Realme usually launches a Master Edition version of an existing smartphone model with a distinctive design that sets it apart. The Realme X was the first smartphone to get this treatment, with Onion and Garlic versions. Realme repeated this exercise with the X3, which was also launched in two finishes – Concrete and Red Brick. Now, with the brand new Realme GT series, the company has done something different. Along with the Realme GT (First Impressions) itself, there’s also a Realme GT Master Edition, but while design is still a big deal, it has different specifications and is actually more affordable.
The Realme GT Master Edition has been conceptualised by the same designer, Naoto Fukasawa, who worked on the previous Master Edition smartphones by Realme. This smartphone’s design was inspired by a suitcase (that represents travel), with large ridges that not only look unique but also make it easier to hold. While the back panel looks tough, it has a slightly soft leather-like texture to it. Realme claims that this texture is vegan leather, which is basically stretched over a polycarbonate back panel. Regardless of its suitcase-like appearance, the phone feels quite premium and isn’t too heavy either. This finish is called Voyager Grey, and the GT Master Edition will also be available in two other finishes – Luna White and Cosmos Black – without the ridges or texture.
There’s a 6.43-inch inch full-HD+ Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 360Hz touch sampling rate, which should keep gamers happy. The display is surrounded by thin bezels and has an integrated fingerprint scanner.
The Realme GT Master Edition has a 6.43-inch Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate
The GT Master Edition features a single speaker at the bottom. There’s also a 3.5mm headphone jack, located next to the primary mic and the Type-C USB port. The volume buttons are on the left, while the power button is on the right. The phone has a dual Nano-SIM tray and there’s no storage expansion.
The device is available in three RAM and storage variants. There’s a base option with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage price at Rs. 25,999; an 8GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant for Rs. 27,999; and an 8GB RAM and 256GB storage variant priced at Rs. 29,999. This option is available only in Voyager Grey, and is the one I received for review.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 778G processor is a big selling point of the GT Master Edition. It is a 5G mobile platform manufactured using a 6nm fabrication process, and is meant to be an update to the Snapdragon 768G. It has a maximum clock speed of 2.4Ghz. This SoC uses the Snapdragon X53 5G modem, which supports both mmWave and Sub-6GHz 5G networks. The device packs in a 4,300mAh battery which can be charged using the in-box 65W fast-charging brick. Realme has also implemented its Dynamic RAM Expansion technology, which lets you assign up to 5GB of internal storage to function as additional RAM when needed, though it will be much slower than actual RAM.
The Realme GT Master Edition’s Voyager Grey option has back panel made of vegan leather
The smartphone features three cameras at the back. There’s a 64-megapixel primary camera, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2-megapixel macro camera. Selfie duties are handled by a 32-megapixel camera.
As for software, there is Realme UI 2.0, which is based on Android 11. This phone is filled to the brim with preinstalled apps including third-party ones such as Josh, Facebook, Moj, Snapchat and Netflix to name a few. However, it felt quite snappy during my limited experience so far.
The Realme GT Master Edition seems like a solid contender for the mid-range. Apart from the unique design of the Voyager Grey variant, it also packs in hardware that should make it quite competitive. These factors should help it stand out from the crowd. We will have to put it through its paces to find out how much of an improvement the new SoC is over the competition. So, stay tuned to Gadgets360 for our full review, which should be out soon.