Yesterday, October 24, realme launched the successors of its realme 12 Series in the Philippines — the realme 13 and 13+ 5G. However, unlike the 12 Series which were more camera-centric, realme ensured that the 13 Series caters to a market that loves mobile gaming. With mobile gaming booming in the country, titles like Honor of Kings, League of Legends, Pokemon Unite, and Sky: Children of the Light continue to capture the hearts of millions. If you’re one of those who can’t get enough of these games, this device that promises “limitless speed to victory”, smooth gameplay, and good performance even outside the battlefield may be for you. Here’s a closer look at the realme 13+ 5G:

INSIDE THE BOX

As always, the unit comes in a classic yellow realme box, complete with accessories. You’ll get a clear protective case, an 80W SUPERVOOC charger, USB Type-A to Type-C cable, a Quick Guide, warranty card, and SIM ejector tool. I got a Dark Purple color which looks more like a shade of black, but the realme 13+ 5G is also being offered in Victory Gold.

While I appreciate that realme continues to provide complete smartphone essentials, I think it’s a missed opportunity to include some gaming accessories with the unit to further land their position in the gaming segment. It’s not a deal-breaker, though! After all, realme still offers freebies for early bird buyers.

DESIGN AND DISPLAY

The realme 13+ 5G sports a unique marble-like polycarbonate back panel and 7.6mm Victory Legend Design. I honestly prefer the Victory Gold color but the Dark Purple one is more subtle look – something that the smartphone has to be, especially since I plan on using it even while I’m commuting (pickpockets are everywhere!). It’s also protected with realme’s ArmorShell for leveled up durability on top of the usual screen protector. Its compact build makes it easy to handle, while the 120Hz OLED Esports Display offers vibrant colors and fluid motion.

With a 6.67-inch FHD+ screen and a 92.67% screen-to-body ratio, this smartphone delivers an immersive viewing experience whether you’re gaming or watching videos, indoors and even under bright sunlight. The 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate can turbocharge up to 1200Hz, making it ideal for games that demand quick reflexes.

The screen also has an in-display fingerprint scanner and a selfie camera on top for face recognition. Both work fast, ideal for people who are in a hurry to log in.

On top, you’ll find a 3.5mm audio jack – a good option for gamers who prefer wired earphones over Bluetooth ones, along with the secondary speakers. At the bottom part sits the SIM card tray, USB Type-C port, and the main speakers. Over at right side is its usual placement for the volume rocker button and power/lock-unlock button. There’s nothing unusual about the I/O so if you’re an Android user before, it wouldn’t be that hard to get used to the placements.

The realme 13+ 5G is also something that you can freely use while it’s drizzling outside since it has IP65 Dust and Water Resistance. Take note, though, that it’s only resistant and NOT waterproof. Splashes won’t damage the device but it will die on you if you submerge it in water.

STORAGE AND PERFORMANCE

At the heart of the realme 13+ 5G is the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy processor, a 5G powerhouse built on a 4nm architecture. This next-gen chip can hit an impressive AnTuTu score of up to 750,000, boasting a 25% improvement in processing power and a 30% increase in energy efficiency over its predecessor. Gamers can enjoy 90fps gaming for major titles like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Call of Duty: Mobile, thanks to the 4x ARM Cortex-A78 cores and 4x ARM Cortex-A55 cores, clocking speeds up to 2.5GHz. The ARM Mali-G615 GPU ensures that even the most demanding graphics won’t break a sweat.

That may sound like a lot of technical stuff but in a nutshell, the realme 13+ 5G is an ideal ally both for games and real-life tasks we need to do on mobile. I’ve tried using it for work and how fast it works for games also translates when editing and opening multiple work apps – from files, videos, audio recordings, presentations, and more! Pair that with 80W SUPERVOOC charging and a 5000mAh battery, and you’ve got yourself a phone that can support you daily for up to 18 hours (mix of work and play).

