Realme GT 5G review

GSMArena Team, 25 June 2021.

Realme UI 2.0 on top of Android 11 base

The Realme GT 5G boots Android 11 with Realme UI 2.0. The latest version of the launcher offers richer customization options, more AOD themes, a couple of extra Dark Mode styles, refined floating and mini windows, and enhanced security.

Realme GT 5G review

The phone supports fingerprint unlock, and the optical sensor works very well - it's fast and with high accuracy. You can also add a face for an even speedier unlock - though this is not as secure.

The launcher has no-nonsense homescreens, a simplistic and clean notification/toggles area, and an easy-to-use task switcher. An App drawer is available, too, and it is as clutter-free as one could hope for. You can opt out of the app drawer if that's your thing.

Realme UI 2.0 - Realme GT 5G review Realme UI 2.0 - Realme GT 5G review Realme UI 2.0 - Realme GT 5G review Realme UI 2.0 - Realme GT 5G review Realme UI 2.0 - Realme GT 5G review Realme UI 2.0 - Realme GT 5G review
Realme UI 2.0

Always-on screen is available, and it can show the usual content - clock, date, notifications icons, battery. The Realme UI 2.0 also brings many new AOD themes - we had a really hard time picking one.

Edge Lighting is available, too, and it's quite useful as there is no notification LED light on the Realme GT, but not everyone is keen on using the AOD screen as it impacts the battery life.

AOD - Realme GT 5G review AOD - Realme GT 5G review AOD - Realme GT 5G review Edge Lighting - Realme GT 5G review Edge Lighting - Realme GT 5G review
AOD • AOD • AOD • Edge Lighting • Edge Lighting

Realme UI supports different icon packs, so if you are not happy with the default one, you can opt for material style, pebbles, or you can even fully customize them by your liking. Thanks to Realme UI 2.0, you can also change the system colors, the fingerprint scanner animation, the notification drawer icons, even the system font. And there is a whole Theme Store if that's not enough for you.

Customization options - Realme GT 5G review Customization options - Realme GT 5G review Customization options - Realme GT 5G review Customization options - Realme GT 5G review Customization options - Realme GT 5G review Customization options - Realme GT 5G review
Customization options

Dark Mode is available, too, and it's been enhanced with Realme UI 2.0 with support for three different dark styles - black, dark gray or light gray. It can be manual or scheduled. You can also opt to force it on third-party apps, though this doesn't always end well.

Dark Mode - Realme GT 5G review Dark Mode - Realme GT 5G review Dark Mode - Realme GT 5G review Dark Mode - Realme GT 5G review Dark Mode - Realme GT 5G review
Dark Mode

There are many powerful tools within the settings menu if you want full control over your Android OS. Or you can leave everything as is and enjoy a hassle-free Android experience optimized by Realme's AI algorithms and machine learning.

Settings - Realme GT 5G review Settings - Realme GT 5G review Settings - Realme GT 5G review Settings - Realme GT 5G review Settings - Realme GT 5G review Settings - Realme GT 5G review
Settings

You can also minimize an app to a mini-windows or a floating window from within the Task Manager. If an app is compatible, you can do either of these or use the familiar Split Screen.

Task Manager - Realme GT 5G review Mini app - Realme GT 5G review Floating window - Realme GT 5G review Split screen - Realme GT 5G review
Task Manager • Mini app • Floating window • Split screen

Similar to the Galaxies, the Realme UI offers a Smart Sidebar on the edge of the screen - you can customize the actions and app shortcuts that appear there.

Smart Sidebar - Realme GT 5G review Smart Sidebar - Realme GT 5G review Smart Sidebar - Realme GT 5G review
Smart Sidebar

The multimedia apps such as Gallery, Music, and Videos - are provided by Realme. There is also a redesigned File Manager and even a Phone Manager app. This completes the non-Google app list.

A Game Center app is also available for better game management and notification behavior. You can also opt for smart resolution switch and performance/balanced/energy saving modes.

Gallery - Realme GT 5G review Music - Realme GT 5G review Videos - Realme GT 5G review Phone Manager - Realme GT 5G review File Manager - Realme GT 5G review Game Center - Realme GT 5G review
Gallery • Music • Videos • Phone Manager • File Manager • Game Center

We are fond of the Realme UI, and we like the new direction. The interface is snappy, clutter-free and easy to use. Yet, it retains plenty of powerful tools should you choose to dig deeper and use them.

Performance and benchmarks

The Realme GT 5G is the maker's first smartphone running on the new Snapdragon 888 5G chip. The SoC is based on the 5nm manufacturing process.

