Realme 16 Pro+

Epic battery meets solid photography

- APURVA CHAUDHARY

₹39,999 onwards, realme.​com

The Realme 16 Pro+ arrives in three striking colors: Master Grey, Camilla Pink, and Master Gold. Our review unit is the Camilla Pink variant, which beautifully balances playful charm with quiet sophistication. The vegan leather back-a collaboration with Naoto Fukasawa—feels genuinely premium. Unlike glossy glass that quickly becomes a fingerprint magnet, this soft-touch finish resists smudges while providing a secure, confident grip, especially useful during one-handed photography. The gently curved front and back create an illusion of slimness that cleverly disguises the phone's 8.49mm thickness and its massive 7,000mAh battery.

At over 200 grams, however, the weight makes itself felt during extended one-handed sessions. The curved edges do help with ergonomics, but physics has the final say. On the flip side, the comprehensive IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K ratings mean this phone shrugs off monsoons and dust storms. During testing, it survived an unexpected downpour on a trek without any frantic cover-seeking.

The 6.79-inch 1.5K (1280 × 2800) curved AMOLED display with 144Hz refresh rate serves up vibrant colors and exceptionally smooth scrolling. The claimed 6,500 nits peak brightness looks impressive indoors, but bright outdoor conditions demand compromises. Activating the extra brightness mode drains the battery noticeably—a trade-off I encountered repeatedly during sunny photography outings.