realme C3 announced: This is easily the most powerful $100 phone

realme has teased the realme C3 for a few weeks now, being the latest addition to the super-cheap smartphone family. The brand has finally launched the device today, and it might be one of the most powerful, long-lasting budget phones on the market.

Probably the biggest change over the realme C2 is the 12nm Helio G70 processor, which marks the first time we see powerful Arm CPU cores in the realme C family (two Cortex-A75 and six Cortex-A55 cores). This should put the phone on a similar footing as the realme 5. In fact, single-core performance should theoretically be better than the realme 5, as the G70’s Cortex-A75 CPU is newer and more powerful than the realme 5’s Snapdragon 665 CPUs (multi-core is another matter).

You’re also getting a Mali-G52 MC2 GPU, which should be fine for mobile gamers on a budget. Either way, wallet-conscious consumers with performance high on their wishlist should be happy.

The second noteworthy realme C3 feature is the 5,000mAh battery, which is 1,000mAh more than the realme C2 and in line with Xiaomi’s recent Redmi devices.

Other features worth knowing include a splash-resistant design, 12MP+2MP rear camera setup, 5MP selfie snapper, and 6.5-inch HD+ LCD screen. Otherwise, dual-SIM support, a microSD slot, microUSB port (no USB-C here), and realme UI atop Android 10 rounds out the package. Don’t expect a fingerprint scanner here, much like the Redmi A series.

The realme C3 starts at Rs. 6,999 (~$98) for the 3GB/32GB model, while the 4GB/64GB variant will set you back Rs. 7,999 (~$112). Sales kick off in India via Flipkart from 14 February.