Realme GT5 Pro review

Competition

The Realme GT5 Pro is a China-only release, and as such, it's not really up to us to come up with purchasing advice related to it or its potential competitors. That said, we could theorize about its value in principle and also contemplate what the future holds for global Realme offerings to come.

At a starting price of CNY 3,400 for a base 12GB/256GB version, the conversion works out to €430 before VAT or a little over €500 after accounting for taxes. The top-spec 16GB/1TB version we reviewed would be CNY 4,300 or around €650 incl. VAT. Now, we'll be quick to admit that this kind of napkin math is more than a little simplified, but it's a start.

For example, a Xiaomi 13T Pro with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage goes for €600. It loses to the Realme in battery life and only sort of makes up for it at the charging station, where it also falls short for not having wireless charging. The Xiaomi has nothing to be ashamed of in terms of display quality, and its Mediatek chipset is plenty powerful, too. The Realme would be a better option for photography, particularly if ultrawide shots aren't your thing, but the Xiaomi is seemingly the safer bet for video recording.

Alternatively, a OnePlus 11 could be had for as little as €650 if you do some digging around. The Realme will get you longer battery life, newer chipset, and a nicer zoom camera, while the OP's better ultrawide and generally superior video recording can be more important to some.

A similar amount of cash will get you a Galaxy S23 FE, which is a reasonable point of entry into the Samsung experience - that being a key selling point for the Galaxy in this comparison. This particular Galaxy's camera is nothing special, and we'd normally pick the Realme, though an asterisk remains when it comes to videos and ultrawide shots. The GT5 Pro has a much more potent chipset, a lot longer battery life and speedier charging, so the FE only really makes sense if you're hell bent on having a Galaxy.

One option that's in many ways comparable to the GT5 Pro is the iQOO 12. It one ups the Realme in telephoto prowess, but also in ultrawide capabilities, plus it's a better camcorder. It does come at a price premium, though.

Xiaomi 13T Pro • OnePlus 11 • Samsung Galaxy S23 FE • vivo iQOO 12

Verdict

The Realme GT5 Pro may not be available outside of its home market, but it's a nice showcase of what's to come from Realme or its sister brands. The display is every bit as remarkable as promised, battery life is top-notch, and charging also leaves little to be desired - both in speed and method. The palm recognition and air gestures aren't game-changers, but it doesn't hurt to have them. The IP64 rating is a welcome addition, too, even if Realme stops short of promising submersion-grade water resistance.

Now, we were less than thrilled with the GT5 Pro's ultrawide camera performance, which doesn't quite match the model's cameraphone aspirations. Video recording, in general, was in many ways not up to scratch either. But we were particularly fond of the handsets still from the main camera and the telephoto, and the zoom camera's close-focusing capability is most welcome.

In the end, we don't mind if China keeps the GT5 Pro to itself. We'd be happy to welcome the improved version when that's ready.

Pros

• First Realme with an IP64 rating.
• Super-bright and otherwise thoroughly excellent display.
• Great battery life, speedy charging (wireless too).
• Palm recognition and air gestures could be useful that one time.
• Superb telephoto camera for both far and near subjects; excellent main camera too.

Cons

• IP64 doesn't promise survival in case of submersion.
• Ultrawide camera is underwhelming in almost every aspect.
• Videos are generally softer than ideal, stabilization isn't great.