Realme GT 5G Smartphone Review - Strong alternative to the Poco F3
The realme GT 5G is an exciting budget flagship smartphone. The company is part of BBK Electronics, which also includes manufacturers like Oppo and OnePlus.
It is equipped with a 6.43-inch Super AMOLED display that can work at up to 120 Hz. It is powered by a Snapdragon 888 and can rely on 8 or 12 GB of RAM depending on the configuration. The internal storage is 128 or 256 GB. battery Dual speakers, a 64 MP triple camera, fast charging with 65 watts, and a 4,500 mAh battery are also offered.
The smaller model costs 449 Euros (~$530 RRP) and the larger one 549 Euros (~$648). Our review sample is the cheaper smartphone, which is sometimes offered for less than 400 Euros (~$472) via special offers.
Possible competitors in comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Drive | Size | Resolution | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85.9 % v7 (old) | 07 / 2021 | Realme GT 5G SD 888 5G, Adreno 660 | 186 g | 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.43" | 2400x1080 | |
| 86 % v7 (old) | 05 / 2021 | Xiaomi Poco F3 SD 870, Adreno 650 | 196 g | 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.67" | 2400x1080 | |
| 85.4 % v7 (old) | 05 / 2021 | Motorola Moto G100 SD 870, Adreno 650 | 207 g | 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.70" | 2520x1080 | |
| 85.9 % v7 (old) | 05 / 2021 | Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G SD 780G 5G, Adreno 642 | 159 g | 128 GB UFS 2.2 Flash | 6.55" | 2400x1080 | |
| 83 % v7 (old) | 04 / 2021 | Samsung Galaxy A52 5G SD 750G 5G, Adreno 619 | 189 g | 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.50" | 2400x1080 |
Case - Lots of glass and not too heavy
The realme GT 5G is not too heavy and fits well in the hand. The rounded back also gives a very slim impression. The cameras on the back protrude 1.35 millimeters (~0.05 inches), which ensures that the smartphone can tilt significantly on a flat surface.
The workmanship is pleasing. An unspecified glass is found on the front and back, while the frame is covered with a metallic-looking plastic. However, this does not diminish the high-quality impression. This is more the case for the black plastic frame that surrounds the display. The gaps are tight and even. The GT 5G does not suffer from torsional stress.
The realme smartphone is available in Dashing Blue, Dashing Silver and Racing Yellow, the latter with a leatherette back. The battery is permanently installed and there is no IP certification.
Equipment - realme GT with audio jack, but without microSD
The realme GT 5G uses a USB 2.0 port with a Type-C design. Wired image output is not possible, but audio playback and the use of peripherals via OTG is. However, the function has to be enabled in the settings for the latter and turns off again after ten minutes of inactivity.
We find the integration of an audio jack and the use of current standards like NFC, Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6E positive.
Software - Android 11 and realme UI 2.0
The realme GT 5G is shipped with Google's Android 11, which the manufacturer covers with its realme UI 2.0. This is a slightly modified version of Oppo's ColorOS 11.1. There are hardly any differences in the menu in particular, but the integration of HeyTap Cloud is one of them.
Besides a few apps from realme, third-party apps like Facebook or Booking are also preinstalled, but all of them can be completely uninstalled. Google's user account control is also active.
At the time of the test, the smartphone was supplied with the latest security patches for June 2021, but realme does not provide exact information about the intervals or general update periods.
Communications and GNSS - realme GT with 5G and Wi-Fi 6E
In terms of communication connections, the realme GT 5G masters all current standards and can connect to all mobile networks without problems, which is not least due to the broad frequency equipment.
Wi-Fi 6E is available for local networks, which not only enables high but also stable transmission rates in the test with our reference router Netgear Nighthawk AX12. The range of the WLAN receiver is also convincing in the test.
| Networking | |
| iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
| Realme GT 5G | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 | |
| Motorola Moto G100 | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 5G | |
| iperf3 receive AX12 | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G | |
| Realme GT 5G | |
| Motorola Moto G100 | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 5G | |
The realme GT 5G understands all common satellite networks for tracking and establishes a very fast satellite fix.
During a short test drive, the smartphone was compared with the Garmin Edge 500. The realme GT demonstrated a few unexpected weaknesses and was occasionally a bit off track, even though the connectivity options are so extensive. However, we do not expect any restrictions in daily navigation tasks.
Phone features and voice quality
The realme GT 5G uses the standard Android telephony app, but without direct SIP support. There is also no implementation for WLAN calling, but VoLTE is on board.
