Realme 13 Plus: Unboxing, First Impressions, and Ultimate Review

The smartphone industry is a fast-paced arena, and Realme has consistently positioned itself as a brand that delivers high-performance devices at competitive prices. With the Realme 13 Plus, the company takes a bold step toward solidifying its reputation, especially for gamers and power users who need both performance and affordability. This blog will dive into the unboxing experience, design aesthetics, gaming prowess, camera capabilities, and overall performance of the Realme 13 Plus. We’ll leave no stone unturned as we explore whether this phone truly deserves a spot in your pocket.

Unboxing the Realme 13 Plus

The first thing you’ll notice when you get your hands on the Realme 13 Plus is the signature yellow box that houses the phone. As we open the box, Realme has kept things minimal but purposeful.

Inside the box:

• Documentation: Basic user manuals and warranty information.
• SIM ejector tool: A must-have for quick SIM tray access.
• Transparent protective case: Realme includes a high-quality clear case, which is a thoughtful addition, allowing you to protect the phone while showcasing its elegant design.
• 80W charger: One of the key highlights, offering blazing-fast charging speeds.
• USB Type-A to Type-C cable: Standard, but durable.

Upon lifting the documentation and protective accessories, you’re greeted with the star of the show—the Realme 13 Plus. The first thing that stands out is its sleek and stylish design, which we’ll dive into in more detail below.

First Impressions: Design & Build Quality

Realme has always pushed the boundaries in terms of design, and the Realme 13 Plus is no exception. Right out of the box, you’ll notice that the phone doesn’t just look good—it feels good. With a weight of 185g, the phone strikes a fine balance between being lightweight and having a solid in-hand feel.

Design Aesthetics

The matte marble finish of the back panel immediately catches your attention. It’s available in an elegant Victory Gold color that also shimmers with shades of purple and green, offering a unique look depending on how the light hits it. Unlike glossy finishes that can attract fingerprints, the matte finish of the Realme 13 Plus is practical, ensuring that it remains smudge-free.

The phone’s design includes a large central camera module, adding a futuristic feel to the device. It is functional and visually appealing, providing symmetry that complements the overall design.

Ports and Buttons Layout

Realme has carefully positioned the phone’s ports and buttons for maximum convenience:

• Bottom: The bottom houses the SIM tray, USB Type-C port, speaker grill, and microphone.
• Right: The right side features the power button and the volume rocker, providing easy access for one-handed use.
• Top: You’ll find the 3.5mm headphone jack (yes, it still exists!), along with a secondary microphone for noise cancellation and another speaker grill for stereo sound.

This button and port placement is intuitive, making the phone feel user-friendly and ergonomic.

Display: Visual Brilliance

One of the most notable upgrades in the Realme 13 Plus is its 6.67-inch AMOLED display. With an impressive 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, the screen ensures that scrolling through your apps, web pages, or even playing high-speed games is fluid and smooth. Whether you’re watching Netflix, playing games, or just browsing through your social media feed, the display is one of the best you can get in this price range.

Key Display Features:

• Resolution: The phone comes with an FHD+ resolution, making text sharp and images crisp. The contrast is also deep, thanks to AMOLED technology, ensuring blacks are truly black, and colors are vivid.
• Brightness: The display has a peak brightness of 2000 nits, making it one of the brightest displays on the market. Even in direct sunlight, you won’t have any trouble viewing the screen.
• Bezels: The bezels are impressively thin, particularly on the sides, while the chin is also reduced. This gives the phone a high screen-to-body ratio, making the display feel more immersive.
• Adaptive Refresh Rate: The phone automatically adjusts between 60Hz and 120Hz, depending on the content you’re viewing. This feature helps save battery life when high refresh rates aren’t necessary.

The overall display performance of the Realme 13 Plus makes it a great choice for gamers and media enthusiasts alike.

Performance: Powered by Dimensity 7300 Energy Edition

Under the hood, the Realme 13 Plus is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy Edition processor, which is a significant upgrade over its predecessor, the Realme 12 Plus. This 4nm chipset is designed for energy efficiency and enhanced performance, making it ideal for handling everything from everyday tasks to intensive gaming.

Benchmark Results:

The phone impresses in terms of benchmark scores, with an AnTuTu score of 7.4L, which is nearly a 40-50% increase over the Realme 12 Plus. This increase in performance is noticeable when using the phone for tasks like:

• Gaming
• Multitasking
• App launching
• Media consumption

The Dimensity 7300 is paired with LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 3.1 storage, ensuring faster data transfer speeds and a seamless multitasking experience.

