realme C75 kicks off the year 2025 for the company's release cycle in the Philippines. This phone is built to last and is pegged to highlight its waterproofing features with a sweeping set of IP ratings. Equipped with a durable design, a high-capacity 6,000mAh battery, and an improved display, the realme C75 aims to deliver a balance of style, performance, and reliability.
With its MediaTek Helio G92 Max chipset, 50MP camera, and 45W fast charging, this budget-friendly smartphone offers key upgrades while maintaining realme’s signature value-for-money appeal. But is it worth buying at Php 8,999 price? How does it perform in real-world usage? And is it the right upgrade for budget-conscious users? Let’s dive into the review to find out.
Review Summary:
Pros
- Triple IP Ratings + Durable Design
- Long-lasting battery
- Affordable
Cons
- Slower storage speed
- No audio jack
Design
There's no denying the fact that the realme C75 is the most premium-looking C series smartphone to date. I know I said that to the realme C67, but that was a year ago. Now, let's behold the beauty that is the Lightning Gold realme C75. It's definitely a stunner and it still has some more flair to it rather than a glorified gold color option.
There's a refreshing shimmer when the backing shifts subtly under different lighting. The matte texture on the back panel adds a nice grip, making it a joy to hold. If you're into something more classic, the Storm Black variant offers an equally sleek alternative.
realme has also given the camera module a facelift, still opting for a vertical layout that houses the rear cameras in a clean, minimal fashion. It’s a small change comparing it to the realme C65, but it makes a big difference in giving the phone a more modern vibe. Holding the C75, it feels like an entirely different breed from its predecessors; it's still familiar, but with a refreshing twist.
The frame, made of high-grade plastic, seamlessly blends with the back panel. It houses the essential ports and buttons. The power button and volume rocker are on the right, and the SIM tray is on the left. The bottom is where all the action happens with the microphone, a USB-C port, and the speaker grille. If you're looking for the 3.5-mm audio jack, well, you are out of luck.
Flip it over, and you’re greeted with a large display and slim side bezels. The punch-hole selfie camera is a nice touch. As usual, the bottom bezel is a bit more pronounced, it's noticeably thicker than the rest. That said, it doesn’t take away from the phone’s sleek profile.
At just 8-mm thin, the realme C75 feels great in the hand. It's lightweight but substantial enough to feel durable. The refined design, slimmer bezels, and revamped camera module all come together to give this budget smartphone a trendy, modern aesthetic.
Display
The realme C75 offers a significant display upgrade for budget-conscious users, especially if you’re coming from the realme C65 or even realme C67. Its 6.72-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD panel delivers sharp and vibrant visuals, thanks to its 2400 x 1080 resolution, 16.7 million colors, and 83% color gamut. The 90Hz refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and animations, while the 180Hz touch sampling rate keeps the screen responsive for gaming and daily use. Though it peaks at 690-nit brightness, outdoor visibility can be challenging under direct sunlight. For battery-saving purposes, you can switch to the standard 60Hz mode.
One standout feature is the ability to stream YouTube videos at up to 4K resolution, but Helio G92 chipset struggles with 4K streaming with a mix of causing stuttering. Instead, opting for a lower streaming resolution offers a better balance between quality and performance. I recommend sticking to 1080p, as this matches the display’s native resolution and ensures the best viewing experience without overloading the hardware.
The single bottom-firing speaker is decent at lower volumes but distorts at higher levels, which might disappoint those who enjoy media without headphones. Moreover, the display’s Rainwater Smart Touch feature is a practical addition, allowing seamless use even with wet hands or in light rain.
realme has also prioritized eye comfort with features like Eye Comfort mode, which lets you adjust color temperature, mimic a paper-like screen texture, or switch to black-and-white mode to reduce strain. The Bedtime mode minimizes blue light for better sleep quality. Overall, the realme C75’s display is a strong contender in the budget segment, offering a decent viewing experience for videos, gaming, and daily use, though it has minor limitations like average outdoor brightness and a single speaker.
Performance + Hardware
The realme C75 runs on a MediaTek G92 Max that's coupled with 8GB of RAM. The chipset comes with an 8-core CPU and is developed under 12nm technology. This setup features two Cortex-A75 cores clocked at 2GHz for heavy processing and six Cortex-A55 cores at 1.8GHz for efficiency. The 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM, which is expandable up to 24GB via Dynamic RAM Expansion, makes wonders in faster app loading and seamless switching between applications.
Meanwhile, the Mali-G52 MC GPU provides decent graphical performance for casual gaming and multimedia consumption. While the 256GB eMMC 5.1 storage offers ample space, its read and write speeds are not as fast as UFS storage, making app installations and data transfers slightly slower.
For mobile gaming, the realme C75 holds up well in popular titles. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang runs smoothly at High Graphics and High Frame Rate settings. I have not experienced major slowdowns or hiccups while playing this title. Call of Duty: Mobile is also playable, though occasional frame drops can occur in longer sessions, especially at higher settings. However, demanding games like Genshin Impact struggle with noticeable lag and frame rate drops. The Mali-G52 MC GPU does an acceptable job, but it’s not built for high-end gaming. Fortunately, the phone’s thermal management keeps heat buildup under control, even with extended gaming sessions.
The realme C75 comes with a single bottom-firing speaker, which delivers clear vocals and decent midrange sound, but the lack of deep bass is noticeable. Increasing the volume beyond 80% introduces distortion, so keeping it at moderate levels provides the best listening experience. The device supports 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.0, and OTG, but lacks 5G and NFC, limiting its connectivity options. While not a dedicated gaming phone, the realme C75 delivers reliable performance for everyday tasks and casual gaming. It's a great budget-friendly option for users who prioritize smooth multitasking and decent gameplay in popular titles.
