Realme GT 7 Pro Review: Delivering some heavy blows, way above its weight class Firstpost

Pros:
– Gorgeous display
– Snapdragon 8 Elite is a class apart
– Android 15 out of the box,
– Tons of AI features
– Massive battery life, with superfast charging
– Underwater capabilities thanks to IP69 rating
– Tank-like built quality
– IR Blaster and 360-degree NFC

Cons:
– 120Hz refresh rate gaming is limited to a few titles only
– Cameras could have been better
– Video stabilisation could have been better

Price: Rs 65,999 for the 512GB+16GB unit. Starts at Rs 59,999
Rating: 4.5/5

While many smartphone manufacturers claim to make ‘flagship killers’, perhaps none come close to Realme and their GT series. Equipped with the latest and greatest that Qualcomm has to offer, a killer battery life, and a pretty decent set of cameras that actually takes really good photos if you know how to milk it, Realme’s GT series is back with a bang with the Realme GT 7 Pro.

Priced at a starting price of Rs 60,000, the Realme GT 7 Pro offers blazing-fast performance, a pretty nifty feature set, and of course, AI. The emphasis on AI is such that Realme is calling the GT 7 Pro the darkhorse of AI — well, marketing shenanigans put aside, the GT 7 Pro actually has some pretty nifty AI features, especially for gamers. But what really sets the Realme GT 7 Pro is its brains — it is the first smartphone in India to feature the much-hyped Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC. If smartphone manufacturers are to be believed, 2025 will be a revolutionary year for flagship smartphones.

But do these AI Features really make that big a difference? And what about the performance, does the Snapdragon 8 Elite stand up to the hype that Qualcomm has been trying to create? We find out.

Realme GT 7 Pro Review: Design

Realme has stepped up its design game with the GT 7 Pro, and has delivered a handset that pairs durability with a bit of flair. While the phone’s overall design may seem to be pretty normie at first, there are enough thoughtful details to catch your attention.

We get the tried-and-tested combination of glass and aluminium, which ensures a premium feel in the hand. At the front, we get Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, while at the rear, we see Panda Glass, adding a touch of ruggedness.

The phone comes in two colour options: Mars Orange and Galaxy Grey. The orange variant has a textured, wavy pattern that’s subtle but adds some personality, while the grey version keeps things simple with a more solid, matte finish.

Around the back, the triple-camera setup is housed in a glossy black module, positioned off-centre on an elevated block. This placement gives the phone a distinctive look, but it does mean the device wobbles slightly when placed flat without a case. It’s a minor drawback for those who prefer their phones to sit perfectly still on a desk.

The phone features a 6.8-inch display with slim bezels and a slight curve at the edges. Unlike some of the more dramatic curved screens on the market, Realme has opted for a more restrained approach. The curves add a touch of elegance without sacrificing usability, as the display is framed neatly for a secure grip. This avoids the accidental touches often associated with fully curved panels.

Measuring 162 x 77 x 8.55mm and weighing 223 grams, the GT 7 Pro feels substantial. It’s not the lightest device in its class, but the weight comes with a sense of quality and sturdiness. The curved design helps it feel slimmer in the hand, though the heft is noticeable, largely due to its 5,800mAh battery and an advanced and much larger vapour chamber cooling system. This system, one of the largest in any smartphone, ensures the phone stays cool even during intense usage.

One of the standout features of the GT 7 Pro is its robust water and dust resistance. With an IP68 rating and additional IP69 certification, the phone is built to survive more than just a quick splash.

Realme claims it can operate underwater at depths of up to 2 metres for 30 minutes, which isn’t just a safety net — it’s actively encouraged. This makes the GT 7 Pro more adventurous than most phones in its segment, appealing to users who might want to capture moments underwater without relying on a separate camera.

To complement this feature, the GT 7 Pro uses an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, which performs well even when wet or dirty. Unlike optical sensors, it doesn’t rely on light to function, making it an excellent choice for wet conditions. Conveniently placed high on the phone’s body, it’s easy to access and adds to the phone’s usability in challenging scenarios.

For connectivity, we get a USB-C port, IR, NFC, BlueTooth 5.4 and WiFi 7. Unfortunately, you do not get a 3.5mm jack, not that you should be expecting one nowadays.

Realme GT 7 Pro Review: Display

Realme has built a reputation for delivering exceptional displays, even in its mid-range and budget offerings, and the GT 7 Pro takes things up a notch.

One of its standout features, offering a level of quality that feels firmly flagship despite the phone’s competitive pricing. It’s clear that Realme has put considerable thought into making this screen a delight for both casual users and tech enthusiasts.

The Realme GT 7 Pro’s display is certainly one of its standout features, and certainly one of the best in a smartphone, even when you compare it to flagships that cost triple of what the GT 7 Pro does. It uses a Samsung Eco2 LTPO AMOLED panel, boasting a buttery-smooth 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision support, and exceptional brightness capabilities.

Realme promises peak brightness levels of up to 6,500 nits for HDR content, while the global maximum brightness hits 2,000 nits. Even under direct sunlight, the screen holds up impressively, with minimal fading and excellent legibility.

