It is a mid-range device and, even so, it is one of those phones that for some strange reason interest me more than other proposals. Some of them are much more innovative and important for the future of the smartphone. The reason? Because in the end these are the phones of the vast majority, so let me tell you about the Realme GT Master Edition.
A mid-range phone with a lot to say
The Realme GT Master Edition is a new mid-range phone . One the latest proposal in the catalog of a manufacturer that since its arrival in the Spanish market has not stopped growing in popularity. And that is due to practically two reasons: good performance and good prices.
Logically that does not mean that each and every one of their products are perfect, but when you value the quality / price ratio it is difficult not to think that they may be the ideal model for a specific audience. I think this new phone could go a little further and be a very good option for a large majority.
A curious way to break with the classic aesthetic
In terms of design, it is difficult to do something new and the use of different materials such as plastic, metal or glass with their respective textures, colors, finishes, etc., are the only elements that manufacturers can play with. The problem is that the idea that only certain finishes give a premium look have already been established in the heads of many users.
That is why you have to give some push to the idea that not everything that is made of glass is the most top. To achieve this, I have actually teamed up with Naoto Fukasawa to create a different rear end design. You may like this a lot or the opposite, but if you stop to think about it, it is a touch of differentiation that helps to break with the classic rear.
In addition, the materials chosen for its manufacture lead to two important benefits: better grip and greater cleanliness . Here you will not suffer the problem of fingerprints from other materials such as glass and even low-quality metal or plastic.
On this occasion, the back makes use of vegan leather that together with the gray tone and the shapes inspired by a travel suitcase make it look like a device that could be seen as a more sustainable and environmentally friendly proposal with the environment. Although there are two variants with other materials in moon white or cosmos black that can be seen on the brand’s website.
For the rest, the camera module, the edges and the front do not change compared to other options. It’s not the foldable Galaxy Z Flip 3 that I was recently able to review as well, but it’s still a phone that feels great in the palm of your hand.
As a summary, some details of its physical and design section:
- Compact and comfortable design : at 159.2 x 73.5 mm I find it a very pleasant terminal to use on a daily basis and also to always carry in a trouser pocket. Besides that it only weighs 180 gr.
- Front camera in a hole in the screen : it is located in the left corner and although there will be tastes for everything, it is a location that to be an integrated selfie camera with a hole in the screen is a little less annoying
- Accessibility to the physical buttons : due to their dimensions, accessing the volume and power control buttons (each located on opposite sides) is comfortable regardless of the size of the hand
- Nice texture : the texture of the vegan was and the shapes of this special edition make it also very pleasant to hold. And it may also help to give it a touch of positive differentiation even though it is a mid-range.
For the rest, nothing that cannot be seen in images. Like, for example, the USB C connection for charging and data transfer or the 3.5mm audio jack that is preserved despite the popularity of True Wireless headphones.
The user experience
A high-end terminal, for which you have to pay a significant amount of money, is asked for things that others are forgiven for. However, the user experience, performance and its capabilities to do all kinds of tasks is something that is in demand equally. Logically you have to know the differences that a phone that costs 1,000 euros will offer and I have the latest in high-end processor issues, with another much cheaper and lower micro ranges, but not always in experience.
On this occasion, the realme GT Master Edition makes use of a configuration that we will see many more times soon:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 778 processor with 5G connectivity
- 6 and 8 GB of RAM, our version has 8 GB
- 128 and 256 GB internal storage
- 6.43-inch AMOLED display and 120 Hz refresh rate
- To all this we add support for 5G, 4F networks, Bluetooth connectivity, WiFi 6, NFC and that FM radio that many users still like so much.
With this technical sheet, the most important thing to highlight is the performance of the processor. A chip that could be said to be practically released at a time where accessing new microphones is not easy.
Of course, beyond seeing cold numerical data, the important thing is to know what it translates into. For this reason, we must also take into account realme UI 2.0 , the Android customization capacity that it uses.
