Realme 13 Pro+ review

The corporate urge to slam AI into everything and shoot it out of the marketing budget is very strong here. The 50MP Sony LYT-600 periscope camera, the 50MP Sony LYT-701 and the 8MP ultra-wide camera are capable snappers but Realme wants to inform you that it’s the AI that does the heavy lifting. From our experience, the AI throws a wrench into the point-and-shoot outcomes. There are moments where the camera exposure makes everything glassy and at times the AI manages to capture the perfect exposure. The same issue with the 3x Telephoto where the AI simply goes into Macro mode for non-human subjects but if you remember to turn it off in the viewfinder then the shot comes out worth of a place in the Louvre.

We’re kidding, the shots won’t give Apple, Google and Vivo sleepless nights but it’s an indication that the Realme 13 Pro+ has the hardware chops to dish out quality photos but maybe not consistently. While writing this review we got a massive camera update on the phone in regards to quality so expect the performance of the camera to keep improving like OnePlus smartphones.

In terms of quality, the shots have a slightly exaggerated colour tone with boosted greens and slightly overexposed highlights. Where the AI does come in handy is in portraits. It’s not class-leading like the Vivo cameras but it’s good at separating the subject from the background and presenting a surprisingly competent photograph.

The AI bits are more specifically catered to AI erasers which remove unwanted elements from your photographs and Clarity enhancers which use AI to clean out blurry and old photographs. These are all the features you get inside Google Photos for a couple of years but now they’re inside the Realme Gallery app. The AI Ultra Clarity tool isn’t as good as Google’s Photo app. It tends to smoothen textures and dish out an AI-looking image. The feature doesn’t even work without the internet so your data is going to a cloud somewhere. 

Speaking of which, the bloatware in the Realme UI is a lot. More so than the competition we feel. It’s not an issue if you know how to delete and block access to certain pesky apps but the UI needs a bit more polish, especially when Nothing Tech, Motorola and OnePlus have been dishing out clean UI smartphones in this price category.

The 6.7-inch AMOLED display is great. It’s got even bezels all around and doesn’t look shabby like some of the smartphones in this range. Besides that, the curved edges will add a wee bit of green tint to whatever you’re looking at on the display and the side metal frame doesn’t blend seamlessly with this curved display. 

Besides, the 120Hz refresh rate and 600nits of brightness can make the content look more sharp and bright. HDR movies and TV shows play well and the colour saturation is also acceptable. There’s nothing impressive nor underwhelming about the Realme 13 Pro+.

The rear has a soft satin finish which Realme calls a Miracle Shining Glass that faithfully reproduces the flowing effects of light and shadow found in Claude Monet's works. We think Realme is trying to replicate what OnePlus did with their rear finishes but now many smartphone manufacturers are doing the same so it still doesn’t stand out as much. The most impressive remains the Realme 12 Pro in terms of tasteful design and impressive ergonomics.

Here’s where the Realme 13 Pro+ starts to feel lazy. It’s got the same Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor as its predecessor Realme 12 Pro+. In comparison, the OnePlus Nord 4 and the Poco F6 both have newer processors which perform better. Everyday tasks run smooth and are snappy on the Realme but if you start gaming then the Realme starts to show its dated innards compared to the competition. It also does not bring much in terms of software optimisation to make use of an older processor more effectively.

Battery life has improved with the Realme 13 Pro+ and you get an 80W SuperVOOC charger in the box.

The Realme 13 Pro+ is a mixed bag. It's got a decent design, a solid display, and a capable camera system. But its performance and software feel like a step back compared to the competition. The camera AI can be hit or miss, and the bloatware-laden software is a real bummer. While it's a solid mid-ranger, it doesn't offer anything truly groundbreaking. If you're looking for a phone with a good balance of features and price, the Realme 13 Pro+ is worth considering but if you prioritize performance and a clean software experience, you might want to explore other options.