RAM & Storage Options:

The Realme 13 Plus is available in three variants:

• 8GB RAM + 128GB Storage
• 8GB RAM + 256GB Storage
• 12GB RAM + 256GB Storage

In addition, the phone supports up to 26GB of virtual RAM, allowing for smoother performance when multiple applications are running simultaneously.

Gaming Experience: A True Gaming Powerhouse

If you’re a gamer, the Realme 13 Plus might just become your go-to device. It supports 90FPS gaming on popular titles like Free Fire, delivering an incredibly smooth experience. Whether you’re in an intense battle or exploring a virtual world, the phone keeps up with even the most demanding games.

Gaming-Specific Features:

• Vapour Cooling Chamber: Equipped with a 6050 mm² vapour cooling chamber, the Realme 13 Plus effectively dissipates heat, keeping the phone cool even during extended gaming sessions.
• Thermal SAR: The phone ensures optimal temperatures with Thermal SAR controls, so it doesn’t overheat, ensuring long-lasting gaming sessions without performance throttling.
• Game Mode: With the phone’s GT Mode, you can enhance your gaming experience. Realme claims that users can play Free Fire continuously for 6-7 hours without interruptions.

The TUV Rhineland certification for lag-free gaming adds another layer of reliability, ensuring that you experience minimal frame drops or stuttering.

Battery & Charging: Long-Lasting Power with 80W Fast Charging

Battery life is crucial for any smartphone, and the Realme 13 Plus excels in this area. It features a 5000mAh battery, which ensures that you can get through a full day of usage, whether you’re gaming, browsing, or watching videos.

Fast Charging:

The phone comes with an 80W fast charger, an upgrade from the 66W charger included with the Realme 12 Plus. This charger is capable of charging the phone to 50% in just under 30 minutes. Whether you’re in a rush or just need a quick top-up, the fast charging capability ensures you’re never left waiting.

Camera: Versatile Photography and Videography

When it comes to cameras, Realme has done an excellent job of balancing quality with versatility. The Realme 13 Plus features a 50MP Sony LYT600 primary sensor, known for its excellent color accuracy and dynamic range.

Camera Setup:

• 50MP primary sensor (Sony LYT600): This sensor is capable of capturing detailed images with natural colors. Whether you’re shooting landscapes or portraits, the images come out sharp and clear.
• 8MP ultra-wide sensor: Perfect for capturing landscapes, group photos, and wide-angle shots.
• 2MP mono sensor: Useful for adding depth to photos and enhancing portrait shots.
• 16MP front-facing camera: The selfie camera delivers great results, particularly in well-lit conditions.

The Realme 13 Plus supports 4K video recording at 30FPS, making it a solid choice for content creators who need a phone that can shoot high-quality video. You can also record at 1080p at 30FPS, depending on your needs.

Software: Realme UI Based on Android 14

The Realme 13 Plus comes with Realme UI, which is based on Android 14. Realme has done a great job of keeping the user interface clean and easy to navigate.

Key Software Features:

• AI Clear Voice: This feature ensures that phone calls are crisp and clear, even in noisy environments.
• Bloatware management: Realme allows you to disable unnecessary apps like hot games and other pre-installed applications, ensuring a clutter-free experience.
• Updates: Realme promises 2 years of major software updates and 3 years of security patches, which means the phone will remain secure and up-to-date with the latest features for a good amount of time.

Connectivity and Additional Features

In terms of connectivity, the Realme 13 Plus supports 5G, ensuring fast download and upload speeds, along with stable connections in areas with 5G networks. Additionally, the phone comes with:

• Dual SIM support
• Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth 5.2
• NFC for contactless payments
• In-display fingerprint sensor

Final Verdict: Is the Realme 13 Plus Worth It?

After going through every aspect of the Realme 13 Plus, it’s clear that Realme has delivered a well-rounded, feature-packed smartphone that ticks almost all the boxes. From its impressive AMOLED display and 120Hz refresh rate to the powerful Dimensity 7300 Energy Edition chipset and versatile 50MP camera, the phone offers incredible value for its price.

If you’re a gamer, the 90FPS support, vapour cooling, and long battery life make this an excellent option. For those who need a phone for day-to-day use with great camera capabilities, the Realme 13 Plus will not disappoint.

Overall, the Realme 13 Plus stands out as a device that offers exceptional performance and reliability, making it a solid contender in the mid-range smartphone market.