Things just got realme, with the official announcement of the company’s flagship; the realme GT. The realme GT is the most affordable Snapdragon 888-powered smartphone, so how did they get it under €500? I was fortunate to get early access to the so-called “flagship killer” read on as I share my first impressions of this bold device.
realme GT Key Specs
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
- 8GB+128GB / 12GB+256GB
- 120Hz Super AMOLED Samsung display
- 65W SuperDart charge
- Sony 64MP triple camera setup
- Cooling system
- Slim and lightweight 186g
As the current fastest growing smartphone brand, realme is taking an aggressive strategy in order to make enough noise to steal market share from the competition. The all new, flagship GT-series has managed to squeeze the latest Snapdragon 888 5G chipset into a device that starts at €449, that’s a big statement. But in order to give it such a powerful processing core at this competitive price point, I was left wondering: where are they cutting corners? And you’re probably wondering the same.
Pros
- Slick and light weight design
- 6.43-inch display is responsive and bright
- OxygenOS 11 / Android 11 Beta OS
- 4,500 mAh battery durable and charges quickly
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
Cons
- No Wireless Charging
- No IP rating
- Camera performance is inconsistent
realme GT Early Verdict
The world of “flagship” smartphones has been competitive for a number of years, but you could argue that it’s never been more congested than it is right now.
realme has steadily built a reputation for making decent, but not outstanding affordable devices, targeting low and mid tier segments of the market. But now the company is aiming squarely at the big boys and in many ways cleverly slotting themselves into the space vacated by OnePlus, the former “Flagship killer” brand.
Even if you only go for the base model, which starts at €449, you’re getting a slickly designed device with premium feeling materials, a lovely screen and the best 5G Android chipset currently available in 2021. Lower tiered devices have offered 8GB+128GB configurations for the last couple of years and perform well, so with Snapdragon 888 included, this is undeniably a sweet deal. It’s especially so if you consider the crazier price tag of €369 available for early birds.
The only place I feel it lets itself down a little is in the camera software, when will Android OEMs accept the extensive advantages inherently available to them thanks to Google, Sony and Snapdragon and let the stock options completely handle smartphone photography? The realme GT uses the Oxygen OS’ camera, which is popular, but in my experience performs inconsistently. Saving for an update that may put things right, nothing has changed here from the realme 7 Pro and 8, to the realme GT. This flagship killer uses the popular 64MP Sony IMX682 sensor, so it has potential to be great. However, the quality is just not there every time you go to take a shot, which is a little disappointing.
All of that said, the realme GT offers top specs and solid performance, with very few compromises.
realme GT 8GB+128GB will be priced at €449 with an early-bird special promotion of €369, on sale from June 21st at Ali Express. realme GT 12GB+256GB will be priced at €599 with an early-bird special promotion of €499, on sale during Amazon Prime Day. For more information, check out www.realme.com.
