Realme GT 7 and GT 7T Review: Power, Poise, and Pure Value
The Realme GT 7 and GT 7T deliver impressive performance without breaking the bank. Here's our review.
The Realme GT series is back in India with not one but three new phones: the GT 7, GT 7T, and GT 7 Dream Edition. While the third is a limited-edition smartphone made in collaboration with the legendary Aston Martin carmaker and aimed at car enthusiasts in every way.
The company is betting big on the GT 7 and GT 7T as solid entries in the sub-Rs. 50,000 price category. With so many launches lined up in the same price category in the coming weeks, it's definitely that time of year when consumers are spoiled for choice.
Starting with the highlights, the Realme GT 7 features a 7000mAh battery and comes with 120W fast-charging support. The Realme GT 7T, on the other hand, gets the same prowess in terms of battery department. The Dimensity 9400e powers the GT 7, while the Dimensity 8400-Max powers the GT 7T. Both phones are available in two configurations: 12GB + 256GB and 12GB + 512GB, while the GT 7 offers a third SKU, 16GB + 512GB, in its Dream Edition variant.
Talking about prices, the GT 7 price in India starts at Rs. 42,999 for the entry-level (12GB + 256GB) configuration and goes up to Rs. 46,999 (12GB + 512GB). While the GT 7T is a slightly trimmed-down version of the GT 7, it starts at Rs. 37,999 for the 12GB + 256GB variant and goes up to Rs. 41,999 for the 12GB + 512GB version. The top-of-the-line Dream Edition is available in a single configuration of 16GB + 512GB, priced at Rs. 49,999.
Realme GT 7 Design and Display: Decent but misses the oomph; the display is top-notch
- Colours - IceSense Black and IceSense Blue
- Dimensions - 162.4x76.1x8.3mm and 206 grams
- Display - 6.78-inch AMOLED display with 1264x2780 pixels with 120Hz
- Peak brightness - 6000nits
Out of the three new GT 7 variants, the original GT 7 seems the most boring in terms of design and for the most obvious reasons. It doesn't stand out in the crowd for any design elements, and that's a bummer. But that doesn't mean it's a deal breaker. While it lacks the oomph factor, it achieves an excellent weight ratio distribution. When I first held the smartphone, it took me some time to get used to the feeling that the phone packs a massive 7,000mAh battery unit under the hood—all praise to the Realme R&D team for including such a large battery in this one.
The rear design of the GT 7 is being touted as IceSense Design, which Realme claimed at its global event possesses excellent thermal conductivity and can keep temperatures down by 1 degree. Although this may not seem like a significant difference on paper, it does make a noticeable difference, which I will discuss in the performance section.
The back panel is where the real boring-ism exists. It comes in IceSense Black and IceSense Blue colours. I got the Blue for this review, and it blends well in everyday usage. While the company ships a case in the retail box, I prefer using this one without a case because of its solid hand feel and an almost "soft touch" feel that adds to its premium quality. It is less slippery than phones with a pure glass back design. The blue colour of the GT 7 is excellent at hiding smudges, making it a great choice for those who plan to use it without a case. The plastic frame gives away the premium-ness quotient of the GT 7 and is another reason why it doesn't stand out in the crowd.
The back panel is made of fibreglass, and it doesn't feel cheap. The lovely red accent on the power button on the right side adds character to the smartphone. With just one hand, you can easily reach the top of the screen by rolling down the notification panel or quick settings toggle. The top has an IR blaster, a rare find these days in smartphones in this price band. The bottom panel features a USB Type-C charging port, a dual SIM card holder, and a single-speaker placement. The Blue colour has a subtle Realme branding at the back when you look at the phone from a slight angle. There's also Graphene labelled alongside the camera housing as Realme is heavily marketing GT 7 to be the first to use Graphene in smartphone design.
The front of the GT 7 features Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, which is a nice addition. The phone also gets an IP69 rating for dust and water resistance. At 206 grams, the phone doesn't feel too heavy, thanks to the excellent weight distribution.
