Realme started 2022 by launching its most premium flagship phone, the Realme GT 2 Pro. This phone has even become a weapon for Realme to challenge the hegemony of Samsung and Apple in the premium flagship market.
As a new player in the premium flagship class, Realme GT 2 Pro is certainly equipped with first-class specifications and innovative features. Call it a 150 degree ultra wide camera and a unique microscope camera.
Not only comes with top specifications, Realme GT 2 Pro also carries a message of environmentally friendly sustainability through the materials used in the cellphone and its packaging. Without further ado, here's a full review of the Realme GT 2 Pro.
Design
Realme is again collaborating with Japanese designer Naoto Fukusawa to design its first premium flagship phone. The collaboration between the two resulted in the Paper Tech Master Design which was adopted by the Realme GT 2 Pro.
The back of the Realme GT 2 Pro uses a more environmentally friendly bio-polymer material. The material itself is similar to plastic, but when touched it feels like paper. Interestingly, if the back of the phone is slightly dirty, it can be cleaned only by wiping it with a cloth or tissue.
Oh yes, the Realme GT 2 Pro on the market comes in two color choices, namely Paper White and Steel Black. It's a bit unfortunate that the Paper Green variant is not available in some countries because the pastel green color is certainly more unique than the generic white and black colors.
Because the material used is similar to plastic, not glass like flagship phones in general, the design of the Realme GT 2 Pro does look less luxurious. But thanks to the materials and textures used, this phone feels more stable and not slippery when held.
The back panel is curved and blends directly into the aluminum frame that surrounds the phone. The four sides of the Realme GT 2 Pro are also decorated with several antenna gaps because one of the flagship features of this phone is the 360-degree antenna.
Turning to the front, the Realme GT 2 Pro really looks like a premium phone thanks to the thin bezels on all four sides. The punch-hole for the front camera which is in the upper left corner is also not too big so it's not too distracting. Don't forget Gorilla Glass Victus, which protects the screen from unwanted scratches.
Realme places the power button on the right side of the phone, and the volume buttons on the left side. The bottom of the phone is filled with speakers, a USB-C port, and a dual SIM slot.
Screen and Interface
Another excellent feature of Realme GT 2 Pro is of course the screen. This phone carries an AMOLED LTPO panel which uses more efficient power. The screen size is 6.7 inches with QHD + or 2K resolution.
Although the screen resolution reaches QHD +, by default the screen resolution of the Realme GT 2 Pro is FHD +. But the screen resolution of this phone can be changed manually through settings, and there is even an Auto option that can change the screen resolution automatically according to the content displayed.
The Realme GT 2 Pro screen also supports a dynamic refresh rate of 1-120Hz, which means the screen refresh rate will change automatically according to the activity you are doing, for example when watching movies or scrolling through social media. Don't miss the 1000 Hz touch sampling rate which makes the screen more responsive when playing games.
Overall, the Realme GT 2 Pro screen is very satisfying. The colors displayed are accurate and natural without excessive enhancement. But for a phone whose screen brightness is claimed to reach 1,400 nits, the screen's visibility in the sun is a bit lacking.
When used for streaming Netflix and YouTube, it can display high-resolution videos nicely. Which is a little strange, Realme GT 2 Pro supports HDR10+ but its HDR capabilities are not read by Netflix. At least there is still Widevine L1 certification which allows Netflix videos to be played in Full HD quality.
To enhance the multimedia experience, Realme GT 2 Pro is equipped with two speakers that are quite loud and the sound quality is good. Dolby Atmos support can also be activated when the phone is connected to headphones.
Realme GT 2 Pro immediately comes with the Android 12 operating system wrapped in Realme UI 3.0. Since this is a flagship phone, Realme is committed to providing Android updates for three years and security updates for four years, which is of course good news for users who want to continue using their phones in the long term.
The appearance of Realme UI 3.0 itself has not changed much when compared to its predecessor. Some important features of Android 12 are also included in this interface such as privacy indicators, privacy dashboards, and others.
Just like the previous version, Realme UI 3.0 also offers many personalization options which are further enriched thanks to the built-in features of Android 12. For example, the option to choose an accent color for a phone theme that is tailored to the phone's wallpaper.
Realme has also prepared several experimental features that can be accessed through the Realme Lab. Includes a feature to measure heart rate using the under-display fingerprint sensor. Oh yes, the under-screen fingerprint sensor provided by the Realme GT 2 Pro is also responsive and accurate.