The flagship SoC has an octa-core processor with a familiar core configuration 1+3+4 - 1x2.84 GHz Kryo 680 Prime (Cortex-X1 derivative) & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 680 Gold (Cortex-A78 derivative) & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 680 Silver (Cortex-A55 derivative).

The Adreno 660 is part of the SD888 and is currently one of the best in the smartphone segment.

Realme GT is available with either 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5. The storage options are 128GB and 256GB, and the storage is of the UFS 3.1 kind.

The SD888 chip supports the latest connectivity standards - dual 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, dual-band GPS.

Realme used a new multi-layer cooling system for the Realme GT in an attempt to make "the coolest Snapdragon 888". It is comprised of a copper vapor chamber surrounded by stainless steel. Then come multiple layers of graphite covering the entire chip area.

Let's run some tests now, shall we?

Realme GT 5G review

The Snapdragon 888 processor is the current best, and the benchmark tests confirm this. The Realme X7 Max 5G, also known as GT Neo, runs on Dimensity 1200 and its CPU performance is in line with the mid-rangers.

GeekBench 5 (multi-core)

Higher is better

  • OnePlus 9 Pro
    3636
  • OnePlus 9
    3629
  • Realme GT 5G
    3555
  • Xiaomi Mi 11
    3489
  • ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R
    3486
  • Realme X50 Pro
    3175
  • OnePlus 9R
    3117
  • Realme X7 Pro
    2997
  • Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
    2909
  • Realme X7 Max 5G
    2614
  • Poco X3 Pro
    2574
  • Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
    1780
  • Realme 8 Pro
    1678
  • Samsung Galaxy A72
    1627

GeekBench 5 (single-core)

Higher is better

  • Realme GT 5G
    1139
  • OnePlus 9
    1129
  • ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R
    1128
  • OnePlus 9 Pro
    1126
  • Xiaomi Mi 11
    1085
  • OnePlus 9R
    969
  • Realme X7 Max 5G
    967
  • Realme X50 Pro
    911
  • Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
    803
  • Realme X7 Pro
    756
  • Poco X3 Pro
    735
  • Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
    569
  • Realme 8 Pro
    566
  • Samsung Galaxy A72
    537

The Adreno 660 is also one of the most powerful GPUs on the market and will handle whatever game nicely. The GT Neo's / X7 Max 5G is also showing some real flagship potential with its 9-core Mali-G77 GPU, which is on par with the Snapdragon 865's.

GFX Manhattan ES 3.1 (offscreen 1080p)

Higher is better

  • OnePlus 9 Pro
    119
  • OnePlus 9
    119
  • Realme GT 5G
    112
  • Xiaomi Mi 11
    111
  • ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R
    111
  • OnePlus 9R
    93
  • Realme X50 Pro
    86
  • Realme X7 Max 5G
    86
  • Realme X7 Pro
    80
  • Poco X3 Pro
    75
  • Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
    65
  • Samsung Galaxy A72
    29
  • Realme 8 Pro
    28

GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (offscreen 1080p)

Higher is better

  • OnePlus 9 Pro
    70
  • OnePlus 9
    70
  • ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R
    69
  • Xiaomi Mi 11
    67
  • Realme GT 5G
    65
  • OnePlus 9R
    57
  • Realme X50 Pro
    51
  • Realme X7 Max 5G
    50
  • Realme X7 Pro
    46
  • Poco X3 Pro
    45
  • Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
    40
  • Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
    19
  • Realme 8 Pro
    18
  • Samsung Galaxy A72
    17

3DMark Wild Life Vulkan 1.1 (offscreen 1440p)

Higher is better

  • Realme GT 5G
    5872
  • OnePlus 9 Pro
    5701
  • Xiaomi Mi 11
    5673
  • ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R
    5667
  • OnePlus 9
    5667
  • Realme X7 Max 5G
    4216
  • OnePlus 9R
    4154
  • Realme X7 Pro
    3938
  • Poco X3 Pro
    3401
  • Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
    3136
  • Realme 8 Pro
    1051
  • Samsung Galaxy A72
    1031

Unfortunately, no game or GPU benchmark could utilize the screen's high refresh rate. We've seen a similar thing on previous HRR-capable Realme phones, and it seems even the GT won't be the one to allow HRR gaming.

A spoiler alert of sorts - the Realme GT Neo/X7 Pro Max allows using higher refresh rates in GPU tests and hopefully in games and seems to be the one to break the mold of this restrictive pattern.

