realme C33 vs vivo Y16: Which One is for You?

Introduction

With brand launching smartphones left and right, it can often be a bit confusing as to which one to choose. Well, you’ve come to the right place, especially if you’re looking for a decent all-rounder at the sub-PHP10K price range.

Here, we’re comparing devices from two popular brands – the recently launched realme C33 and vivo Y16. Both are aimed at those who want a phone that can cater to the usual day-to-day tasks and a bit more, for a price that won’t put a big hole in their wallets. And while they do have some similarities, each can offer a little something that’s different over the other.

Specifications

Design and Build Quality

Since both the realme C33 and vivo Y16 pretty much look the same upfront – you’ll then have to look at the other things. Do you prefer having a camera island? go for the latter, or do you want cameras that are flush with the surface of the rear panel? then the C33 is for you.

The rear panel of the realme C33 is glossy, so while in a way, it looks more premium, it’s a smudge magnet when compared to the shiny but more of matte finish on the vivo Y16. If you are going to use a case, these things may not matter at all.

Both use a side mounted fingerprint scanner and have a headphone jack, but the vivo Y16 also has a USB-C port, which is a clear win over the realme C33’s outdated microUSB port.

Display-wise, both also don a 6.5-inch screen with HD+ resolution, and 60Hz refresh rate. These won’t wow you with their colors and details, but they’re okay for day-to-day use and media consumption.

Performance

realme C33 runs on a Unisoc T612, which, which may not be the most popular choice, but has proven itself to be a decent chip that delivers a satisfactory level of performance not just for common tasks but also for gaming, depending on what you’ll play.

vivo Y16, on the other hand, is powered by a Helio P35, a processor launched back in 2018, and something that I personally think should have no business being on any device in 2022. Not being bias here. Seriously, in a time where users want to get the most value out of the purchases, would you get something this old?

Anyway, both devices have 4GB of RAM, but the vivo Y16 has 128GB of storage, twice what you get on the realme C33. Both phones have a microSD card slot. Performance for day-to-day tasks like watching videos, installing apps, social media, or spotify, the realme C33 just feels a bit snappier and more responsive.

Depending on what game you’re playing, the realme C33 easily outperforms the vivo Y16. Mobile Legends, for example, runs noticeable smoother on the former. With heavier games like Genshin Impact though, well, let’s just say these devices aren’t really made for that.

Camera

For optics, both devices feature a dual camera configuration. The realme C33 has a 50MP main camera and a depth sensor, while the vivo Y16 has a 13MP main shooter alongside a 2MP macro unit. As for selfies, it’s a 5MP snapper on both phones.

The realme C33 tends to go for a more fun color tone, which should appeal for Instagram posts, while the vivo Y16 tends to be closer to the actual colors. Dynamic range is also pretty much the same. Not bad, but not great either. The C33 also tends to come out with better in terms of sharpness and overall detail.

As for selfies, both can deliver a decent depth of field effect, and same as with the rear camera, the vivo Y16 tends to go for more accurate colors.

Battery

Both the realme C33 and the vivo Y16 house a 5,000mAh battery, but the interesting thing is in our test of playing a YouTube video on loop over Wi-Fi, the former scored around 10.5 hours, while the latter went on for about 5 hours more, which is a lot. Of course, your mileage may vary depending on several factors, but this is a good baseline.

Which one Should You Get?

So, the big question is, which device offers better value? Well, let’s just say that both aren’t 10/10, and have areas that well, I wish could’ve been done better. In the end, it boils down to which aspects of a phone you prioritize when buying.

Get the realme C33 if:

• You want the better and newer processing package/you prioritize performance
• You want the better cameras

Get the vivo Y16 if:

• You need a lot of storage
• You prioritize battery life

Emman Tortoza

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Emman has been writing technical and feature articles since 2010. Prior to this, he became one of the instructors at Asia Pacific College in 2008, and eventually landed a job as Business Analyst and Technical Writer at Integrated Open Source Solutions for almost 3 years.