Realme C33 review; looks at a budget!

Realme has established itself as a manufacturer of phones that offer a combination of high-end features and an affordable price tag. They’ve continuously talked about their primary goal being devices that cater to the needs of developing markets where people may not have the purchasing power to buy more expensive phones. And they have succeeded – quite so – in achieving this objective with the Realme C33, which has been available in the Kenyan market for some time.

The Realme C33 is an excellent device that comes packed with a range of features at an affordable price point of KES 15,500 or slightly more, depending on where you buy it from. Despite competing with several other smartphones from different brands in the same price range, the C33 stands out because of its excellent design elements.

In our opinion, the C33 is one of the most elegantly designed phones available in its price range. Its boxy design is not commonly seen in devices at this price point, making it stand out from its competitors. Another unique feature of the C33 is the inclusion of a fingerprint reader embedded in the power button, which is not often found in smartphones today.

While many manufacturers have shifted towards in-screen biometrics, which may not always be reliable, capacitive sensors like the one used in the C33 have a proven track record of being both fast and accurate. It is unfortunate that capacitive sensors are not used as frequently today, but Realme has made a wise decision by incorporating one into the C33, making it a standout feature.

It is worth noting that capacitive sensors are still used in certain devices, such as Samsung’s foldables and some Redmis. However, we are delighted that Realme has included this feature in the C33, as we felt the same way when reviewing the C30s. The C33 is an excellent device that offers good value for money, and we believe that it is an ideal choice for people looking for an affordable phone that is both stylish and functional.

So, the Realme C33 may not be perfect, but it still packs a punch for its price point. One area where it falls short is the unnecessary 0.3 MP depth camera, which doesn’t add much value given that the device’s sensor can produce natural bokeh. And yeah, the chipset is not the fastest out there, but it’s not a deal-breaker either.

In terms of design, the C33 looks slick with its understated camera modules and tactile buttons. Holding it is also comfortable, and you really have to see it in person to appreciate the design. It’s amazing how they managed to make it so affordable while still looking good.

The C33’s display is large and bright enough for everyday use, although it may not be as visible in direct sunlight. But hey, this is a budget phone, and you can’t expect it to have all the bells and whistles of a more expensive device. The notch for the 5MP front-facing camera is not an issue for me, but some may find it outdated compared to newer punch-hole cameras.

Overall, the Realme C33 is a solid choice for anyone looking for a budget phone with decent features and design.

The software aspect of the device is not too shabby either: it comes with Android 12 pre-installed, and while Android 13 has been released for a few months, there has been no word from Realme about when this device will receive an update. Our assumption is that it will not be updated soon. However, Android 12 is quite decent and is complemented by a ton of customisation options within Realme.

The performance aspect may pose an issue for some, but it can be worked around by installing lite apps. We have done so with the C30s and had a positive experience. Although lite apps do not provide the full functionality of their primary counterparts, they are lightweight enough to not overly tax the limited processing power, resulting in a mostly smooth experience when switching between apps.

We also recommend choosing the 4GB RAM model as it provides the necessary additional space to allow many apps to stay in memory.

The camera performance is similar to what we experienced with the C30s. The 50 MP sensor produces high-quality images in well-lit conditions but struggles in low-light settings. However, this is not a problem unique to Realme as many cameras within this price range exhibit similar behavior. Additionally, it is apparent where cost-cutting measures have been implemented, but this can be overlooked when considering that it is possible to extract decent images from the high-resolution 50MP sensor.

In conclusion, the C33 is an excellent device, and we would easily recommend it primarily due to its stylish design and attractive price point.

Realme C33 Specifications and Price in Kenya