Realme Narzo N53 Review: Sleek and Shiny, but Does It Stand Out?

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Realme Narzo N53 main camera samples (tap to see full size)

 

The front camera, surprisingly, does a fairly good job. Once again, I feel the software processing is to be credited here as it gets the background blur correct in most cases when capturing selfies in portrait mode. The software did blur out my earphones in one of the images below but it got the colour of my skin almost accurately.

Realme Narzo N53 front camera samples (Photo vs Portrait mode)

 

In terms of video recording, the Narzo N53 can record up to 1080p 30fps videos but without any form of electronic stabilisation. While the rear camera gets the colours nearly right, it struggles with highlight control and blows out bright backgrounds when shooting during the day. The same is the case with the front camera, which also doesn’t capture accurate skin tones when recording video.

Verdict

The Realme Narzo N53 is one of the few recent budget smartphones under Rs. 10,000 in India that looks like it could be worth more than it actually costs. The tall display is good enough for multimedia viewing and social media use. You also get good battery life and a relatively quick charging experience. I like the front camera’s performance, which is one of the best I’ve used in the segment. I also found the the in-hand feel to be good, although the gold colour is too loud for my liking. 

Software is one major area where the phone loses some points. You get the basics of Android 13 but the bloatware apps, coupled with ads, hamper the usage experience.

Overall, if you want a phone which is sleek, lightweight, offers good battery life and decent performance, the Narzo N53 can be considered. However, the 6GB variant that we tested is priced at Rs. 10,999, and for this amount, you can get the Lava Blaze 5G (Review), which not only offers 5G support but also a bloatware-free and ad-free software experience, and a more premium construction. 

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