If I had to pick one phone that impressed me the most among the first batch of devices powered by the third-generation Snapdragon 8 processor last year, it would undoubtedly be the Realme GT5 Pro, which achieved a significant leap in camera performance by using the IMX890, a primary camera sensor, as a telephoto lens.

Almost a year later, the Realme GT7 Pro has finally arrived at Hotspot Tech's editorial office. I've been using this phone for some time, and I'd like to share my experience with you and discuss its competitiveness among the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 flagship phones.

This design really delights me!

Compared to the previous generation's circular centered camera design, the Realme GT7 Pro features a completely revamped camera design inspired by space capsule windows. I particularly like the micro-arc star ladder design around the camera, with the words "HYPERIMAGE+" inscribed, making it easier to hold the phone securely while gaming with horizontal grip.

The version we have is the Mars Exploration Edition, with a vibrant red back cover reminiscent of Mars. The back cover features textured patterns resembling Martian canals. Made of AG glass, it feels smooth to the touch and doesn't retain fingerprints easily.

The frame complements the back cover's color with a deeper bronze hue, giving the phone a more rugged and refined look.

The Realme GT7 Pro sports a quad-curved screen co-developed with Samsung Display, officially dubbed the Eco² Sky Screen. It measures 6.78 inches with a resolution of 2780×1264, supports a variable refresh rate of 1-120Hz, and can reach a peak brightness of 1000 nits manually and 2000 nits globally.

If you find the screen not bright enough outdoors, enabling the "Increase Brightness Range" option in settings will boost the screen brightness further.

This screen also excels in eye protection. It supports non-polarized natural light eye protection technology, achieving a non-polarized state close to natural light, which not only protects the eyes but also reduces screen power consumption. Additionally, the screen supports hardware-level full-brightness DC-like dimming, enabled by default, requiring no manual setup.

Although some flagship phones this year use short-focus fingerprint sensors, the Realme GT7 Pro features ultrasonic fingerprint recognition, offering faster unlock speeds, higher accuracy, and a more comfortable position. It also supports wet-hand unlocking, expanding its usability.

Boosting Gaming Experience with AI

The performance enhancements of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 need no introduction. The second-generation 3nm process technology delivers impressive energy efficiency, while Qualcomm's in-house Oryon CPU architecture provides up to a 45% performance boost.

In our gaming tests with the Realme GT7 Pro, playing "Honor of Kings" at the highest frame rate and resolution settings resulted in an average frame rate of 120.3fps, as expected. Notably, the phone also excelled in power consumption, using only about 3W.

In "Genshin Impact," with maximum graphics settings and 60fps mode enabled, along with the phone's frame interpolation feature, the frame rate soared to 120fps. After a half-hour test, the average frame rate was 119.9fps, with stable performance throughout. Power consumption was controlled at around 5W.

Regarding temperature, after a half-hour session of "Genshin Impact," the maximum temperature on both sides of the phone was around 37℃, with the highest point at the frame, reaching 38.3℃.

In gaming, Realme has further enhanced the experience with AI. For instance, enabling AI God Assistant 2.0 in "Honor of Kings" provides players with numerous suggestions and reminders, such as enemy vision alerts, buff respawn times, dragon spawn reminders, and real-time win rate predictions. These can be displayed as danmaku and even shared with teammates without affecting gameplay.

While attentive players may notice these reminders during gameplay, few can consistently keep track of everything. The AI God Assistant reduces mistakes by providing timely information. Fans of "Honor of Kings" should definitely try this feature on the GT7 Pro; it might just boost your ranked match win rate.

In "Genshin Impact," AI introduces the AI Game Super Resolution feature, boosting the game's resolution to 1.5K. When combined with frame interpolation, players can enjoy a stunning 1.5K+120fps experience. However, for sustained performance and heat dissipation, using a cooling clip is recommended. Besides AI Super Resolution, the Ultra HD mode offers 1080P resolution for an immersive experience.

New Telephoto and Filters

The IMX890 telephoto lens on the Realme GT5 Pro left a lasting impression. The Realme GT7 Pro introduces significant changes to its camera configuration.

The primary camera is the IMX906, with 50MP, a 1/1.56-inch sensor, f/1.8 aperture, and a 24mm focal length.

