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realme C31 review - The flagship of the low-cost smartphones?

Inexpensive midrange.

If you have a small budget, you could hardly afford the fast memory in your phone until now. The realme C31 does pioneering work here and brings mid-range equipment at a very low price. However, some drawbacks remain.
realme C31
Realme C31 (C Series)
Processor
Unisoc T7225 8 x 1.8 - 2 GHz, Cortex-A75 / A55
Graphics adapter
Memory
3 GB 
Display
6.50 inch 20:9, 1600 x 720 pixel 270 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, IPS, glossy: yes, 60 Hz
Storage
32 GB UFS 2.2 Flash, 32 GB 
, 19 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5mm audio jack, Card Reader: microSD up to 1 TB, dedicated, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: acceleration sensor, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0, 2G (850/​900/​1800/​1900), 3G (B1/​B5/​B8), 4G (B1/​B3/​B5/​B7/​B8/​B20/​B28/​B38/​B40/​B41) , Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.4 x 164.7 x 76.1 ( = 0.33 x 6.48 x 3 in)
Battery
5000 mAh Lithium-Polymer, 10 watt charging
Operating System
Android 11
Camera
Primary Camera: 13 MPix f/​2.2, phase comparison-AF, LED-flash, Videos @1080p/​30fps (Camera 1); 2.0MP, f/​2.4, macro lens (Camera 2); 2.0MP, f/​2.8, depth of field (Camera 3)
Secondary Camera: 5 MPix f/​2.0, Videos @720p/​30fps
Additional features
Speakers: mono speaker, Keyboard: virtual keyboard, USB cable, charger, SIM tool, 24 Months Warranty, SAR: 0.866 W/kg (head), 0.934 W/kg (body), fanless
Weight
197 g ( = 6.95 oz / 0.43 pounds) ( = 0 oz / 0 pounds)
Price
139 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Possible competitors in comparison

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Drive
Size
Resolution
Price
75.9 %
v7 (old)
05 / 2022
Realme C31
T7225, Mali-G52 MP1
197 g32 GB UFS 2.2 Flash6.50"1600x720
77.6 %
v7 (old)
05 / 2022
Realme C35
T7255, Mali-G57 MP1
189 g64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash6.60"2408x1080
73.6 %
v7 (old)
12 / 2021
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320
196 g32 GB eMMC Flash6.50"1600x720
77.1 %
v7 (old)
11 / 2021
Motorola Moto E40
Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2
198 g64 GB eMMC Flash6.50"1600x720

Case and features - Good workmanship with realme

realme wants to get it right in the low-priced cell phones segment in 2022 and brings some features to the under-200-euro price range that you could only dream of not so long ago.

The realme C31 is the cheapest offering of the current generation in Central Europe. It comes in two storage variants:

  • realme C31 32 GB mass storage / 3 GB RAM: 140 Euro
  • realme C31 64 GB mass storage / 4 GB RAM: 160 Euro

We got the realme C31 with 32 GB for testing in Light Silver, one of the two color variants alongside Dark Green. Both tones have a slightly textured back, which cleverly enhances the exterior and gives a pleasant feel to the plastic panel. A ray effect that refracts light so that it seems to emanate from the camera module is also quite pretty - realme calls this Dynamic Texture Design.

The phone workmanship is very good and the case itself also proves to be very stable in our test: pressure on the front only gets through to the screen's liquid crystal with great effort and the phone can hardly be twisted.

32 GB of mass storage is not exactly generous, but not unusual in this price range. The storage can be expanded via a dedicated microSD slot and even two SIM cards can be used simultaneously if required. The microSD reader proves to be quite slow in our copy test with the reference microSD card Angelbird V60, but it performs well for the class in the CPDT benchmark.

