In March 2023, realme and TECNO both introduced their affordable mid-range smartphones, the realme C55 and TECNO Spark 10 Pro. As can be observed from several reviews, both smartphones have great specs, but customers will only choose the one that best meets their requirements, so here we are to assist you in making your decision by comparing the two! Buckle up and read on woo hoo~
realme C55 VS TECNO Spark 10 Pro
(Click the smartphone names for the link to their specs page!☺️)
Let’s start with a quick overview of the two smartphones!
The realme C55 is simply a flex to show how premium features like the “Dynamic Island” can easily be part of budget-friendly phones. This phone seems to have all the features to qualify as the most premium device in the affordable Realme C-lineup.
With its outstanding ultra-clear selfie camera, the Spark 10 Pro gives users more self-expression confidence by letting them capture better, brighter selfies. With enhanced features including Super Night Mode 3.0 and AI Portrait Restoration, it offers more pixels and improved photosensitive performance. For the cost, it also offers decent specifications.
Now unto the comparison:
First off, is the Processor!
There is nothing to cover here because both smartphones have the same processor, the Mediatek Helio G88. The G88 is quite a decent processor for light tasks and gaming, but not enough if a user is a hardcore gamer and quite an avid fan of multitasking. Still, because the two smartphones have the same processor, this section is a draw for both smartphones.
realme C55 – 1
TECNO Spark 10 Pro – 1
Next is the Design
Design-wise, the Realme C55 is a stunning smartphone, despite its plastic build. It boasts a premium look and feels, with a dual-tone finish on the back panel and a glossy accent around the cameras. The matte surface with a fine texture not only adds to the visual appeal but also provides a comfortable grip.
The phone also has flat edges and curved corners, which fit snugly in the hand, making it easy to hold for extended periods without experiencing any fatigue. We have the Rainforest variant which is a good color variant to look at and flaunt in public. The matte finish also ensures that the surface stays free of fingerprints and smudges.
Unto the TECNO Spark 10 Pro. The back panel of the Spark 10 Pro is made up of both glossy and frosted areas, but the glossy section has been reduced to just the lens module. Additionally, the back panel has been upgraded with a new material called Starry glass, which is highly scratch-resistant and feels very smooth to the touch.
The division between matte and sand-blast texture and the very beautiful camera area makes up for a very elegant device. TECNO is focusing on the artistic / presentation of this device and has surely succeeded in it.
Now, we will provide points for realme in this area. With the matte finish being basic yet beautiful and incredibly eye-pleasing, realme simply handled the design really nicely. Whilst it exudes a premium appearance, the Spark 10 Pro’s design is a close second to the realme’s since realme’s design is sleeker and aesthetically beautiful because of the added rainlike designs.
realme C55 – 2
TECNO Spark 10 Pro – 1
Next is the RAM and Storage!
Users benefit greatly from having adequate RAM and storage since a smartphone with insufficient storage is extremely irritating to use due to sporadic hangs, app crashes, and poorly performing background operations.
Well, this is straightforward, higher numbers mean better RAM and storage. The realme C55 has two variants, a 6+128GB combo, and an 8+256GB combo. Decent enough but not quite because the TECNO Spark 10 Pro is miles above in this aspect – with two variants, an 8+128GB and 16+256GB variant. Well, the clear winner in this section is the TECNO Spark 10 Pro! Having higher RAM enables the TECNO Spark 10 Pro to have a smoother and more reliable performance.
realme C55 – 2
TECNO Spark 10 Pro – 2
Now, for the Display!
Nowadays, having a nice smartphone display is practically a need. As most people just use their smartphones to view their favorite movies and television shows and play certain games, having a bigger display with a high resolution is important when purchasing a smartphone.
The 6.72-inch IPS LCD screen of the Realme C55 features a punch hole in the middle. The screen has a peak brightness of 680 nits and a refresh rate of 90Hz. The excellent resolution more than makes up for the typical budget panel’s shortcomings by providing a pleasurable viewing experience whether playing games or watching TV shows and movies.
Although the colors and details are attractive, the viewing angles may be better. Yet, unless in direct sunshine, the 680 nits brightness enables pleasant outdoor viewing. The bezels aren’t incredibly thin. The punch hole is a typical size and has no discernible impact on how well you can see.
The thing is, the punch hole may further be converted into a small capsule via software magic. Now this is its main selling point! How about the TECNO Spark 10 Pro though?
The TECNO Spark 10 Pro comes with a 6.8-inch IPS LCD panel. The optimized screen design enables a better visual experience and makes the scrolling smoother and touch feedback more sensitive for mobile entertainment including playing games and watching videos.
It has an 85.6% screen-to-body ratio and a resolution of 1080 x 2460 pixels. This means that we get 395 ppi of density, an impressive screen quality with a 90Hz refresh rate. The panel is not very bright, you will have to shade it in mid-summer sun. The colors and angles of view are good. Generally, this is a good budget panel for all kinds of usage.
