Realme 10 Pro Plus Review

Name: Realme 10 Pro Plus Review
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: nikitnetu

Reviews

nikitnetu

10 January 2023

Content

Specifications

Screen size: 6.7″
Screen resolution: 1080×2412 pixels
Matrix type: AMOLED
Other display options: Refresh rate – 120 Hz, pixel density – 394 ppi, maximum brightness – 800 nits, 1 billion color recognition, support for HDR10+
Body materials: plastic
Dimensions: 161.5 × 73.9 × 7.8 mm, weight 173 g
Colours: Nebula Blue (light blue), Dark Matter Black (dark grey), Hyperspace (light purple with gradient)
Processor: 6 nm MediaTek Dimensity 1080
Number of cores: Two Cortex-A78 cores with a maximum clock speed of 2.6 GHz and six Cortex-A55 cores with a clock speed of 2.0 GHz
GPU: Mali-G68 MC4
Memory options: 8/128 GB, 8/256 GB, 12/256 GB
Operating system: Android 13 with Realme UI 4.0 proprietary firmware
Main camera: Main camera: 108MP resolution, f/1.8 aperture, 24 mm sensor, 1/1.67” sensor, 0.64 µm pixel size, PDAF (Phase Detection Auto Focus)
Ultra-wide module: 8MP resolution, f/2.2 aperture, 16 mm sensor, 112˚ FOV
Macro lens: 2 MP, f/2.4 aperture
Optional 4K maximum resolution video recording at 30fps, LED flash, HDR support and Panorama mode
Front camera: 16 MP resolution, f/2.5 aperture, sensor 25 mm. 1080p@30fps video recording, Panorama mode support
Sound: Stereo
Communication technologies: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS
Battery: 5000 mAh
Fast Charge: 67W (up to 50% charge in 17 minutes)
Price: 8/128 GB – $243; 8/256 GB – $290; 12/256 GB – $330.

Well, friends, are you impressed? Realme 10 Pro+ has perfect specifications: a high-brightness AMOLED screen, a powerful new processor, a 108 MP camera, a large battery with powerful charging and even a version with 12 GB of RAM. You definitely don’t expect to find such parameters in a smartphone that costs only $243. But is everything really so perfect, as the manufacturer drew in the technical specifications? Let's figure it out.

Realme 10 Pro Plus Bundle

Packaging: As always, we start with the packaging. Realme 10 Pro Plus comes in a white cardboard box with branded yellow accents. In the center is a large number 10, and below it is the prefix “Pro +”. At the very bottom, they placed the mark “5G”. On the side of the package, you can see the inscription “Realme”. The design of the box is not bad, but there is no chic. Do not say that you are unpacking the flagship. In Redmi Note 12 Pro +, the whole thing looks more solid and expensive. Inside we are met by a transparent silicone case, a clip to open the SIM tray, boring waste paper and a heavy 67W power supply.
Adapter: I would like to point out that the adapter comes with a Chinese plug. If you are going to buy the Chinese version of Realme 10 Pro +, you will have to immediately buy a European adapter.
Set: We will discuss the problems of the Chinese versions a little later, simultaneously, we return to the delivery set and see that the “insides” of the package are made of plastic. This is already bad manners because all manufacturers are trying to switch to paper in the configuration and thus take care of the environment. Xiaomi does not add plastic even to its state employees.
Case: But do not rush to throw slippers on this device. The Realme 10 Pro + package has two undeniable pluses. The first advantage is that nothing stinks and does not remind us that we are unpacking a Chinese device. And secondly, a factory protective film is pasted on the screen. Realme 10 Pro Plus display has rounded edges, and therefore, it is problematic to glue the film or glass on your own. I am glad that the manufacturer took care of this in advance.

Appearance, case materials and dimensions

As soon as we take the Realme 10 Pro+ in our hands, the question arises: is this model really worth only 243 bucks? Let's just say that the design of the novelty is chic. There are no superfluous inscriptions on the back panel, the main camera unit is neat and tasteful. The frames of the smartphone are minimal, and the rounded edges of the screen add a separate zest. Realme 10 Pro Plus More:

What materials is it made of: Despite its attractive appearance, Realme 10 Pro + is completely made of plastic? And it is felt when you take a smartphone in your hands. If you put on a case, nothing will remind you that you have a budget device.
Body colors: The back panel of the phone has a matte plastic, if we talk about dark gray (almost black) colors. The other two color options are glossy, with a choice of light blue and light purple gradient.
Does memory card support: There is no memory card slot. This is already a familiar story with budget and sub-flagship smartphones. But on the SIM tray there is a small rubber gasket, which should protect the device from splashes.
Which ports: The manufacturer did not indicate in the official specifications what degree of water resistance is present, but, we dare to assume that it is IP53 or IP54. There is also no audio jack.
Under the on-screen fingerprint scanner: The fingerprint scanner is located under the display. Yes, yes, the company has added such expensive technology to a budget smartphone. At the same time, the fingerprint sensor works instantly, without hangs and failures. Competitors have a scanner in the power button.

