Realme C55 Review: Stylish device loaded with features

Realme C55 Review Summary:

Editor’s rating: 3.5/5

Realme has launched its next in the C-Series smartphone called Realme C55 in the Indian market. The next in C-Series claims to be different from all its predecessors. It comes with a 64MP flagship-grade camera, MediaTek Helio chipset, and a 5000mAh battery. The phone runs on the latest version of Realme UI based on Android 13. The smartphone also differs from the rest of the series as Realme has introduced Apple iPhone’s dynamic island-inspired Mini Capsule feature to give a feel to Android users. However, will this be enough to make Realme C55 a smart choice? Let’s dive in to find out our answers.

Realme C55 Review: Design

Realme is one such brand that not only tries to meet the budget restrictions of consumers but also brings unique design and form factors to make the smartphone look stylish. The same has been done with Realme C55 which comes in 2 color options- Sun-shower and Rainy Night. I received the Sun-shower variant and was impressed by its appearance at first look. The brand has drawn inspiration from nature for this design as 50,000 light particles from a vertical microscope lens look like lines of rain and colors splitting like a rainbow. The back panel reflects different colors when under sunlight while the texture is kept on the matte side which leads to no smudges or fingerprints.

The smartphone is just 7.89mm thick and weighs 189 grams making it feel sleek and non-bulky when held in hand. The back panel has Realme branding at the bottom while the top left side has a camera module that merges with the panel while the 2 big camera lenses protrude out. The right edge houses the power button and volume rockers while the left edge has a sim tray. The bottom consists of a USB-Type-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a speaker grille while the top edge is left idle. The front has a 6.72-inch display with a selfie lens in the middle at the top. It is around this area that the Mini Capsule also pops up.

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Realme C55 Review: Display

The Realme C55 has a 6.72-inch FHD+ resolution display that comes with a 90Hz refresh rate. This is the first in the C-Series to have a 90Hz refresh rate and that can be felt while usage as visuals is smoother, sharper, and more life-like. 180Hz touch sampling rate and 680 nits brightness give a decent output as well. All in all, the display is not the brightest and punchiest display in the market but it works for the under Rs 10,000 price segment.

Realme C55 Review: Camera

Now, let us talk about those two big camera lenses that you see at the back. The Realme C55 has a dual camera setup including a 64MP primary and a 2MP B&W lens for the rear end. It is the first C-Series device that has the same 64MP sensor that it previously used in its flagship Realme GT Master edition smartphone. The size of the sensor has been increased by 54% when compared to the last C series phone and the effect of this upgrade can clearly be seen in the photos that are clicked in daylight. They are detailed, vibrant, and full of character. Here are some camera samples to show just how good the camera is.

The camera setup comes with various modes like street photography, Night Mode, bokeh flair portrait, starry mode, and more. Talking about the 8MP selfie lens at the front, it clicks amazing solo as well as in group selfies. The people in the frame are prioritized well as opposed to the background and the selfies are detailed as well. Moreover, the skin tones are smoothened to look better.

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Realme C55 Review: Performance

The Realme C55 is powered by a MediaTek Helio G88 chipset. The chipset makes the smartphone run fast and smoothly. Apps open and load quickly and switching between apps is seamless as well because of the 8GB RAM. 128GB onboard storage provides ample space for storing what’s important to you. Moreover, with the dynamic RAM feature, the RAM can be expanded up to 16GB which helps while running games in the background. It also comes in lower 4GB/6GB RAM and 64GB storage models.

In terms of software, Realme C55 runs the latest Android 13-based Realme UI 4.0 that comes with intuitive icons, loads of free themes, and many more customization options. UltraBoom speaker claims to give an immersive audio experience but doesn’t exactly do so as the audio lacks depth and character.

The USP of this C-Series smartphone is Realme’s replication of Dynamic Island which it has called the ‘Mini Capsule’. This functionality adapts to the display and is found wrapped around the punch-hole camera cutout. In my case, it was enabled by default, but if you wish to disable or enable it you can do that from the Realme Lab option in the Settings menu. Here is what the Mini Capsule shows-

Battery Status- when fully charged the light is green while charging it is blue and when the battery is low the light is red. It also turns orange when the daily data limit reaches 90% and turns yellow when it displays steps walked that day. Although it doesn’t function like Apple’s dynamic island, for an affordable device, it looks like a good fun addition.

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Realme C55 4G Review: Battery

The Realme C55 packs a 5000mAh battery that easily lasts more than a day with light to moderate usage. This included calling, texting, emailing, clicking photos, browsing social media, and listening to music. Heavy users who indulge in long gaming sessions and watch videos for hours will need to charge it at the end of the day.

It comes with a 33W fast charging adapter inside the box. The adapter charges 50% in about half an hour and takes over an hour to charge to 100%. Charging speed might seem slow, but then you can’t get it at this price point.

Realme C55 Review Verdict: Should you buy it?

Realme C55 is an under Rs 15,000 smartphone that ticks many boxes. It has a stylish design, fast chipset, 64MP camera, Android 13 OS, and a Mini Capsule too. Although it lags a little bit in the brightness level of display and also has a useless 2MP lens, but these will seem like small niggles when you consider the wider picture for this price point. It is not a phone meant for gamers, but casual gaming works. All in all, Realme C55 can be one of your options if you want a smartphone for under 15k that is too loaded with features.