Recently, realme released the realme C100 Series in the Philippines, and people have mixed reactions. We have been using the realme C100 model for several weeks now, and we conducted various tests on the device to determine whether it is worth buying.
To recall, we shared our initial thoughts and highlighted its standout feature, the massive 8,000mAh Titan Battery. But aside from the battery, are its other features any good?
Camera
Starting with realme C100’s cameras, I had some doubts based on the specifications since it only comes with a single rear camera and a single front camera. However, I was surprised after trying it myself. The image quality we got was not bad at all.
The live preview looks low quality, but once the photo is captured, the image processing produces decent results. I would only recommend shooting in good lighting conditions so that the sharpness and details are preserved.
At night, however, details tend to be lost, and images can look somewhat paint-like when zoomed in. Still, the overall appearance of the night shots is fairly decent for its price.
As for video recording, the video quality is not particularly impressive for its price segment. It only supports up to 1080p at 30fps, and there is no stabilization, making the footage noticeably shaky.
That said, its camera is already good enough for capturing memories and shooting content for social media. Just do not expect too much.
Display and Multimedia Experience
Next is its display, which is just on the “okay” side, although I expected more since we also reviewed its predecessor, the realme C85, which likewise had an HD+ resolution but featured a 144Hz refresh rate.
I expected realme to upgrade the resolution to FHD+, but it did not. The refresh rate was also downgraded to 120Hz, which is somewhat disappointing.
Since the realme C100 only has an HD+ display, visuals are not particularly sharp, and the colors are not as vibrant since it uses an IPS LCD panel.
Don’t get me wrong, you can still enjoy watching videos or playing games on this device, though you should keep your expectations in check. The large screen is still a nice addition, especially for users who prefer bigger displays.
Like its predecessor, it supports up to 1,200 nits of peak brightness, which is usable outdoors, although staying in shaded areas will help improve visibility.
Performance and Gaming
The realme C100 is powered by the 12nm MediaTek Helio G92 Max, which was also featured in the previous realme C75 that we reviewed. It is understandable that realme opted to use an older chipset due to the current chip shortage.
Its chipset may sound inferior on paper, but during daily casual use, the device had no issues. Its 8GB of RAM paired with up to 256GB of internal storage provides a seamless multitasking experience. It is still capable of running the apps we commonly use, such as essential apps, social media apps, and some light games.
The games I tested on this phone were Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Call of Duty: Mobile. My gaming experience was smooth as long as I stayed within medium to high settings. Once you push the graphics settings to the maximum, you may encounter some frame drops since the chipset is not particularly powerful.
It also features Hyper Cooling Technology, which actually works since the device barely warmed up during my gaming tests. However, this will still depend on the environment and how resource-intensive the games you are playing are.
In benchmarks, the device scored 393,772 points on AnTuTu Benchmark and 7,659 points on PCMark Work 3.1. These are already decent results considering it only uses the Helio G92 Max chipset.
Battery and Charging
When it comes to battery life, this is where the realme C100 truly stands out. An 8,000mAh battery is undeniably massive, especially since the device only has an HD+ display and uses a relatively power-efficient chipset.
I was able to use it for almost two full days depending on my usage. Even in battery benchmark tests, it achieved a result of 24 hours and 59 minutes, which is significantly longer than many other smartphones.
You can certainly do a lot with the realme c100 without worrying about running out of battery. However, it is unfortunate that it still only supports 45W SUPERVOOC charging, which can be considered somewhat slow for a battery of this size. I wish realme had equipped it with at least 80W charging to make it a more battery-focused device.
Charging the phone from 0% to 100% also takes almost two hours, which is quite lengthy.
Still, its battery is ideal for users who constantly use their phones throughout the day. They are the ones who will benefit the most from this device.
Final Verdict
The realme C100 clearly targets users who need long-lasting battery life and exceptional durability. However, it does have some drawbacks and inferior features, such as its low display resolution and recycled chipset.
With that said, the realme C100 seems best suited for students, parents, and delivery riders who simply need a reliable smartphone for productivity, entertainment, and demanding outdoor conditions such as rain and extreme heat. I can also recommend it as a backup smartphone.
realme C100 Specifications
- Display: 6.8-inch IPS LCD, HD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, 1,200nits peak brightness
- CPU: 2.4GHz 12nm MediaTek Helio G92 Max octa-core processor
- GPU: Mali-G52 MC2
- RAM: 4GB, 8GB LPDDR4x
- ROM: 256GB eMMC
- Rear Camera: 50MP + flicker sensor + LED flash
- Front Camera: 8MP
- Battery: 8,000mAh, 45W SUPERVOOC Charging
- OS: realme UI 7.0, Android 16
- Connectivity: 2.4GHz & 5GHz WiFi, 4G LTE, 5G, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BDS, NFS, Dual SIM (nano)
- Sensors: Accelerometer, light, orientation, proximity, gyroscope
- Colors: Glory White, Endurance Brown, Victory Purple
- Weight: 219g
- Others: AI face unlock, side-mounted fingerprint scanner, USB-C, IP66 + IP68 + IP69 + IP69K rating, drop resistance certification, single speaker
Price and Availability
- 4GB/256GB – PHP 16,999 (PHP 11,195 promo price)
- 8GB/256GB – PHP 19,999 (PHP 14,000 promo price)
The realme C100 is now available in the market with a price starting at PHP 16,999. You can get yours at any nearest authorized resellers of realme Philippines, as well as in their official stores on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok shop.
You can also get the 4GB/256GB variant for only PHP 11,195, while PHP 14,000 for the 8GB/256GB until June 30 when you order it on realme’s online platforms.
