Poco C61 vs Realme Note 50

Poco C61 vs Realme Note 50 – The Entry Level Heats UP

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Entry-level phones are landing hard and fast in 2025, and two brands you’re going to be seeing a lot of are Poco and Realme. Today, we’re stacking their latest budget warriors against each other in this Poco C61 vs Realme Note 50 face-off.

Now, Poco recently launched officially in Nigeria and is coming in hot with the Poco C61, a very competitively priced phone that looks poised to shake the low-end market. On the other side is Realme, a brand that’s pretty much a stranger in this part of the world. Their Note 50 is clearly a feeler phone — an affordable device that is meant to test the West African market.

So, in this Poco C61 vs Realme Note 50 matchup, which phone is actually better?

Let’s break it down.

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📊 Poco C61 vs Realme Note 50 – Spec Comparison Table

Category Poco C61 Realme Note 50
Build Plastic frame & back Plastic frame & back
Weight 199g 186g
IP Rating ❌ None ✅ IP54 (dust/splash resistance)
Display 6.71″ IPS LCD, 720p, 90Hz, 500nits 6.74″ IPS LCD, 720p, 90Hz, 560nits
Screen Protection ✅ Gorilla Glass 3 ❌ None
Processor (SoC) MediaTek Helio G36 (12nm) Unisoc Tiger T612 (12nm)
GPU PowerVR GE8320 Mali-G57 MP1
AnTuTu Score ~136,000 ~240,000
RAM Type LPDDR4X LPDDR4X
Storage Type eMMC 5.1 eMMC 5.1
Rear Camera 8MP + 0.08MP 13MP + 0.08MP
Selfie Camera 5MP 5MP
Video Recording 1080p@30fps rear 1080p@30fps rear, 720p front
Battery 5,000mAh 5,000mAh
Charging 10W (USB-C) 10W (USB-C)
Bluetooth 5.4 5.0
WiFi WiFi 5 WiFi 5
Audio Single loudspeaker, 3.5mm jack, FM Radio Single loudspeaker, 3.5mm jack, FM radio
Security Side-mounted fingerprint scanner Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
Sensors Accelerometer, Light, Proximity Accelerometer, Light, Proximity
Variants 3/64GB – ₦109,9004/128GB – ₦126,900 3/64GB – ₦111,2004/128GB – ₦128,200
Extras ✅ Gorilla Glass ✅ IP54 rating

Build and Design

Both phones are built entirely out of plastic — frame and back.

The Realme Note 50 is lighter at 186g, and it carries an IP54 rating for splash and dust protection, which gives it a nice durability edge. The Poco C61, on the other hand, weighs 199g and has no IP rating whatsoever.

As for design, well… Poco’s running with that oversized circular camera bump again (why?), while Realme keeps it classic with a rectangular dual-camera strip. I’ll leave the design debate to you — to each their own.

Winner: Realme Note 50 (lighter and IP54 certified)

Display

Both phones offer similar displays:

  • Poco C61: 6.71″ 720p IPS LCD, 90Hz, 500 nits, Gorilla Glass 3
  • Realme Note 50: 6.74″ 720p IPS LCD, 90Hz, 560 nits, no screen protection

They’re practically identical except for the brightness and screen protection. Realme’s display is brighter, but Poco offers Gorilla Glass 3. This one’s too close to call.

Verdict: Tie

Performance

Here’s where things get spicy.

  • Poco C61 runs on the Helio G36 (PowerVR GE8320). It’s an aging entry-level SoC that scores around 136K on AnTuTu v10.
  • Realme Note 50 uses the Unisoc Tiger T612 (Mali-G57 MP1). It’s a proper budget-class chip and scores 240K+ on AnTuTu v10.

Both use LPDDR4X RAM and eMMC 5.1 storage, but the real difference lies in the SoC. The T612 is simply better — it handles HD gaming better, runs apps smoother, and generally gives you less headache.

Winner: Realme Note 50 (and it’s not even close)

Cameras

  • Poco C61: 8MP + 0.08MP rear, 5MP front, 1080p@30fps rear video
  • Realme Note 50: 13MP + 0.08MP rear, 5MP front, 1080p@30fps rear, 720p front video

The Realme Note 50 clearly wins here with a sharper 13MP sensor. Everything else is identical, including those ridiculous 0.08MP “decoration” lenses. Can we just stop pretending these are real cameras?

Winner: Realme Note 50

Battery and Charging

  • Both phones pack a 5,000mAh battery with 10W charging.

There’s no fast charging here — and yes, 10W is not fast charging. Expect charge times around 2.5 hours, but these phones will comfortably last all day thanks to their low-powered processors and 720p displays.

Verdict: Tie

Connectivity and Extras

Both phones are 4G-only and come with:

  • WiFi 5
  • USB-C
  • Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
  • GPS, accelerometer, proximity, light sensors
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • FM radio
  • Single loudspeaker

The Poco C61 has Bluetooth 5.4, while the Realme Note 50 has Bluetooth 5.0. Small edge, but nothing major.

Verdict: Tie (slight edge to Poco for Bluetooth version)

Pricing

Variant Poco C61 Realme Note 50
3/64GB ₦109,900 ₦111,200
4/128GB ₦126,900 ₦128,200

They’re priced neck-and-neck. So what matters now is value for money.

Conclusion: Realme Note 50 Takes It

I’m a Poco fan myself (I use the Poco F5 daily), but I can’t defend this one. The Poco C61 is simply not competitive enough for the price. The Helio G36 is tired, and the rest of the specs don’t do enough to compensate.

The Realme Note 50 gives you:

  • IP54 durability
  • Much better Tiger T612 chip
  • Sharper 13MP camera
  • Comparable price

For my money, the Realme Note 50 is the better phone here — no question.

So, in this Poco C61 vs Realme Note 50 battle, it’s clear who the winner is.

But hey — do you agree with the verdict? Or do you think Poco deserves more credit here? Let’s talk.

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