Hands-On

realme Note 50 hands-on: A decent start

Long-lasting value companion

Published

January 19, 2024

realme’s recent rebranding has led to the birth of the realme Note series. It’s positioned as “long-lasting value” smartphones. As realme previously mentioned, the C series now falls under “Essential Plus” while numbered series will soon focus on more capable cameras.

The realme Note 50 is the company’s maiden offering under this series after the rebrand. Think of it as if realme split the “entry-level” segment further into “basic” for the Note series and “basic plus” for the C series.

Part of me thinks this release was rushed. On the other hand, there might be some genius in it, too. Listening to your market better to understand their needs sounds good. That’s what founder and CEO Sky Li promised, right? Using a budget phone to test the waters is a low-risk move.

The realme Note 50 is priced at an extremely low introductory rate of just PhP 3,599. Here’s what you’ll get:

Unisoc T612 processor
6.74-inch 90Hz display
4GB RAM + 64GB internal storage
5,000mAh battery
13MP AI camera
5MP selfie camera
Bluetooth, 3.5mm and USB Type-C slots, dual SIM slots
4G connectivity

For a limited time, customers may get it for an even astoundingly lower rate of PhP 2,499 on TikTok (January 23) and Shopee (January 24).

Watch our realme Note 50 Unboxing.

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Is the #realmeNote50 the best kind of basic? #realme #makeitreal #realmenote

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Appearance

The realme Note 50 comes in a two-tone colorway of either Sky Blue or Midnight Black. It likewise has a triangular triple camera cluster design adopted by most manufacturers since the iPhone popularized it.

It has the right amount of “lightweight” feel to it and has a comfortable grip. The display has sufficient brightness when you need to be on your phone outdoors.

Budget phones usually get wrapped with protective gear or plastic, but the realme Note 50’s IP54 rating will be of great help.

Performance

The specs do not look enticing at all, but it doesn’t have to be. What’s great about basic phones is that their target market has always remained consistent.

The realme Note 50 is intended for essential workers, entry-level employees, or even students on tight budgets. What they have in common is that they always have their hands full.

It could be a delivery rider just needing navigation apps to work or take photos or parcels. It could be small business owners just needing a basic device to communicate quicker for transactions. For others, it’s to kill time by browsing Instagram reels or TikTok.

The realme Note 50 did all of that in the few days it was with us. It worked just alright for its intended purpose. On top of basic features, it even has streaming, e-commerce, and even hotel booking apps pre-installed.

There are a few hiccups as expected too. There are times where the screen lags or there are delays when switching in between apps. Sometimes, it defaults back to the home screen when multiple apps are open. But these are all to remind that this device is function and purpose over “premium” features.

Battery

The realme Note 50 has a 5,000mAh battery, making it suitable for all-day use. It only consumes about 10% per hour if you won’t use it heavily.

On the downside, it does not have quick-charging like other budget options. But I don’t think it will be an issue for users who are busy with other tasks.

Camera

The device has a 13MP main camera which works decently outdoors. What’s good about the camera app is its quick response time when you press the capture button. As long as you don’t move your hands too much or shoot while moving, the camera is enough for practical purposes.

With proper natural lighting, the camera is also capable indoors. For other subjects, it’s up to you to experiment, like placing them near windows or using a ring light for extra brightness.

I also tried taking a photo of a valid ID and it was able to focus properly and retain details. That should be enough when filling out online forms or opening a new e-wallet account.

In front is a 5MP selfie camera which obviously lacks sharpness and clarity. No complaints though, as this phone isn’t primarily for leisure or luxury.

Overall: A decent start

At less than PhP 4,000, the realme Note 50 is a decent choice for those who simply need a phone that works minus heavy usage. They can be customers just starting to work after finishing school or reaching their 20s, or entry-level employees who are yet to get to an ideal salary range.

The phone can also serve as a short-term alternative for notes, media and documents storage, and everything in between.

At the same time, the device needs necessary improvements. We’ll give realme the benefit of the doubt, since it’s too early to judge their new series. Besides, if the whole point of the rebranding is to understand their audience’s needs and preferences better, I’m sure they’ll figure it out.

Hands-On

OPPO Reno15 F 5G hands-on

More question marks than exclamation points?

