5G connectivity remains somewhat of a distant dream in India right now. Yet smartphone makers have started not just offering but also expanding their portfolio of 5G smartphones in India. What started as a feature in premium flagship smartphones has now trickled down to budget smartphones as well and Realme is in the forefront of this adoption -- even if there is no 5G network to connect to. The company offers a bouquet of budget 5G smartphones -- Realme 8s 5G, Realme 8 5G and Realme Narzo 30 Pro 5G -- in India for interested buyers to pick from. Adding to this chain of budget 5G phones, the company launched the Realme Narzo 5G smartphone in India along with its non-5G variant, that is, the Realme Narzo 30.
The Realme Narzo 30 5G packs a stellar combination of features for budget buyers. A 90Hz display, 5,000mAh battery, a 48MP primary camera and of course, 5G connectivity. Interestingly, the Realme 8 5G that was launched way ahead of the Realme Narzo 30 5G offers a similar set of features and it costs just INR 15,499. So, it remains unclear why Realme would repackage Realme 8 5G to launch the Realme Narzo 30 5G.
That said, the mentioned specifications at a price point of mere 16 grand sure sounds like a lucrative proposition. The real question is, is the Realme Narzo 30 5G worth buying or not? We will answer that and more questions that you might have in the review below. So keep reading...
Realme Narzo 30 5G: Design
Let’s start with the design.
The Realme Narzo 30 5G comes with a polycarbonate back with what Realme describes as a ‘Racing Silver’ design. Silver owing to the colour. The phone also comes in a Racing Blue colour variant. It features a triple-rear camera setup that is placed inside a vertically placed camera module that is stacked towards the left side. This camera module is placed on top a silver strip with downward-facing arrow finish. The phone features a metallic chassis with a flat-screen design, all of which make the phone look quite sleek and premium. However, the back is a fingerprint magnet. Thankfully, Realme ships a transparent back cover that keeps smudges at bay.
Additionally, the Realme Narzo 30 5G comes with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner that is embedded in the phone’s power button, which makes unlocking the phone a breeze owing to its placement.
There are many things to like in the Narzo 30 5G smartphone when it comes to the overall design. Aside from the gorgeous back panel, the Narzo 30 5G is incredibly comfortable to hold and obviously, use. It sits nicely in the palm of your hand and it doesn’t slip at all. What adds to it -- positively I might say -- is that at 185g it is light to hold even when used for a prolonged period of time. However, the transparent back cover does add to the overall weight.
Overall, the Realme Narzo 30 5G is a gorgeous piece of gadget.
Realme Narzo 30 5G: Display
Coming to the Narzo 30 5G features a 6.5-inch Full HD+ display with a resolution of 1080x2400 pixels and screen refresh rate of 90Hz. To add to that, it offers a peak brightness of 600 nits. Design wise, the Realme Narzo 30 5G comes with thin bezels on the sides and on the top and a slightly thick chin. On the top, it has a punch-hole design that is stacked towards the left side of the display.
In terms of usage, the Narzo 30 5G has a decent display that is easy to read even in the bright sunlight. It may not have the brightest screen that we have seen in sub-20K smartphones but it is certainly one of the good ones. The screen is well lit and smooth to use, especially while playing, thanks to its 90Hz refresh rate. It has sharp contrast ratios with a decent amount of contrast. Overall, the display is definitely one of the better features of the Narzo 30 5G smartphone.
Realme Narzo 30 5G: Camera
Talking about the camera, the Realme Narzo 30 5G features a triple rear camera setup, which includes a 48MP primary camera, a Black and White lens and a macro lens. On the front, it has a 16MP selfie shooter.
Technical details aside, the Narzo 30 5G comes with a decent camera setup if not a great one. The images are crisp and clear with decent details in shadows. However, colours tend to be a bit oversaturated. And while the phone doesn’t have a telephoto lens, it does offer 2x and 5x digital zoom options to the users, with the performance dipping every time.
In low-light conditions, the performance of the Narzo 30 5G smartphone dips dramatically. While it does manage to expose the images right, clarity takes a hit. However, Night Mode does help save the day by capturing details more accurately.
The selfie camera, on the other hand, manages to capture sharp images with decent depth and clarity. However, I do find them a tad bit saturated. The images captured in bright indoor light come out clean with the right amount of colour and contrast. However, the images captured in low-light conditions are marred with noise.
Overall, the camera of the Realme Narzo 30 5G offers a mixed bag of performance.
Realme Narzo 30 5G: Performance
Now the most important aspect of this review, that is, performance.
The Realme Narzo 30 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 700U 5G processor that is coupled with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage space. In practice, the Narzo 30 5G is a decent performer. It handles everything that you throw at it with ease and poise. My daily routine involves a bit of social media time, an hour or two of watching shows or movies and endless emails and messages with a call every now and then. During my time with the phone, it worked smoothly without a single hiccup. The side-mounted fingerprint sensor worked equally flawlessly.
Coming to the software, the Realme Narzo 30 5G runs on Android 11 OS. While the interface is quite simple to use, it is marred with bloatware. There are apps that you don’t need or haven’t heard of. Fortunately, you can easily uninstall most of these apps. Then there are some, you just cannot touch.
Lastly, the battery. The Narzo 30 5G features a 5,000mAh battery which lasted between a day to a-day-and-a-half for me on weekdays. On the weekends, it stayed out a tad bit longer as I refrain using my phone then. However, it takes forever to recharge. It took me over two hours to charge the battery completely, which is a bummer.
Overall, the Narzo 30 5G is a decent performer with long battery life.
Realme Narzo 30 5G: Conclusion
Now, the most important question of the review: should you buy the Realme Narzo 30 5G or not.
The answer to this question isn’t as straightforward as it might seem. It is true that the Narzo 30 5G features a gorgeous design with a well-lit display, a decent camera with a good core and long battery life. However, it has its minus as well -- long charging time and a mixed bag of camera performance. All of these make the Narzo 30 5G a fair buy. But if you are looking for something better, the Realme Narzo 30 Pro 5G, which is priced at INR 16,999 presents itself as a better proposition, especially with its 120Hz display.
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