Performance and Battery
Like the flagship phone released in 2022, the Realme GT 2 Pro carries the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. This chipset is combined with 12GB RAM and 256GB internal memory, the only configuration available in Indonesia.
Realme does not provide a microSD slot for storage expansion on the GT 2 Pro, but they do include a RAM Expansion feature of up to 7GB so that the total RAM can reach 19GB.
With specifications like these, of course, the performance of the Realme GT 2 Pro doesn't need to be doubted. All applications can be crushed easily and the multitasking process runs smoothly. The following are the results of several benchmark tests carried out using the Realme GT 2 Pro.
The gaming experience on the Realme GT 2 Pro is also very satisfying, although this phone is of course not designed as a gaming phone. PUBG Mobile games can be played with right-aligned graphic quality, while Genshin Impact can be played at the highest graphic quality and the frame rate is fairly stable.
Realme also presents the GT Mode feature on the GT 2 Pro. This feature can boost performance, refresh rate, and screen resolution to the maximum level, but of course it consumes more power.
To maintain the temperature of the phone, Realme has prepared a Stainless Steel Vapor Cooling Max cooling system. As a result, the back of the phone does not feel hot when playing games for a long time, but the parts that feel hot are the sides. If left too long, this heat becomes uncomfortable.
The performance of the Realme GT 2 Pro itself is supported by a 5,000 mAh battery with 65W SuperDart fast charging. Unfortunately, because the back is not made of glass, this phone does not have wireless charging capability, one of the mandatory features on flagship phones.
The process of charging it to full is very fast, less than 60 minutes. The battery life is also quite durable, can last more than one day on a single charge.
Camera
For photography, the Realme GT 2 Pro is of course also equipped with flagship-level camera specifications. This phone has three rear cameras with a 50 MP main camera that uses a Sony IMX766 sensor and is supported by OIS.
In addition, there is a 50 MP ultrawide camera that uses the Samsung ISOCELL JN1 sensor. Interestingly, this ultrawide camera has a viewing angle of up to 150 degrees, a feature that is still rare. Finally there is a micro camera that supports magnification up to 40x.
While other flagship phones offer telephoto cameras and zoom up to 100x, these features are actually absent on the Realme GT 2 Pro. Realme argues that the lens takes up more space on the phone because it is larger and can increase production costs.
Overall, the camera performance of the Realme GT 2 Pro is very satisfying. Thanks to the Sony IMX766 sensor, the shots are always clear in any lighting conditions. Even in low light conditions, the photos are still very good even if you don't use night mode.
Even though it doesn't have a telephoto lens, the Realme GT 2 Pro can still take 2x zoom photos with pretty good quality. Without a depth sensor, the quality of the portrait photo is also decent, the separation between the object and the background is quite good.
Likewise with its ultrawide camera that can take photos with slick details and accurate colors. If you want to get photos with a more dramatic effect and a wider angle, there is a 150-degree mode that can be selected manually.
Realme has also inserted a fisheye mode that can be selected to take photos with unique styles. But the quality of the shots is fairly ordinary, less sharp when compared to the usual ultrawide mode.
Another unique feature in the Realme GT 2 Pro is the microscope camera. Realme provides two zoom options, namely 20x and 40x. Even though autofocus is supported, to use this mode requires patience and a steady hand to focus the camera on an object.
Our opinion
The Realme GT 2 Pro is arguably the best phone that Realme has to offer so far. Its high-end specs deliver powerful performance and impressive camera quality.
Not only that, its unique design also makes it look different and stand out from other flagship phones. Cellphone materials and packaging made of environmentally friendly materials are also a plus.
In addition, Realme's decision to provide support for the Android operating system for up to three generations and security updates for four years is also commendable because it can increase the life of the cellphone.
But as the first premium flagship phone they offer, the Realme GT 2 Pro certainly still has some shortcomings that are expected to be fixed for the next generation.
For example, in terms of design, even though it is innovative, it makes the phone look less premium. The use of non-glass material for the back panel also makes the phone lack the wireless charging feature.
The microscope camera on the Realme GT 2 Pro is also unique and can take good photos, although it's a bit gimmick-y. But I personally prefer a telephoto camera which is more flexible in use than a micro camera.
But overall, for its first premium flagship phone, the Realme GT 2 Pro is a complete package that is worth considering, especially at the price. Maybe 1-2 years from now they can perfect the GT line so that they can be a real competitor to Samsung and Apple.