The voice quality is convincing with good communication in both directions as long as the smartphone is held to the ear. The noise suppression works reliably; even loud noises are not audible, but the user's voice is transmitted hollow and nasally in such a case. Those who use the speaker have to be prepared for a powerful reverberation.
Cameras - Nothing special from the triple optics in the realme GT
The front-facing camera of the realme GT 5G enables decent selfies with many setting options, but videos are recorded in Full HD at best. Movies can also be recorded with the front and rear lenses simultaneously via dual-view video.
The main camera relies on a promising 64 MP sensor. Pictures are quite decent in daylight, but they are characterized by a comparatively low dynamic range and unbalanced color reproduction, which especially captures blue and brown tones too darkly. Panoramic shots sometimes look artificial, oversaturated and only present a few details. We would have expected a bit more here, since the mediocre picture results are mainly due to immature image algorithms.
The macro optics are a nice idea. However, in most situations, a 2x digital zoom (max. twentyx magnification) will provide better results. The ultra-wide angle disappoints and is not only low in detail, but also shows strong aberrations in the peripheral areas.
Videos with the main camera are possible in Ultra HD with up to 60 FPS.
Image Comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
Wide-angleWide-angleZoom (5x)Ultra wide angleLow-Light
Accessories and warranty - Only one year warranty
The manufacturer only grants a 12-month warranty on the realme GT 5G, this does not affect the statutory dealer warranty.
A bulky 65-watt fast-charging adapter, a USB cable, a silicone bumper, a SIM pin, and a few leaflets with warranty conditions and safety instructions are included. A display protection foil is already applied.
Input devices & operation - Reliable fingerprint sensor in the realme GT 5G
The capacitive touchscreen has good gliding properties and recognizes up to ten touches simultaneously. Google's GBoard is preinstalled as the keyboard layout, but it can be replaced with any from the Play Store.
For biometric security, an optical fingerprint scanner is available under the display, which is placed quite close to the lower display edge. This recognizes the stored fingerprints very quickly and reliably. Alternatively or additionally, facial recognition is possible via the front-facing camera.
The physical keys have a clear pressure point, short travel, and are well integrated into the bezel.
Display - Super AMOLED with 120 Hz
The OLED screen of the realme GT 5G measures 6.43 inches (16.33 cm) and offers a crisp display due to its high pixel density. The panel can work with 60 or 120 Hz, but adaptive control is not available. Besides HLG, HDR10 and HDR10+ are also supported.
However, a few more brightness reserves could be available for an optimal HDR display, because the panel achieves an average of 606 cd/m² with an activated ambient light sensor, and 762 cd/m² in the center of the screen with an even distribution of bright and dark areas (APL50). In this respect, the Poco F3 (up to 1,175 cd/m²) has considerably more reserves. If you want to adjust the brightness manually, you can reach up to 421 cd/m².
Even a Super AMOLED screen is not immune to the typical OLED flickering. Although the real GT nominally does not have an activatable DC dimming, the panel control is comparatively easy on the eyes. Below 60% of the adjustable brightness, it operates between 235.8 and 242.7 Hz. This is not particularly high for a 120 Hz panel, but the amplitude curve is quite even, so the stress for sensitive people should be low. Above 60 percent, the panel operates constantly in a 120 Hz mode.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 97 %
Center on Battery: 605 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 1.3 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.86
ΔE Greyscale 1.3 | 0.09-98 Ø5.1
96% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.25
| Realme GT 5G Super AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.4" | Xiaomi Poco F3 AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.7" | Motorola Moto G100 IPS/LTPS, 2520x1080, 6.7" | Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.6" | Samsung Galaxy A52 5G Super AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.5" | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 27% | -141% | -56% | -35% | |
| Brightness middle | 605 | 889 47% | 562 -7% | 863 43% | 744 23% |
| Brightness | 606 | 902 49% | 535 -12% | 860 42% | 749 24% |
| Brightness Distribution | 97 | 95 -2% | 90 -7% | 93 -4% | 98 1% |
| Black Level * | 0.57 | ||||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 1.3 | 0.9 31% | 3.99 -207% | 3.2 -146% | 2.2 -69% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 3.1 | 1.9 39% | 9.74 -214% | 5.2 -68% | 7 -126% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 1.3 | 1.3 -0% | 6.5 -400% | 3.9 -200% | 2.1 -62% |
| Gamma | 2.25 98% | 2.26 97% | 2.174 101% | 2.33 94% | 2.06 107% |
| CCT | 6372 102% | 6614 98% | 6882 94% | 7299 89% | 6516 100% |
| Contrast | 986 |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 242.7 Hz | ≤ 59 % brightness setting |  |
The display backlight flickers at 242.7 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 59 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting. The frequency of 242.7 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8437 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
If you want to achieve the most natural display of your content, you should select the Mild screen mode in the realme GT 5G, but then you will only use the smaller sRGB color space. The default setting is Vivid, which controls DCI-P3 and covers 91.6% of it (CalMAN measurement).