What is the difference between Realme 10 Pro Plus and Redmi Note 12 Pro+

I would like to pay special attention to the dimensions of Realme 10 Pro Plus. The developers managed to make the smartphone very thin and light: the dimensions are 161, 5 × 73.9 × 7.8 mm with a weight of 173 grams. Compared to Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus, the difference is huge. Against the background of Realme, the Redmi phone looks big, thick and generally somehow awkward. To be fair, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ has a glass case and aluminum edges. Realme has plastic everywhere. Therefore, you will have to choose what is more important for you – case materials or dimensions.

Realme 10 Pro Plus Design

The smartphone is purely in appearance is not inferior to the flagships. And we remember that in almost all inexpensive devices, the design is usually very mediocre and even repulsive. If you are looking for a stylish device that will not resemble a Chinese state employee, then this is definitely the Realme 10 Pro Plus.

Screen Quality

Screen quality: Colorful AMOLED screen with a brightness of 800 nits. This is more than enough even in sunny weather.
What is the screen refresh rate: The maximum refresh rate is 120Hz, and the interface just flies. In the settings, you can decide which refresh rate you prefer – high (120 Hz) or standard (60 Hz). There is also an automatic mode, when the system independently determines the frequency depending on the current scenarios.
Are there any accidental screen touches: This form factor has two known disadvantages – light refraction and random pressing when a person clings to the display with his hand and phantom actions are performed? The company took this into account and added a special X-Touch technology that really protects the display from false clicks. So don't worry about phantom touches. The problem of light refraction remains, but it is not so noticeable and serious. You can get used to the rounded edges in just a few days of use. And such a display looks pricier and premium compared to a flat one.

Realme 10 Pro Plus display The next advantage is the low PWM level. You can see our measurements below (brightness on the left, PWM on the right). Recall that if the PWM percentage does not exceed 20%, you will not feel any discomfort when using the AMOLED screen.

100% – 5%;
75% – 5%;
50% – 6%;
35% – 9%
25% – 9%;
15% – 16%;
0% – 11%.

As you can see, the PWM values are tiny. This cannot but rejoice. Moreover, the DC Dimming function does not need to be looked for in the settings and activated by yourself, since it is enabled by default.

Screen Options

There is simply nothing to complain about. In the mid-budget price segment, this is one of the best displays on the market. Let's add a super stylish design here – and we get a device that is not inferior in appearance to the flagships.

Processor and memory options

Performance: Design and screen considered, now let's move on to the “stuffing” of the device. The same hardware is installed in Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and the younger version of Note 12 Pro.
Gaming performance: Realme 10 Pro Plus was tested by us in the very demanding game Genshin Impact on ultra-high graphics settings. As a result, the average frame rate was 30-35fps. This is a normal result given the cost of a smartphone. Don't expect a $240 phone to hit 60 FPS on ultra-high settings. But we want to note that on the same Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus, resource-intensive toys run more smoothly, and the frame rate per second is higher. The difference is small, but it exists. Otherwise, the processor is powerful, and the performance margin will be enough for several years.

MediaTek 1080

Memory options: There are three memory options to choose from – 8/128 GB, 8/256 GB, and even 12/256 GB. As always, we recommend selecting a medium modification. 128 gigabytes of ROM are already not enough, and overpaying for 12 GB of RAM also makes no sense. The 8/256 GB version will suffice this year and next.

Operating system and interface stability

What OS: New version of Realme UI 4.0 proprietary firmware out of the box, based on Android 13. Now, we will not list all the differences from the previous build, but just highlight the key points.
Realme UI version: Now the Realme UI shell is as similar as possible to other firmware from the BBK holding – OxygenOS and ColorOS. The differences are minimal and mostly in interface design.