Jumping to the display, the GT 7 features a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 1264x2780 pixel screen resolution and a 450 PPI pixel density. It supports a 120Hz refresh rate and offers excellent peak brightness of 6000 nits. Additionally, there is support for the standard HDR10+ and Dolby Vision.
In the real world, it is a bright panel across lighting conditions and is a great panel for multimedia consumption. Even for gamers, the display on the GT 7 is a delight. As expected, the phone receives Widevine L1 DRM certification, which means you can stream HD content from OTT and YouTube without any issues. The display is crisp, and the text appears sharp and clear. Thanks to a fantastic panel, the brightness is never a problem on the GT 7.
Overall, the Realme GT 7 proves to be a great sub-Rs. 50,000 smartphone in terms of design, though, it's worth mentioning that it does miss out on the oomph factor or, in other words, something that differentiates it from the sea of phones in this price bracket. The display is definitely a highlight, and you need to experience it to truly appreciate it for yourself.
Realme GT 7T Design and Display: Excellent packaging
- Colours - IceSense Black, IceSense Blue, and Racing Yellow
- Dimensions - 162.4×75.9×8.2mm and 202 grams
- Display - 6.8-inch AMOLED, 1280X2800 pixels with 120Hz
- Peak brightness - 6000nits
The Realme GT 7T serves as the entry point for consumers in the all-new GT 7 series, offering a distinct identity compared to the GT 7. It comes in the same IceSense Black and Blue colours, along with a third unique option of Racing Yellow. I got the latter, and it looks definitely class apart from the vanilla GT 7. If you ask me to pick one out of the two, I would choose the GT 7T in terms of design, and that's especially true for the Racing Yellow colour.
At just 202 grams, the GT 7T is noticeably lighter than the GT 7. However, the Yellow colour variant weighs 205 grams and the stripe on the back of the GT 7T in Yellow is inspired by a racetrack.
The vegan leather back offers a soft touch and is also claimed to provide resistance to stains, water and other wear and tear - something I can only attest to after prolonged use. The Black and Blue closely follow the footsteps of the GT 7 and uses graphene at the back for better cooling. In daily use, the GT 7T feels comfortable to hold and use with just one hand. The vegan leatherette finish at the back makes it easier to hold for a longer duration without the need for a case. The yellow-accented power button complements the overall design well. I really commend the Realme team for the nice finishing touches to the entire GT 7 series, and it shows how much focus has been given to the attention to detail. The phone also gets an IP69 rating.
Jumping to the display department. The GT 7T features a marginally bigger display than the GT 7 at 6.8 inches. The AMOLED panel offers 1280x2800 pixels screen resolution. However, it's worth mentioning that the GT 7T doesn't get an LTPO panel. There's also no Corning protection at the front of the GT 7T. Instead, Realme chose ArmorShell Glass for protection against drops and scratches. The phone also features Dolby Vision, HDR 10+, and a touch response of up to 2600Hz. The GT 7T also boasts a peak brightness of 6000 nits, making it the best in its class. Talking about quality, the GT 7T, much like the GT 7, offers a display that's great for multimedia and gaming. The display offers excellent sunlight legibility and remains bright even under direct sunlight, making it suitable for various use cases.
Realme GT 7 Dream Edition: Nails the design
- Dimensions - 162.4×76.1×8.7mm
- Weight - 211 grams
- Colour - Aston Martin Racing Green
- Configuration - 16GB+512GB
The GT 7 Dream Edition is one of the best Realme phones in terms of design. Excellent attention to detail, and it comes across as a true phone designed for car enthusiasts. The smartphone has been made in collaboration with Aston Martin Formula One team, the Aramco F1 team. The rear features an iconic silver emblem of Aston Martin, complete with silver wings. The Racing Green colour is inspired by Aston Martin's Racing Green colour on its cars. Even the aerodynamic flow lines design implies airflow trails. Even the square camera placement features yellow accents that add to the device's character.
Those who purchase the Limited Edition receive a co-branded gift box featuring an F1 racecar SIM card pin and a silver wing phone case. Apart from the design, the UI features a few elegant touches, including wallpapers (with dynamic wallpaper support), power-on animation, charging effects, GT mode dynamic effects, and custom icons. The phone also features an exclusive camera watermark with Aston Martin's Formula 1 team branding. This phone feels like an authentic tribute to the 110-year-old Aston Martin brand's essence.
