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 7T is the entry point of the GT 7 series, while the GT 7 Dream Edition is the top-of-the-line variant

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.

Realme has used Graphene in the rear design of the GT 7

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 display on the GT 7 supports HDR 10+, Dolby Vision, and 120Hz refresh rate

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.

The Racing Yellow colour of the GT 7T features nano vegan leather at the back and offers a soft touch feel

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.

Realme GT 7 runs Realme UI 6.0 based on Android 15

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.

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.

The Realme GT 7T features a 6.8-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate

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 7T also comes in IceSense Black and IceSense Blue colours

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.

Realme GT 7 Dream Edition gets special icon and wallpaper packs

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.

The Dream Edition is a limited edition smartphone, as per Realme

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.

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.

Realme GT 7 and 7T are smartphones built for gaming and can handle long gaming sessions

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.

Both the phones come with IP69 dust and water resistance rating

On the software front, the Realme GT 7 and GT 7T run on Realme UI 6.0 based on Android 15. The company promises an impressive four Android OS updates and six years of security updates on the GT 7 series. While the software update promise may not be the best we've seen lately, it's not on the lower side either. The Realme UI 6.0 brings Flux Themes, which offer customised lock screen options, something you may have seen on Xiaomi devices as well. Then, the Realme phones receive a live alerts feature with the latest 6.0 update, along with a touch-to-share feature inspired by Apple's AirDrop.

The Realme UI 6.0 largely feels like a more refined UI with smoother animations and familiar icon packs that we have seen on earlier Realme devices. What's new is a plethora of AI features now part of the GT 7 series. From the camera app to utility features, the AI tools are seamlessly integrated into the overall scheme of things. The AI Travel Snap Camera, as Realme calls it, is designed for capturing travel-style shots and excels at handling mountain, island, and city landscapes. It primarily focuses on colours, ensuring that shots captured under various conditions come out vibrant and clear. The same tool features multiple enhancements, including AI Glare removal, AI landscape+, and more. You also get the usual AI tools for photos in the edit option, such as AI Eraser, AI Ultra Clarity, Unblur, Remove Reflections, AI Glare Remover, and AI Landscape.

Realme GT 7 comes with an AI Eraser feature that works well. The original image is on the left, and the edited image is on the right

Realme has closely collaborated with Google to introduce AI Planner, an AI-powered schedule assistant that reads from the screen and automatically adds a schedule to your calendar. Once activated in Settings, the AI Planner works on any screen except the home screen. You need to tap the back of the phone twice to activate the AI Planner. Once activated, the tool recognises screen content and automatically adds events to the calendar. It's a really cool feature that came in handy for scheduling my calendar during the review period. The best thing about AI Planner is that it can also block your calendar for a movie time based on the chats on your WhatsApp. Of course, you will need to double-tap to activate the feature within the app. Quirky and a neat addition.

For connectivity, the GT 7 supports Wi-Fi 7, NFC, Bluetooth 5.4 and more features

The GT 7 has a solid camera setup compared to its Chinese variant, which comes with a dual camera setup. The daylight shots come out decent with a wide dynamic range, natural colours, and well-managed noise. The details are well intact in the daylight shots. Some samples below, which I clicked during Realme's GT 7 global launch in Paris.

Realme GT 7 primary camera samples (tap images to expand)

Portraits are also good, and the subject isolation is handled well. I loved the target exposure and depth estimation, even in challenging lighting conditions. Additionally, the colour rendering was decent, and stabilisation was handled well across different scenarios.

Realme GT 7 can click some decent low-light pictures (click to expand)

Realme GT 7 impressed in extreme low-light situation (tap image to expand)

The phone captures textures and keeps noise in check in low-light pictures (tap image to expand)

The telephoto camera delivers a punch and offers a 2x zoom. The samples I clicked had enough details with crisp colours and an on-point dynamic range.

The telephoto sensor on the GT 7 is a solid one (tap images to expand)

The zoom performance is satisfactory on the GT 7, but you shouldn't rely too heavily on it. The low-light performance is acceptable but not exceptional, falling short of beating the competition in any significant way. The GT 7 also features 4K cinematic video support with Dolby Vision, as well as 8K cinematic video support.