Published

March 6, 2026

Manila Connoisseur

The OPPO Reno15 Series 5G made its way to the Philippines last month, and reception has been pretty great so far.

With a powerful camera package, AI, and a slew of upgrades, there’s a lot to love and not much negative to say. But that’s with both the standard and Pro models.

On the other hand, with the Reno15 F 5G — the series’ supposed budget-friendly “lite” variant —there were more question marks than exclamation points.

I attack this piece once more from a consumer standpoint: shelling out PhP 23,000 to PhP 26,000 for a midrange smartphone that feels and performs like it’s a few notches below its segment doesn’t sound too pleasant.

Performance

With a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor, the OPPO Reno15 F performs pretty much like any sub PhP 20,000 mid-ranger. It’s acceptable, but does not punch above its weight as expected.

No major hiccups for light and casual usage. But performance struggles a lot for demanding video games.

It also heats up significantly just 10 minutes into a title like Honkai: Star Rail. This is a stark contrast to the marketed 25℃ and up to 10 hours straight of smooth gameplay.

Although, the experience was still enjoyable with several wins and MVP runs in Call of Duty Mobile. It only means the F variant remains a more camera-centric phone rather than an a hard-hitting all-arounder.

As with other devices, the 7000mAh battery with 80W SUPERVOOC is a strong suit. You’re fueled from dawn ’til dusk, with much to spare. Recharging takes a breeze, too.

Display

The OPPO Reno15 F has a 6.57-inch 120Hz display, with a 92.8% screen-to-body ratio. At least, that allows you to focus on content on the screen.

Content leans more towards the cooler tone, so you’ll have to adjust it manually if you want a warmer or more vivid look.

The 397ppi pixel density is fine to ensure sharper visuals, while the 1400 nits peak brightness is helpful outdoors.

Camera

The device’s 50MP main camera captures decent quality. The color science leans on being natural anew, without being too dull nor washed out. You can pull off smooth portraits too.

I hardly used the phone for stills as I focused on videos, but here are some samples, on the occasions I was able to take the handset with me:

The 50MP front camera is an intriguing add-on, as it is capable of up to 4K video and a wide 100° field of view.

What this does is it essentially removes the need to flip your phone for the popular “0.5” shots. And the quality doesn’t get compromised given the pixel count.

Here are some selfies from different focal lengths:

To its credit, filming with the back camera at 60fps does look and feel smooth, although it can be improved.

Same with the front camera; and the zoom range can be switched from 0.6 to 2x without cutting the recording.

Although, it’s still best to use a selfie stick or small tripod if you’re just after talking head videos.

Speaking of which, here are a few I’ve made with just this device:

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But for travel and on-the-go captures, as OPPO markets for the series in general, even the Reno15 F can cover a lot of background along with your or your groups’ faces.

Make no mistake, there are some useful AI editing features here. In particular, AI Portrait Glow gives your raw capture an effect to make it look it was taken with flash.

I do not recall the device heating up as well when taking many photos or videos, so you can say it’s more optimized for that task rather than gaming.

Connectivity issues

Meanwhile, AI LinkBoost 3.0, as in the case of the OPPO A6 Pro, doesn’t seem to punch above its weight either.

Once, I also played Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and the session opened to a jittery start despite being on Wi-Fi and having a stable connection. I don’t know what triggered this.

Design, feel

We got the Aurora Blue variant which does kind of resemble the northern lights when you tilt the phone a certain way and when light hits its back panel.

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The cursive “Reno” on the large, protruding camera island gives it more style.

However, it’s all just aesthetics. On the downside, the phone is all sorts of slippery.

I couldn’t hold it properly without think of it slipping away from my hands; nor could I put it on my lap with confidence.

So I guess it’s good that it has structural integrity and waterproofing, because you’ll need that.

oplus_16

The 6.57-inch body does have a good balance between being too compact and too large, like ultras and pro maxes.

It has a squarish body and has already adapted to the premium, aluminum frame look from the sides.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

Sadly, the OPPO Reno15 F 5G is a Swipe Left unlike its bigger, more capable siblings. There are plenty of plus points for the camera package but take that away, and I don’t see much difference between the Reno15 F and something like the A6 Pro.

Granted, the asking price of this phone will drop significantly in a few months. But throw in a little more, and you’ve got a legitimate mid-ranger that’s more on the premium side rather than the cheap end of the spectrum.