Realme did not miss introducing a flagship device before the end of this year. Through it, they brought in the realme GT8 Pro which is scheduled to arrive in the local market on November 24. While waiting for its launch, we share the first look of this device as an initial assessment before the full review is published later.
Design and Screen
My initial view found that the experience of holding the GT8 Pro is different from the previous GT7 model. Although it still maintains the wide size, this time realme chose a completely boxy and flat body design.
This is different from the GT7 which is also wide but has a semi-curved body, especially on the sides. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that holding the GT8 Pro model almost resembles the experience of holding a Pro version of the iPhone during the iPhone 13 era.
It is indeed wide and large, but still comfortable to hold. The experience provided is also the same as when I reviewed the Oppo Find X9 Pro the other day.
As I said, this situation is not surprising because most manufacturers now tend to choose a flat body design for reasons that it is easier to handle and use.
From a user's perspective, it makes it easier to find screen protectors and provides a better video watching experience since there is no issue of the display overflowing to the sides like on a curved screen.
Next, realme has also completely renovated the back panel finish with the use of organosilicon leather material which when touched feels like soft paper skin. This design does look neat, but in my opinion it may not be suitable for everyone, especially those who are a bit careless.
This is because the surface is found to be easily damaged when hit by sharp objects such as hairpins or nails. Even so, it is just my initial view and its durability for long-term use has not been confirmed.
What I can advise is to use the free frame included in the purchase box. However, the frame is black which certainly covers the original color of the device. In addition, this frame also feels the same as the previous GT7 model because it uses a soft silicone material that easily traps dirt, especially if you often use makeup.
The main highlight lies in the ability of the camera bump to be replaced. Therefore, realme named this innovation as Switchable Camera Bump, thus making it one of the first to offer such a concept.
For every purchase, users will by default receive the realme GT8 Pro with a round camera bump in the box, while pre-orders are understood to also come with a set of additional camera bump frames to enable the exchange.
The set I received also came with a square camera bump, thus giving me the opportunity to try the exchange. For this purpose, users need a special T4 Torx Screwdriver to unscrew the screws that attach the bump to the body of the device.
The process of unscrewing the screws is the same as usual, but it needs to be done carefully so that the original screws are not lost. My attempt to change the round bump to a square one was not difficult and even felt fun.
However, this concept must depend on each person's opinion because it is subjective, which is certainly something that some like and some do not.
The button layout on this device resembles most other realme models. On the right side, it houses the power button and audio adjustment, while on the bottom there is a USB-C port, speaker and SIM card slot.
Meanwhile, the left side appears minimalist without any buttons or ports. At the top, the device is also equipped with infrared along with another speaker, thus making the audio system a kind of stereo.
Also given attention is the camera system that still uses HyperImage+ Technology like last year's model. This step is certainly aimed at improving photography performance to produce better pictures. However, the actual results and performance will only be shared in future review articles.
At the same time, the most interesting aspect is realme's collaboration with RICOH. This is the first time they have collaborated with a camera manufacturer, thus showing that the main focus of this phone is on street photography.
The screen used is a 6.79″ flat AMOLED panel with 2K resolution and a refresh rate of 144Hz. This improvement is clear in terms of resolution and refresh rate since the realme GT7 Pro previously only used a 1.5K screen at 120Hz. Therefore, the performance offered is expected to be better. In fact, like most other realme flagship devices, it is able to provide a satisfying experience in terms of screen display.
Hardware and Internal Software
The Realme GT8 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, which is the latest chip from Qualcomm. This chip offers better performance improvements, especially in terms of energy efficiency, processing speed and graphics handling.
It is thus a challenger to several other devices such as the Oppo Find X9 Pro (Dimensity 9500), vivo X300 Pro (Dimensity 9500) and RedMagic 11 Pro (Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5). AnTuTu benchmark tests conducted showed that the device was below the OnePlus 15 and Find X9 Pro. However, it still comes out on top of the iPhone 17 Pro which uses the A19 Pro chip.
Chip Score
realme GT8 Pro 3,066,488
OnePlus 15 3,720,096
Oppo Find X9 Pro 3,472,342
Apple iPhone 17 Pro 2,634,345
In terms of software, Realme UI 7 based on Android 16 is used on the device. Most of the built-in features have been optimized well, while allowing users to set features according to their needs. This interface also resembles what is offered on ColorOS 16 and OxygenOS 16. Although it looks beautiful, it cannot be denied that it also takes inspiration from Nothing and Apple.
Realme UI 7 also comes with various AI features including AI Mind Space allowing users to automatically save notes and important information. There are also other features that are almost the same as Realme UI 6 including AI Planner to identify events from the screen and add them to the calendar, as well as AI Notify Brief which is similar to Samsung's Now Brief because it is able to generate a summary of notifications through a combination of information such as calendar events and important tasks.
Not to be missed, Realme UI 7 also offers AI Search, AI Translate, AI VoiceScribe, AI Camera, AI Smart Loop and AI Service Engine, thus making the user experience more comprehensive.
Conclusion
That's all that can be shared for now. A full review of the device's performance and image results will be published in an upcoming review article. In my opinion, the concept of changing the camera bump cannot be completely considered a gimmick. Logically, some may be excited to get it, but I think the 'hype' will not last long.
For your information, realme has also opened early pre-orders for this series, which includes two versions, namely the GT 8 Pro standard and GT 8 Pro Dream Edition. The early pre-order period starts now until November 28 and early customers have the opportunity to receive exclusive gifts worth RM1197.
This offer includes a cash rebate of RM200, realme Watch 5, camera protector set for standard model, buy with buy (PWP) promotion for realme Buds Clip and a one-year extended warranty.