Annoying for everyday use: the realme C31 does not feature NFC, so contactless payment services cannot be used.

realme C31
realme C31
realme C31
realme C31
realme C31

Size comparision

166.5 mm / 6.56 in 75.9 mm / 2.99 in 9.2 mm / 0.3622 in 196 g0.4321 lbs165.1 mm / 6.5 in 75.6 mm / 2.98 in 9.1 mm / 0.3583 in 198 g0.4365 lbs164.7 mm / 6.48 in 76.1 mm / 3 in 8.4 mm / 0.3307 in 197 g0.4343 lbs164.4 mm / 6.47 in 75.6 mm / 2.98 in 8.1 mm / 0.3189 in 189 g0.4167 lbs148 mm / 5.83 in 105 mm / 4.13 in 1 mm / 0.03937 in 1.5 g0.00331 lbs
SD Card Reader - average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Samsung Galaxy A03s
  (Angelbird V60)
50 MB/s +227%
Average of class Smartphone
  (7.7 - 77, n=77, last 2 years)
29.2 MB/s +91%
Realme C35
  (Angelbird V60)
20.5 MB/s +34%
Realme C31
  (Angelbird V60)
15.3 MB/s
Motorola Moto E40
  (Angelbird V60)
11.8 MB/s -23%

Cross Platform Disk Test (CPDT)

0510152025303540455055606570758085Tooltip
Realme C31 Mali-G52 MP1, T7225, 32 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø30.7 (19.8-43.9)
Realme C35 Mali-G57 MP1, T7255, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø37.9 (18.7-45.1)
Samsung Galaxy A03s PowerVR GE8320, Helio P35 MT6765, 32 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø31.4 (18.7-39.4)
Motorola Moto E40 Mali-G52 MP2, Tangula T700, 64 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø24.6 (14.6-35.2)
Realme C31 Mali-G52 MP1, T7225, 32 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø74.9 (58.6-79.3)
Realme C35 Mali-G57 MP1, T7255, 64 GB UFS 2.2 Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø78.4 (34.6-83.9)
Samsung Galaxy A03s PowerVR GE8320, Helio P35 MT6765, 32 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø55.2 (10.2-58.9)
Motorola Moto E40 Mali-G52 MP2, Tangula T700, 64 GB eMMC Flash; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB; Angelbird V60: Ø77.2 (42-85.8)

Communication, software and operation - No 5 GHz WLAN

The realme C31 theoretically supports WiFi 5, but without the 5 GHz band, so the transfer rates in our test with the reference router Asus GT-AXE11000 are significantly lower than those of the realme C35: around 70 - 80 MBit/s is not a bad rate in this class, but it does not stand out either.

In terms of mobile communications, there is only 4G, and only the most necessary frequencies are supported. Thus, you should check whether you can also use the smartphone for mobile Internet in the host country for further trips. In our short sample, the smartphone proved to be quite OK for its price range in terms of reception strength, but it cannot keep up with high-end smartphones.

The realme UI on the phone is based on Android 11, the security patches are from April 2022 and thus up-to-date at the time of testing. That is very pleasing for such an inexpensive phone. The preinstalled third-party apps are kept within limits, which means you hardly have to uninstall anything if you want a pure system. However, it is annoying that realme has not done any DRM certification, so you can only watch streaming content from many large portals in SD.

The fingerprint sensor is integrated into the standby button on the right side of the case. It can be used to unlock the smartphone directly from standby with a slight delay. The finger was always reliably recognized during our tests. The phone can also be unlocked via face recognition if desired.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Motorola Moto E40
802.11 b/g/n
86.9 (78min - 93max) MBit/s
Samsung Galaxy A03s
802.11 b/g/n
52.5 (42min - 65max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Motorola Moto E40
802.11 b/g/n
87.2 (46min - 105max) MBit/s
Samsung Galaxy A03s
802.11 b/g/n
55.5 (50min - 63max) MBit/s
iperf3 transmit AXE11000
Realme C35
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
347 (309min - 366max) MBit/s +343%
Realme C31
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
78.3 (73min - 92max) MBit/s
iperf3 receive AXE11000
Realme C35
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
244 (179min - 255max) MBit/s +237%
Realme C31
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
72.5 (34min - 78max) MBit/s
051015202530354045505560657075808590Tooltip
Realme C31; iperf3 receive AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø72.5 (34-78)
Realme C31; iperf3 transmit AXE11000; iperf 3.1.3: Ø78.4 (73-92)

Cameras - Normal quaility for the given price range

Recording front camera
Recording front camera

The realme C31 features a 13-megapixel main camera with a Sony IMX258 sensor. The smartphone is thus in good company in its price range, even though the Motorola Moto E40 with its pixel-binning camera nominally offers a higher resolution and more flexibility.

