Realme Narzo 30: Elevating Budget Smartphone Standards with Performance and Style!

The Narzo 20 from Realme was a solid budget smartphone released in 2020, designed to provide essential features at an accessible entry price of Rs. 10,499. As noted in our review, its heft and plastic construction did not convey a premium feel. In performance terms, it had difficulty with gaming applications. However, in 2021, Realme has introduced a significantly improved model. Starting at a slightly higher price of Rs. 12,499 (4GB RAM + 64GB storage), this new iteration offers enhanced features that make it a compelling option for budget-conscious consumers looking for better performance.

Additionally, Realme has unveiled the Narzo 30 5G (First Impressions), which is an entirely different model featuring 5G support, a more powerful processor, a display with a 90Hz refresh rate, and a 5,000mAh battery, all housed in a slimmer design. It is competitively priced at Rs. 15,999 with a configuration of 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. So, which version of Narzo should you choose? Are there better options available?

Pricing and Variants of Realme Narzo 30

The Realme Narzo 30 is offered in two different RAM and storage configurations. The entry-level model includes 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage for Rs. 12,499, while the higher variant features 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage for Rs. 14,499. Conversely, the Realme Narzo 30 5G comes in one variant with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage and is priced at Rs. 15,999. This pricing is justified considering the superior specifications and 5G capabilities it includes, although it approaches the cost of the more advanced Narzo 30.

Design of Realme Narzo 30

In comparison to the Narzo 20, which had a rather plain appearance, the Narzo 30 presents a more attractive design. It is available in two striking finishes: Racing Silver and Racing Blue. We evaluated the Racing Silver variant, which gives off a premium vibe. Both options feature a distinctive shimmering strip that runs through the camera setup.

The frame and rear panel of the Narzo 30 are composed of plastic. The glossy finish tends to attract dust and fingerprints. It exhibits some flex when pressure is applied, although overall, it feels well-constructed without any creaks. The device is slightly thick at 9.4mm, weighing in at 192g, but remains comfortable to hold with a solid grip due to its seamless design transitioning from the display to the frame to the back.

Weighing only 192g, the Realme Narzo 30 is fairly lightweight

 

Located at the bottom are a 3.5mm headphone jack, a Type-C USB port, the primary microphone, and a speaker. The volume controls are situated on the left side, while the power button integrates the fingerprint sensor on the right.

A significant upgrade in the Narzo 30 compared to the Narzo 20 is its display. It features a 6.5-inch LCD panel with a boosted 90Hz refresh rate, and the resolution has improved from HD+ on the Narzo 20 to full-HD+.

Specifications and Software of Realme Narzo 30

Equipped with MediaTek’s gaming-centric Helio G95 processor, the Narzo 30 presents two high-performance 2.05GHz Cortex-A76 cores alongside six power-efficient 2.0GHz Cortex-A55 cores. Graphics rendering is managed by a Mali-G76 GPU running at 900MHz. Depending on your selected variant, the phone comes with either 4GB or 6GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 64GB or 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage, and microSD card support for expansion up to 256GB. Connectivity options include dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5, and NFC.

The Realme Narzo 30 operates on Realme UI 2.0, which is based on Android 11

 

The device runs on Realme UI 2.0, built on Android 11. This software allows a degree of customization for icon shapes, system colors, fonts, and notification tray icons. Although there were some preinstalled third-party applications like Amazon, Snapchat, Facebook, and Soloop on my review unit, they did not interfere with my everyday usage unless activated. A number of Realme-owned apps such as DocVault, Community, HeyFun, Realme Link, and Realme Store were also included. While some of these can be uninstalled, not all can be removed. Most of these apps, aside from the Theme Store, didn’t cause any intrusive notifications.

Performance and Battery Life of Realme Narzo 30

The MediaTek Helio G95 processor managed the operating system smoothly, providing a lag-free experience during everyday tasks. Applications opened rapidly, and multitasking was effortless on the 6GB RAM variant I tested, with most apps remaining active in memory. Benchmark scores were impressive, achieving 356,846 points in AnTuTu, and 532 and 1,700 in Geekbench’s single and multi-core tests respectively.