With both elements, my expectations were the usual with this type of phones and it was. Aware of certain limitations, day-to-day use has been satisfactory. So much so that beyond getting used to the particular aesthetics of the layer, the functions supported by Android 11 and the apps that you can install will run without any problem.
So along with a good performance with tools of all kinds, games and systems, what positively adds points are its connectivity options and the screen. Also offer a GT mode to squeeze the processor to the fullest.
This screen, with AMOLED technology and 120 Hz refreshment, allows you to enjoy a fluidity that for a mid-range is a point to value positively. But it does not stop there, because in terms of color, brightness and contrast it also fulfills.
Right out of the box and presumably over time, the device will continue to offer a very satisfying experience. Therefore, in this section, it could be considered as a flagship killer of the mid-range.
The eyes of the realme GT Master Edition
Four cameras, three in the rear main module and one in the front. That is the bet at the photographic level that realme offers in this phone. But the number of sensors used we already know that it is the least important detail, because sometimes they put options that are impractical on a day-to-day basis.
Here it does not really break schemes in that sense, it would have been great to have an optical zoom and not only the option to do it digitally through sensor clipping. But let’s go in parts.
The front camera has a Sony sensor with 32 MP resolution and an aperture f2.5. Along with a wide variety of modes through its native camera application, the results seem more than correct to me. They are good, although on some occasion I have not been able to interpret scenes with strong lighting or in low light, the processing does not help too much. But in general you can take advantage of it.
The photo with the front camera is not bad. Sometimes when there are strong backlights you have to adjust the exposure manually, but the results are as expected.
The rear camera, for its part, with three lenses ( 64 MP f1.8 wide, 8 MP f2.3 ultra wide and 2 MP macro ) result in an interesting set, but nothing surprising compared to its competition. Although it is necessary to mention the detail that the main sensor is 1/2 inch, larger than other rivals and, therefore, more luminous.
Here are the different zoom levels the phone allows, from 0.6x ultra wide angle to 5X with digital sensor clipping. Curiously, the 2x mode is the one that has convinced me the most.
In night photography it is noticed that, despite the size of the sensor, there are situations where it is difficult to control the exposure and processing a bit. Still, it is in the average of most proposals.
The macro sensor still does not convince me and not only because of its 2MP, but because personally it is a type of photo that despite liking it on a day-to-day basis, it doesn’t give me much. Finally, in photos with good light there is no problem.
In short, the cameras are not bad. Obviously, they are a reference to their range, but as a whole they can offer striking results. Although in the mid-range, in the photography section, the user’s skill, his patience and how he takes advantage of both the strengths and weaknesses of the camera to take the appropriate snapshot according to the situation, counts much more.
Realme GT Master Edition, what you need to know
At this point, you might be wondering if the realme GT Master Edition is a good or a bad option? Well, let me tell you what I consider to be the most important thing, what you should know to be able to assess and choose if you are interested or not:
- Physically it is comfortable and the touch is pleasant , I think that most will like that vegan leather finish
- The screen looks great and the refresh rate of 120 Hz in such a terminal is a plus
- The fingerprint reader works perfect
- The battery holds up well and the 65W charging system is a delight for days of more intensive use. Without a doubt, it saves you and makes up for not having a wireless charging option
- In terms of sound, it sounds good, but it is not its greatest attraction
- The cameras are versatile, you can do interesting things, but do not look for a proposal that serves as a reference. I have plenty of macro and I always dream of medium ranges with a telephoto lens
- Performance to spare for 90% of users
In summary, the realme GT Master Edition is partly like the Flagship Killer of the mid-range and although that expression I have never liked at all (because there are no better or worse phones but better or worse options according to the needs of each one) it fulfills very well and is going to complicate the existence of other models. Because for about 299 euros in promotion it is very attractive.
After the launch period, the RRP will be 349 and 399 euros depending on the configuration of 6/128 GB or 8/256 GB. At those prices it is still a good option, but it already has more rivals. So the ideal is to access it with the launch price or wait for it to go down again.
