The Realme GT7 Pro is positioned as an affordable flagship contender, especially as rising costs have made premium devices less accessible. With this release, Realme aims to bridge the gap by offering high-performance features at a competitive price, targeting consumers eager for flagship-level specs without the premium price tag. The GT7 Pro manages to keep its starting price close to $500, making it one of the most affordable options featuring Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. While minor compromises have been made to maintain this price, the GT7 Pro stands out as a significant option for users seeking power-packed performance on a budget.
Design and Build Quality
The GT7 Pro’s design merges aesthetics with function, featuring a few noteworthy changes. Realme has refined the camera layout, moving the module to the top left corner, which some may find more ergonomic, as it reduces the likelihood of finger obstruction while capturing photos. Although the device lacks wireless charging, and the telephoto camera’s sensor is slightly downgraded to the IMX 882, it compensates with other upgrades.
The fingerprint recognition has been enhanced to an ultrasonic sensor, adding to the device’s responsiveness and security, and the GT7 Pro now comes with an IP68 rating, providing solid protection against water and dust. These adjustments demonstrate Realme’s strategic approach to balancing affordability with essential flagship features.
Display Performance
One of the standout aspects of the GT7 Pro is its display. Realme has utilized Samsung’s Eco² OLED Plus technology, commonly reserved for foldable devices, which provides a bright, power-efficient viewing experience.
The display achieves an impressive peak brightness of 2000 nits, a level rarely seen outside the flagship tier, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. This is achieved through “Pol-less” technology, which removes the need for a polarizer, further enhancing brightness while reducing power consumption.
However, the display’s viewing angles may be somewhat limited, a trade-off that might be noticeable to those who use their phones at varied angles. Despite this, the GT7 Pro’s screen generally delivers an immersive experience for video streaming, gaming, and daily tasks.
Powerhouse Performance with Snapdragon 8 Elite
Realme’s GT series has built a reputation for high performance, and the GT7 Pro lives up to this legacy with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. This processor offers enhanced speed, efficiency, and thermal management, placing the GT7 Pro on par with other high-end devices.
Benchmark tests reveal the GT7 Pro’s capability, with an impressive balance of responsiveness, smooth gameplay, and efficient battery consumption. Realme has optimized the system’s thermal control, ensuring minimal overheating even during extended use, such as intensive gaming.
The GT7 Pro also manages to keep battery usage low during gaming sessions, outlasting many competitors in prolonged use scenarios.
Battery and Charging Efficiency
Battery life is another area where the GT7 Pro shines. Equipped with a 6500mAh battery, it comfortably outpaces many other smartphones, ensuring that users can go longer between charges. The phone supports 120W wired charging, which can fully charge the battery in approximately 30 minutes. Although not the absolute fastest charging available, this speed is impressive for a device in its price range and sufficient for most users’ needs. The device does lack wireless charging, but this omission likely contributes to the affordability of the GT7 Pro without significantly affecting the overall user experience.
Camera Capabilities: Practical but Not Perfect
In terms of camera performance, the Realme GT7 Pro provides satisfactory results for most everyday photography but doesn’t quite match some of its pricier counterparts.
The main 50MP sensor captures clear, detailed images, particularly in well-lit environments. However, its ultra-wide 8MP camera performs less favorably, delivering acceptable but unimpressive results in low-light conditions. This compromise in the ultra-wide lens is one of the few trade-offs necessary to maintain the phone’s price. Additionally, the telephoto lens has seen some changes, now offering a 73mm focal length and utilizing in-sensor zoom and AI enhancements to improve image quality even at 6x zoom.
While it can capture quality 4K video with smooth transitions between the main and telephoto cameras, some users may notice occasional noise in telephoto shots—a minor issue that could potentially be improved through software updates. Overall, the camera system on the GT7 Pro fulfills basic expectations and performs adequately for everyday use, though it may not satisfy users seeking a photography-focused device.
Software Experience: realme UI
The Realme GT7 Pro runs on Realme UI, which shares many similarities with ColorOS, giving users an interface that blends elements of Android and iOS.
This customization provides users with a fluid and user-friendly experience while still allowing for plenty of customization. Realme UI ensures users benefit from the latest features, security updates, and optimizations. Although the iOS-like interface might not appeal to everyone, many users find it intuitive, while Realme continues to refine its UI for a more seamless experience.
A Well-Rounded Budget Flagship
The Realme GT7 Pro represents a commendable effort by Realme to deliver flagship features at a fraction of the cost associated with other high-end devices. While some sacrifices are made, like the downgraded ultra-wide camera and lack of wireless charging, the GT7 Pro still excels in key areas such as performance, display brightness, battery life, and charging speed. For users looking to enjoy flagship-like performance without breaking the bank, the GT7 Pro emerges as a strong contender, likely to be a popular choice in its price category.