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 1.2 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 1.2 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 10 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.7 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 3.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 2 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 1.2 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 11 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.3 ms). | ||
The realme smartphone copes with most light situations outdoors without any problems. We would only wish for a few more brightness reserves on very bright summer days.
The viewing-angle stability of the OLED panel is very good. Only very flat viewing angles result in a shimmering that is common for this type of display. However, this should not be bothersome in everyday use.
Performance - realme GT with Snapdragon 888
The realme GT 5G is powered by a Snapdragon 888 which is the fastest SoC for Android smartphones at the time of the test. Thus, a lot of computing power is guaranteed and the system can use 8 or 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM depending on the configuration. The graphics calculations are handled by the integrated Adreno 660, which guarantees a smooth display in the highest detail level for all games.
The realme smartphone mostly operates in the expected performance range in the benchmarks, but it is somewhat slower in the Geekbench multi-core test. The system benchmarks deliver very good results and confirm our subjective impression of smooth operation. Weaknesses are seen in web surfing. The GT falls short of expectations in most benchmarks, but this is not noticeable in practice.
| AImark - Score v2.x (sort by value) | |
| Realme GT 5G | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 5G | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (171404 - 264766, n=15) | |
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (77 - 223, n=19) | |
| Motorola Moto G100 (Chrome 90) | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G (Chrome90) | |
| Realme GT 5G (Chrome 91) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 5G (Chrome 89) | |
| WebXPRT 3 - Overall | |
| Average of class Smartphone (38 - 347, n=68, last 2 years) | |
| Motorola Moto G100 (Chrome 90) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (103 - 182, n=18) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G (Chrome90) | |
| Realme GT 5G (Chrome 91) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 5G (Chrome 89) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2228 - 100368, n=207, last 2 years) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (23491 - 47543, n=20) | |
| Motorola Moto G100 (Chrome 90) | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G (Chrome90) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Realme GT 5G (Chrome 91) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 5G (Chrome 89) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 5G (Chrome 89) | |
| Realme GT 5G (Chrome 91) | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G (Chrome90) | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 (Chrome 90) | |
| Motorola Moto G100 (Chrome 90) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (277 - 28190, n=166, last 2 years) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (891 - 1841, n=20) | |
* ... smaller is better
| Realme GT 5G | Xiaomi Poco F3 | Motorola Moto G100 | Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G | Samsung Galaxy A52 5G | Average 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | -2% | 21% | -3% | -21% | 16% | 80% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 1587 | 1378 -13% | 1730 9% | 949 -40% | 927 -42% | 1577 ? -1% | 2043 ? 29% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 575 | 684 19% | 717 25% | 710 23% | 484.6 -16% | 732 ? 27% | 1659 ? 189% |
| Random Read 4KB | 198.7 | 208 5% | 253.6 28% | 207.9 5% | 176.1 -11% | 243 ? 22% | 285 ? 43% |
| Random Write 4KB | 208.4 | 170.6 -18% | 252.9 21% | 206.9 -1% | 179.2 -14% | 239 ? 15% | 327 ? 57% |
Emissions - Weak SoC cooling
Temperature
The realme GT 5G warms up noticeably in idle mode and gets up to 37.7 °C (~100 °F) under permanent load. This is quite noticeable, but absolutely harmless.
The cooling of the SoC is more problematic because the 3DMark stress tests reveal heavy performance losses here. Thus, the actual performance advantage of the Snapdragon 888 hardly remains, because even though the Poco F3 has the nominally slower processor (Snapdragon 870), its minimum value is significantly higher than that of the GT and even the Mi 11 Lite 5G (Snapdragon 780) is hardly slower in this scenario in the long run.
| 3DMark | |
| Wild Life Stress Test Stability | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 5G | |
| Motorola Moto G100 | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 | |
| Realme GT 5G | |
| Wild Life Extreme Stress Test | |
| Xiaomi Poco F3 | |
| Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G | |
| Realme GT 5G | |
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 37.7 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 35.1 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 63.7 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 37.1 °C / 99 F, compared to the average of 33.9 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 31.3 °C / 88 F, compared to the device average of 32.8 °C / 91 F.
