: 12-megapixel f/1.8 main camera with PDAF; 2-megapixel f/2.2 macro camera; 2-megapixel f/2.4 depth sensor; with LED flash, Chroma Boost, 80FPS slow-motion at 480P
• 5-megapixel f/2.2 front camera
• Dual SIM
• 3G, LTE
• WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS
• AI Face Unlock, Fingerprint scanner
• 5000mAh battery
• Android 10 with RealmeUI

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 specs Philippines

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 octa-core processor
• Adreno 610 GPU
• 3GB RAM
• 6.3-inch Full HD+ LCD display, Gorilla Glass 5 Protection
• 32GB expandable internal storage
• Quad rear cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.8 Samsung ISOCEL GM2 main camera, 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, 2-megapixel depth-sensor, 2-megapixel macro camera; with LED, PDAF
• 13-megapixel front camera
• Dual SIM
• 3G, LTE
• WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS, NFC
• Fingerprint scanner, face unlock, USB-C
• 4000mAh battery with 18w quick charging
• Android Pie with MIUI

Gorgeous bodies, different design philosophies

While both phones look gorgeous on their own, the two devices utilize very different design philosophies. The Redmi Note 8 uses a gradient finish and a glass back, a staple of more expensive phones that cost double its stated SRP.

The Realme C3 meanwhile uses a polycarbonate (read: plastic) body with an eye-catching sunrise design, which makes the phone more durable than comparable designs in terms of overall scratch resistance AND makes it easier to grip as well.

Bigger display, or higher resolution?

Both phones have IPS panels and dewdrop notches, though the Realme C3 has a slightly bigger display compared to the Redmi Note 8. Pickier buyers who can’t stand the lower resolution display may gravitate towards the Redmi Note 8 more over the Realme C3.

It’s all in the processor

While both have 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage, the Realme C3’s Helio G70 has better performance both in synthetic benchmarks and actual gaming performance compared to the Redmi Note 8’s Snapdragon 665 processor. In fact, the Helio G70’s performance is comparable to Snapdragon 710/712-powered phones that are usually double the price of the Realme C3.

Aside from the hardware, the Realme C3 has an advantage on the software side, as it comes with Android 10 out of the box.

The Redmi Note 8 dominates with its four cameras

If the Realme C3 has an Achilles heel, it’s with its cameras, and prospective buyers who are in it for the photos may want to with the Redmi Note 8 instead. The phone has a quad rear camera module led by a 48-megapixel Samsung GM2 main snapper. Accompanying it are an ultra-wide-angle snapper, depth sensor, and dedicated macro camera.

More juice for better endurance

It’s good news and bad news for the Realme C3 when it comes to the battery side of things: the good news is that the phone has a massive 5000mAh battery compared to the Redmi Note 8’s 4000mAh capacity. The bad news is that the Redmi Note 8 has a USB Type-C connector (the Realme 3 only has a microUSB port) and has 18W quick charging capabilities. So while the Realme C3 will be able to last longer on a single charge, it takes longer to fill up once run down that battery compared to the Redmi Note 8.

Verdict: The Realme C3 disrupts with its price-to-performance ratio

Of course, everything boils down to price, and at Php 2K less than the Redmi Note 8 with the same RAM and storage configuration, the Realme C3 is a definite steal especially if you don’t care too much about the cameras or the lack of fast charging capabilities.