Realme Narzo 30A: Unboxing and A Detailed First Look
Here is a comprehensive look at the Realme Narzo 30A, based on its unboxing and initial impressions. This phone was launched alongside other devices, and this review will cover everything from its in-box contents to its real-world performance.
What’s Inside the Box?
The phone comes in a standard yellow Realme box. Upon opening, you are greeted with a “Welcome to the Realme Family” message. Inside, you will find the standard documentation, a green-colored TPU case of good quality, and the phone itself.
Diving deeper into the box, there is an 18W fast-charging brick and a USB Type-C cable. These are all the contents included in the retail packaging.
Design, Build, and In-Hand Feel
The device reviewed is the green color variant, which also comes in red and white. The included green case fits the phone snugly and provides good protection, with a raised lip to protect the screen if it falls. In the hand, the phone feels nice and not excessively heavy, despite its weight.
On a scale, the phone weighs 202 grams. Although it is over 200 grams, its excellent weight distribution makes it feel lighter in the hand. The build consists of a plastic back with Gorilla Glass protection on the front, though the specific version of the glass (e.g., 3, 4, or 5) is not specified.
A Tour of Ports and Buttons
Looking at the ports and buttons, the bottom of the phone houses a 3.5mm headphone jack, a microphone, a USB Type-C port, and a speaker grille. The right side features the on/off power button. The top of the device is clean with no ports or microphones. The left side contains the volume up and down buttons and the SIM card tray. The SIM tray is a dedicated slot, allowing for two SIM cards and a microSD card to be used simultaneously.
Display Specifications
The Realme Narzo 30A is a tall phone, and the first thing you notice is its display. It features an HD+ display, not a Full HD panel. The brightness is adequate for most situations, but you may face some visibility issues when viewing it in the dark.
Software and Performance Insights
This device runs on Android 10 with Realme UI on top. During initial use, a bit of lag was noticeable. At times, the phone would freeze when switching between applications, such as from one app to the camera. While it runs on the latest Android 10, there are some minor bugs present.
A contributing factor to the slowness is the eMMC storage type; a faster UFS storage would have been preferable. The phone is equipped with LPDDR4X RAM, which is decent.
Battery Life Expectations
The phone is powered by a large 5,000 mAh battery. The battery performance is very good, primarily because the HD+ display consumes less power than a Full HD screen. With moderate use, you can expect the battery to last for one and a half to two days.
Security Features: Fingerprint and Face Unlock
The Realme Narzo 30A comes with all the necessary sensors, including a physical fingerprint sensor located in a traditional position on the back. The fingerprint sensor is not bad; it is quite fast and unlocks the phone as soon as you touch it. Face Unlock is also available and works very well.
Connectivity and Key Features
For connectivity, the phone supports 4G VoLTE and Wi-Fi calling. It also includes an FM radio. There is no notification light on this smartphone. The device has Camera2API support and Widevine L3 certification, which is suitable for its HD+ screen. Additionally, Dark Mode is available, and the SAR values are within the prescribed limits.
Multimedia Experience
The multimedia experience is decent. When watching videos, the top and side bezels are slim, while the bottom chin is of a moderate size. Videos look good on the screen, but it is important to remember that this is an HD+ display, not an AMOLED panel. The audio quality is average.
Camera Capabilities
The camera setup features a 13MP primary sensor (Samsung S5K3L6) and a 2MP secondary sensor. On the front, there is an 8MP camera for selfies. The photos taken are generally good, but you can judge the quality for yourself from the on-screen samples.
Gaming Performance on the Helio G85
The phone is powered by the Helio G85 processor, which achieves an AnTuTu score of over 200,000. For regular day-to-day use, there are no issues, and transitions are smooth.
However, when it comes to gaming, the performance is a bit of a letdown. High-end games can only be played on lower settings. For example, you can only play on medium settings in some titles, and even then, some frame drops were observed. More was expected from the G85 processor, but even at medium settings, you will definitely notice frame drops.
Final Verdict on a ₹12,000 Smartphone
The performance is a critical point of discussion because this phone is priced at ₹12,000. At this price point, a certain level of performance is expected. In my opinion, if this phone were priced between ₹10,000 and ₹11,000, it would be a decent option. However, at ₹12,000, it feels slightly overpriced.