Realme GT 7 and GT 7T Performance: Delight for power users
- Chipset - GT 7 - Dimensity 9400e (4nm)
- Chipset - GT 7T - Dimensity 8400-Max (4nm)
- OS - Realme UI 6.0 based on Android 15
- Software Support - 4 major OS updates and 6 years of security updates
The Realme GT 7 is powered by a 4nm-based (TSMC) MediaTek Dimensity 9400e chipset. The octa-core chipset is comparable to the Apple A18 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, according to Realme. I ran some synthetic benchmarks to compare the Realme GT 7 and GT 7T with other competitors, and both models performed well.
| Benchmarks | Realme GT 7 | Realme GT 7T | OnePlus 13R | iQOO Neo 10R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AnTuTu v10 | 20,24,528 | 16,65,349 | 19,14,550 | 14,91,562 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 | 13,474 | 11,886 | 15,043 | 12,072 |
| Geekbench 6 (Single) | 2,218 | 1,662 | 2,112 | 1,927 |
| Geekbench 6 (Multi) | 7,244 | 6,681 | 4,943 | 5,047 |
| GFXB T-rex | 60 | 60 | 60 | 121 |
| GFXB Manhattan 3.1 | 60 | 59 | 60 | 114 |
| GFXB Car Chase | 60 | 60 | 60 | 71 |
| 3DM Slingshot Extreme OpenGL | Maxed Out | Maxed Out | Maxed Out | Maxed Out |
| 3DM Slingshot | Maxed Out | Maxed Out | Maxed Out | Maxed Out |
| 3DM Wild Life | Maxed Out | Maxed Out | Maxed Out | Maxed Out |
| 3DM Wild Life Unlimited | 11,073 | 10,924 | 19,178 | 7,797 |
The GT 7T, on the other hand, is powered by a Dimensity 8400-Max chipset. The company claims that the GT 7 and GT 7T support 120 FPS modes for over 20 popular games. I tried a few games to verify this claim, including BGMI, COD Mobile, and Standoff 2. While the list omits some notable titles, it is commendable that Realme is transparent about the games it has tested at 120 FPS.
Both the phones handle gaming for hours easily; however, I noticed that the GT 7 does get warm. It reaches a point where you want to stop and let the phone cool down before jumping into a new game session. Well, there's nothing bad about that, but yes, the entire push of Graphene bringing temperatures down goes for a slight toss. The material comes in handy for cooling the device, as it can lower temperatures from exceeding 40 degrees to reaching under 30 degrees within 20 minutes, which is impressive. The GT 7T, on the other hand, also tends to get warm after a 50-minute BGMI session, but not to the point where it becomes impossible to hold.
In everyday use, the GT 7 can match any new-age flagship Android smartphone in terms of multitasking. The haptic motor on the GT 7 is decent and provides a nice level of feedback during gameplay. Moving on to speakers, the phone features a decent setup with a bottom-firing speaker coupled with one at the top. The speakers are loud for multimedia and gaming usage. It is loud enough to fill a medium-sized room. Connectivity-wise, the GT 7 is well-stacked and doesn't leave you wishing for anything more. I had a good time making multiple regular calls on the GT 7, and it can latch onto 5G networks from Airtel and Jio. The GT 7 features what Realme calls the SignalCatcher Chip, which enables the device to lock onto signals across multiple bands, even in congested, remote, or densely populated conditions. I could test out this little feature during my review where I was in an elevator, and the call didn't disconnect—a nice addition by Realme.
The GT 7T, on the other hand, is an excellent device for power users, capable of handling multitasking, gaming, shooting, and more with ease. The speakers on the 7T are loud during gaming and general multimedia usage. It is a suitable device for power users who want to stick to sub-Rs. 40,000 price category.
Both the GT 7 and GT 7T come with an under-display fingerprint scanner. It is snappy and was preferred over the face unlock feature. However, I wish Realme had added an ultrasonic scanner, considering that many high-end smartphones are now moving in this direction.