The telephoto lens is the IMX882, also with 50MP, a 1/2-inch sensor, f/2.65 aperture, and a 73mm focal length.

While the Realme GT7 Pro doesn't outperform its predecessor in hardware alone, it remains competitive in its class.

The Realme GT7 Pro's primary camera speaks for itself, but let's focus on the 3x telephoto lens. Compared to competitors, the IMX882 holds its own. Moreover, its ship-like triple-refraction periscope design keeps the camera module from protruding excessively, ensuring stability even when typing with the phone flat.

With its new design and algorithms, the telephoto lens delivers impressive telephoto capabilities, capturing sharp images even at 3x zoom, and maintains good quality in low light.

At 6x lossless zoom, the telephoto lens still delivers satisfying results, ensuring high-quality images.

For zooms beyond 60x, the Realme GT7 Pro uses AI to enhance image details.

Personally, I believe zooms beyond 60x are rarely used by most people. Enabling AI telephoto super-resolution at 10x, 20x, or 30x zoom could be more practical for a broader audience.

The Realme GT7 Pro introduces Jia Zhangke Movie Filters, which, honestly, produce stunning results. The contrast and lighting effects are striking, and the color rendering is captivating. Give them a try!

By the way, since the Realme GT7 Pro supports IP68&IP69 and features ultrasonic fingerprint unlock, it offers an underwater photography mode. After exiting this mode, the phone automatically drains water using sound waves. However, for frequent underwater photography, consider professional equipment; water damage isn't covered by warranty.

6500mAh large battery, 120W fast charging

This year, flagship smartphones have seen a major upgrade in battery capacity, with many reaching around 6000mAh. The realme GT7 Pro stands out with the most significant upgrade, offering a direct 6500mAh battery, and its battery silicon content reaches 10%. Additionally, the phone supports 120W fast charging without compromising on charging specifications despite the increased battery capacity.

According to our tests, the phone started charging from 3% and reached 28% in 5 minutes, 46% in 10 minutes, 59% in 15 minutes, 74% in 20 minutes, 86% in 25 minutes, and displayed 100% charge in 34 minutes. This speed is relatively fast.

realme UI 6.0, more AI-centric

The realme GT7 Pro comes with realme UI 6.0 out of the box. The inclusion of Fluid Engine allows us to access real-time app information faster. However, what impressed me the most during my experience were the AI Portal and Xiao Bu Screen Recognition features.

Starting with Xiao Bu Screen Recognition, it can be activated by pressing with two fingers. At this point, Xiao Bu can recognize the content on the screen. For example, you can ask about the content on the image, or you can select text or images to save them to the transfer station for quick access in other apps.

The AI Portal is also interesting, to some extent breaking down barriers between apps. This feature is very efficient when you have an image or text you want to use in another app.

For example, if you find a good photo and want to post it on Weibo, you can long-press and move it to the edge to open the Portal. After selecting Weibo, the Portal will automatically open Weibo's post or private message function. By choosing to post, the phone will automatically upload the image to the posting interface, making it very fast and simple. Of course, this works not only for images but also for text or other selected content, significantly enhancing efficiency.

Furthermore, in the photo album, AI capabilities have been further enhanced. Now, the system album's editing interface features AI Image Assistant functions, including AI Eraser, AI Super Resolution, and AI Motion Deblur.

The AI Eraser has been upgraded with a pedestrian removal function, making it more convenient to use. AI Super Resolution can add more details to photos with insufficient clarity, enhancing the viewing experience. AI Motion Deblur removes unwanted motion blur from photos of moving small animals, all of which are practical features.

realme GT7 Pro, truly Pro

The realme GT series of flagship phones has always been known for its sincerity, and the GT7 Pro is no exception. After using it for these days, one impression I have of this phone is that it is comprehensive and truly Pro. With a custom Eco² Sky Screen, a 6500mAh battery with 120W fast charging specifications, and a 3x larger sensor for telephoto shots, these configurations give it a leading edge among similar products, and it is even fearless when compared to some higher-priced models.

Moreover, the realme GT7 Pro fully embraces AI, which is evident in gaming, photography, and the system. This makes the realme GT7 Pro not lag behind other phones in terms of AI experience. If you are looking for a comprehensive flagship phone, the realme GT7 Pro is definitely worth a try!