Although the TECNO smartphone has a little bigger display than the realme smartphone and features a dynamic island, both smartphones have very identical displays (but the dynamic island needs more software updates for more added functionality). Both the smartphones’ bezels are also respectable.
With this, we will give Realme more points because of the increased brightness, which is useful outside. We use our smartphones indoors and also outdoors, so having a device with a strong nits brightness is really advantageous when looking for a nice smartphone display.
realme C55 – 3
TECNO Spark 10 Pro – 2
And then, THE CAMERA!
As practically all individuals share almost all of their life’s events with simply a press of a button, the requirement for a camera is quite common in modern society and even entry-level smartphones have respectable cameras. The presence of a high-quality camera on an inexpensive smartphone is a significant bonus.
The realme C55 comes first. The 64-megapixel Omnivision sensor on the Realme C55’s dual-rear camera array is paired with a 2-megapixel black-and-white camera, while the 8-megapixel front camera is fairly good for selfies. As demonstrated in our review, images taken in daylight were vivid, with eye-catching details and colors that stood out.
However, portrait edge detection struggled on nearly all of the images, and using night mode in low-light conditions resulted in acceptable images with little noise in darker areas, though adding more artificial light would be preferable.
Selfie images on this phone indoors looked bright and detailed. Both, the rear and the front camera can only go as high as 1080/30fs in a video recording which is still great for social media content, greener colors tend to look over-saturated.
Next is the TECNO Spark 10 Pro. With three illumination levels and a 32MP sensor, the selfie camera LED flash enables some impressive nighttime selfies and videos(check our review for reference). It also has some decent AI features.
Going back to the rear camera for a moment, it has a 50MP sensor behind a bright f/1.6 lens (there’s no OIS). Due to chipset limitations, the camera is capped at 1080p video recording. The other two lenses’ specifications are unspecified. Nevertheless, the rear cameras’ ability to record both video and still images is rather poor.
The selfie camera on the TECNO Spark 10 Pro is excellent, while the back camera configuration is less stunning. Although not flawless, the selfie and rear cameras of the realme C55 take better photos and videos than the TECNO Spark 10 Pro. A further advantage for realme!
realme C55 – 4
TECNO Spark 10 Pro – 2
How about their software and user interface?
This realme C55 has the latest Realme UI 4.0 and Android 13 straight out of the box. The best part is that this is the very first C-series gadget to feature this innovative skin.
Realme tries to provide long-term support for its customers. That is why the C55 comes with a promise of two years of updates and three years of security patches.
One other thing to note is the presence of pre-installed bloatware apps. While this may come as no surprise given the device’s affordable price point, it’s worth mentioning that some users may find these apps unnecessary.
While the Realme C55’s top-tier variant has a lot to offer, there is one potential stumbling block to consider. Despite being a powerhouse device, we noticed some stuttering in the user interface when scrolling through the home screen. However, we remain hopeful that Realme will address this concern with a software update in the near future.
Meanwhile, the TECNO Spark 10 Pro runs on HIOS 12.6, on top of Android 13. It brings all the functions and abilities ROMs have these days. We have to mention that there’s some bloatware and advertisement as we see in other similarly priced smartphones.
With regard to its notifications, we are constantly bombarded by information and advertisement, well it is a price to pay for how inexpensive the smartphone is.
Well, realme C55 is the clear winner in this section, with a cleaner UI and two years’ worth of software updates, it surely has all the edge to beat TECNO in that regard.
realme C55 – 5
TECNO Spark 10 Pro – 2
Lastly, is the Battery and Charging!
Let’s be honest: In the present day, we are more dependent on our cellphones than ever. The better batteries have a larger capacity, and the faster they charge, the better. A smartphone with meager battery life and a glacially slow charging rate has no place in our society. A smart phone that can handle heavy usage with little downtime is what we should have.
Okay, both smartphones have the same battery capacity but the thing is, TECNO Spark 10 Pro only has an 18W charger while the realme C55 has a 33W charger. Yeah, last point for realme.
realme C55 – 6
TECNO Spark 10 Pro – 2
Here is a quick overview of the smartphones’ specs:
The VERDICT!
TECNO Spark 10 Pro has fought valiantly against the Realme C55, but as a less expensive model, it is always going to have certain limitations in terms of hardware and capabilities. Although having a somewhat smaller screen, the realme C55 is overall superior to the TECNO, whose smaller but brighter display is more usable. Also, the realme C55 handles video and photo quality far superior to the TECNO Spark 10 Pro.
While the selfie camera on the TECNO Spark series is passable and may even be comparable to that on the realme, especially with its LED flash, it still lacks its essential wow factor. In this comparison, the realme C55 is the clear winner, BUT the TECNO Spark 10 Pro is still a cheaper option for people on a budget who want a decent smartphone.
