The new entry-level smartphone realme C21 arrives in Italy with a large battery and great reliability: we put it to the test in our review. The smartphone has proven to deliver an all in all fluid experience, but with some flaws that could make some buyers change their minds. So let's go together to find out if this new smartphone from realme is for you.
Realme C21 review: simplicity made elegance
The first thing we noticed when opening the box and lifting the smartphone is the simple but convincing design. The rear knurling conceals the “plastic” effect of the smartphone, making it rather pleasing to the eye. Compared to glass or metal in more expensive smartphones, it has the advantage of not retaining fingerprints.
The dimensions are 165.2 x 76.4 x 8.9 mm, so it's a fairly slim smartphone, better than average in this price range. THE 190 grams of weight there are not many and in the hand the smartphone gives the feeling of being light and manageable. Build quality is good (with "TÜV Rheinland high reliability for smartphones" certification) and the bright screen has thin bezels. The display has very vivid colors which give a pleasant viewing experience.
The first impression with the smartphone was therefore good, especially taking into account the price just over 100 euros. Unfortunately, however, we also find the first flaw in the package: the power supply is not compatible with Italian sockets. It was not a problem for us to use another power supply with the cable (USB-A to micro-USB, so USB-C is missing). But it could be a problem for those who don't have an alternative at home.
Good performance and some software gems
realme C21 has a Helium G35 MediaTek as a processor and in our review it performed above expectations. It is not a particularly powerful chip ei 4GB RAM (accompanied by 64GB of memory, but there is also the 3 + 32GB version) do not promise great performance. But theexperience was smooth enough, without major problems in our daily use tests (chat, calls, web browsing and some lighter games). A long video call warmed up the smartphone a bit, but nothing significant or annoying. During longer play sessions and with more demanding games had some uncertainty. But nothing that compromises its use.
The unlocking with fingerprints is very well implemented, which is precise and snappy.
The version of Android 10 that realme installed in the C21 made a bad impression on us at first. Many unwanted apps and a few too many advertisements (such as the Hot Games and Hot Apps selection). But when using the device, the impression immediately improves. The system is fluid, well-done notification management and some apps like HeyFun (simple games that you don't need to download) are interesting. We prefer the simplicity and cleanliness of the system, but in this case it did not affect the use of resources.
Should Android 11 arrive in an upcoming update, it would be even easier to recommend this phone. Don't expect extreme performance, but in this price range it performs pretty well.
Excellent autonomy
The positive counterpart of having a less powerful smartphone is greater autonomy. And i 5.000mAh of the realme C21 battery are felt: during this review we were unable to download it in a single day, as much as we tried. Even after long gaming sessions it held up well and only video calls made the percentage drop noticeably. Expect to arrive safely after lunch on the second day with a refill with average use.
The problem is the charging with the micro-USB, which is quite slow. It takes more than an hour to fill the large battery with energy. On the other hand, you won't have to reload it often.
OfferBestseller No. 1
realme C21Y Smartphone, Mega battery da 5.000 mAh, Display...
- 5.000mAh Mega Battery: The long-lasting 5001mAh mega battery lets you rely on your ...
- 13MP AI Triple Camera: Thanks to the 13MP AI Triple Camera you can capture the details of the world ...
- 16,5 cm (6,6 ") mini-drop display: The large HD + display is one of the many reasons to love this smartphone.
Realme C21 review: the camera
The rear camera has a triple sensor, nicely arranged in the subtle rear “bump” with the flash. The sensor 13MP main it is accompanied by a 2MP B / W sensor and a 2MP sensor with macro lens f / 2.4. In front you find instead a camera from 5MP. Not a large photographic sector and it shows in the photographic shots. The front camera is fine for video calling and the rear camera is good for everyday use. But already for social media the shots they are dull and unclear.
Portrait mode tries to remedy poor quality hardware with software, but can't really do so. The mode does not exceed sufficiency. If you are looking for a smartphone for perfect photos and videos, you have to look for more. But you also have to raise the price bar: just above 100 euros you can't expect much more.
Realme C21 review: is it worth it?
Despite the not very recent hardware and Android still in version 10, the performance of realme C21 seemed good to us compared to the price. The version we tested has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of memory and costs 139 euros, ten more than the 3 + 32GB version. Which we advise you to spend, since the most expensive version is the only one with theNFT for contactless payments and many other functions.
In the price range just above 100 euros there are some rivals with more battery and others with more performing processors (even from the same realme). However realme C21 defends itself quite well: It has good performance and a vivid color screen. If you don't care about quality shots and have no intentions of playing particularly demanding games, realme C21 is an inexpensive and solid option for many users. You can buy it on the realme website.
PRO
- Price
- Bright screen
- Good autonomy
AGAINST
- Rich slow micro USB
- Low quality camera
