Realme 16 Pro+ 5G Review: A Mid-Range Contender That Exceeds Expectations

The mid-range smartphone market has long strived to impress even the most demanding users, offering premium features without the flagship price tag. Our comprehensive review of the realme 16 Pro+ 5G demonstrates that a smartphone priced around $625 can indeed deliver a surprisingly complete package. But where did the manufacturer cut corners? This in-depth analysis will reveal all.

Disclaimer: The realme 16 Pro+ 5G was provided for testing by realme. The manufacturer had no influence over the content or conclusions of this review.

Key Takeaways

Pros:

• Unique design with an interesting, tactile finish
• Bright AMOLED display with 144 Hz refresh rate and slim bezels
• Fantastic main camera
• High-quality telephoto lens with practical zoom
• Large battery capacity with fast wired charging
• Solid overall performance for its class
• Generous storage variants available
• Useful AI tools for photo editing

Cons:

• Ultra-wide-angle camera significantly lags behind other lenses
• Presence of considerable pre-installed bloatware
• Fingerprint reader could be positioned higher for better ergonomics
• Lacks wireless charging capability

realme 16 Pro+ 5G: A Quick Overview

The realme 16 Pro+ 5G is a smartphone that confidently aims higher than its mid-range designation suggests. realme has equipped it with a large battery offering rapid charging, a well-rounded camera system, and a superb display. The processor handles tasks efficiently, and users should find ample storage space for their needs.

Unboxing the realme 16 Pro+ 5G

The realme 16 Pro+ 5G arrives in a rather compact and minimalist box. Upon opening the lid, you’ll find a smaller compartment containing accessories. Beyond the smartphone itself, realme includes a set of instructions, a SIM tray ejector tool, and a standard-sized charging cable (USB Type-A to USB Type-C).

As an added bonus, realme provides a simple, transparent protective case. This is a practical accessory that offers basic protection for the camera island and the screen against scratches. Notably absent from the box is a charging brick, a trend that, unfortunately, has become standard across many smartphone brands.

Design and Build Quality of realme 16 Pro+ 5G

The realme 16 Pro+ series boasts an appealing aesthetic. realme has refreshed the design language, and the more powerful Pro+ variant stands out with a rather unconventional finish. The back of the device is covered in a biopolymer material, a type of plastic with a texture reminiscent of leather. This solution not only gives the phone a distinctive look but also significantly improves grip, making it more secure in hand. The camera island’s design subtly reminds one of a rotated OnePlus 15.

The golden variant, in particular, makes a statement. The biopolymer material is a straw-like color, while the frame and camera island are finished in a high-gloss polish. These shiny elements create an attractive contrast with the biopolymer back. However, the edges can feel slick, and the glossy camera island tends to attract fingerprints and smudges remarkably quickly.

The rear design is clean, with only the glossy manufacturer’s logo and the aforementioned camera island standing out. The island is positioned asymmetrically but doesn’t protrude excessively, ensuring the smartphone lies relatively flat on surfaces without excessive wobbling. Furthermore, the construction boasts impressive water resistance, certified with IP68/IP69K ratings, offering protection against dust and high-pressure, high-temperature jets of water.

The layout of the edges is quite standard. The top edge houses microphone openings, an infrared (IR) blaster (a convenient feature for controlling home appliances), and model identifiers. The left side is devoid of buttons, while the right side features the volume rockers and the power button.

The bottom edge includes the SIM card tray, a microphone aperture, the USB Type-C charging port, and a speaker grille. The realme 16 Pro+ 5G offers stereo speakers, but the upper driver is noticeably weaker and quieter than the lower one. The sound profile is somewhat flat, and the overall audio quality significantly falls short when compared to devices like the Google Pixel 10a.

However, the realme 16 Pro+ 5G compensates with much narrower bezels around the display compared to the Pixel. The front is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, which features a slight curve at the edges. While some users prefer flat panels, the realme 16 Pro+ 5G’s subtly curved screen doesn’t detract from its overall aesthetic. The front-facing camera is located at the top center. The in-display fingerprint reader is positioned rather low towards the bottom edge, which can be ergonomically inconvenient for some, though it operates smoothly and accurately.

Vibrant Display: A Visual Treat

realme has equipped the 16 Pro+ 5G with a generous 6.8-inch AMOLED panel, boasting a high refresh rate of up to 144 Hz. These specifications are particularly beneficial for gaming, providing an incredibly smooth visual experience. The screen operates at a sharp 1280 × 2800 pixel resolution, ensuring displayed content is exceptionally crisp and detailed. Colors are vibrant and saturated, and blacks are deep and true, as is characteristic of AMOLED technology. Consequently, consuming multimedia content on this device is a truly enjoyable experience.

According to realme, the 16 Pro+ 5G offers a maximum brightness of up to 6500 nits. While in real-world usage, the panel appears somewhat dimmer than some flagship phones (which claim around 3000 to 4000 nits), readability in direct sunlight is excellent and poses no issues.

Long-Lasting Power: Impressive Battery Life

The realme 16 Pro+ 5G comes with a massive 7000 mAh battery, making it more capacious than, for example, the flagship Xiaomi 17 Ultra. Its battery life proves to be a significant advantage. During relatively intense usage, the device typically required charging only every two days. Even mobile gamers can expect a full day of use. For its price segment, this is an outstanding performance, although some devices on the market might offer even larger batteries.

The tested unit supports SuperVOOC fast charging at 80 watts. During our tests, we used a 90-watt Power Delivery compatible charger. The device reached 50% charge in just 31 minutes, and a full charge took 82 minutes. It’s a shame that the realme 16 Pro+ 5G does not support wireless charging, but the sheer capacity and fast wired charging remain strong selling points.

