Realme 13 Pro+ review

Competition

The Realme 13 Pro+ may not be bringing a ton of upgrades, but it's not a whole year that's passed after the 12 Pro+, so perhaps expectations should be adjusted accordingly. Plus, the 12 Pro+ was already a standout proposition that's not all too easy to improve upon - within a budget, of course.

So when browsing the available competition, the 12 Pro+ might as well be the 13 Pro+'s closest competitor - provided retailers still have units and they come at a lower price, even slightly so. The older model isn't really at much of a disadvantage - whatever AI trickery the company has come with, is either gimmicky enough to not matter all that much or they may bring it to the previous model eventually. The hardware is largely the same, in concept and in practice, though we'd admit that the 13 Pro+ does deliver better photo quality. So it's mostly that - whatever monetary savings the older model has to offer vs. the improved camera system.

The Galaxy A35 is possibly the closest match to the Realme 13 Pro+ from Camp Samsung when it comes to price. We'd argue that other than the Samsung badge, it has little going for it in this bout - alongside One UI, if the two can even count as separate items. The Realme is a significantly better cameraphone (minus the lack of 4K video stabilization), it has better battery life and faster charging, plus a brighter display. Maybe the IP67 rating of the Samsung is worth something against the Realme's IP65, too.

On that note, the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion is also superior to the Realme when it comes to surviving a dunk in a puddle - even deeper puddle than what the Galaxy is rated for. The Moto can't rival the Realme's photo-taking capabilities at the long end, though its ultrawide is a little better. Nicer speakers on the Moto as well.

The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ could make a compelling case for itself at a comparable price point to the Realme's. The Realme still wins for zoom action and has much better battery life. The Xiaomi charges much faster, has a beefier chipset and better water resistance.

Somewhat related to the Realme 13 Pro+ is the OnePlus Nord 4. Going for roughly the same price, the Nord offers a better display, longer battery life and faster charging, and a more powerful chipset. The Realme is easily better for photography, though.

Realme 12 Pro+ • Samsung Galaxy A35 • Motorola Edge 50 Fusion • Redmi Note 13 Pro+ • OnePlus Nord 4

Verdict

The Realme 13 Pro does a remarkable job in one area, while maintaining a very high standard in the rest of the disciplines that matter. Strong on the fundamentals, the 13 Pro+ excels in endurance, charges quickly, and has a super-bright display. It's reasonably tightly sealed against water too, something that does not come by default among its peers.

The 13 Pro+'s trump card among the competition is its telephoto camera that takes photos with unrivaled quality in its segment. Dedicated zoom modules are a rarity in this context to begin with, and not only does the Realme have one, but it's also a properly high-quality one. The main camera is also among the best in the class, and the two can easily make up for the so-so ultrawide.

Things do get a bit more nuanced if you're after video more than photo taking - in this case, the lack of electronic stabilization in 4K on the main and telephoto cameras can be an issue. A couple of key omissions can disqualify the Realme too - no NFC in India and no eSIM may be dealbreakers for frequent travelers.

To sum up - the Realme 13 Pro+ has the best telephoto camera in its price range, so good that it rivals much more expensive smartphones in zoom image quality. The phone is also very good in most other metrics you can think of. We approve.

Pros

• IP65-rated ingress protection.
• Excellent battery life; fast charging.
• The brightest display in the class.
• Superb telephoto camera, great primary one too, particularly good low-light results.

Cons

• No HDR video playback support.
• More powerful chipsets can be had for the money.
• No eSIM support.
• No NFC in India.
• No EIS in 4K, the ultrawide isn't even capable of 4K recording.