The display runs at a resolution of 1264 x 2780 pixels in a 20:9 aspect ratio, delivering sharp visuals with vivid colours. Realme is calling the display on the GT 7 Pro a “Quad-curved display” meaning, it is slightly curved on all 4 edges, but only slightly.

Realme also claims that the display has 120% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage, which combined with DC dimming and a tonne of eye care certifications, means users get a vibrant and comfortable viewing experience. The 2,600Hz touch sampling rate also promises ultra-responsive interactions, particularly appealing to gamers and heavy users.

The GT 7 Pro supports adaptive refresh rates ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz, adjusting dynamically based on what you’re doing. For gamers, this is good news — at least for the few titles that support higher frame rates. Popular games like Battlegrounds Mobile India and Genshin Impact take full advantage of the 120Hz refresh rate, although the feature isn’t yet widespread across other titles.

The phone is compatible with major HDR standards, including Dolby Vision, enhancing video playback with richer colours and better contrast. During testing, YouTube’s HDR content looked fantastic, but Netflix didn’t yet show HDR, likely due to certifications still pending at the time of review. The inclusion of Widevine L1 certification ensures Full HD playback for DRM-protected content, so streaming enthusiasts won’t feel short-changed.

The display’s brightness, colour accuracy, and HDR capabilities are outstanding, easily outclassing competitors in its price range. While some features, like HDR certification for Netflix, weren’t available during testing, the overall experience remains top-notch.

For anyone who values a high-quality screen — whether for gaming, streaming, or simply enjoying vibrant visuals — the Realme GT 7 Pro is an excellent choice. Its display is yet another reminder that Realme knows how to deliver premium experiences without breaking the bank.

Realme GT 7 Pro Review: Camera

The Realme GT 7 Pro sticks to what the GT series does best — offering versatile performance without pretending to be a camera-focused phone. While it doesn’t aim to dominate in photography, it brings a solid setup with a few clever features to keep things interesting. Casual users will find plenty to like, even if it’s not breaking any new ground.

At the core of the GT 7 Pro’s camera system is a 50MP Sony IMX906 sensor with optical image stabilisation (OIS) and a bright f/1.8 lens. This is paired with a 50MP Sony IMX882 sensor and triple-fold periscope telephoto lens offering 3x zoom and an 8MP Sony IMX355 sensor with ultrawide lens. The front-facing 16MP camera handles selfies and can shoot up to 1080p at 60fps.

For everyday photography, the main and telephoto lenses deliver strong results. Daylight shots from the main camera are sharp, detailed, and vibrant, with natural-looking colours and great dynamic range. The telephoto lens is equally dependable, capturing crisp zoom shots and excellent portraits with a pleasing, realistic look.

The ultrawide, unfortunately, feels like the weak link. With its 8MP sensor, it struggles to keep up with the main and telephoto cameras. While it’s good enough for casual wide-angle shots, a higher-resolution sensor would have added more versatility to this otherwise well-rounded setup.

One of the GT 7 Pro’s standout features is its quirky underwater mode, which takes full advantage of the phone’s IP69 rating. Realme designed the phone to do more than just survive a dunk — it’s made to function as a camera underwater. The mode kicks in automatically when submerged or can be turned on manually.

Recognising the limitations of touchscreens underwater, Realme cleverly repurposed the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor as a shutter button, with physical buttons taking on additional functions. While it’s more of a novelty for most users, it’s a fun addition for the adventurous.

In good lighting, the GT 7 Pro performs admirably. The main camera produces sharp images with minimal noise, vibrant colours, and reliable white balance. Its dynamic range handles tricky lighting well, ensuring highlights and shadows look balanced. The telephoto lens is just as reliable, delivering great zoom shots and consistent results in both colours and exposure.

Low-light photography, however, is a bit more hit-and-miss. The main camera prioritises preserving highlights, which can leave shadows looking too dark. Detail is decent but not exceptional, and some scenes suffer from over-sharpening. Surprisingly, the telephoto lens does better in low light. It captures detailed, natural-looking shots with impressive dynamic range and accurate colours, making it the more dependable choice when the sun goes down.

Video capabilities are solid but not groundbreaking. The GT 7 Pro can record up to 8K at 24fps on the main camera, with 4K at 60fps also supported. The telephoto lens matches these capabilities, but the ultrawide is limited to 1080p at 30fps, which feels outdated for a flagship. Stabilisation is available across all resolutions, with an Ultra Steady mode for smoother footage at 4K30. While colours and dynamic range are good, the videos lean heavily on sharpening, and the telephoto lens adds a bit of grain in uniform areas.

Here are some unedited photos from the Realme GT 7 Pro. Do note that these have undergone a slight compression thanks to the way WordPress handles images.

Overall, the GT 7 Pro’s cameras are reliable and fun, even if they don’t aim to compete with photography-first phones. For most users, its versatility and clever features will hit the mark.

Realme GT 7 Pro Review Performance, Software, UI & AI

The Realme GT 7 Pro is all about packing a punch with cutting-edge tech and a sprinkle of AI magic. Powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, it promises blazing speeds and clever software enhancements, but does it deliver the complete experience?

