realme P3 5G Review: Dependable All-Rounder That Doesn’t Break the Bank

In February 2025, realme launched the P3 series in India, unveiling the realme P3x and realme P3 Pro smartphones. Last month, the lineup expanded with the introduction of the realme P3 Ultra and realme P3 5G, bringing the total to four models. While we have already reviewed the P3 Ultra and P3 Pro, the realme P3 5G stands out as it is the first device equipped with the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 SoC. Additional features of the P3 include an AMOLED display, a 6000mAh battery, 45W charging, and more.

After spending approximately 15 days with the device, I think that it is a dependable all-rounder for the price. Let’s find out why in this review of the realme P3 5G.

realme P3 5G Review: Unboxing

The realme P3 5G comes inside a standard yellow colored realme box. The box contains

• realme P3 5G handset
• 80W SUPERVOOC charger
• USB Data cable
• Sim ejection tool
• Quick Guide
• Protective Case

realme P3 5G Review: Design and Build

The realme P3 5G sports a sleek and aesthetic design, similar to its P3x counterpart. The design language is the same for P3 and P3 Ultra, though the Ultra model comes with a Lunar Glow design for the back panel. The realme P3 5G sports a rectangular camera island at the top-left side of the back panel that includes two ring cutouts for dual camera sensors.

There is also an LED flash beside the top camera ring. The camera sensors are slightly protruding, but that doesn’t make the device wobble much when kept on a flat surface. At the bottom of the back panel is realme branding in silver font that is almost invisible from some angles.

The realme P3 5G is available in Space Silver, Nebula Pink, and Comet Grey colors, and I received the pink variant for my review. The pink back panel provides a playful aesthetic that appeals to fans of this color (like myself), but it may not suit those seeking a more understated or sophisticated appearance. For them, the Grey or Silver options would be more appropriate.

However, I liked the shade as well as the feel of the back panel that has a matte finish but is smooth to touch. Moreover, it is not a smudge magnet, and even if it does catch some fingerprints when your hands are sweaty, those aren’t too visible until someone notices it closely.

The body is made of plastic, but its flat edges give it a modern look and weighing 190 grams, this one never felt bulky in hand. With a thickness of 8mm it might not be sleekest, but was comfortable to hold in hand for long durations.

In terms of functionality, realme P3 5G houses volume rockers and a power button on the right edge, while the left edge is vacant. The bottom edge houses a USB-C port, a SIM tray, a primary microphone, and a speaker grille, while the top edge includes a speaker grille and a secondary microphone.

At the front is a curved edge display with a selfie sensor at the top. realme P3 5G offers impressive durability as it is triple IP rated- IP66+IP68+IP69, offering protection against dust, water, and high-pressure jet sprays. All in all, realme has done a decent job in terms of design and build.

realme P3 5G Review: Display

The realme P3 5G boasts a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400×1080 FH+, a refresh rate of 120Hz, and a peak brightness of 2000 nits. The screen features symmetrical, though somewhat thick, bezels, creating a balanced look, and is enhanced by stereo speakers located at the top and bottom for superior sound quality.

Beginning with the display, the AMOLED screen provides vivid imagery with rich blacks, resulting in an engaging viewing experience. It boasts features like the DCI-P3 color spectrum and an impressive contrast ratio of 6,000,000:1. While testing, I found watching the PTV series Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum on the realme P3 to be quite enjoyable, as the content was very pleasing. The visuals were crisp and detailed, making it a superb choice for multimedia consumption.

Furthermore, the 120Hz refresh rate ensured a fluid scrolling experience when watching reels or gaming. The in-display fingerprint scanner was fast and efficient; however, the display’s performance under bright outdoor lighting was inadequate.

Despite its peak brightness of 2000 nits, which is adequate for indoor settings, it faced challenges with visibility in direct sunlight, hindering outdoor screen readability. This represents a potential improvement opportunity for realme.

Stereo speakers deliver adequate volume for video watching and gaming, but at peak levels, sound quality deteriorates, leading to a diminished depth and richness.

realme P3 5G Review: Software

The realme P3 5G runs Realme UI 6 based on Android 15 out of the box. The UI is colorful, intuitive, and user-friendly, along with being smooth and easy to use. The biggest downside is that it comes with pre-installed bloatware, making the interface feel cluttered.

There are as many as 69 already installed apps, but these can be removed as per user preference. The user will also have to disable features like Realme Glance and Hot Games, which show ads that might be annoying. The company promises 2 OS updates and 3 security patches, and the overall software experience is fairly standard.

Software is also bundled with AI features like AI Smart Loop and Circle to Search. Both these features suggest relevant actions based on on-screen content and allow users to look up anything on the screen.

realme P3 5G Review: Performance

The realme P3 5G features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 processor, offering configurations of up to 8GB LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB UFS 2.2 storage. I tested the 8GB+128GB model, which supports virtual RAM expansion up to 10GB and allows for storage expansion up to 1 TB.

