The Philippines is still one of the biggest markets for entry-level smartphones, especially those that are priced under Php10,000. With tons of options out there, we want to help you narrow your options by comparing two of the latest additions in this category.
First, we have the brand-new TECNO Pova 3. Like its siblings, this one has amped up numbers in its specs sheet in an attempt to lure customers in.
We’ll be comparing it to Realme’s latest entry-level device. The new Realme C35, similar to other C-series devices, wants to be the top choice for people who are looking for a reliable smartphone that doesn’t break the bank.
The question is, which between these two is worth your hard-earned money? We find out in our TECNO Pova 3 versus Realme C35 specifications and features comparison.
| TECNO Pova 3 | Realme C35 | |
| Operating System | Android 12 HiOS | Android 11 Realme UI R Edition |
| Display | 6.9-inch FHD+ IPS 90Hz refresh rate | 6.6-inch FHD+ IPS 2408 x 1080 pixel resolution 401ppi 180Hz touch sampling |
| Processor | MediaTek Helio G88 Graphite cooling | 2.0GHz UNISOC Tiger T616 octa-core |
| RAM | 6GB up to 11GB via virtual RAM expansion | 4GB RAM |
| GPU | Mali-G52 MC2 | Mali-G57 MP1 |
| Storage | 128GB expandable via microSD | 64GB/128GB UFS 2.2 expandable via microSD |
| Front Camera | 8-megapixel | 8-megapixel |
| Rear Camera | 50-megapixel 2-megapixel AI lens LED flash | 50-megapixel (f/1.8, PDAF) 2-megapixel (macro) 2-megapixel (monochrome) LED flash |
| Audio | Stereo speakers DTS audio Headphone jack | Single loudspeaker Headphone jack |
| Connectivity | HSPA+, 4G LTE WiFi, WiFi hotspot Bluetooth GPS, A-GPS USB Type-C | HSPA+, 4G LTE WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band Bluetooth 5.0 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS FM radio USB Type-C |
| Security | Side-mounted fingerprint scanner Face unlock | Side-mounted fingerprint scanner Face unlock |
| Others | LED back light (Electric Blue only) | – |
| Colors | Eco Black Tech Silver Electric Blue | Glowing Black Glowing Green |
| Dimensions and Weight | – | 164.4 x 75.6 x 8.1mm 189g |
| Battery and Charging | 7,000mAh 25W charging support 33W adapter included | 5,000mAh 18W charging |
| Price | 6GB/128GB: Php8,999 6GB/128GB (Electric Blue): Php9,399 | 4GB/64GB: Php8,499 4GB/128GB: Php9,499 |
Design and Build Quality
As we always say, judging whether a smartphone looks good or not is subjective since everyone has their own preference. However, we might have to hand the win to the TECNO Pova 3 due to one technicality.
TECNO’s budget phone comes with an Electric Blue color, which boasts LED lighting on the back. This enhances its gamer-y look, and we won’t lie that it’s really cool for a budget smartphone. It also has a punch-hole for the selfie camera, instead of the traditional waterdrop notch, for better looks.
But if you want something that looks cleaner and more elegant, the Realme C35 and its iPhone 13-like design and flat edges sure looks like a stunner.
Oh, and since the competition has an enormous screen, those who want a more compact smartphone might want to go with the C35.
Winner: Tie
Display and Sound
As stated earlier, the TECNO Pova 3 has a gigantic 6.9-inch screen. That’s only about an inch shy of being a tablet. This gives you more room for playing games, watching videos, and multitasking, compared to the 6.6-inch display of the competition.
If that’s not enough, the Pova 3 also has a faster 90Hz refresh rate and stereo speakers to go with the impressive screen. — features that the C35 lack.
Winner: TECNO Pova 3
Hardware and Performance
It’s a neck and neck race in this department. The Realme C35 is powered by a UNISOC T616, which slightly edges the MediaTek Helio G88 chipset of the POVA 3 in CPU performance.
However, the MediaTek chip manages to outshine the UNISOC in battery efficiency performance.
Ultimately, we gotta hand the win to the POVA 3 due to the extra boost the 6GB of RAM (vs 4GB) provides. It also has graphite cooling that helps the temps stay as low as possible even after hours of gaming.
Winner: TECNO Pova 3
Battery
An easy win for the TECNO Pova 3. As you can see, it has a whopping 7,000mAh battery, which is one of the biggest in any price range. The Realme C35 settles for the standard 5,000mAh.
The POVA 3 also has a 25W charging support with a 33W adapter included in the box. It would charge longer despite the C35’s slower 18W adapter, but you can’t beat that large battery.
Winner: TECNO Pova 3
Camera
Both the POVA 3 and C35 managed to have sharp 50-megapixel main cameras and 8-megapixel selfie cameras.
Related
However, the C35 gets this win by having a triple camera setup on the back while the POVA 3 only settles for two.
Winner: Realme C35
Conclusion
Going with the TECNO POVA 3 over the Realme C35 is a no-brainer. It has a more interesting design, a larger and faster screen, more RAM capacity, and an enormous battery.
All that while keeping a pretty competitive price tag. The POVA 3 comes in a single 6GB/128GB configuration for Php8,999. You may dd Php400 to get the Electric Blue color with LED lights.
But if you want something that’s smaller and easy to carry around, then you might want to consider the Realme C35. It has a starting price of Php8,499.
Overall Winner: TECNO Pova 3