Waterproofing + Benchmarks
The realme C75 is heavily marketed as a "worry-proof" smartphone. This is due to its triple IP ratings which covers the IP68, IP69 and IP66 certifications. These provide enhanced protection against dust, water, and high-pressure conditions. The ratings indicate that the device is resistant to powerful water jets, submersion in water, and even extreme environmental conditions.
To put its durability to the test, we subjected the realme C75 to a high-temperature hotbox simulation wherein we submerged it in boiling water for about one minute. Despite the extreme conditions, the smartphone remained fully functional, demonstrating its impressive resistance to heat and water exposure. Its Water Eject feature is also very handy in ejecting excess water from its speakers.
If you're keen on benchmarks, the realme C75 posts decent scores in our benchmark tests. In Geekbench 6.0, the realme C75 scored 442 single-core and 1349 multi-core scores; while it scored 1071 in the GPU Vulkan test. It also fares well in our AnTuTu Benchmark test, tallying a 278250 score.
Camera
The realme C75 packs a 50MP main shooter with an f/1.8 aperture 5P lens. It can shoot great photos if you're in a well-lit environment. The details are quite okay but dynamic range needs to be improved. There's a flicker sensor that's situated on the second camera ring while the third ring doesn't have any sensor under it.
The 10x digital zoom is handy, but I found 2x zoom to be the sweet spot for quality. In low light, photos show some noise and soft details, though Night mode helps slightly. It’s not perfect, but it’s convincing for a budget phone.
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| Sample Photo: 1x vs 2x Zoom |
The 8MP front camera captures decent selfies with an 80-degree field of view and f/2.0 aperture. Portrait mode adds nice bokeh, and the AI Clear Face feature enhances facial details, especially when using digital zoom. Video recording maxes out at 1080p, but the lack of optical image stabilization (OIS) makes footage shaky when moving. I tend to stick with steady shots for smoother videos.
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| Selife Camera with Portrait Mode |
The camera app is user-friendly, with 13 modes, including Night and Portrait. Smart Image Matting is a fun addition, letting you cut out subjects for stickers or transparent backgrounds. Moreover, thanks to its IP69 rating, you can even use the camera underwater. You can do this by opening the app before submerging the phone and use the volume button as a shutter.
All in all, the realme C75’s camera is a reliable choice for budget users. It is a worker in good lighting, offers creative editing tools, and even supports underwater photography. While low-light performance and video stabilization could be better, it’s a great option for everyday photography and social media.
Software + Battery
The realme C75 runs on realme UI 5.0, based on Android 14; just like other realme UI versions, the interface delivers a smooth and user-friendly experience. While there’s some pre-installed bloatwares, you can easily uninstall them if you prefer. Essential Google apps are onboard, along with realme’s proprietary tools which offers a well-rounded software experience.
One standout feature is Mini Capsule 3.0, an improved version of realme’s interactive status bar, inspired by Apple’s Dynamic Island. Unlike its predecessor, it now displays battery status, music, timer, weather, data usage, and even step tracking. A game-changing addition is the real-time Grab status bar, allowing you to track ride progress without switching between apps. The AI Smart Loop also impressed me, letting me drag text or images across the screen to suggest relevant third-party apps; this makes multitasking more seamless.
Powering the realme C75 is a massive 6,000mAh battery, a key highlight for users looking for long-lasting endurance. On a full charge, the phone easily lasts two days with moderate use, including social media, photography, video streaming, and browsing. realme also claims the battery retains 80% of its health even after four years of use.
When it’s time to recharge, the 45W SUPERVOOC fast charging takes around 1 hour and 54 minutes for a full charge, with 35% battery replenished in just 30 minutes. Plus, the 6.5W reverse charging feature is perfect for topping up accessories like earbuds and smartwatches. For those who want to extend battery life further, realme UI 5.0 includes smart power-saving features, adaptive charging, and a battery protection mode, ensuring longevity over time.
Should You Buy the realme C75?
The realme C75 offers a solid upgrade in design, display, and battery life for budget-conscious users. Its premium look, waterproofing with multiple IP ratings, and long-lasting 6,000mAh battery make it a compelling choice.
The 50MP camera delivers decent shots in good lighting, while the Helio G92 Max chipset provides smooth performance for everyday tasks and casual gaming. However, the lack of 5G, an audio jack, and faster storage options may be drawbacks for some users.
Having said that, if you’re looking for a stylish and durable budget phone with reliable battery life and decent performance, the realme C75 is definitely worth considering.
realme C75 Specifications
Display:
6.72-inch FHD+ AMOLED, 90Hz refresh rate, 2400×1080 resolution,
91.4% Screen to Body Ratio
Processor:
MediaTek Helio G92 Max, Octa-Core, 12nm
RAM:
8GB LPDDR4X
Storage:
128GB / 256GB UFS 2.2, expandable via microSD (up to 1TB)
Rear Cameras:
50MP Main (f/1.8)
Unspecified Secondary Camera
Front Camera:
8MP (f/2.0)
Battery:
6000mAh, 45W SuperVOOC fast charging
Operating System:
realme UI 5.0 (based on Android 14)
Durability:
IP69 (high-pressure water resistance), IP68 (dustproof, submersible up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes), IP66
Audio:
Stereo speakers
Connectivity:
Dual SIM, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS
Ports:
USB Type-C
Security:
Side-mounted fingerprint scanner, Face Unlock
Colors:
Storm Black, Lightning Gold
Price:
PHP 8,999 (8GB + 128GB)
PHP 10,999 (8GB + 256GB)
