Some of the most competitive smartphone segments today are those priced at around PHP 10,000. They’re very affordable, making it easy for almost anyone to own one. Today, we’re checking out two very popular smartphones within that segment – the all-new Infinix NOTE 30 5G and the realme C55.
Both of these phones were only launched this 2023. More importantly, they’re similarly spec’d in terms of hardware and price. But the question is this – which is the one for you? Let’s check out the two phones in terms of design, specs, and price.
Table of Contents
Design & Construction
In terms of design, the Infinix NOTE 30 5G and the realme C55 are both very stylish. Not to mention their size and design ethos are quite similar with square corners instead of rounded ones. Both smartphones have a USB-C port, a 3.5mm audio jack, along with a dual-sim card tray, and a microSD card slot. As for construction, they both feel nice to the touch.
One main difference between the two phones would be the loudspeakers. The realme C55 only comes with a single firing downward speaker, while the Infinix NOTE 30 5G features dual loudspeakers. Not to mention the Infinix speakers are tuned by JBL, so additional points to them. This will be very noticeable if you’re playing games or watching videos while using the phone’s built-in speakers.
Perhaps the biggest difference in terms of design would be the colors of the phone themselves. The Infinix NOTE 30 5G is available with louder colors, making them more flashy – perfect for gamers and users that want their phones to stand out. Meanwhile, the realme C55 looks a bit more sedate and classy with its line of color choices.
With that, the Infinix NOTE 30 5G does have an advantage thanks to its JBL-tuned dual-loud speaker setup. But if we’re talking about design alone, we leave that to you. Style is subjective after all.
Display
While the design portion might be a bit more subjective, the hardware shows the main differences between the phones. And in terms of display, the Infinix NOTE 30 5G is better equipped. It features a 6.78-inch FHD+ display, and more importantly a 120Hz refresh rate. In comparison, the realme C55 comes with a smaller 6.72-inch FHD+ display and only has a 90Hz refresh rate.
The refresh rate might not be a big factor for some users, but if you’re watching videos or playing games, you’ll notice the difference immediately.
With 120Hz, the Infinix will have smoother gameplay and even video playback, making its use more enjoyable. When playing Mobile Legends, users can even choose Ultra settings in refresh rate for a better and more competitive gaming experience.
It’s not that the 90Hz refresh rate of the realme C55 is a bad thing. For the same price point, the Infinix NOTE 30 5G is packaged better. For reference, both phones use an LCD IPS panel so expect the colors to be similar.
Cameras
As for the cameras, the Infinix NOTE 30 5G sports a triple rear camera system featuring a 108MP main sensor, 2MP depth sensor along with what Infinix calls an AI Cam system, which I think is an additional sensor. In comparison, the realme C55 only features a dual rear camera setup consisting of a 64MP main shooter and a 2MP depth sensor.
Both cameras take sharp and beautiful photos, as you can see in our full reviews of the phone. They even take advantage of the depth sensor really well, taking nice portrait photos. But having the capability to shoot at 108MP does have its advantages.
The Infinix NOTE 30 5G also has a better front camera, featuring a 16MP sensor. Meanwhile, the realme C55 only has an 8MP shooter.
However, the Infinix NOTE 30 5G has one big advantage in terms of video quality. The rear camera on the Infinix NOTE 30 5G can shoot at a maximum of 2K@30FPS, while the realme C55 is capped at 1080P@30FPS. This allows for higher quality video content, especially for those that want to capture memories or create content for their social media. Not to mention the NOTE 30 5G also has image stabilization when shooting at 1080P@30FPS, providing smoother videos when on the go.
Performance
Powering the Infinix NOTE 30 5G is a Mediatek Dimensity 6080 5G chipset, while the realme C55 uses a Mediatek Helio G88. Both of these are good mid-range processors, and they can run most apps and games like Mobile Legends without any issues.
But the advantage the Infinix has over the realme is the 5G connectivity. The NOTE 30 5G is possibly one of the most affordable smartphones to come with 5G connectivity. This means faster speeds and lower ping when playing games or streaming videos onto the phone.
As for RAM, both are equally matched. The Infinix NOTE 30 5G comes with 8GB + 8GB Extended RAM for a total of 16GB. As for the realme C55, it’s the same with 8GB RAM + 8GB Dynamic RAM Expansion. Both phones have a storage capacity of 256GB as well, and can be expanded via microSD card slot.
Both phones also run Android 13 skinned with their own specific designs on top.
Battery
Both the Infinix NOTE 30 5G and the realme C55 pack a 5,000mAh battery pack, which is standard for phones in their segments. They also come with fast charging, but the Infinix does have a faster charging. When using the included charger, the Infinix NOTE 30 5G has a maximum of 45W fast charging. Meanwhile, the realme C55 is capped at 33W.
Charging speed may not be a big factor for some users, but having faster charging speeds means less downtime with the phone. Also, you won’t have to worry about battery life draining while gaming or watching videos since you can charge the phone much faster.
Price
Perhaps one reason to consider the Infinix NOTE 30 5G over the realme C55 is the price. The SRP of the 8GB|256GB variant of the Infinix NOTE 30 5G is only PHP 9,999, making it very affordable for everything it has to offer. Meanwhile, the realme C55 with the same 8GB|256GB configuration retails for PHP 10,999.
You might think that’s just a PHP 1,000 difference, but you do have to consider the big difference in terms of hardware. The Infinix NOTE 30 5G features 5G connectivity, a 2K capable camera, and a JBL-tuned dual-loudspeaker all for less than the price of the realme C55.
We’re not saying the realme C55 is a bad phone, in fact, we thoroughly enjoyed using it in our review. However, for the price and everything the Infinix NOTE 30 5G offers, it’s hard not to choose this over the C55.
Infinix Note 30 5G specs:
6.78-inch IPS LCD, 2460 x 1080 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate
Mediatek Dimensity 6080
Mali-G57 MC2 GPU
8GB RAM
256GB internal storage
4G/LTE, 5G dual-SIM
108 MP main camera, f/1.75, PDAF
2 MP f/2.4 depth sensor
1440p @ 30fps, 1080p @ 30/60fps
16MP, f/2.0 front camera
Fingerprint sensor
XOS 13 | Android 13
5,000 mAh Li-Po battery, 45W wired
realme C55 specs:
6.72-inch FHD+ display 90Hz refresh rate
Mediatek Helio G88 SoC
Mali-G52 MCU
8GB RAM
256GB internal storage
GSM, HSPA, 4G/LTE
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
Bluetooth 5.2
GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
NFC
64MP Main sensor (f/1.9 aperture, PDAF)
2MP depth sensor
@1080p@30/60fps
8MP Selfie (f/2.0 aperture)
@1080p@30/60fps
realme UI 4.0 | Android 13
5,000 mAh Li-on battery, 33W SuperVOOC fast-charging