The pictures look a bit pale in terms of colors and not particularly rich in details. Strong contours around objects are also visible from time to time. However, the smartphone can be used for snapshots. In low light, details are hardly visible in dark areas, but you can still recognize the image content.

The camera is supported by a 2-megapixel lens that takes care of the depth of field calculations. There is also a macro camera, also with 2 megapixels, for extreme close-ups.

Videos with the main camera can be recorded at a maximum of 1080p and 30 fps. The details are okay, but the autofocus always gives itself a second to think and then pulses slightly when focusing.

The selfie camera on the front does not have a particularly high resolution - 5 megapixels. The pictures look quite blotchy in detail, but if you do not look that closely, the picture quality is okay for the price range.

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Main cameraMain cameraLow Light
orginal image
click to load images
ColorChecker
17.7 ∆E
13.3 ∆E
16.1 ∆E
23.6 ∆E
14.6 ∆E
13.8 ∆E
11.2 ∆E
12.8 ∆E
12.9 ∆E
12.9 ∆E
15.1 ∆E
10.6 ∆E
12.3 ∆E
19.8 ∆E
10.9 ∆E
6.8 ∆E
11.2 ∆E
15.4 ∆E
7.3 ∆E
3.6 ∆E
13.6 ∆E
13.9 ∆E
9.5 ∆E
4.2 ∆E
ColorChecker Realme C31: 12.63 ∆E min: 3.58 - max: 23.64 ∆E
ColorChecker
28.6 ∆E
53.1 ∆E
39.1 ∆E
36.5 ∆E
44.5 ∆E
63.4 ∆E
52.5 ∆E
35.1 ∆E
41.5 ∆E
27 ∆E
65.1 ∆E
63.6 ∆E
30.6 ∆E
49.3 ∆E
36 ∆E
76.6 ∆E
42.3 ∆E
45.5 ∆E
90 ∆E
70.3 ∆E
51.7 ∆E
36.6 ∆E
23.5 ∆E
13.1 ∆E
ColorChecker Realme C31: 46.47 ∆E min: 13.11 - max: 89.97 ∆E

Display - Normal resolution, no PWM

Subpixel structure
Subpixel structure

An HD display in a smartphone under 150 Euros is quite common, but you have to do without frame rates higher than 60 Hz. The display is on the class level with a maximum of 413 cd/m² with a fully exposed brightness sensor, but it might still be too little on very bright days outdoors. At least the brightness distribution is quite even.

In our tests with the spectrophotometer and the CalMAN software, we noticed a rather strong blue cast in the display. Furthermore, especially dark areas change their color quite strongly depending on the viewing angle. We did not detect PWM.

390
cd/m²
393
cd/m²
405
cd/m²
388
cd/m²
413
cd/m²
405
cd/m²
376
cd/m²
394
cd/m²
385
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 413 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 394.3 cd/m² Minimum: 1.6 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 413 cd/m²
Contrast: 1033:1 (Black: 0.4 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.89 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.91
ΔE Greyscale 4.9 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
Gamma: 2.395
Realme C31
IPS, 1600x720, 6.5"
Realme C35
IPS, 2408x1080, 6.6"
Samsung Galaxy A03s
PLS, 1600x720, 6.5"
Motorola Moto E40
IPS, 1600x720, 6.5"
Response Times
24%
10%
18%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
62 ?(33, 29)
50 ?(29, 21)
19%
54 ?(27, 27)
13%
44 ?(23, 21)
29%
Response Time Black / White *
34 ?(21, 13)
24 ?(9, 13)
29%
32 ?(17, 15)
6%
32 ?(15, 17)
6%
PWM Frequency
807 ?(10)
Screen
1%
-6%
7%
Brightness middle
413
585
42%
383
-7%
452
9%
Brightness
394
558
42%
354
-10%
431
9%
Brightness Distribution
91
89
-2%
88
-3%
90
-1%
Black Level *
0.4
0.6
-50%
0.34
15%
0.46
-15%
Contrast
1033
975
-6%
1126
9%
983
-5%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.89
4.4
10%
5.09
-4%
4.15
15%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8.35
8.77
-5%
9.25
-11%
6.47
23%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.9
5.9
-20%
6.5
-33%
4
18%
Gamma
2.395 92%
2.228 99%
2.261 97%
2.157 102%
CCT
7598 86%
8001 81%
8152 80%
7557 86%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
13% / 6%
2% / -3%
13% / 9%