At the core of the GT 7 Pro is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, marking a departure from the ARM-based designs of previous generations. This processor uses custom Oryon cores — two Prime cores clocked at an impressive 4.32GHz and six Performance cores — making it the fastest chip we’ve seen in a smartphone. Combined with an Adreno 830 GPU that features a new sliced architecture, this phone is built for serious performance, whether you’re gaming, multitasking, or just pushing it to its limits.

Our review unit came with a generous 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage, ensuring lightning-fast app launches and seamless multitasking. That said, like many high-end chips, the Snapdragon 8 Elite tends to throttle under prolonged heavy loads, which is to be expected unless you’re using a specialised gaming phone with active cooling. Still, the GPU stability surprised us, holding up better than anticipated even during graphically demanding tasks.

As for sound, you get a hybrid stereo speaker setup with one speaker on the bottom and the other one up top. The speakers are pretty loud, and stay clear even at high volumes. Certainly, some of the best we have tested.

The GT 7 Pro ships with Android 15, dressed in Realme UI 6.0, which shares its DNA with Oppo’s ColorOS. Realme’s promised three major OS updates and four years of security patches make this a device you can rely on for the long haul.

While the overall interface remains familiar to those acquainted with Realme’s previous iterations, there’s a noticeable refinement in certain areas. For instance, the revamped About screen brings sleeker visuals, hinting at a more polished user experience.

Realme is marketing the GT 7 Pro as “The Dark Horse of AI in the Industry,” and it’s backed up by an array of AI-powered features. Many of these build on tools from Realme UI 5.0, while others are brand-new additions.

Returning favourites include AI Screen Recognition, which allows you to interact with on-screen text and images by long-pressing with two fingers. Extracted content can be saved, shared, or dragged into the AI Smart Loop — a customisable carousel of apps for quick interactions. The Photos app also retains AI tools like Ultra Clarity and AI Eraser, the latter being particularly handy for removing unwanted elements from your pictures.

Among the fresh features is Sketch to Image, which turns your rough doodles or paper drawings into AI-generated artwork. Although still in its early stages, AI Motion Deblur looks promising for fixing blurry photos, especially those featuring fast-moving subjects like pets or action shots.

For gamers, Realme’s AI capabilities extend to improving visuals and frame rates. AI Gaming Super Resolution sharpens the graphics in titles like Genshin Impact, while Super Frame boosts frame rates in games such as PUBG, Free Fire MAX, and Honor of Kings. While these features may not drastically alter gameplay, they’re a nice touch for those looking to optimise their gaming experience.

The Realme GT 7 Pro doesn’t shy away from flexing its hardware muscle. With the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, cutting-edge GPU, and plenty of RAM and storage, it’s a phone built for speed. The AI-powered tools and software refinements add an interesting layer of functionality, even if some features feel more experimental than essential.

Realme GT 7 Pro Review: Battery Life

The Realme GT 7 Pro doesn’t just pack power in its performance — it’s got a serious battery to back it up. With a 5,800mAh dual-cell, silicon carbon anode battery, the phone is built to keep up with you, throughout the day. While it skips wireless charging despite the glass back, the 120W SUPERVOOC fast charging more than makes up for it.

Realme promises a full charge in just 30 minutes, but in reality, it takes closer to 3540 minutes to hit 100%. Still, that’s blazing fast for a battery this big. What’s even more impressive is how quickly it gets going — hitting 50% in about 11 minutes. Whether you’re rushing out the door or need a quick boost before bed, this kind of speed is a lifesaver.

The GT 7 Pro holds up well, even with heavy use. Testing it with tasks like using it as a hotspot, streaming shows on full brightness, and gaming for hours, the phone still delivered about 67 hours of screen-on time. For lighter use, you could easily stretch this to a day and a half or more.

Realme GT 7 Pro Review: Verdict

The Realme GT 7 Pro is a powerhouse aimed squarely at users who want flagship-level performance without breaking the bank. It might not win every benchmark battle, but with the Snapdragon 8 Elite under the hood, it handles demanding tasks and gaming like a champ. Then, there is the AMOLED display on the GT 7 Pro which is nothing short of stunning. It’s bright, sharp, and easily competes with screens on much pricier phones.

Battery life is another big win, keeping the phone going strong even with heavy use, and the 120W fast charging is a lifesaver for anyone constantly on the go. Plus, its water-resistant design and underwater features add a fun, practical twist that makes it stand out in its class.

The camera is where the GT 7 Pro plays it safe. It’s solid, especially in daylight, but it’s not going to replace a dedicated camera or match the photography-focused flagships out there. That said, Realme clearly prioritised performance and value here, so the slightly scaled-back camera is an understandable trade-off. For most users, it’ll get the job done.

The GT 7 Pro strikes a great balance between high-end performance and price. It nails the essentials — speed, display, and battery — while still offering decent cameras and innovative features like AI tools and underwater shooting.

All in all, the GT 7 Pro offers incredible value with its speed, stunning display, and reliable battery life. It’s a phone that does most things really well without burning a hole in your pocket.