With up to 26GB total RAM (including 14GB Dynamic RAM expansion) and 256GB of internal storage, you won’t have to worry about running out of space for your favorite games and apps. The AI Boost 2.0 feature lets you optimize performance for gaming or multitasking, giving you the flexibility to choose between Smooth Boost for productivity or Game Boost for a fully optimized gaming experience. The cooling system and GT Mode also ensures your phone stays cool even during the most intense gaming and binge-watching sessions.

CAMERAS

For a phone geared towards gamers, the realme 13+ 5G still has a pretty decent camera setup. Don’t get your hopes too high, though! While it does have a 50MP Sony LYT600 OIS rear camera and 16MP selfie camera, the outputs are not as good as the Pro versions (both 12 and 13 series). I love realme’s high saturation and warm-colored photos but it doesn’t seem to be the case for this one. The realme 13+ 5G leans toward the cooler hues but it still has the usual modes – Night Mode with up to 2x zoom, Street Mode with adjustable exposures and auto zoom, Portrait Mode with up to 2x zoom and filters, Pro, Panorama, Hi-Res, Long Exposure, Doc Scanner, and Tilt Shift.

During post-processing you can now also remove items or even blemishes that you don’t want to be seen. However, I think it still needs a bit more work to look natural and seamless.

For videos, it’s capable of taking up to 4K resolution at 30fps or 60 fps, complemented by an Ultra Steady feature to ensure stability, and Auto Nightscape Mode to improve image quality under low-light conditions. There’s also a Movie Mode, Dual-View Video, Slo-Mo, and Timelapse options for more creative shots.

Still quite decent overall, but it’s just not my cup of tea as someone who prioritizes cameras.

BATTERY

As for battery life, the 5000mAh battery paired with 80W SUPERVOOC charging means you’ll never have to worry about running out of juice mid-game. Charging to 50% in 19 minutes and 100% in 44 minutes would be ideal for those always on the go for work. Plus, the battery can support around 10 hours of high-graphics gaming on a single charge, making it worth considering for long trips or gaming marathons.

In terms of work hours, it can support you for a whole day (or more since I reached 18 hours with it) handling a mix of file editing, viewing, and socials.

PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

The realme 13+ 5G is now available in the Philippines for Php 19,999 SRP. From October 25 to November 3, every purchase of any smartphone from the Series at realme physical stores nationwide comes with a FREE realme Buds T110 worth Php 1,399. Customers can also participate in the Spin The Wheel activity at selected realme stores to win prizes like a realme TechLife Robot Vacuum, realme Pad X (6GB+128GB Wi-Fi), DIZO Power Bank 10000mAh, or a TechLife 20W Charger with Type-C Cable.

If you’re not after the freebies, I would suggest that you purchase online because the realme 13+ 5G can be snagged through the realme official Shopee store at Php 3,000 OFF – so that’s only Php 16,999 from now until October 27.

Overall, whether you’re an avid mobile gamer or just need a phone that can keep up with your fast-paced lifestyle, the realme 13+ 5G ticks most of the boxes. I wouldn’t recommend it to photography enthusiasts (you have the Pro models for that), but I do recommend it to mobile gamers. Whether you’re in the middle of a battle in-game or real life, the realme 13+ 5G can push you with limitless speed to victory.

SPECS SNAPSHOT

• MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy
• 80W SUPERVOOC Charge
• 5000mAh Massive Battery
• GT Mode & Vapor Chamber Cooling System
• 120Hz OLED Esports Display
• AI Boost 2.0
• Up to 26GB Total RAM with up to 14GB Dynamic RAM Expansion
• 256GB Massive Storage
• Hi-Res Dual Stereo Speakers
• TÜV SÜD Lag-Free Mobile Certified
• IP65 Dust & Water Resistance
• Real Essentials
• 50MP Sony LYT600 OIS Camera
• 16MP Selfie Camera
• realme UI 5.0, Android 14
• 6-Axis Hypersensitive Gyroscope
• Antenna Array Matrix System
• 7.6mm Victory Legend Design
• In-Display Fingerprint Sensor
• ArmorShell™ Protection
• realme Quality

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