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
34 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 21 ms rise
↘ 13 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 90 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
62 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 33 ms rise
↘ 29 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 96 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (32.8 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8705 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured.

CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN Grayscale
CalMAN color accuracy
CalMAN color accuracy
CalMAN color space sRGB
CalMAN color space sRGB
CalMAN Saturation
CalMAN Saturation

Performance, emissions and battery life - Fast memory

With the Unisoc Tiger T612 as SoC, the realme C31 is well equipped for its class and has enough power for everyday use. It will not always be possible to browse through the menus smoothly - especially when more complex apps are running in the background. In graphics-intensive applications, the Motorola Moto E40 has a slight advantage in graphics-intensive applications because it can use a second graphics core in its chip.

You also have to put up with waiting times when surfing the web. Especially pictures on large websites need a moment every now and then until they are loaded after scrolling.

When it comes to storage, realme brings UFS 2.2 memory into play and thus provides a boost in loading times and also makes the system a bit smoother overall. Our test device does not achieve the great transfer rates of the realme C35, at least not in the 32 GB version we tested.

A maximum of 40 °C under full load, the heating of the case is not a problem at all.

The small speaker at the back does a rather poor job, sounds rather treble-heavy, and is sometimes uncomfortable to hear at maximum volume. If you want to connect external audio devices, you can do so via 3.5 mm or Bluetooth 5.0. However, the latest aptX codecs like aptX Adaptive or aptX LowLatency are not available.

The 5000 mAh battery is now standard in this class, and the realme C31 achieves typical runtimes for similar expensive devices at around 16 hours in our WLAN test. This is usually more than sufficient for everyday use, and you can often manage two days without a power outlet even during intensive use. However, recharging the battery takes a while since the realme C31 only charges with a maximum of 10 watts.

