Do you remember how it felt like when you first got your hands on a designer bag or any item from a luxury brand? That’s exactly how I felt when I unboxed the realme 11 Pro+ 5G — it’s like holding a bag with the most intricate vegan leather details! Who would have thought that a mid-range smartphone co-created with former Gucci Prints Designer Matteo Menoto will be priced at only Php 24,999? However, what makes this smartphone more appealing is how it managed to balance power and aesthetics, thus making it a practical luxury in our life.

We were able to share the full specs prior to its official launch in the Philippines today (August 24, 2023), but here’s a closer look at how it performed during our test run:

Design & Display

The realme 11 Pro+ 5G immediately catches the eye with its sleek and premium design. Its slim profile, paired with a vegan leather design that has a lighter-colored accent at the center makes it worth flexing even without a back cover. I got the Sunrise Beige variant but it also comes in Astral Black and Oasis Green. All three also have a unique stitching called 3D Couture Level Seam which runs from the bottom and around the big circular camera, akin to digital camera setups. This overall design, including the industry-first 3D Woven Texture, is inspired by Milan, Italy — from the rising sun in the middle of the city’s buildings to the beautiful city roads. In terms of branding, you’ll only see a small realme logo at the lower left corner which isn’t that noticeable.

I initially thought this type of back panel texture would be an issue because I have a personal bias towards matte covers, but the feel is surprisingly good! It also makes the device easier to hold. In terms of maintaining the cleanliness though, while it’s easy to wipe of marks at the back, I would still recommend that you use the clear jelly case to ensure its cleanliness and to protect the sides of the camera in case you drop it.

The sides of the Sunrise Beige variant has a copper lining which adds to the premium look of the device. For me, this is the best color out of the three because it can easily be paired with any #OOTD and it has a unique color combo! Suitable for ladies who like accentuating their looks with gold accessories. But speaking of accessories, be prepared to use Bluetooth earphones with the realme 11 Pro+ 5G because it no longer has a 3.5mm audio jack.

In front, the 6.7-inch AMOLED display steals the show with a 120Hz refresh rate, making every interaction buttery smooth. The FHD+ resolution ensures sharp and vibrant visuals, whether you’re browsing your favorite websites or binge-watching videos. The screen-to-body ratio is impressive, providing an immersive viewing experience that’s perfect for gaming and multimedia consumption. This is made better with a Video Color Boost that can help enhance the hues, provided that you’re okay to spend a bit more battery juice on it.

I’ve had the chance to use this smartphone under direct sunlight and the display remains pretty clear, thanks to its 950 nits max brightness. When using my phone before bedtime, I just set the brightness down to make it more eye-friendly but it’s also good to know that they have a TUV Rheinland Certification for Low Blue Light, as well as a Flicker Free Certification.

Cameras

On to my other favorite part of this smartphone: The triple rear camera system housed in one huge circle. The setup reminds me of classic digital cameras that come in a leather protective case back in the early 2000s! realme has equipped the 11 Pro+ 5G with a versatile 200MP main shooter, 8MP ultrawide lens, 2MP macro lens, and flash at the rear. This combination offers a wide range of shooting options, from capturing breathtaking landscapes to detailed close-ups. The device excels in well-lit conditions, producing sharp and vibrant photos. Even in low light, it manages to impress with its Night Mode capabilities. I’ll let the samples do the talking:

The colors come off as true-to-life and worth uploading even with no filters. There’s a bit of saturation, which I personally like, but it looks good overall! Even moving subjects can be captured sharply when you’re on the correct shooting mode.

Another wow-worthy feature for a mid-range smartphone is the realme 11 Pro+ 5G’s ability to take zoomed photos up to 20x, though the recommended setting is really only up to 4x. No need to use the back camera as well for “Gen Z” 0.5 selfies because the front camera itself already has a 0.8 setting which is close enough to the desired effect.

Other camera features include Night Mode with 0.6 wide and 2x zoom options, Street Mode in 16mm to 92mm, Portrait up to 2x zoom, Hi-Res, Panorama, Macro, Pro, Long Exposure, Text Scanner, Starry Mode, Tilt Shift, and Group Portrait.

