Realme GT2 Pro review

Introduction and specs

The Realme GT2 series launched in China last year and replaces the flagship Realme GT 5G from March 2021. But this time, we get two versions - a standard GT2 and a GT2 Pro option, which Realme says is the most premium flagship it has ever made. And we can see why. The GT2 Pro offers an impressive set of improvements over the GT 5G in every key aspect.

Starting with the display, of course. The GT2 Pro now carries a bigger, LTPO2 AMOLED panel that boasts low energy consumption and adaptive refresh rate ranging between 1Hz and 120Hz. And that's on top of the 500 mAh battery increase, raising our expectations in the battery endurance department.

Realme GT2 Pro specs at a glance:

• Body: 163.2x74.7x8.2mm, 189g; Gorilla Glass Victus front, plastic/bio-based polymer back, aluminum frame.
• Display: 6.70" LTPO2 AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1400 nits (peak), 1140x3216px resolution, 25.39:9 aspect ratio, 509ppi.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm): Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510); Adreno 730.
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM; UFS 3.1.
• OS/Software: Android 12, Realme UI 3.0.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm, 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 50 MP, f/2.2, 15mm, 150˚; Microscopic: 3 MP, f/3.3, (microscope), AF, 40x magnification.
• Front camera: 32 MP, f/2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.74", 0.8µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 8K, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 65W, 100% in 33 min (advertised).
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); NFC.

Another notable upgrade is the camera setup. There are even a couple of industry's first in there as well. The main 64MP camera from before has been swapped out for a more sophisticated Sony-made 50MP sensor with multi-directional PDAF and OIS. And the ultrawide unit uses a Samsung 50MP sensor paired with an impressive 150-degree lens allowing for some unique fisheye shots. Sadly, there's no telephoto camera, and there is only a 3MP microscopic macro camera with AF and 40x magnification to make up for the omission.

Last but not least, the same designer behind the Realme GT Master, Naoto Fukusawa, has designed the back of the current GT2 Pro. It's not made of glass, and it's conceived so that it feels like paper in person. It's reportedly, the industry's first bio-based polymer leaving 35.5% less carbon footprint.

So, in a sense, Realme is right about the GT2 Pro being the most premium smartphone it has ever created. The new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is at the helm with all the bells and whistles a flagship phone should offer. Well, except maybe a telephoto camera, but we've seen Realme's produce impressive cropped 2x and 3x zoom photos, so let's not judge prematurely.

Unboxing the Realme GT2 Pro

The Realme GT2 Pro comes in a nice, big box that, nonetheless, should have reduced carbon footprint as per Realme. The company says that in combination with the new bio-based polymer back, every 1 million GT2 Pros shipped account for the equivalent of 3.5 million fewer plastic bottles.

Retail box and bonus case

Anyway, the box contains all the usual user manuals, a USB-A to USB-C cable for charging and data transfer, the appropriate 65W charger and a nice-looking gray silicone case for extra protection. This one provides a nice grip and doesn't feel cheap like the other cases that OEMs usually bundle with their phones.