GT, short for “grand touring,” is a term coined in the 1920s to represent cars at the intersection of sports and luxury. Boasting of powerful engines, slick handling, and comfortable interiors, these cars can be your daily driver, yet still deliver an exhilarating driving experience when called upon. However, there is no proper benchmark to say what qualifies as a GT and what doesn’t. It is but an idea. That is why, a smartphone brand can pick this idea and make a GT, too, in the modern day.
Realme has been making GT phones since 2021. It isn’t the only brand, but it is certainly the only one doing it with great zeal and consistency. 2024 has been a big year for Realme GT phones in India. After giving the market, a miss for a few generations, Realme has come out and launched not one, not two, but three GT phones, one after another. The latest, Realme GT 7 Pro, just might be its most ambitious yet. The phone in question stays true to the formula—of a GT—blending good design with high performance. The price is also very attractive, even if it is on the higher side for a Realme phone. There are two variants: 12GB/256GB for Rs 59,999 and 16GB/512GB for Rs 65,999.
Realme GT 7 Pro review: Design and display
The best thing about the GT 7 Pro is that it doesn’t look like anything else on the market today. It doesn’t look anything like the other two GT phones launched this year either. Those two—the Realme GT 6 and GT 6T—were flashier and more flamboyant. This one is just the opposite despite being available in a shade of orange. Realme sent me the relatively more pedestrian gray variant. It has clean lines and sharp edges. It is broad and solid and utilitarian. It’s not trying to be slender like most other phones in its class. That could be bad for some people because they might feel it’s not as premium. But it is.
The body is made of glass and metal. It has all the necessary ingress ratings including the new industry trend, IP69, which makes it—also—resistant to water jets and steam cleaning. Flip over to the front and you’ll find a 6.78-inch FHD+ 8T LTPO Eco2 OLED Plus quad micro-curved display, co-developed with Samsung. It has a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz and gets super-bright at up to 6,000 nits when watching HDR content (Dolby Vision is supported) and up to 2,000 nits in HBM (high brightness mode). The panel is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i. Biometrics are handled by an ultrasonic fingerprint reader which is fast and reliable. Overwhelming numbers aside, the GT 7 Pro has one of the best smartphone displays around. It is in fact one of the big reasons why you should buy it.
Realme GT 7 Pro review: Performance and battery life
The biggest reason to get it is of course the Snapdragon 8 Elite inside it. The GT 7 Pro is one of the most affordable smartphones to come rocking the fastest Qualcomm chip that is available today. The RAM and storage type are also flagship-tier—LPDDR5x and UFS4.0. Realme phones, especially the GT phones, are generally known for eking out the most performance out of their chip. The same is true for this one as well.
The software is latest—Realme UI 6.0 based on Android 15. It’s the usual affair if you’ve crossed paths with a recent Oppo or OnePlus phone since they’re all sharing the code base now. The downside is bloatware which is comparatively a bit more on a Realme phone—even the GT 7 Pro—than a OnePlus or Oppo. The software support window is also less with Realme committing to only 3 major OS and 4 years of security updates.
GT 7 Pro
Pros
- Unique design
- Stunning display
- Powerful performance
- Excellent value
Cons
- Average camera performance
- Bloatware
- Software support
- No wireless charging
- Indian variant has smaller battery
What sets the GT 7 Pro apart is AI if that is your thing. The GT 7 Pro is billed as the first Realme phone to feature Next AI integration which brings multiple AI tools from AI Sketch to Image for turning rough sketches into detailed pictures, to AI Motion Deblur and AI Telephoto Ultra Clarity to improve photos. Gamers will appreciate the AI Game Super Resolution, which enhances visuals to 1.5K resolution for immersive gameplay on popular titles like PUBG and Genshin Impact. The selection is wide and well thought-out and works most of the time.
Battery life is great. Bur fair warning, my impressions are basis of the Chinese unit, which ships with a 6,500mAh capacity. In India, Realme has gone with a smaller 5,800mAh battery and so, the results may vary. The phone supports 120W fast wired charging. There is no wireless charging.
Realme GT 7 Pro review: Cameras
If you look at the specs, it becomes obvious where Realme chose to cut corners to get to the price point it has got to with this phone. The question is to what end does it affect the buyer. The answer is a bit complicated. There are three cameras in this phone.
The primary is a 50-megapixel Sony IMX906 sensor with an f/1.8 optically stabilised lens. It performs well when you give it lots of light, but the results are a hit or miss under tricky light, while low-light photos are just about serviceable. The second camera uses a 50-megapixel Sony IMX882 sensor behind an f/2.65 3x optically stabilised periscope lens, which works like the primary mostly, which makes it tad superior—in my opinion—because, here, you’re getting zoom and portraits “like a pro” which given Realme’s track record, is a job well done. Rounding off the package is an 8-megapixel ultrawide which—as you might probably expect—is a spec-filler. So is the front 16MP selfie camera.
Video recording up to 8K@24fps is available although that might be a stretch. The more practical setting is 4K@60fps and it works well enough in most situations except when lighting is challenging, though stabilisation could be better.
When I say that the answer is complicated, I mean, it’s like Realme purposefully left an Achilles heel for us reviewers to take note and critic. I hate that because I like this phone a lot. The cameras—especially the ultrawide—could be better.
Realme GT 7 Pro review: Should you buy it?
In the past, the emphasis of Realme GT phones was largely on gamers, the GT 7 Pro is cut-out for anybody and everybody. This is the first time a GT phone has probably lived up to the GT name. And so, while it may behave like a sports car, if need be, its looks and features are more in sync for everyday use.
The Realme GT 7 Pro has a stunning display, and top-tier performance thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite. While the cameras aren’t the best in class and the software could use some refinement, the GT 7 Pro offers incredible value for its price. If you’re looking for a powerful and stylish phone that can handle anything you throw at it, the Realme GT 7 Pro is worth considering.
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