The realme C75: A Battery Beast with Compromises You Can Feel
Let me start with a confession: I’ve been nursing a grudge against modern phones that can’t survive a Netflix binge without begging for a charger. Enter the realme C75 – a €160-€225 tank of a phone that laughs in the face of battery anxiety. But is that enough? Let’s break it down like we’re sitting at your kitchen table, coffee in hand.
The Elephant in the Room: That Battery
Imagine a phone that powers through 2.5 days of normal use – texts, emails, Spotify during your commute – without breaking a sweat. The 6,000mAh battery is like a diesel generator in a scooter’s body. Need to charge? 45W fast charging gets you from 0-50% in 30 minutes. It even reverse charges other devices, turning your phone into a pocket-sized power bank. This is the phone you grab before a camping trip or festival weekend.
But here’s the rub: That massive battery makes this phone chonky. At 196g and 8mm thick, it’s like carrying a slim paperback book. Your pinky finger will notice during one-handed use.
Screen: Big Doesn’t Always Mean Beautiful
The 6.72” LCD is like a movie theater screen for your palms – great for YouTube marathons or reading recipes while cooking. The 90Hz refresh rate makes scrolling TikTok feel smoother than a budget phone has any right to. But here’s where the price shows: colors look slightly washed compared to AMOLED screens, and outdoor visibility struggles despite the 950-nit peak brightness. It’s serviceable, not spectacular.
Performance: The Curious Case of the Helio G92
MediaTek’s Helio G92 is like a reliable hatchback engine – it’ll get you through daily commutes (social media, light gaming) without drama. I tested it with:
- 8 Chrome tabs + Google Maps + Spotify running simultaneously – no stutters
- Call of Duty Mobile at medium settings – playable, but don’t expect buttery frames
- Switching between 5 apps while downloading updates – surprisingly smooth
The 8GB RAM deserves credit here. But that 12nm chipset? It’s 2024’s answer to 2019 efficiency. Expect some warmth during prolonged gaming sessions, though realme’s heat management prevents actual throttling.
Camera: One-Trick Pony with Occasional Magic
The 108MP main camera is like a talented student who aced one exam and skipped the others. Daylight shots? Crisp enough to count individual leaves on trees. That Samsung HM6 sensor bins pixels to 12MP by default, but manual mode unlocks the full resolution for surprisingly detailed shots.
But once the sun sets… yikes. Low-light photos look like they’ve been smeared with Vaseline. The 2MP macro lens is practically decoration – you’ll use it once for Instagram novelty and never again. Selfie camera? Basic but serviceable for video calls.
Real-World Quirks You Should Know
- The plastic back feels like a hockey puck – durable but cheap. IP68/69K rating means it survives beer spills and beach days, though
- No NFC = no contactless payments. Dealbreaker if you’re used to Google Pay
- Realme UI 5.0 is cleaner than older versions, but expect occasional “suggested apps” pushing realme’s ecosystem
- Speakers get loud enough for shower singing, but lack bass depth
Who’s This Phone For?
Buy it if:
- You’re a battery life extremist
- Need a durable secondary phone for travel/outdoor work
- Want a big screen on beer-money budget
Avoid if:
- You’re a mobile photographer
- Need wireless payments (NFC) or flagship speed
- Prefer compact phones
My Personal Take
As someone who’s constantly traveling between coffee shops and tech events, I’d use this as a backup phone. That battery is revolutionary for the price, and the screen size is great for reading articles on-the-go. But I’d miss the camera versatility of pricier phones and find the weight annoying in slim jeans.
The bottom line: This isn’t your Instagrammable flagship. It’s the phone equivalent of a reliable pickup truck – unpretentious, hardworking, and built for people who just want their tech to last. If that’s you, the C75 might be your new best friend.
