Realme GT Master review

Competition

The Realme GT Master's retail price is around €350 in Europe and INR 28K in India. There's plenty of competitors in this price segment though how exactly the numbers align varies by market.

In Europe, for example, you can have the Mi 11 Lite 5G for GT Master's money. That will get you a more premium build with Gorilla Glass 6 on the front and an IP53 rating for splash resistance. The Mi also has stereo speakers and a microSD slot, but the Realme counters with a headphone jack - you can't seem to have it all. The list of small differences includes fingerprint reader placement, and a slightly brighter display on the Mi against the higher RR of the GT Master's. The Realme lasts longer on a single charge and tops up twice as fast, but the Mi is much better for video capture.

Alternatively, you can have a Samsung Galaxy A52 (non 5G) for a bit more. That one comes with a proper IP67 rating for dust and water resistance and Gorilla Glass 5 - two fields that are empty in the Realme spec sheet. It's similar to the stereo speakers and the microSD slot - the Galaxy has them, the Realme doesn't. Then again, the GT Master has a vastly more powerful chipset (which makes a difference regardless of whether you care about 5G at this point), coupled with longer battery life and quicker charging. That Galaxy is the better video camera, but for stills, each will do the trick.

The OnePlus Nord CE 5G is what OP will sell you in the ballpark of the Realme GT Master's price in Europe. The Realme wins for performance, again, but the Nord CE lasts longer on a single charge and is not terrible at video recording.

If you can stretch your budget a bit, the OnePlus Nord 2 is also an option. That one comes with a beefier chipset, fancier main camera and stereo speakers - so an all-around upgrade for some 15-20% higher price.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G • Samsung Galaxy A52 • OnePlus Nord CE 5G • OnePlus Nord 2 5G • Xiaomi Poco F3 GT

The odd bit is that the Nord 2 retails precisely for GT Master money in India, at least for its base 6GB/128GB version and rupee for rupee we think it's the better choice.

The vivo V21 5G is in the same price ballpark as the GT Master in India and does few things differently. It's got a strong emphasis on the front-facing camera and is the better option for selfies of the two phones, while the rear cameras are mostly a toss-up. That is, unless we're talking about video, where the Realme is no good. The GT Master is better suited to performance-dependent tasks like gaming, though.

If gaming is a priority, you could also have a look at the Poco F3 GT. It has physical shoulder buttons that you can pop up when needed, and its Dimensity 1200 chip is brawnier than the GT Master's SD780. The Poco also has GG5 front and back and an IP53 rating, plus stereo speakers, but it is missing a headphone jack. We haven't reviewed this one, so we don't have numbers for battery and display, nor do we have camera samples, but we can't see a night-and-day difference between the two phones in these areas.

Verdict

The GT Master does a lot of things right, and it's the important things. It boasts battery life that's hard to rival, coupled with charging speed that's, well... unrivaled. Its display isn't the absolute brightest around, but it is plenty bright and has the 120Hz refresh rate and the AMOLED blacks going for it. The chipset is powerful and stays so over extended periods, and the UI is very customizable without being too heavy. And if you're not one to record videos, the camera system will keep you happy.

Some of the GT Master's imperfections can be seen in the spec sheet, and while a Gorilla Glass of some sort is nice to have and two speakers are more than one, we don't see these as dealbreakers. And if you opt for the Suitcase design of the Voyager Gray version, you'll also escape our other niggle about the phone's plain and unremarkable build. That leaves the video quality to contend with.

All things considered, the Realme GT Master is looking like a very sensible buy in our book.

Pros

• One of a kind design (if you get the suitcase-like Voyager Gray).
• Very good display - AMOLED, high refresh rate, good max brightness.
• Chart-topping battery life and charging speed.
• Realme UI offers a ton of personalization without getting in the way.
• The SD778 chipset is very potent, has great sustained performance too.
• Easy to like photo quality from all cameras in day light, Night mode works great in low light.

Cons

• No advertised screen protection.
• The all-plastic build of our non-suitcase review unit doesn't have a premium feel.
• No stereo speakers, the single speaker isn't very loud either.
• Poor video quality.