Realme GT 8 Pro review

Design, build quality, handling

Now that's something we hadn't seen - a smartphone with changeable camera island covers. The Realme GT 8 Pro triple camera setup is surrounded by a removable fascia - just undo the two tiny torx screws and you'll see the actual camera bump underneath.

Realme is shipping the phone with a round metal fascia but octagonal ones are also available, and so too is a transparent rectangular plastic option. We received a selection of covers to try out, but more will be available. Additionally, the company will be releasing drawings so DIY enthusiasts will be able to 3D print their own covers and with the dimensions out there, the more crafty types will be able to build entirely custom ones too.

It's certainly a novel idea and one that's sure to make the GT 8 Pro stand out from the crowd of same-ish handsets. The thing is though, we're not entirely sure that the target buyer for the GT 8 Pro, the one that's planning to spend upwards of €1,100, will be the one that's going to bother with replacement covers or 3D printing.

On the other hand, perhaps it takes a phone this expensive to be a vehicle for the concept - maybe the larger profit margin is what can carry the extra cost of the accessories' development, packaging, marketing, and whatnot. And maybe we're not exactly the target buyer so we don't entirely get it, but Realme's done their homework and their numbers are looking good.

Mind you, the covers aren't really structural or in other way functional - remove yours and the phone will be just as operational and equally as dust- and water-resistant as it was with the cover screwed in place. That would be IP68/IP69 level of ingress protection - so both submersion (as deep as 2m for as long as 30mins) and hot-water jets are covered.

While we're still on the back, we can also discuss the available colors and materials. We have one unit each of the white and the blue colorways, and in China (and possibly other markets) there's also a green option. That last one is not to be mistaken with the more exclusive Dream Edition with Aston Martin F1-inspired styling.

The blue one (and the plain green one) has a leather-like polymer back. Technically, Realme's marketing is calling it paper-like - if we're going with that, it must be some really old, early attempts at paper that we're alluding to, not the smooth type we're used to now. Either way, it's nicely soft and grippy - zero complaints. The white variant and the Dream Edition have fiber-reinforced plastic rear panels that are noticeably more slippery. None of the phones we handled is prone to accumulating fingerprints.

Blue • White • Dream Edition

Over on the front, it's Gorilla Glass protecting the display, though Realme doesn't say which exactly type of Corning's product they're using.

The front is flat so you might be tempted to use a glass screen protector once the pre-applied plastic one inevitably gets all scratched up. Or you could just trust the Gorilla Glass and embrace using your devices.

The GT 8 Pro features an ultrasonic underdisplay fingerprint sensor. It's quick to set up - you just gently glide your finger on top of it for a second instead of tapping two dozen times - and it's also reliable and fast when it comes to unlocking.

The phone has a flat aluminum frame with a satin finish. It provides adequate grip without picking up dirt. The GT 8 Pro has only the 'usual' set of controls - a volume rocker and a power key, but no alert switches or camera control buttons like some other recent high-end models. The SIM tray on the bottom will take two nano SIMs, but you can also use an eSIM instead of SIM 2 - at least on our EU units.

IR emitter on top • Buttons on the right • SIM tray on the bottom