Geekbench 5.5
Single-Core (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
346 Points
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
298 Points -14%
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
172 Points -50%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
356 Points +3%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (344 - 347, n=5)
346 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (126 - 2437, n=174, last 2 years)
1021 Points +195%
Multi-Core (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
1322 Points
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
1184 Points -10%
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
883 Points -33%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
1393 Points +5%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (1311 - 1419, n=5)
1340 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (473 - 8816, n=174, last 2 years)
3404 Points +157%
PCMark for Android - Work 3.0 (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
7776 Points
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
8066 Points +4%
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
5059 Points -35%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
8743 Points +12%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (6566 - 7776, n=5)
7419 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone
  (4609 - 27169, n=193, last 2 years)
13110 Points +69%
3DMark
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
1527 Points
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
1710 Points +12%
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
877 Points -43%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
2202 Points +44%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (1527 - 1555, n=2)
1541 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (883 - 23024, n=73, last 2 years)
11109 Points +628%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
1343 Points
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
1518 Points +13%
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
809 Points -40%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
2052 Points +53%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (1343 - 1371, n=2)
1357 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (840 - 45492, n=73, last 2 years)
19708 Points +1367%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
2942 Points
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
3063 Points +4%
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
1243 Points -58%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
2961 Points +1%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (2933 - 2942, n=2)
2938 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1075 - 8749, n=73, last 2 years)
5001 Points +70%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
989 Points
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
1103 Points +12%
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
457 Points -54%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
1486 Points +50%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (979 - 997, n=4)
987 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (286 - 17553, n=71, last 2 years)
3075 Points +211%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
834 Points
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
935 Points +12%
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
387 Points -54%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
1309 Points +57%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (826 - 841, n=4)
832 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (240 - 29890, n=71, last 2 years)
3259 Points +291%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
2832 Points
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
2959 Points +4%
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
1238 Points -56%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
2821 Points 0%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (2773 - 2858, n=4)
2811 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (858 - 7180, n=71, last 2 years)
3280 Points +16%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
988 Points
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
1109 Points +12%
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
522 Points -47%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
1554 Points +57%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (986 - 1006, n=4)
992 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (317 - 22303, n=160, last 2 years)
7934 Points +703%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
829 Points
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
939 Points +13%
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
447 Points -46%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
1368 Points +65%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (829 - 847, n=4)
834 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (267 - 33560, n=160, last 2 years)
11805 Points +1324%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
2990 Points
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
3036 Points +2%
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
1259 Points -58%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
2961 Points -1%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (2909 - 2990, n=4)
2944 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (877 - 10259, n=160, last 2 years)
4663 Points +56%
Wild Life Score (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
411 Points
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
463 Points +13%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
729 Points +77%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (411 - 419, n=4)
414 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (408 - 13896, n=110, last 2 years)
2839 Points +591%
Wild Life Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
410 Points
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
464 Points +13%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
722 Points +76%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (410 - 426, n=4)
414 Points +1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (413 - 22004, n=183, last 2 years)
7722 Points +1783%
Wild Life Extreme (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
117 Points
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
129 Points +10%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
184 Points +57%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (114 - 117, n=4)
115.3 Points -1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (114 - 7094, n=190, last 2 years)
2123 Points +1715%
Wild Life Extreme Unlimited (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
111 Points
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
126 Points +14%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
183 Points +65%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (111 - 111, n=3)
111 Points 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (112 - 7212, n=188, last 2 years)
2117 Points +1807%
GFXBench
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
10 fps
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
5.4 fps -46%
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
7.5 fps -25%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
19 fps +90%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (4.7 - 10, n=5)
7.98 fps -20%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.6 - 247, n=204, last 2 years)
51.4 fps +414%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
5.3 fps
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
6.1 fps +15%
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
4.1 fps -23%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
11 fps +108%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (5.3 - 5.6, n=5)
5.38 fps +2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.3 - 263, n=204, last 2 years)
82 fps +1447%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
6.4 fps
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
3.4 fps -47%
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
4.7 fps -27%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
12 fps +88%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (3 - 6.4, n=5)
5.1 fps -20%
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 144, n=204, last 2 years)
38.3 fps +498%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Realme C31
Unisoc T7225, Mali-G52 MP1, 3072
1.9 fps
Realme C35
Unisoc T7255, Mali-G57 MP1, 4096
2.2 fps +16%
Samsung Galaxy A03s
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 3072
1.5 fps -21%
Motorola Moto E40
UNISOC Tangula T700, Mali-G52 MP2, 4096
3.7 fps +95%
Average Unisoc T7225
  (1.9 - 2, n=5)
1.94 fps +2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 112, n=204, last 2 years)
33.1 fps +1642%
Realme C31Realme C35Samsung Galaxy A03sMotorola Moto E40Average 32 GB UFS 2.2 FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
122%
-31%
-29%
71%
475%
Sequential Read 256KB
478.8
907.1
89%
279.8
-42%
265
-45%
569 ?(479 - 658, n=2)
19%
Sequential Write 256KB
131.9
271.1
106%
86.8
-34%
156.3
18%
Random Read 4KB
89
137.8
55%
64
-28%
56
-37%
125.4 ?(89 - 161.8, n=2)
41%
Random Write 4KB
61.5
206.4
236%
48.7
-21%
30.7
-50%
125.7 ?(61.5 - 189.8, n=2)
104%