GFX Manhattan ES 3.1 (onscreen)

Higher is better

  • ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R
    101
  • Realme X7 Max 5G
    79
  • Poco X3 Pro
    67
  • Realme GT 5G
    60
  • Realme X50 Pro
    60
  • Realme X7 Pro
    60
  • OnePlus 9
    60
  • OnePlus 9R
    60
  • Xiaomi Mi 11
    57
  • Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
    57
  • OnePlus 9 Pro
    57
  • Realme 8 Pro
    31
  • Samsung Galaxy A72
    26

GFX Car Chase ES 3.1 (onscreen)

Higher is better

  • ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R
    59
  • OnePlus 9
    58
  • Realme GT 5G
    55
  • OnePlus 9R
    49
  • Realme X50 Pro
    45
  • Realme X7 Max 5G
    44
  • Realme X7 Pro
    40
  • Poco X3 Pro
    38
  • OnePlus 9 Pro
    36
  • Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
    35
  • Xiaomi Mi 11
    33
  • Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
    16
  • Realme 8 Pro
    16
  • Samsung Galaxy A72
    15

Finally, AnTuTu says the Realme GT 5G is one of the fastest phones on the market right now.

AnTuTu 8

Higher is better

  • OnePlus 9
    715196
  • ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R
    708156
  • Realme GT 5G
    703986
  • OnePlus 9 Pro
    691055
  • Xiaomi Mi 11
    668722
  • OnePlus 9R
    617766
  • Realme X7 Max 5G
    605819
  • Realme X50 Pro
    592447
  • Realme X7 Pro
    510317
  • Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
    465534
  • Poco X3 Pro
    453223
  • Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
    295442
  • Realme 8 Pro
    286666
  • Samsung Galaxy A72
    279342

AnTuTu 9

Higher is better

  • ZTE nubia Red Magic 6R
    823354
  • Realme GT 5G
    810433
  • Realme X7 Max 5G
    680671
  • OnePlus 9R
    676913
  • Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G
    522490
  • Samsung Galaxy A72
    333668

Well, the Snapdragon 888 5G chip makes the Realme GT look like an over-equipped device, especially when the maker doesn't allow HRR gaming. But having such power under the hood means a lot for the future, and the phone can surely last a long time. We experienced hiccup-free performance across the board. Hopefully, Realme will allow HRR gaming with an upcoming firmware update.

Stability and sustained performance are also important. The phone has new stainless steel (+VC copper) cooling system, providing better conductivity and heat dissipations. Well, we can confirm the phone doesn't get as hot as many other SD888-powered phones. Warm - yes, hot - no. But that's because it throttles. The Realme GT scored a 55% stability score on the 3D Mark Wild Life Stress Test - an uninspiring number. It also exhibited a huge drop of battery life for these 20 loops (each 1m long) - about 35%.

The nubia Red Magic 6R also relies on a passive cooling solution, but it seems it does much better. The RM6R achieved 89% stability score on the 3D Mark Stress Test, and the battery dropped 19%. While the SoC was kept relatively cool, the phone's frame got incredibly hot, and we guess that's the tradeoff for not throttling.

3D Mark Stress Test - Realme GT 5G review 3D Mark Stress Test - Realme GT 5G review 3D Mark Stress Test - Realme GT 5G review
3D Mark Stress Test

We've also decided to run the CPU Throttling test for an hour. The stainless steel cooling system allowed the CPU to keep just 47% of its maximum performance. For comparison, the passive cooling system of the Red Magic 6R managed to keep 83% of its CPU performance.

CPU stress test result - Realme GT 5G review
CPU stress test result

So, while Realme tried to make the coolest running SD888 - it came at the price of throttling. Both the Realme GT and the nubia Red Magic 6R use the same chip but different passive cooling solutions, and the Red Magic's much better even if the phone heats a lot under peak load around the frame. Maybe if Realme used a metal frame instead of plastic, things would have looked different. But it is what it is.

We want to end this chapter on a positive note, though. Few games, if any, will use 100% of the SD888 and games like Asphalt, Dead Trigger 2, Ace Force and Call of Duty ran fine for hours, and we did not notice any obvious throttling.

Reader comments

It has a glass or leather back. But the SD888 is still an overheating mess so you should use an external cooler

I've had the phone for a year. It does overheat when playing certain games (brawl stars, rocket league sideswipe, genshin impact, roblox, call of duty mobile) and when watching lives on twitch. An external cooler is almost necessary

  • Dana
  • 21 Jul 2022
  • LaI

U should make the research...or read the article where u are commenting on Realme GT throotle heavily, 55% of the performance at full load is... I would like to see how it performs with external cooling like a fan or a peltier cooler, mine...