Realme GT 7's ultrawide camera is passable for social media uploads as the quality in no way matches main or telephoto cameras (tap images to expand)

What nearly disappoints is the 8-megapixel ultrawide camera. It performs well within its limited capabilities, but in challenging situations, the camera quality suffers. The 32-megapixel selfie camera is excellent for capturing daylight shots with smooth skin textures and tones. However, it doesn't outperform some selfie shooters I have tested in the same price bracket.

Realme GT 7 selfie camera can click good selfies with a decent amount of details, but this takes a hit in low-light (tap image to expand)

Mind you, the selfie shots from the GT 7 are great for your social media use, as quality isn't something that's preserved by these apps.

The Realme GT 7T camera is capable of capturing decent shots with good exposure, rich details, vibrant colours, and a wide dynamic range. Some camera samples had a high level of detail and good colour accuracy. The dual camera setup seems a good combination for the GT 7T. The portraits look natural and don't feel forced, with facial features that appear decent and the background blur blending in naturally.

Realme GT 7T primary camera samples (tap images to expand)

The camera supports the Livephoto feature, just like iPhones. Realme has added 2K livephoto quality to the GT 7T. There's also 4K cinematic video support, and the quality is acceptable.

Realme GT 7T selfie sample (tap image to expand)

Selfies are passable and nothing extraordinary to write home about.

Realme GT 7T low-light samples are good and keep noise levels to a minimum (tap images to expand)

The low-light photos are decent, but there's scope for improvement, and I noticed that the phone struggled in extremely low-light situations.

The battery is the biggest highlight of the Realme GT 7 and GT 7T, thanks to its large 7000mAh unit. The cherry on the cake is 120W SUPERVOOC fast-charging support. In our HD loop test, the Realme GT 7 impressed with a running time of 33 hours and 34 minutes. Interestingly, both the GT 7 and GT 7T scored almost the same in our video loop test, setting a benchmark for other phones in this segment. With SUPERVOOC, both the GT 7 and GT 7T can charge from 0 to 100% in under 45 minutes, which is impressive again.

The phone supports 120W fast-charging support and can fully charge within 45 minutes

In everyday use, the GT 7 easily lasted for almost a day and a half with a single charge. The usage included gaming (60 minutes of continuous gaming), browsing, and using the camera for shooting (30 minutes), reading, streaming (for almost 2 hours), and our usual suite of productivity, social media, and chat apps, which were open in the background at all times.

With medium usage, the phone could last up to two days straight. Though, it's worth noting that in this condition, I didn't game at all. Realme also features a dedicated Battery Health section, which is an excellent addition for users. Additionally, the company is offering a Smart charging option to slow down battery ageing by adjusting to the user's charging patterns. There is also a charging limit, which restricts the charging to 80%. Overall, the battery backup of the Realme GT 7 and 7T sets a serious benchmark for smartphones under Rs. 50,000.

Realme GT 7 series gets 4+6 years of software support

The Realme GT 7 is being marketed as a flagship killer phone, and I think that's a fair description. In everyday use, the GT 7 is a beast - whether it's battery, performance, or even the cameras. The AI feature additions make it more up-to-date in terms of the offerings we see from other players in the same price bracket. 

Design-wise, the GT 7 could have had a USP more than just a graphene back. Out of the two phones, the GT 7T wins the "who's the best-looking phone", and I'm only talking about the Racing Yellow colour variant of the 7T. Of course, if you consider all three GT 7 variants, then Realme GT 7 Dream Edition wins the competition hands down, but it also costs more. 

The GT 7 is for those who do not want to spend more than Rs. 50,000 on the phone but want best-in-class performance and an outstanding battery. The camera department is one area where there's scope for improvement. The GT 7T, on the other hand, is a better value, offering nearly all the features of the GT 7 at a lower price point of sub-Rs. 30,000 (starting price). 

Talking about alternatives, the OnePlus 13R (Review) seems like a good device that packs most of the ingredients you see on the GT 7 and some more. Then, there's the Nothing Phone 3a Pro 5G, which promises an excellent overall package.