After a very discreet year, Realme returns to the French market with the C67, an affordable and durable smartphone which directly competes with Xiaomi’s Redmi models. Too bad it doesn’t have an Amoled screen.

After a very discreet year, Realme returns to the French market with the C67, an affordable and durable smartphone which directly competes with Xiaomi’s Redmi models. Too bad it doesn’t have an Amoled screen.

The Chinese brand Realme had practically disappeared from the radar for more than a year in France. However, it had made a good impression with its C55 and C65, its best-sellers, and more advanced models like those in the GT range which offered very good value for money. But since then, nothing more… until the arrival of this C67 last February. A device at the lowest price on which Realme intends to rely to make its smooth return. Because the C67 does not aim to impress. It wants to appeal to those who don’t need more than an efficient and durable 4G smartphone. A market also targeted by Xiaomi and its Redmi Note range or even Samsung and its A05s or A15 models. In other words, Realme has its work cut out for it to win back the hearts of French users. Is the C67 sufficiently armed to achieve this? We were able to test it for several weeks. Here is our verdict.

Realme C67: a plastic but neat design

Entry-level smartphone requires, plastic reigns supreme on this C67. But we must recognize that Realme has worked on it brilliantly, particularly on the green model of our test copy (it also exists in black) which has pretty iridescent reflections on the back. The design is not revolutionary, but the device adopts flat edges like those found on the iPhone or the new Galaxy S24 from Samsung. It therefore fits very well with the times.

The buttons are well positioned on the right edge. Note that the lowest manages turning on the device but also integrates a fingerprint reader which sometimes lacks responsiveness.

The C67 is also quite thin with a thickness of 7.6 mm and light (185 g). On the back, two photo modules occupy an island whose aesthetic closely resembles what Huawei offers on its Nova series. Two large portholes adorned here with a rather successful golden notched rim.

Finally, the C67 is not designed to bravely face the elements. It is IP54 certified. It can therefore resist dust and splashes but little more.

Realme C67: a fairly bright LCD screen

To put on a show, Realme has chosen a 6.7-inch LCD panel. It offers FHD+ definition (1080×2400 pixels) for a resolution of 392 ppi. No Amoled panel here therefore, unlike what Samsung or Xiaomi offer on their entry-level models. However, despite the lack of infinite contrast, the screen delivers good performance. The brightness is there and the contrasts are fairly well managed. Out of the box, the C67 still deserves to go through the settings to find more shimmering colors. The screen tends to tend towards blue. Finally, the panel allows a maximum refresh rate of 90 Hz. If necessary, we can force the display to 60 Hz to save battery.

On the audio side, it’s a real disappointment. Small stereo speakers have the merit of existing but do not please the ears. At best the sound is shrill, at worst it is completely saturated and painful for the eardrums. Enough to watch a short video on YouTube but certainly not more. It will therefore be better to use a Bluetooth or wired headset since the device has a 3.5 mm jack on the lower edge.

Realme C67: a still valiant processor

Technical sheet

To animate this entry-level smartphone, Realme has set its sights on the valiant Snapdragon 685 from Qualcomm. An SoC found in Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 12 (2023) and Redmi Note 13 (2024). This is an 8-core processor engraved in 6nm that can reach a frequency of 2.8 GHz. It is supported in its task by an Adreno 610 GPU, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage space in our version. The Snapdragon is not a lightning bolt as shown by the various benchmarks to which we subjected it, but that is not what we are asking of it here either. He carries out his task correctly. We were able to notice some slowdowns here and there, particularly when switching from one application to another, but nothing dramatic, however.

In gaming, we’re not going to lie to you, the Realme C67 is not a good companion. If it can easily run “casual gaming” titles and hobby games, it is not able to give satisfaction with 3D titles. He’s not cut out for that.

The rest of the technical sheet is worthy of the price. You will therefore have to make do with Wifi 5 (in 2024 it’s a bit harsh) and Bluetooth 5.0 only. The Snapdragon 685 also does not support 5G. You will therefore have to make do with a connection to 4G networks.

Finally, on the interface side, Realme has worked quite well. Its Realme UI overlay sits on top of Android 14 and brings some good ideas, one of which was taken directly from Apple: the mini-capsule. Like the iPhone 14 Pro and the entire 15 series, the Realme C67 can display small notifications around the punch at the top of the screen. Battery charge level, weather, current audio playing, etc. A welcome little extra. Finally, Realme announces 3 years of updates for its model (Android and security patches). It’s short, but understandable on a mobile of this price.

Realme C67: quite disappointing photos

On paper, the Realme C67 seems to be well enough equipped not to be left behind by the competition in the photo field. Two modules take care of the photos. The first is based on an astonishing 108 Mpx (f/1.75) sensor. It is supported in its task by a 2 Mpx depth sensor (f/2.4) which will be used for portraits. On the front, an 8 Mpx sensor (f/2.05) is responsible for selfies. No macro module or, more regrettably, ultra wide-angle therefore. In this area, the Realme C67 loses a few points against the competition.

During the day, and provided that the light is present, the results are generally quite suitable. You can pick out details even if the sharpness is a little weak. The light is correctly managed but the contrasts are difficult with dark areas which can be completely blocked. The colors are also sometimes lacking in accuracy.

No optical zoom obviously at this price level but magnification by cropping in the image allowed by the 108 Mpx sensor. The device interface offers two levels (x3 and x5) which give fairly decent results. Beyond that, the image becomes messier. The treatment applied cannot compensate for the weakness of the lens.

Portrait mode gives very variable results from one shot to another. Sometimes successful, sometimes botched with too imprecise clipping. You should not hesitate to try it several times to achieve a suitable shot.

At night, however, the C67 really struggles to convince. The absence of light causes chromatic aberrations. Halos appear around points of light. Details are quickly lost and digital noise sets in. The C67 is not a night owl.

Realme C67: appreciable autonomy and almost fast charging

Like many mid-range and even high-end models, the C67 has a 5000 mAh battery. But its low-power and economical processor gives it a big advantage. The device can easily last two days without going through the recharge box. It’s very comfortable.

On the charging side, the device is supplied with a 33 W SuperVooc charger. If you appreciate the gesture – the chargers supplied straight away are increasingly rare – don’t let the name fool you. The speed of charging is all relative. It took us 1 hour 17 minutes to go from 1 to 100% battery. Half an hour of charging can recover 47%. It’s still not bad and above all, enough to leave with peace of mind for a day of use.

Realme C67: good for wise use

The new Realme model is designed for basic use. And in this area, it copes easily with a processor powerful enough for small everyday tasks, a screen, certainly LCD, but bright enough to allow comfortable reading and above all, a battery durable enough not to keep an eye on it. riveted on the gauge. For the price, and taking into account the reductions already applied at a number of resellers (you can find it for less than 170 euros compared to the 259 euros of the official price), it will appeal to those who are looking for a useful and durable smartphone and who do not have what to do with a high-performance camera phone. Available in two versions, 6-128 GB at the official price of 219 euros and 8-256 GB, the Realme C67 still has a lot to do in its segment with in particular the Samsung Galaxy A15 which offers 5G for 249 euros or the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 4G at 199 euros, both equipped with an Amoled screen.