Realme GT 7 Pro presented: Flagship at a competitive price

The highlight of the new Realme GT 7 Pro is the Snapdragon 8 Elite. The Chinese manufacturer made this clear at the press conference in Milan. Oppo's subsidiary is particularly proud of the processor's performance values: it is even said to beat the iPhone 16 Pro Max in benchmarks. For the first time, Android phones are said to outperform Apple devices in terms of performance.

The GT 7 Pro is not the first phone to be announced with the Snapdragon 8 Elite. That honour goes to the Asus ROG Phone 9. However, this will not be launched on the market until early 2025, while the GT 7 Pro will be available in the next few days. It is expected to be available in Switzerland in December - and at a competitive price. At market launch, the GT 7 Pro is expected to cost just 800 francs or euros, followed later by just under 1000 francs or euros.

Samsung screen and huge battery

The 6.78-inch OLED screen was developed together with Samsung. It offers a refresh rate of 120 hertz and a peak brightness of 6500 nits - impressive. Normally it reaches 1000 nits, outside in the sun up to 2000 nits. The fact that the screen supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision underlines Realme's claim that the GT 7 Pro can keep up with all flagship devices.

The battery should even overtake the competition. At 6500 mAh, the battery is significantly larger than most other models of this size, which normally rely on 5000 mAh. It should be particularly long-lasting and wear-free - and work reliably even at minus 30 degrees. Realme promises a service life of four years without any noticeable reduction in performance. A test will have to show whether the battery actually lasts longer than other models. Incidentally, it is charged with up to 120 watts.

Ready for underwater photography

The new Realme flagship has IP69 certification. This means that the smartphone can not only stay underwater for longer, but also offers "protection against water during high-pressure/steam jet cleaning". So you could actually clean the device. In everyday smartphone use, however, it is more relevant that you can use the mobile in up to two metres of water for 30 minutes, as it can withstand higher water pressure.

Realme is marketing it as the first smartphone for underwater photography. This is also because the photo app offers a special underwater mode that uses artificial intelligence to enable good shots of fish or underwater worlds.

Realme relies on image sensors from Sony. The main camera has a resolution of 50 megapixels - which is now standard. However, you shouldn't have too high expectations for the wide-angle camera with 8 megapixels. The selfie camera with 16 megapixels is nothing special either. The highlight is the triple periscope zoom, which also has a resolution of 50 megapixels.

AI is part of the mandatory programme

It is no longer just the big manufacturers such as Samsung, Google and Apple that are relying on the help of artificial intelligence, but also smaller brands. Although Realme is now said to be number four on the European market in terms of sales figures

Realme uses AI for various film and photo modes - including for night shots. In addition, hand-drawn sketches can be transformed into pictures. Various styles such as cartoons or realistic photos are possible. The AI Summary function allows texts to be summarised and AI Speak reads texts aloud. AI Writer automatically writes small texts for images - ideal for social media.

Inconspicuous - but in a good way

The most striking thing about the Realme GT 7 Pro in the hands-on is how inconspicuous it is. Despite the large battery, the device is only 8.55 millimetres thick and doesn't look any bulkier than other smartphones of this size. At 223 grams, it is even a few grams lighter than an iPhone 16 Pro Max or the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Both competitors have a 1500 to 2000 mAh smaller battery.

The device sits comfortably in the hand and is easy to use. Realme stays close to the familiar Android interface. Unfortunately, only the grey "Galaxy" colour variant could be seen on site; the orange "Mars" colour variant would certainly have been more eye-catching.

Overall, the GT 7 Pro is understated. Nevertheless, it is an exciting alternative to Samsung, Google or Apple - especially for anyone for whom battery life and computing power are important and who still wants to spend less than 1000 francs or euros.