realme C12 review (long overdue)

The realme C series had another new member in light of their recent new realme C15 release: the realme C12. Taking no time at all to ease off new entry-level releases, realme had us chiming into DJ Khalid’s Another One in the same month. No? Just me?

Before I try and humor all of you with recycled jokes from the pricing article. Let’s get into the review. The realme C series smartphone line-up promises balancing all its features out, all without breaking the bank–from camera capabilities, phone design, to battery capacity. But, does it live up to that?

No fuss, no muss

The realme C12 is a dual-sim budget smartphone with a 6.5-inch stunning display. The phone features and specifications aren’t anything technologically new or revolutionary. The phone seems to be almost identical to its big brother, the realme C15. If there’s something these two phones make sure to hit the nail on, it’s functionality, affordability, and durability. And, there’s nothing wrong with that.

Uncanny similarities

The realme C12 looks exactly like the realme C15. You could quite easily swap them without noticing. On the back, the phone is decked out in Geometric Gradient Design with a fingerprint reader, triple camera set-up, and the realme logo.

The phone doesn’t wear the budget tag on its cover. The Geometric Gradient Design saves it from looking cheap and plastic. And, even better, it’s relatively cheap without looking like it is. The phone comes in these colors: Marine Blue or Coral Red.

Budget phones still come with a catch

The realme C12 is powered by a Helio G35 Processor paired with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. Don’t fret too much if you’re worried about running into problems. This is enough to run most apps on the Google Play Store without much of a hitch. And, if you’re concerned about storage, the phone has a dedicated microSD card slot.

The realme C12 doesn’t falter on features when tested.  When swiping, unlocking, scrolling, and quickly opening and closing apps, it easily performs without hiccups. To complement the speedy processor, the realme C12 has a 6000mAh battery which makes a full day of non-stop work and play, look like a piece of cake.

For gaming, the phone didn’t seem too bothered with Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. But, if you expect jaw-dropping gaming performance, you’ll find this phone a little lacking. The realme C12, like the C15, suffers from casual stutters when trying to play at the optimal settings. So, if you notice your phone is doing some heavy lifting while you’re playing, it’s best to adjust to lower settings.

Another phone, another catch?

The realme C12 features a triple camera set-up with a 13MP primary shooter, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP B&W portrait lens. On the front, the phone has a 5MP selfie camera. Testing these features out was a lot of fun and the phone did well even in low light.

hi!

sleepy cat selfie

The realme C12 performed well even with little to no lighting but it does trade this off with detail. But, with a phone at its price point, it outperforms phones in the same category quite easily.

chocnut cookies I made!

sleepy catto

I tested out its focus and it didn’t struggle much at all. The crutch to these features, if I had to be nit-picky, would have to be how depended the rear cameras are to how much lighting you have. The less of it you have, the less detailed the photo will be.

felt like trying out different sorts of beers

Mango likes to hang out with my while I work

To the realme C12’s defense though, most phones at this price point won’t even be able to capture good evening shots so they deserve a little bit more credit.

lovely midday scenery

night light

Decent phone with an identity crisis?

The realme C12 looks identical to the realme C15. I’m not talking specifications and features; I’m talking face value design. The phones look too alike. I’m not necessarily saying that’s a bad thing but, it does leave some people scratching their heads.

Look, there are clear differences between the realme C15 and the realme C12. The C12 has the triple rear camera set-up while the C15 gets an additional camera on the back; the C12 has a 5MP selfie camera while the C15 has an 8MP one, and the C12 has 3GB RAM and 32GB storage while the C15 has 3GB or 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. The rest is the same. They’re both equipped with the same processor, the same battery, the same design, and cover.

I can only assume that the three added features between the C12 and the C15 are why they’re called the model they are. But, it doesn’t answer how they’re barely distinguishable from one another.

If you’re looking for a phone that can deliver on every front while letting you play on the highest settings, this isn’t the phone for you. If you need a phone to get through a long day of non-stop work and play while delivering decent shots in low light settings, this is the phone for you. The realme C12 is a good all-around entry phone to recklessly abused for your daily grind use.