realme C100x Full Review: A Budget Smartphone That Just Keeps Going

When it comes to budget smartphones, manufacturers usually have to decide where they want to put their money. Some focus on cameras, others on performance, while some try to offer a better display or a bigger battery. With the realme C100x, the direction is pretty clear from the start: battery life is the star of the show.

The phone comes with a massive 8,000mAh battery, along with a large 6.8-inch display, 120Hz refresh rate, 45W fast charging and a 50MP main camera. It also comes with a fairly durable design, making it clear that realme is targeting users who want a practical phone that can handle everyday life. But one has to understand that this ain’t a flagship, but its meant for all day budget users, so lets dive in to the review straight.

Unboxing Contents

Simple but Practical Design

The realme C100x is a fairly large smartphone, mainly because of its 6.8-inch display and 8,000mAh battery. It weighs at around 219 grams, so you will definitely notice it in your hand compared with some of the slimmer smartphones available today. However, I didn’t find the weight particularly troublesome during normal use. In fact, the solid construction gives the phone a reassuring feeling of durability.

The design isn’t trying to imitate a premium flagship, but realme has still managed to make it look reasonably modern. The available finishes, including Deepblue Tides and Golden Coast, give the phone some personality.

The side-mounted fingerprint scanner is also conveniently positioned. It is quick to access and feels more natural than having to reach around the back of the phone.

Durability is another area where realme has put some thought into the C100x. The phone comes with IP64 protection, providing resistance against dust and water splashes, while realme also highlights its ability to withstand drops from up to two metres. Obviously, this doesn’t mean you should deliberately throw the phone around, but it does provide some extra peace of mind during everyday use. Overall, the C100x feels like a phone built for practical use rather than showing off.

Large 6.8-inch 120Hz Display

It uses a 6.8-inch LCD panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. While the resolution is only 720 x 1570 pixels, the high refresh rate makes a noticeable difference to the overall experience. Scrolling through social media feels smooth, menus move nicely and animations have a more fluid appearance. Even though the hardware is entry-level, the 120Hz panel helps the phone feel more responsive.

This is particularly useful when browsing apps such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Chrome while the downside is the HD+ resolution. On a 6.8-inch display, you can tell that text and small details aren’t quite as sharp as they would be on a Full HD+ screen. If you’re coming from a mid-range phone with a higher-resolution display, this will probably be one of the first differences you notice.

The large screen is still great for watching YouTube videos, browsing websites and scrolling through social media. The 120Hz refresh rate also gives the display a smoother feel, which I think is more noticeable during everyday use than the resolution itself. So, the display isn’t about maximum sharpness. It is about giving you a big and smooth screen at an affordable price.

Everyday Performance

Powering the C100x is the Unisoc T7250 chipset, paired with up to 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage depending on the configuration. As expected, this is an entry-level platform, so you need to set your expectations accordingly. WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, web browsing and email are all within its comfort zone. The 120Hz display also helps make the interface feel smoother when switching between menus and scrolling through content.

It’s not going to feel as quick as a mid-range or flagship smartphone, and there are moments when heavier apps take a little longer to open or multitasking feels less responsive. But for a typical user who mainly uses their phone for communication, entertainment and social media, the performance is adequate.

Gaming is a similar with casual games are no problem, while lighter titles can be played comfortably. More demanding 3D games will require you to reduce the graphics settings if you want a smoother experience. This isn’t a phone I’d recommend to someone buying specifically for gaming. But for occasional gaming during your free time, it does the job. The expandable storage is another useful feature. If you choose a lower-storage configuration, adding a microSD card gives you more room for photos, videos, music and other files.

The 8,000mAh Battery Is the Main Event

Now we get to the real reason why the C100x stands out with 8,000mAh capacity which is seriously large battery for a smartphone. After using the phone for normal daily activities, I found that the battery percentage simply doesn’t drop as quickly as it does on most smartphones. Social media, web browsing, video streaming, messaging, photography and some casual gaming can be handled comfortably without constantly reaching for a charger. Of course, battery life will depend heavily on how you use the phone. If you spend hours gaming at high brightness, you will still drain the battery considerably faster. But for an average normal users, the C100x can comfortably move into multi-day territory.

Fortunately, the C100x supports 45W fast charging. Because you’re charging an 8,000mAh battery, don’t expect it to fill up as quickly as a smaller 4,500mAh or 5,000mAh battery would. There is simply more capacity to recharge. Still, 45W charging makes topping up the phone much more convenient. Another nice feature is reverse wired charging, allowing the C100x to provide power to another compatible device.

50MP Main Camera

For photography, the C100x comes with a 50MP main camera. In good lighting, the camera performs reasonably well for a budget smartphone. Outdoor shots can produce decent detail, while colours are generally suitable for casual sharing on social media.

For everyday photography from taking pictures of food, pets, friends, documents or places you’re visiting, the camera does what it needs to do. However, this isn’t a camera-centric smartphone. Once lighting becomes more challenging, you can see the limitations. Low-light images tend to lose some detail, while fine textures can look softer.

The 50MP specification sounds impressive, but it shouldn’t be mistaken for flagship-level camera performance. I’d describe the camera as functional and good enough for everyday photography rather than something you’ll buy specifically because you love taking photos.

Software Experience

The realme C100x runs Android 16 with realme UI, providing a familiar interface for anyone who has used a recent realme smartphone. The software is relatively straightforward, with various customisation options available.

Of course, the entry-level hardware underneath means you shouldn’t expect flagship-level responsiveness, but the overall software experience is perfectly reasonable for the target market, with that say, several AI features remains basic but still proven to be useful at all times,

Final Verdict

Rating

The realme C100x is a budget smartphone that knows exactly what it wants to be. Instead, it focuses on delivering the things that matter most to everyday users: long battery life, a large display, smooth scrolling, decent cameras and a durable design. The 8,000mAh battery is easily the biggest selling point. Combined with 45W charging, it gives the C100x an impressive level of endurance and makes battery anxiety much less of a concern.

There are compromises, of course. The HD+ display could be sharper, the Unisoc T7250 isn’t designed for heavy gaming, the camera system is basic and there’s no 5G connectivity. But if you understand what the C100x is designed for, these compromises are easier to accept. This is a phone for someone who wants to use their smartphone without constantly thinking about charging it. And in that respect, the realme C100x does a very good job.

Priced wise, thats a very reasonable RM999 if you wanted a phone that can last you over a day on battery yet still delivers all your daily consumptions of calls, messages and social media apps.