Gaming on the Narzo 30 was seamless and fluid, although it tended to heat up under heavy usage. Call of Duty: Mobile operated smoothly on High graphics and frame rate settings by default. While the phone kept cool under these settings, switching to Very High increased its temperature noticeably. Although Asphalt 9: Legends wasn’t available, I tried playing Space Marshals 3, which looked visually captivating on the Narzo 30’s display. The phone heated up when played at Medium detail settings, but lowering it to Low resolved the overheating issue.

The Realme Narzo 30 quickly charges, reaching a full battery in just over an hour

 

Powered by a 5,000mAh battery, the Narzo 30 easily lasted a day and a half during my tests. My activities included browsing through social media, checking emails, using Slack, taking some pictures, an hour of gaming, and an hour of video streaming. The included 30W charger enabled rapid charging, reaching 55% in 30 minutes, 99% in an hour, and achieving a full charge in one hour and ten minutes.

Cameras on Realme Narzo 30

The Realme Narzo 30 boasts a triple camera setup on the rear consisting of a 48-megapixel f/1.8 primary camera, a 2-megapixel monochrome camera, and a 2-megapixel macro camera. For selfies, there is a 16-megapixel f/2.1 camera. The camera interface is user-friendly, with key controls just a tap away. Additional settings for timer and framing are accessible in a side tray. It’s essential to note that only two of the three rear cameras are user-accessible—the monochrome camera activates solely in Portrait mode for depth calculations.

The Realme Narzo 30 is equipped with a triple rear camera setup featuring a 48-megapixel primary sensor

 

Images captured in ample daylight exhibited sharpness, vibrant colors, and good dynamic range, with details preserved in the darker areas. At 2X digital zoom, the quality diminished as clarity dropped; 3X zoom photos were largely unusable and resembled paintings. The 2-megapixel macro camera yielded mediocre photos with average detail but inaccurate hues, and being fixed-focus made it a challenge to capture sharp images with unsteady hands.

Samples of daylight photography taken with the Realme Narzo 30. Top to bottom: Standard, 2X digital zoom, 3X digital zoom (click to view full size)

 

Images from the Portrait mode using the rear camera were vibrant and detailed during the day, albeit with average edge detection. The 16-megapixel front camera took satisfactory selfies, though edge detection in Portrait mode was again below expectations.

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Low-light camera shots from the Realme Narzo 30. Top: Auto mode, bottom: Night mode (click to view full size)

 

In low-light conditions, the rear camera had challenges focusing for regular shots and when in Portrait mode. This issue persisted with landscape photos, which turned out hazy and noisy. While Night mode enhanced detail and brightness to some extent, results were inconsistent and largely depended on available lighting.

Videos recorded in 1080p during the daytime appeared oversharpened with insufficient detail, but stabilized well. In 4K, video quality improved with better detail, though shaky footage was common due to the lack of stabilization. Low-light video captured at 1080p was noisy and mostly unfit for use, while 4K improved the detail but still retained significant noise.

Conclusion

Your choice between the Narzo 30 and Narzo 30 5G should reflect your budget and specific needs. The smartphone market is saturated with appealing alternatives, and given that 5G networks have yet to fully roll out, you may want to consider focusing on cost or other desirable features. If you are inclined toward a future-ready mobile device, the Narzo 30 5G clearly stands out as the superior option.

If you’re budget-conscious and don’t require 5G, then the Realme Narzo 30 (starting at Rs 12,499) is a practical budget smartphone offering superior everyday user experience, mid-range gaming capabilities, decent daylight photography, and solid battery life. However, Xiaomi’s Redmi 10S (Review) adds an 8MP ultra-wide angle camera, a Super AMOLED display, 33W fast charging, stereo speakers, and an IP53 rating for dust and water resistance for just an additional Rs. 500. In many respects, the Redmi 10S provides a more appealing overall package.

For an extra Rs. 1,500, Poco’s M3 Pro 5G (Review) priced at Rs. 13,999 is also a worthwhile consideration, providing future-ready specifications akin to the Narzo 30 5G, albeit featuring 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage.

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