THERE’S a saying, “The first time is a fluke; the second a coincidence, but the third one? It’s tradition.”
No wonder there’s such high expectations for the realme C3.
The brand, which celebrated its first year in the Philippines only last November, has consistently disrupted the market with its value promise of introducing high-tier features to lower price points.
If the realme C1 boldly claimed that it was the “king of entry-level smartphones,” the C2 proved why it was the game-changer brand, urging users to “dare to leap” and experience real value.
But with the market becoming even more competitive, and last-gen midrange phones getting price drops, what can the realme C3 offer to further the brand’s winning streak?
Launched Thursday, March 5, at the brand’s new HQ in BGC, the realme C3 is being dubbed as a triple-camera gaming monster that’s powered by a new MediaTek chipset and a whopping 5000mAh battery.
We got to try the phone a few days before it launched, to see if the third time is indeed a charm for realme.
DESIGN AND BUILD
THE realme C3 comes in its trademark bright yellow box that contains a wall adapter, a microUSB cable, sim card tool, screen protector and paper documents. It doesn’t come with a plastic case, but I’m pretty sure you’d be able to easily find one on Lazada or Shoppee.
The unit we got is the Blazing Red variant, but it also comes in Frozen Blue. Both colors equally look good and you can’t go wrong with either one. I just chose the red one because it’s not your usual smartphone color.
Realme has been doing a good job with respect to its smartphone designs, making their phones look more premium than their price tags. This time, the realme C3 swaps out the diamond-cut design of the C2 with a new, more interesting Sunrise Design.
As its name suggests, the back of the phone reflects light in a way that makes it seem as if there are rays emanating from the camera module. According to the brand, the design is meant to inspire with the power and hope brought by the first rays of the sun. I do like the new anti-fingerprint surface that makes it easier to hold and prevents unwanted scratches and smudges.
The volume rocker sits to the left of the phone, just below the triple-card tray (Dual sim+microSD card). On the right side is the power button, while the 3.5mm headphone jack, speaker grill, and (sadly) microUSB port are placed at the bottom.
It has a 6.5-inch screen, with a redesigned waterdrop notch that houses the 5MP front camera. The display size is great for media consumption, and the quality itself is quite good for watching movies or playing games. Sitting just above the camera is the earpiece that does a good job with phone calls. The smartphone is splash-resistant as it has been designed with a port-sealing plastic cover, but I wouldn’t suggest dipping it in the pool.
GOOD CAMERAS, BETTER CHIPSET
THE realme C3 boasts of an AI Triple Rear Camera setup composed of a 12MP main camera + 2MP portrait and 2MP macro camera. The setup supports bokeh shots, portrait mode and panoselfie, and the results are quite good compared to other phones from the same price point. I actually keep the Chromaboost option on because it makes the photos look more vivid. The C3 is the first phone to be powered by the MediaTek Helio G70 processor. The G70 is an octa-core processor that’s based on a 12nm manufacturing process, and since its part of the Helio G series, the chipset is aimed to please gamers, and it will more than delight gamers with its performance. It has recorded Antutu benchmark scores of over 193,000, which is even better than some higher-priced smartphones.
Whether it’s “Asphalt 9,” “Call of Duty” or “Mobile Legends,” the realme C3 can surprisingly handle all those demanding games. Now I’m not saying it is flawless, because remember, it is still an entry-level phone, but unless you are downgrading from a high-end phone, there won’t be much to complain about. This is as good as you can get from this price segment with respect to gaming.
Last, the realme C3 houses a massive 5,000mAh battery, a significant step up from the C2’s 4,230mAh battery. The battery size is almost the same as the C3’s price and you don’t have to worry about your battery dying while you are in the middle of a gaming session or movie/series binge. It also supports reverse charge, so the realme C3 can even become your battery life saver.
Other features worth noting are: the new realme UI is way better than ColorOS (it even has icon customization); ultra-fast fingerprint unlocking (0.27 second) and facial recognition; Dual Mode Music Share that allows two users to enjoy the same video or song at the same time from the same device by connecting a pair of wireless earbuds and a wired earphone simultaneously; and Focus Mode which helps you concentrate or relax by turning on Do Not Disturb mode to prevent notifications while playing some tunes to soothe your nerves. For fans of Dark Mode, you’d be happy to know that it is beautifully integrated in realme UI and optimized to work with more third-party apps.
Realme has another winner in the C3, and it is a worthy upgrade from the C2. The design and specs make it an easy recommendation for those looking for a budget phone. It stays true to its promise of providing a great gaming experience thanks to its big screen and snappy processor, and the battery life will not disappoint. The cameras are just okay, and the only thing that I really didn’t like is the microUSB port instead of a Type-C. The realme C3 is now available with a price of P5,990, at both online and offline stores.
GRAB-A-LAWYER
DID you know that the most common legal problem of Pinoys is usually about property/real estate?
According to LexMeet, an app that instantly connects legally distressed Pinoys to hundreds of lawyers, 40 percent of the cases they handle involve property titling, questions about condo ownership or transfer of real estate; 20 percent about debt and contracts, and the rest about annulment, child support and inquiries about start-up incorporation.
Since it first launched a few years ago, LexMeet has culled a total of 29,784 clients served by a pool of 452 lawyers solving a total number of 26,525 legal problems.
LexMeet Inc. was one of the big winners in the fourth season of The Final Pitch, a business reality show. Atty. Marlon Valderama, founder and president of LexMeet Inc., “pitched” his idea for a mobile legal app, called LexMeet, to an esteemed panel of investors who were hoping to own a piece of “the next big idea.” Mega Global Corp. CEO William Tiu Lim, who was a judge/investor on the show, saw the potential of LexMeet and offered to invest in LexMeet Inc. Tiu said LexMeet’s goal of helping Filipinos who do not have legal access appealed to them, as Mega Global Corp. has always been about nation-building and enriching the lives of every Filipino.
Legal problems that are not readily resolved usually end up being bigger problems. But many Filipinos who need legal help often feel helpless as getting a trustworthy lawyer is a luxury they cannot afford. Approximately 80 percent of legal problems in the Philippines do not receive legal assistance based on the World Justice Project Report. Filipinos, especially OFWs and PWDs, find it extremely troublesome to deal with legal issues in the Philippines because they think it’s inconvenient, expensive and intimidating to deal with legal issues at a lawyer’s office. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that are also in need of legal assistance also lack access to affordable legal help.
LexMeet is the first legal solutions mobile app in the Philippines that aims to bridge the gap between clients and lawyers. With just a click of the LexMeet app on a smartphone or a computer, the platform can give you quick access to legal services that are both competent and affordable.
Lawyers also benefit from LexMeet because it gives them a chance to reach a larger market and improve their individual standing through client reviews. With LexMeet, legal help is now just a click away. More information is available at www.lexmeet.com.
With Mega Global Corp.’s investment, Valderama believes they will be able to introduce LexMeet to more people and allow them to add more features to their existing products based on the feedback and learnings from users. Using the fund, he says they will also start developing two new products, (Lex)Docs, a chatbot legal document assembly, and (Lex)Notary, a prototype electronic notarial system with blockchain component.