Apple iPhone 12 vs Realme C55
The Quick Answer
iPhone 12 and Realme C55 serve vastly different market segments with minimal overlap.
The Verdict
iPhone 12 and Realme C55 serve vastly different market segments with minimal overlap. The iPhone 12 features a superior 6.1-inch OLED display (2532x1170, 1200 nits) with 60Hz refresh rate, powered by the A14 Bionic chipset delivering flagship performance. Its 12MP camera system with OIS, f/1.6 aperture, and 4K@60fps Dolby Vision video recording significantly outperforms the C55's 64MP main sensor (1080p@30fps max). Battery capacity favors the C55 at 5000 mAh versus 2815 mAh, though the iPhone charges faster wirelessly (15W MagSafe). The C55 offers a larger 6.72-inch display with 90Hz refresh rate, but its IPS LCD technology (680 nits) and MediaTek processor cannot match the iPhone's computational photography or app ecosystem quality. The C55 weighs 189g compared to iPhone 12's 164g, lacks 5G and NFC, and uses USB-C 2.0. At $799 versus $159, price differentiates these devices completely. Choose iPhone 12 for premium performance, camera quality, and long-term software support. Select Realme C55 for budget-conscious users prioritizing screen size and battery endurance over processing power.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Apple iPhone 12 if…
- →First iPhone with 5G connectivity
- →Ceramic Shield front cover is four times more drop-resistant
- →Flat-edge design is comfortable and stylish
Buy the Realme C55 if…
- →33W SUPERVOOC fast charging is rare at $159
- →64 MP main camera captures good daylight photos
- →FHD+ resolution provides sharp text and images
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Apple iPhone 12
Pros
- First iPhone with 5G connectivity
- Ceramic Shield front cover is four times more drop-resistant
- Flat-edge design is comfortable and stylish
- A14 Bionic delivers excellent performance and efficiency
- Dolby Vision HDR video recording is a first for any smartphone
Cons
- 60Hz display when competitors offered 90Hz or 120Hz
- Small 2815 mAh battery offers mediocre battery life
- 64 GB base storage is inadequate in 2020
- Lightning port instead of USB-C
- No telephoto lens — only dual camera
Realme C55
Pros
- 33W SUPERVOOC fast charging is rare at $159
- 64 MP main camera captures good daylight photos
- FHD+ resolution provides sharp text and images
- 5000 mAh battery lasts two days with moderate use
- Mini Capsule Dynamic Island-style notification feature
Cons
- No 5G or NFC connectivity
- Helio G88 is very basic for gaming or heavy tasks
- 2 MP depth sensor is essentially useless
- IPS LCD panel has poor contrast
- No water resistance
Full Specifications
| Spec | Apple iPhone 12 | Realme C55 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | iOS 14 | Android 13 (Realme UI 4.0) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 164 g | 189 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame, Ceramic Shield front | Plastic frame and back |
| IP rating | IP68 | None |
| Dimensions | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.4 mm | 167.3 x 76.1 x 7.89 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.6, OIS | 64 MP, f/1.79, PDAF |
| Front camera | 12 MP TrueDepth, f/2.2 | 8 MP, f/2.0 |
| Video | 4K@60fps, Dolby Vision HDR | 1080p@30fps |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP, f/2.4 | — |
| Depth | — | 2 MP, f/2.4 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 4 GB | 4 GB / 6 GB / 8 GB |
| Storage options | 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB | 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 2815 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 20W wired | 33W SUPERVOOC |
| Wireless charging | 15W MagSafe | No |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.1 inches | 6.72 inches |
| Type | Super Retina XDR OLED | IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 2532 x 1170 | 2400 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 60Hz | 90Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1200 | 680 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Hexa-core (2x3.1 GHz + 4x1.8 GHz) | Octa-core (2x2.0 GHz + 6x1.8 GHz) |
| GPU | Apple GPU (4-core) | Mali-G52 MC2 |
| Chipset | Apple A14 Bionic | MediaTek Helio G88 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | Lightning | USB-C 2.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 5 |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 |
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