This SoC efficiently manages daily activities such as calls, photography, gaming, messaging, and social media without any lag. Multitasking is seamless, with no noticeable delays when switching between applications or games. Benchmark scores position the realme P3 5G among the top five performers in its price category, outperforming competitors like the Redmi Note 14 5G and OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite 5G.

The gaming performance is satisfactory, supporting 90FPS gameplay. In a BGMI session with GT Boost mode activated and graphics set to Smooth+ Extreme, it consistently achieved over 75 FPS. However, after approximately 30 minutes of play, the device began to heat up to an uncomfortable degree. It is not designed for extended play of more demanding games like Asphalt 9 with HD graphics and high frame rates. My experience was primarily with light gaming, which was smooth and trouble-free.

AI Features like GT Boost for ramping up gaming performance, AI Motion Control for precise in-game gestures, and AI Ultra Touch Control for fast fingertip reactions, enabling quick zooms, firing, and precise gameplay. For a more detailed overview of the realme P3’s performance, check out this article: realme P3 Performance Review: How Does the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 Perform?

realme P3 5G Review: Cameras

The realme P3 5G is equipped with a dual-camera system on the rear, consisting of a 50MP primary sensor and a 2MP secondary sensor. The front features a 16MP camera for selfies. It supports video recording at 4K resolution at 30 frames per second for the rear camera and 1080p at 30 frames per second for the front camera.

Daylight Performance

Under bright daylight, the 50MP sensor delivers outstanding results, featuring 1x, 2x, and 5x zoom options, with the capability to extend zoom up to 10x. Photos taken with the primary sensor in outdoor daylight showcase vibrant colors, decent exposure balance, and remarkable detail.

The camera produces social media-ready images that require no further editing, and the Livephoto function can capture 3-4 seconds of a scene, enhancing overall camera performance. The 2MP sensor serves more as a supplementary feature rather than a performance asset.

Lowlight/Night Mode Performance

In low-light environments, the primary sensor produces some decent images, although they can be oversharpened quite too much. Activating Night Mode enhances the scene’s brightness and reveals more details compared to standard mode. However, without super night mode, low-light images may exhibit noise and light streaks under artificial lighting.

I attempted to photograph the night sky using night mode, and the outcomes are displayed below. Additionally, super night mode offers 1x, 2x, and 5x zoom options.

Portrait Mode

The portrait mode excels in edge detection, performing effectively in both outdoor settings and well-lit indoor environments. It accurately preserves human skin tones while subtly blurring the background to maintain focus on the subject. Below are some examples demonstrating the quality of the portrait mode output. Unfortunately, there is no 2X option in the portrait mode.

Selfie Sensor

The 16MP front sensor comes with two-axis EIS. It beautifully captures human skin tone, and captures a good amount of details, but sometimes darkens the subject unnecessarily, which isn’t the case in well-lit conditions. For someone like me who doesn’t like filters, the selfie camera is an appealing option.

Drawbacks of the camera setup include lack of ultrawide sensor and no OIS for primary camera. This makes it less able as compared to competitors like Redmi Note 14 and OnePlus Nord CE 4 lite.

realme P3 5G Review: Battery Life and Charging

One of the most notable features of the recent budget Android smartphones is their inclusion of larger batteries. The realme P3 5G is equipped with an impressive 6000mAh battery that can last up to 1.5 days with moderate to heavy use.

My activities included browsing social media, messaging, making calls, watching videos, listening to music, using the camera, running benchmarks, playing games, and reading articles. Despite this extensive usage, I only needed to charge the device the following afternoon after a full charge, allowing it to last approximately 32-24 hours.

The brand includes a 45W adapter that fully charges the device in approximately one hour, allowing for about 50% battery life in just 30 to 35 minutes. realme has designed the P3 5G to alleviate battery concerns, featuring a large battery capacity and efficient charging speed.

Review Verdict: Should You Buy the realme P3 5G?

The realme P3 5G offers exceptional features at an incredibly affordable price. It is equipped with India’s first Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chipset, a substantial 6000mAh battery, an AMOLED display, and is triple IP-rated for enhanced durability. Additionally, it boasts a capable 50MP camera for photography and supports 45W charging to quickly recharge the battery within an hour. These attributes position the realme P3 5G as one of the top contenders in its category.

However, it does have some drawbacks, such as the presence of bloatware, the absence of optical image stabilization (OIS), and insufficient brightness levels. Nonetheless, considering the price point of 17k, it is reasonable to overlook these shortcomings. For those in search of a well-rounded, powerful device that fits within a budget, the Realme P3 5G is a strong option.

Smartprix ⭐ Rating: 8.1/10

• Design and Build: 8.4/10
• Display: 8/10
• Speakers: 7.9/10
• Software: 7.9/10
• Performance: 8.4/10
• Cameras: 8/10
• Battery Life & Charging:8.5/10

First reviewed in April 2025.

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