Temperature

Max. Load
 40 °C
104 F
37.7 °C
100 F
36.7 °C
98 F
 
 39.8 °C
104 F
37.3 °C
99 F
37.8 °C
100 F
 
 39.7 °C
103 F
38 °C
100 F
37.3 °C
99 F
 
Maximum: 40 °C = 104 F
Average: 38.3 °C = 101 F
34.5 °C
94 F
38.3 °C
101 F
39.3 °C
103 F
35.2 °C
95 F
38.2 °C
101 F
40.3 °C
105 F
35.7 °C
96 F
38.6 °C
101 F
40.9 °C
106 F
Maximum: 40.9 °C = 106 F
Average: 37.9 °C = 100 F
Power Supply (max.)  37 °C = 99 F | Room Temperature 21 °C = 70 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated), Voltcraft IR-260
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 38.3 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 32.8 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 40 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 35.1 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 63.7 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 40.9 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 33.9 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.1 °C / 74 F, compared to the device average of 32.8 °C / 91 F.


Heatmap back side
Heatmap back side
Heatmap Front
Heatmap Front

Speaker

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs205353.42544.544.63133.731.74033.4345035.837.36330.128.78021.323.81002123.512516.325.516014.730.520012.934.725014.340.93151342.840010.847.850012.356.263013.56380019.567.210001572.6125014.171.9160014.968.8200011.966.5250012.867315015.464.7400016.564.6500016.764.5630017.268.980001872.91000017.974.91250017.671.11600018.357.2SPL2881N0.947.2median 15median 64.6Delta2.210.945.541.542.240.533.834.539.139.444.143.434.436.325.62624.226.120.227.921.232.917.332.518.139.816.145.715.453.816.463.817.167.720.872.820.977.517.976.218.173.8187118.86819.865.320.571.520.871.521.674.722.372.22374.523.871.224.76832.384.71.659.6median 20.2median 682.110.8hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseRealme C31Motorola Moto E40
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Realme C31 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 31.6% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 6.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.6% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (25.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 59% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 34% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 37%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 75% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 20% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Motorola Moto E40 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 33.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.3% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (10% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (25.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 61% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 32% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 37%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 77% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 18% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery life

Realme C31
5000 mAh
Realme C35
5000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy A03s
5000 mAh
Motorola Moto E40
5000 mAh
Average of class Smartphone
 
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
947
958
1%
1193
26%
995
5%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
15h 47min

Pros

+ stable housing
+ long runtimes
+ fast memory
+ current security patches

Cons

- no DRM L1
- no NFC
- mediocre speaker

Verdict - Unique features in the low price range

In review: realme C31. Test device provided by realme Germany.
In review: realme C31. Test device provided by realme Germany.

It is a small sensation that realme integrates UFS storage into a smartphone that is partly available for less than 150 Euros. This fast storage, the chic and stable casing, and the good battery runtimes contribute to the positive overall impression.

The camera cannot stand out from the mass of cheap phones, but there are definitely slower phones for similar money. The fact that the security patches are apparently kept up to date is not necessarily common in the price range of fewer than 200 Euros, but it is still the case for the realme C31.

A very inexpensive phone with fast memory.

If we were allowed to express wishes for the next generation, we would wish for NFC, DRM certification, an improved camera, and a 90 Hz screen. Even so, the realme C31 is a well-equipped phone in the entry-level category.

If you would rather have a 90 Hz screen for little money, you should take a look at the Motorola Moto E40. If you add a few more Euros, you will get a good price with the realme C35 which has even faster memory, faster WLAN, and a much brighter screen.

Price and availability

The realme C31 is available directly from the manufacturer at prices starting at 140 Euros. At the time of testing, the phone was even cheaper on the Internet, for example at our partners amazon.de and Cyberport.

Realme C31 - 05/05/2022 v7 (old)
Florian Schmitt

Chassis
81%
Keyboard
65 / 75 → 87%
Pointing Device
94%
Connectivity
40 / 70 → 58%
Weight
88%
Battery
91%
Display
84%
Games Performance
10 / 64 → 15%
Application Performance
65 / 86 → 76%
Temperature
91%
Noise
100%
Audio
52 / 90 → 58%
Camera
47%
Average
70%
76%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

Price comparison

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > realme C31 review - The flagship of the low-cost smartphones?
Florian Schmitt, 2022-05- 6 (Update: 2022-05- 6)