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The Realme GT7 Pro has already arrived in Malaysia today and I have been using this device as a daily smartphone for a few weeks. Is this realme GT7 Pro the most elite flagship device on par with the most powerful processor chip they use, the Snapdragon 8 Elite? Or is it just elite in name?
SPECIFICATION AND DESIGN
6.78″ LTPO OLED screen, + 2780 x 1264 pixels,
1Hz-120Hz, 6000 nits, Dolby Vision,
Gorilla Glass 7i
CPU Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm)
2x 4.32 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L
6x 3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M
Adreno 830 GPU
Memory 12/16 GB RAM LPDDR5X
Storage 256/512/1000 GB UFS 4.0
Rear Camera Sony IMX906, 50MP (Lide Angle)
ƒ/1.8, OIS
Sony IMX882, 50MP (Telephoto)
ƒ/2.65, OIS
Sony IMX355, 8MP (Ultra Wide Angle)
ƒ/2.2
HYPERIMAGE+
Front Camera 16MP ƒ/2.45
Audio Stereo speakers
Biometrics Fingerprint under the screen
Ultrasonic
Other Wi-Fi 7
360° NFC
Bluetooth 5.4
Dual-Band GPS L1 + L5
IP68/IP69 protection
6,500mAh battery
Wired 120W
Priced at RM3,699
realme's intention to become a flagship device comparable to other more premium brands can be said to be almost a reality with the GT7 Pro as an almost perfect initial phase. Holding this device doesn't feel like a regular realme device, instead it feels like holding the Xiaomi 14 and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. It's not lumpy, feels firm, has a luxurious finishing touch and also feels good in the hand.
The unit I tested is realme's unique color version of Mars Design, which takes the surface of the planet Mars as inspiration for the pattern and color tone. I personally love flagship devices with such bright colors and never get bored with the monochrome theme.
It's a shame realme missed out on being a premium flagship device by not offering extra buttons like the iPhone 16 or Oppo Find X8. If realme included a drop down switch like OnePlus I would give high praise, hopefully this will change in the next model.
It's rare that I can accept the design of a giant camera bump, but on the GT7 Pro I can forgive it. The camera hump uses a two-layer design with the first layer below being aluminum and the second layer glass. It gives it an identity of its own and differentiates it from competing flagship devices.
USAGE – realme UI 6.0 + NEXT AI
realme UI 6.0 based on Android 15 with NEXT AI is the operating system and generative artificial intelligence features on the GT7 Pro. realme UI 6.0 obviously uses the same code as color OS which now uses Oxygen OS code. Scrolling on the interface, transitioning animations, opening/closing applications, switching to other applications and daily use is like using iOS on an Android device. It is very smooth and fast which gives me a satisfaction that I really crave.
The use of realme UI 6.0 on this device gives an experience 100% the same as the OnePlus 12. In terms of interface, themes, customization abilities, memory management, system applications, camera applications, etc. it is difficult to differentiate it from Oxygen OS or color OS. This is a good thing because it will guarantee consistent performance for long-term use.
Differentiating realme UI from competitors is the generative artificial intelligence system used. NEXT AI is realme's name, which is actually just a rebranding of the AndesGPT used by Oppo and OnePlus. In terms of performance, stability, content generating animations and functions that can be used there is no difference other than the name. I don't mind this, just that it can mislead people into believing that AI features are offered exclusively to realme only.
With the GT7 Pro, realme UI is also seen trying to follow Apple's offering. realme has Live Alerts which is the Android version of Dynamic Island that supports two simultaneous applications. It also offers an AirDrop-like feature which is O+ with the sharing menu now displaying the text Share to iPhone. The home screen and lock screen customization features through the Flux theme also borrow more or less the same method as Apple.
realme UI 6.0 is also a very light and user-friendly operating system. It's as empty as using a Pixel and there are no annoying ads. Many installed applications are also allowed to be uninstalled or turned off. Speaking of Pixel, realme also follows Google's strategy for user security by using a special security chip.
The NEXT AI available on this device is pretty impressive even if it's just a copy and paste from Oppo. The audio recorder app has a feature to generate transcripts and can later be summarized by AI for further reference. It works fast and very well, only it is limited to English only.
realme also provides a special dashboard for monitoring memory, CPU and GPU usage. It is a useful feature for users who care about device performance again in gaming. This feature is like Armory Crate on ROG Phonr, only the realme version is directly built into the system settings.
GAMING – Snapdragon 8 Elite Benchmark, Console Gaming
The Snapdragon 8 Elite is the most powerful processing chip for an Android flagship smartphone. It uses the same Oryon CPU technology on the Snapdragon X Elite chip for Windows computers. realme GT7 Pro benchmark tested with AnTuTu 3D, Geekbench 6, Geekbench AI and 3D Wild Life Extreme. As far as tests done after several times, realme GT7 Pro is seen as the performance king so far.
