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.

TECNO-Pova-3-NoypiGeeks

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.

Realme-C35-NoypiGeeks
TECNO Pova 3Realme C35
Operating SystemAndroid 12
HiOS
Android 11
Realme UI R Edition
Display6.9-inch FHD+ IPS
90Hz refresh rate
6.6-inch FHD+ IPS
2408 x 1080 pixel resolution
401ppi
180Hz touch sampling
ProcessorMediaTek Helio G88
Graphite cooling
2.0GHz UNISOC Tiger T616 octa-core
RAM6GB
up to 11GB via virtual RAM expansion
4GB RAM
GPUMali-G52 MC2Mali-G57 MP1
Storage128GB
expandable via microSD
64GB/128GB
UFS 2.2
expandable via microSD
Front Camera8-megapixel8-megapixel
Rear Camera50-megapixel
2-megapixel
AI lens
LED flash
50-megapixel (f/1.8, PDAF)
2-megapixel (macro)
2-megapixel (monochrome)
LED flash
AudioStereo speakers
DTS audio
Headphone jack
Single loudspeaker
Headphone jack
ConnectivityHSPA+, 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
SecuritySide-mounted fingerprint scanner
Face unlock
Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
Face unlock
OthersLED back light (Electric Blue only)
ColorsEco Black
Tech Silver
Electric Blue
Glowing Black
Glowing Green
Dimensions and Weight164.4 x 75.6 x 8.1mm
189g
Battery and Charging7,000mAh
25W charging support
33W adapter included
5,000mAh
18W charging
Price6GB/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-Pova-3-Price-Philippines-NoypiGeeks

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.

Realme-C35-colors-NoypiGeeks

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.

TECNO-Pova-3-NoypiGeeks-5614

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.

Realme-C35-NoypiGeeks-5612

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.

TECNO-Pova-3-Specs-Features-NoypiGeeks

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.

Realme-C35-Specs-Features-NoypiGeeks

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.

TECNO-Pova-3-NoypiGeeks-5611

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

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