As for videos, you can shoot in 720p, 1080p, and 4k at 30fps or 60fps. Tracking Shot and Ultra Steady can also be enabled in case you want to follow a specific subject or if you’re vlogging via Selfie Camera.

In front, the 32MP selfie camera ensures you can snap stunning self-portraits with ease. Beauty modes and filters allow for further customization of your selfies, but I would like to commend how realme is capable of taking images as is — spots and wrinkles included, instead of over-smoothening the skin’s appearance.

Software & Performance

Running on realme UI 4.0 based on Android 13, the software experience on the realme 11 Pro+ 5G is clean, intuitive, and packed with features. It’s a breeze to navigate through the interface, and app launches are snappy, thanks to the Mediatek 7050 5G 6nnm chipset with a Mali G68 GPU. Paired with a whopping 12GB of RAM — which can be expanded virtually by 12GB, and 512GB internal storage, this device handles multitasking and gaming with ease. Note, however, that this isn’t a hardcore gaming smartphone so best to manage your expectations. For someone like me who mainly uses a smartphone for work, social media, and photography, it does serve its purpose! I haven’t encountered lags even with multiple documents, tabs, and apps running at the same time.

For gamers, we were able to run games such as Pokemon Unite, Mobile Legends, and Sky Children without any issue. Playing games for a prolonged period may cause it to heat up, but not at an alarming rate.

Aside from gaming, I really like binge-watching videos on this phone as it’s very light at only 189g. Holding it up at prolonged periods of time is not an issue and it doesn’t hurt that much when it falls on your face while watching in bed. Not sure if this is relevant information for you, but just in case this happens, at you’re aware. LOL! It also has stereo speakers — one on top and one at the bottom, balancing the sounds you play with its Dolby Atmos tuning. It’s decent enough as it delivers clear audio, but if you’re picky about sounds, best to use a Bluetooth audio device with it.

Battery

With a generous 5,000mAh battery under the hood, the realme 11 Pro+ 5G provides all-day power, similar to its predecessor. You can game, watch videos, and work without constantly worrying about battery life. However, if you’d like to prolong its battery, you can always toggle on the Battery Saver feature. What’s more, the device supports 100W SUPERVOOC fast charging, which means you can go from zero to fully charged in no time. This rapid charging capability is a game-changer for those on the move. On a personal note, I used to charge my devices overnight but with the realme 11 Pro+ 5G, I only need to charge it around an hour before I leave the house for work.

It’s capable of keeping up with my smartphone needs for a 12-hour work day, and still have around 20-30% of juice to keep me entertained while on the way back home.

Price & Availability

Considering the premium features it offers, including 5G connectivity, a high-refresh-rate display, powerful cameras, and fast charging, realme has once again hit the sweet spot with the pricing of the realme 11 Pro+ 5G at only Php 24,999. Exclusive early bird offers also await fans:

DATES	PLATFORMS	DISCOUNT & FREEBIES
August 24-25 August 27-28	TikTok Shop and realme E-Store Shopee	P3,000 OFF for realme 11 Pro+ 5G (21,999)   P2,500 OFF for realme 11 Pro 5G (17,499)
August 25-31 (Offline Pre-Order)	realme Stores nationwide	P3,298 worth of Freebies TechLife Power Bank 10000mAh (P799) and TechLife Wireless Earbuds (P2,499)
September 1-3 (Offline Claiming)	realme Stores nationwide	Chance to win up to P3,500 worth of Freebies* TechLife Desk Lamp (P499) TechLife Electric Kettle (P1,299) TechLife Air Fryer (P3,499)   *The Mystery Box Promo is available in select 100 stores only

For those who prefer buying offline, realme has over 5,000 stores and kiosks nationwide that will cater to the pre-order period running from August 25-31, and the claiming weekend from September 1-3.

Overall, the realme 11 Pro+ 5G is a real contender in the mid-range segment with its elegant design, superb display, versatile cameras, long-lasting battery life, and powerful performance. Whether you’re a photography enthusiast, a mobile gamer, or someone who simply values a smartphone aesthetics, the realme 11 Pro+ 5G is a real contender in the mid-range smartphone segment.

Full specs:

SNEAK PEEK: realme 11 Pro+ 5G to be launched in the PH this August

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