News:

What's new in Realme UI: Added heart rate measurement function. To complete this, you just need to put your finger on the smartphone screen. Previously, this option was not found in state employees. Of course, you should not seriously trust the results obtained, but you can try for fun. Customized and Always expanded on Display mode. There are new features and elements that can be enabled when displaying AOD. It is especially pleasing that Always On Display in Realme 10 Pro + is full-fledged, and not 10-second, as in competitors from Xiaomi. The interface has been redesigned and made more minimalistic and simple. Removed unnecessary elements, due to which everything works quickly and smoothly. The Realme Lab section has been expanded with the addition of new features. You can now connect a wired and wireless headset to your phone to play audio simultaneously, as well as limit the operation of certain applications during sleep.
Camera system application: Another important point is related to the Camera application. It would be quite expected if the developers cut down the functionality of the application and left only the most basic functions. But no, the system camera tool offers the same features as more expensive devices. For example, you can start dual-window mode, scan documents, or record video on the front camera with background blur. We'll talk more about the camera in the next paragraph, but for now, let's return to the software.
Stability: The shell works smoothly and quickly, nothing freezes, does not slow down, even the slightest lags are absent. You will not find such a stable functioning of the interface in every budget device.

Cameras and video recording

Since we've already touched on the issue of the camera, let's move on to this point now. Main 108-megapixel sensor from Samsung called ISOCELL HM6. A module with the same resolution can be found in Realme 8 Pro, only there is an ISOCELL HM2 sensor.

Characteristics:

The manufacturer claims that the HM6 lets in 123% more light, which makes photos bright and detailed. In principle, this sensor from Samsung is not new and somehow special. It is available in more budget models, for example, Realme 9 4G.
It has an 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor. An ultra-wide with the same resolution is installed in Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus.
And just for show, the manufacturer decided to add a 2MP macro lens. It's clear that there is no sense from anyone, so it will not stop there. But the important thing to note is the lack of optical stabilization.
Despite the loud “108 MP” figure, we immediately had a suspicion that the main camera of the Realme 10 Pro Plus is rather mediocre. Tech insiders have been talking about this as well. Which primarily drew attention to the lack of optical stabilization and the main module of average quality. After all, the previous Realme 9 Pro + had flagship optics, and the quality of photos and videos was on top.
We tested this camera and, for clarity, made a comparison, of course, with the main competitor – Redmi Note 12 Pro+. In daylight, the pictures on Realme are good and do not differ much from Redmi.
The only caveat is the color reproduction: on Realme, the pictures are very bright and saturated, which looks unnatural. But Redmi produces natural colors, and we like this option more. Otherwise, everything is fine both on one and on the second phone.
You can record video in 4K quality at 30 FPS, but in this case, there will be no stabilization. If you want to get rid of shaky video, you will have to switch to 1080p quality. With this resolution, frame rates from 30 to 480 fps are available, which is also not bad. The sound quality is good, no complaints.
The 16MP front-facing camera takes decent selfies. The detail and shadow detailing is even better than on the Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus. You can record video on the front camera in Full-HD resolution at 30 frames per second. And even create a bokeh effect, which we have already talked about.

Communications and sound

Realme 10 Pro Plus received two full-fledged external speakers. The sound is high quality, loud and voluminous. The linear 4D vibration motor evoked the same positive emotions. The settings even have a separate section where you can adjust the operation of the motor. Everything works perfectly, there is a distinct and pleasant response. The vibration motor is no worse than in flagship smartphones. We think it makes no sense to dwell on such banal things as Bluetooth version, Wi-Fi, and types of navigation services. Therefore, we rushed to the next important parameters.

Realme 10 Pro+ Battery

Surprise: Even though that the Realme case is very thin and light, the developers somehow managed to fit a 5000 mAh battery into it. This should also add an energy-efficient processor and display. As a result, we get chic autonomy.
Basic battery life: With moderate use, you can expect two days of battery life. If you directly actively use your mobile device, you will need to recharge the next day.

Realme 10 Pro Plus Battery Charging:

Power adapter: Realme 10 Pro Plus supports 67W fast charging. A power supply with such power is already included in the kit. Up to 50%, you can charge the phone in just 17–20 minutes, and it will take about 40 minutes to fully charge. These are great results, don't you agree?

Price and version available

The whole point is that so far only the Chinese version of Realme. Yes, yes, the situation is the same as with the twelfth Redmi series. Therefore, presently we have only the Chinese price list, and it looks like this:

8/128 GB – $243;
8/256 GB – $290;
12/256 GB – $330.

In principle, you can still buy the Chinese version on AliExpress. In this case, the price will be delicious. But keep in mind that you will have to install Google – services and Google Discovery, do without some bands and put up with problems in the operation of LTE +. This is not critical, but not all users will want to endure some discomfort.

Conclusions

Realme 10 Pro+ is a superbly balanced smartphone with just about everything perfect. Even if desired, it is almost impossible to find fault with a smartphone. For the price of a state employee, you get a full-fledged junior flagship.

Realme 10 Pro Plus For the moment, Realme keeps the brand and produces only suitable devices. We hope that this trend will continue, and the brand will continue to make TOP for its money. Perhaps, in the price segment up to $300, this is one of the best offers.