Camera System: Flagship Aspirations

The realme 16 Pro+ 5G is clearly designed with photography in mind. Its camera island, both in appearance and hardware, leans closer to flagships than to similarly priced competitors like the Google Pixel 10a. It features a bright 200 MP main camera (f/1.8), and a 50 MP telephoto lens (f/2.8) with a practical 3.5x optical zoom. The setup is rounded off by a rather basic 8 MP ultra-wide-angle lens.

Camera Software Experience

The camera application is generally well-designed. The standard photo mode intelligently selects parameters, and at night, it automatically extends exposure times for better results. Operation speed is fluid and responsive. Our only minor criticism lies with the additional effects, which are scattered across separate sections for filters, light effects, and “mood” modes. While the abundance of features is appreciated, the sheer number of modifiers can feel overwhelming to navigate.

Image Quality Analysis

Daylight Performance

In good lighting conditions, the realme 16 Pro+ 5G delivers strong results. The 8 MP ultra-wide-angle camera is the weakest link; even in favorable light, the level of detail it captures is not particularly impressive. However, the main camera and the telephoto lens perform admirably. While switching between sensors, you might occasionally observe slight shifts in color saturation or even white balance, but overall, the quality is consistently very good.

The 50 MP telephoto lens performs surprisingly well, even when utilizing 10x digital zoom. We were particularly impressed by the realme 16 Pro+ 5G’s ability to render natural skin tones accurately.

Night Photography

As expected, the overall image quality decreases in low-light conditions. The ultra-wide-angle lens once again falls furthest behind. However, the smartphone truly shines with its main camera in dedicated night mode. In our assessment, the photos are comparable to those from the Pixel 10a, which features a brighter aperture. The realme 16 Pro+ 5G unequivocally wins in the zoom photography category at night. While not quite on par with top-tier flagships, photos taken with 3.5x zoom are at least decent.

Selfie Camera

The 50 MP front-facing camera delivers satisfactory results. The portrait mode effectively distinguishes and blurs backgrounds around subjects, and in good lighting, colors, contrast, and details are quite decent. In low light, the device defaults to screen illumination. While a good amount of detail is retained, reflections in glasses and a somewhat cool color cast can be noticeable.

Video Recording Capabilities

The realme 16 Pro+ 5G can record videos at a maximum resolution of 4K at 60 frames per second. Both the parameters and the quality of recordings captured during the day are very good. At night, while noise isn’t a major issue, the level of detail decreases significantly. Nevertheless, its video recording capabilities are quite positive for its segment.

Software and Performance: Smooth Operator with AI Smarts

Out of the box, the realme 16 Pro+ 5G runs Android 16 with realme UI 7.0. realme promises 5 years of software support, which is commendable. The user interface itself is quite appealing; it’s cohesive, offers extensive customization options, and delivers a fast, fluid experience.

While we recently tested the Pixel 10a, which impressed us with its clean Android experience, the realme 16 Pro+ 5G also operates efficiently. However, the overall user experience, subjectively, feels slightly less refined than a pure Android interface. Objectively, however, we can criticize the pervasive bloatware.

The amount of pre-installed applications on many mid-range smartphones from Chinese manufacturers can be surprising. On the realme 16 Pro+ 5G, it’s not a catastrophe, but from the initial setup, you’ll find apps like TikTok, Spotify, Temu, Netflix, LinkedIn, Amazon, Booking, AliExpress, and the game Block Blast already present.

On a more positive note, the AI tools are impressive. We primarily used the advanced photo editing features within the gallery application. The options are abundant, allowing users to change lighting, sharpen photos, remove objects, or even completely alter the character of a photograph using a text prompt. With a bit of patience, you can achieve some truly interesting results.

Performance and Thermals

Computing power is handled by the capable Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset. Our tested unit came equipped with 12 GB of RAM and a generous 512 GB of internal storage (UFS 3.1). While you might see fewer frames per second in games like Fortnite compared to smartphones sporting a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, no game or application during our testing managed to push the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 to its limits. Only the most demanding users might find themselves wanting more power.

During everyday use, the phone’s chassis remained cool. However, after engaging a stress test, the body became noticeably warmer. After 20 minutes, we measured 47 degrees Celsius (116.6°F) in the upper section, with the internal sensor registering up to 44 degrees Celsius (111.2°F). It’s also worth noting that the processor maintained relatively high clock speeds even under sustained load.

Specifications and Pricing

At the time of this review’s publication, the realme 16 Pro+ 5G in the tested configuration (12GB RAM / 512GB storage) is available for approximately $625. A variant with 8GB RAM / 256GB storage can save you an additional $50, bringing its price to around $575. In our opinion, at this price point, you are getting a robust and well-equipped smartphone.

realme 16 Pro+ 5G Key Specifications

Realme 16 Pro+ 5G Review: Our Final Verdict

The realme 16 Pro+ 5G is a well-executed smartphone that successfully differentiates itself in a crowded market. Its distinctive design is eye-catching, and the glossy camera island houses a robust set of lenses. Impressively, this smartphone performs better photographically than the Google Pixel 10a in several aspects, which is a significant achievement for its segment. Performance is more than adequate for most users, storage is abundant, and the large battery coupled with an excellent display ensures a comfortable and enjoyable user experience.

Naturally, it’s not a perfect device. Personally, we prefer flat screens, and the fingerprint reader would benefit from being positioned higher for improved ergonomics. Users will also need to contend with pre-installed bloatware after the initial setup. However, we found no major flaws in its construction that would deter us from recommending it. The realme 16 Pro+ 5G stands out as one of the best smartphones we’ve had the pleasure of testing in the sub-$650 price range. Therefore, we can wholeheartedly recommend this phone.

Source: Gemini. Opening photo: Gemini

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Anuj Kushwaha

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