AnTuTu 3D
Snapdragon 8 Elite – 2,642,097
MediaTek Dimensity 9400 – 2,629,017
Apple A18 Pro – 1,720,751
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 – 2,200,000
Apple A17 Pro – 1,542,050
Tensor G4 – 1,016,712
MediaTek Dimensity 9300 – 1,852,552
Geekbench 6
Snapdragon 8 Elite – 2,789/9,002
MediaTek Dimensity 9400 – 2663 / 8959
Apple A18 Pro – 3359 / 8129
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 – 2329/7526
Apple A17 Pro – 2793/6925
Tensor G4 – 1916/4644
MediaTek Dimensity 9300 – 2071/5032
Geekbench AI
Snapdragon 8 Elite – 2307/2323/3027
MediaTek Dimensity 9400 – N/A
Apple A18 Pro – 4516 / 7744 / 6204
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 – 1704 / 1829/ 2773
Apple A17 Pro – 3705 / 6515 / 5696
Tensor G4 – 2058 / 2017 / 3129
MediaTek Dimensity 9300 – N/A
3DMark Wild Life Extreme
Snapdragon 8 Elite – 5,922
MediaTek Dimensity 9400 – 6251
Apple A18 Pro – 4560
Apple A18 – 3698
Apple A17 Pro – 3746
Tensor G4 – 2567
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 – 4717
MediaTek Dimensity 9300 – 4067
The device has no problem handling high-graphics titles such as Call of Duty Warzone, GTA San Andreas and PUBG Mobile. The device also does not suffocate when running heavy primers such as Zenless Zero and Genshin Impact. More surprisingly, after a single session of any game that takes around 20 minutes to 1 hour – the GT7 Pro does not heat up at all and lags.
What is disappointing is realme's promise for the GT7 Pro to support AAA PC games. In theory, the chip can, but no game available can. For the demo, realme partnered with GameSir, a manufacturer of controller accessories that use the GameHub app for AAA PC game consoles such as GTA V or Assassin's Creed Black Flag. Sorry to be informed, this application is very suspicious and the game source also appears to be unauthentic with the complete game .EXE file provided but asking for various personal details to be allowed access.
CAMERA – HYPERIMAGE+ to Hasselblad?
I'm not sure what realme's secret is in the color science of their HYPERIMAGE+ camera technology, but on this GT7 Pro it's a lot different than the realme 13 Pro of the day. In my opinion, realme this time seems to borrow the Hasselblad technology used by Oppo and OnePlus but changed a little to be unique to realme.
In terms of portraits, night capabilities, ultra-wide angles, color contrast and detail preservation – the realme GT7 Pro camera seems to use the details of the OnePlus 11 with the colors of the OnePlus 12 but without the Hasselblad branding. Its exceptional focus ability, very fast image processing time and high dynamic range (HDR) effects also look satisfactory.
2x zoom portrait mode.
2x auto zoom mode.
1x auto night mode.
0.5x ultra wide angle mode.
5x zoom, portrait mode.
1x mode, auto HDR.
Portrait mode, low light 2x.
5x auto mode.
Auto macro mode.
Auto portrait mode, 1x low light.
2x auto HDR portrait mode.
Unfortunately, the video capabilities are still not at the level of premium flagship devices. 4K footage is beautiful, but the end result is poorly processed resulting in artifacts and imperfect stabilization effects.
BATTERY – 6500mAh + 120W SuperVOOC
I couldn't test realme GT7 Pro charging with the original charger, but I have an Oppo Find X8 charger that uses the same standard. It supports 120W fast charging which has no problem charging the device from 0% to 100% in under 30 minutes for a 6500mAh capacity battery.
It's a shame there's no Qi2 support, but at least the device's battery lasts a very long time. Extreme use such as camera, streaming applications, AI and other features can last up to around 7 hours SOT. While light use there is no problem to reach up to 9 hours SOT. As far as my use for a few weeks, the GT7 Pro has no problem lasting up to 1 and a half days on a single charge.
IN THE BOX
1x realme GT7 Pro
1x SuperVOOC 120W charger plug.
1x USB-A to USB-C Cable.
1x Protective frame.
1x SIM Pin
1x Guide and safety set.
CONCLUSION
The GT7 Pro is proof that realme can also present a premium class flagship device suitable for the Elite. Only, this time realme is still in the early stages and the GT7 Pro is still not comparable to other premium flagship devices. The design and build are quite impressive, the processing chip is quite powerful, the camera capabilities are also amazing, there is IP68/IP69 protection, the LTPO screen and the battery is long-lasting – the realme GT7 Pro is a well-rounded flagship device. Although the AI capabilities offered are not unique, they are at least comparable to those offered on competing devices.
It's a shame that for the selling price of RM3,699 it is more expensive than their previous devices which on average sold for less than RM3000.
This device is more for those who want gaming capabilities but the device still looks normal for normal use. That said, if you can't wait to try a flagship Android device with the Snapdragon 8 Elite – the realme GT7 Pro is the first in Malaysia. Hear news that competitor devices will use Dimensity 9400 or the selling price will be close to RM4000. So, if want to be the first and guaranteed for 4 years – GT7 Pro is the device for you.
PROS & Advantages
The design is more premium and elegant.
realme UI 6.0 which is getting smoother and faster.
Hasselblad-like HYPERIMAGE+ camera technology.
Unexpectedly fast and great performance.
Beautiful screen, fast, adaptive and quality.
Long lasting battery and fast charging.
IP68/IP69 protection
Interesting AI features.
CONS & Drawbacks
Update only 4+5 years.
No wireless/Qi2 charging.
The screen has HDR10+ but Netflix doesn't support it.
The price is quite expensive compared to previous realme devices.