Speaker
The two speakers of the realme GT 5G provide a decent sound, but lack depth in particular. At a loud level, the trebles are not rendered accurately, which gives the sound a hollow character.
The smartphone's audio jack (3.5 mm, SNR: 87.60 dBFS) leaves a good impression and delivers the sound with low noise and in a balanced way.
Realme GT 5G audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (90.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 27.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.1% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (4.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 22% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 69% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 36%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 43% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 50% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Xiaomi Poco F3 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 28.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.7% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 8% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 86% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 36%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 28% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 64% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Battery life - Good runtimes, despite 120 Hz
Energy consumption
The power consumption of the realme GT 5G shows a slight increase in the idle measurements, but it is lower especially under full load, which will be due to the heat-related SoC throttling. This is also very clearly shown in our GFXBench measurements with adjusted display brightness.
The 4,500 mAh strong battery can be recharged in a flash (about 45 minutes) with the 65 watt power adapter. However, wireless charging is not supported.
| Off / Standby |   0.03 / 0.38 Watt |
| Idle |  1.14 / 1.84 / 1.87 Watt |
| Load |
4.21 / 8.07 Watt |
    
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
| Realme GT 5G 4500 mAh | Xiaomi Poco F3 4520 mAh | Motorola Moto G100 5000 mAh | Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G 4250 mAh | Samsung Galaxy A52 5G 4500 mAh | Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | 13% | -7% | 4% | 11% | -5% | -7% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 1.14 | 0.76 33% | 0.9 21% | 0.83 27% | 0.92 19% | 1.066 ? 6% | 0.872 ? 24% |
| Idle Average * | 1.84 | 1.29 30% | 1.5 18% | 1.92 -4% | 1.78 3% | 1.58 ? 14% | 1.415 ? 23% |
| Idle Maximum * | 1.87 | 1.45 22% | 2.1 -12% | 1.97 -5% | 1.81 3% | 1.733 ? 7% | 1.556 ? 17% |
| Load Average * | 4.21 | 4.6 -9% | 6.7 -59% | 3.84 9% | 3.86 8% | 5.46 ? -30% | 7.04 ? -67% |
| Load Maximum * | 8.07 | 8.87 -10% | 8.5 -5% | 8.6 -7% | 6.14 24% | 9.79 ? -21% | 10.6 ? -31% |
* ... smaller is better
Power consumption: Geekbench (150 cd/m²)
Power consumption: GFXBench (150 cd/m²)
Battery life
We determined the battery runtimes with enabled 120 Hz mode and they are on a good level. If a refresh rate of 60 Hz is sufficient, you will be able to get even longer runtimes out of the realme GT 5G.
| Realme GT 5G 4500 mAh | Xiaomi Poco F3 4520 mAh | Motorola Moto G100 5000 mAh | Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G 4250 mAh | Samsung Galaxy A52 5G 4500 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | 7% | 39% | -3% | -6% | |
| WiFi v1.3 | 755 | 805 7% | 1049 39% | 734 -3% | 710 -6% |
| Reader / Idle | 1562 | 2846 | 1509 | 1917 | |
| H.264 | 918 | 1285 | 1248 | 1052 | |
| Load | 329 | 302 | 223 | 324 |
Pros
Cons
Verdict - a challenge to Poco
On the spec sheet, the realme GT 5G promises flagship level for little money, and indeed, the total package offered with a Snapdragon 888, dual speakers, 120 Hz OLED display, 64 MP camera and powerful battery is considerably more expensive in most competitors. With the low entry price of 449 Euros (~$530), the GT is also a self-confident challenge to the Poco F3, which is very similar in concept, but has a different focus.
The realme GT 5G offers an attractive overall package, but also has potential for improvement.
It is regrettable that realme does not manage to cool the powerful SoC well enough, but this will only be noticeable in demanding games. In return, the system performance is really good. However, the BBK subsidiary also has to accept criticism for the triple camera. The additional lenses are weak and the image algorithms of the main camera also need improvement.
Nevertheless, realme manages to build a good smartphone with the GT 5G, which is a strong overall package considering its price. Only the surcharge for the larger storage variant is a bit high. Strong alternatives besides the Poco F3 are the Galaxy A52 5G and the Nord CE 5G.
Price and availability
The realme GT 5G is available in all variants in the manufacturer's online store. It is also available at Amazon (DE) and Kaufland.
Realme GT 5G
- 08/31/2022 v7 (old)
Daniel Schmidt
Price comparison
