Realme GT 8 Pro tested: currently the best smartphone
23/12/2025
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Jan Johannsen
The Realme GT 8 Pro not only offers top equipment but also a special feature: the camera hump can be customised. Realme has also brought Ricoh on board as a cooperation partner for the camera.
Customised look instead of a uniform appearance: The camera cover on the Realme GT 8 Pro can be replaced. Thanks to 3D print templates, there are even more shapes to choose from than are included with the smartphone. Ricoh is particularly involved as a partner in the camera app and contributes a shooting mode with an eye-catching look.
A camera hump to suit your taste
The Realme GT 8 Pro has an aluminium frame and a slightly rough faux leather back. This feels non-slip. The camera hump stands out: It is circular and rises 3.8 millimetres above the 8.4 millimetre thin casing. The two screws in the camera hump can be loosened with the small screwdriver supplied with the smartphone.
Unfortunately, I only received one interchangeable element with my test device. However, the smartphones sold are supposed to come with two. Together with the 3D printing websites Bambu Lab and MakerWorld, the manufacturer has organised a competition. This has resulted in numerous designs, which are freely available for reprinting. Changing the cover is very easy with the two screws.
On the front of the GT 8 Pro, you are looking at a 6.79-inch AMOLED display with a high resolution of 3136 × 1440 pixels. The maximum refresh rate is also high at 144 hertz. The typical brightness of 1000 nits is sufficient for outdoor use in sunshine. If the sun shines directly on the display, 2000 nits are possible in «High Brightness Mode». The peak brightness for HDR content is even 7000 nits, but this is not important in everyday use.
Realme uses Gorilla Glass 7i to protect the display. The protective glass was developed more for mid-range smartphones and is not quite as robust as the manufacturer's more expensive materials. Its hardness is specified as a 4 on the Mohs scale. This makes it easy to scratch with a pocket knife. The entire smartphone is IP68/IP69 waterproof, dustproof and protected against hot water jets. The replaceable camera cover has no influence on this.
Only good cameras
All cameras on the Realme GT 8 Pro have a high resolution. The different apertures and, above all, the sensor sizes have a greater impact on the image quality.
The main camera of the GT 8 Pro impressed me with its powerful colour reproduction, which still looks natural. The level of detail is high. Only when I look at the pictures in their original size on the PC screen do I notice that there is slight blurring at the edges. However, these go unnoticed when the photos are used in a smaller display.
The camera has no problems with strong contrasts caused by the sun. It elegantly balances them out and does not distort the colours.
The ultra-wide-angle and telephoto cameras are on a par with the main camera in terms of quality. The colour reproduction is identically good and the level of detail is high. Small deficiencies in sharpness are only noticeable when viewed in original size.
In the dark, all three cameras deliver images that are very useful for social media or for showing on a smartphone. The residual light is amplified well without turning night into day. Many details are visible and the colours are not ruined by the lighting. The night mode is worthwhile. Above all, it ensures that light sources are not overexposed, but are easily recognisable.
The front camera also delivers very good image quality in daylight. In the dark, it is heavily dependent on the available light - even with night mode activated. If I have the light source behind me, the sharpness of my face decreases significantly.
Ricoh GR: cooperation with a camera manufacturer
Like other smartphone manufacturers, Realme has sought out a partner in the photography sector and has been successful with Japanese camera manufacturer Ricoh. The collaboration is reflected in the «Ricoh GR» logo on the GT 8 Pro and in the camera app.
In the camera app there is a «Ricoh GR» mode. When I select it, the appearance of the app changes. The options are different and the circular shutter button becomes a yellow rectangle with rounded edges.
In addition, the camera switches from 4:3 to 3:2 format. Even more striking is the change in colour reproduction. In other words, the collaboration is above all a strong filter with a dark retro charm. The colours appear paler and cooler than with the automatic mode.
In «Ricoh GR» mode, I also have four filters to choose from, which are designed to imitate different types of analogue film.
A new frontrunner in terms of performance
Like the OnePlus 15, the Realme GT 8 Pro is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. This is currently Qualcomm's most powerful chipset and achieved new best values when tested. It is supported by twelve gigabytes of RAM - but there is also a more expensive version with 16 gigabytes.
The comparison with the predecessor chipset in the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Xiaomi 15 Ultra is clear. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 has significantly increased its computing power. You won't push the GT 8 Pro to the limits of its performance in everyday use.
Battery life for a whole day without sleep
Realme equips the GT 8 Pro with a generous 7000 mAh battery. This lasts 24:50 hours at half display brightness in the PCMark battery test. That's 20 minutes more than the OnePlus 15 and thus a new record. Depending on usage behaviour, the smartphone only needs to be charged every two days.
A power adapter is not included in the scope of delivery. With the right charger, the GT 8 Pro accepts up to 120 watts. The battery is then fully charged in around 45 minutes. This applies to the UFCS 2.0 standard (Universal Fast Charging Standard) introduced this year, which is also used by Honor, Huawei, Oppo and Vivo, among others. The Realme smartphone charges wirelessly with up to 50 watts - fully charged in around 80 minutes - and in turn delivers up to 10 watts wirelessly to other devices.
Realme UI with ideas that not all Android smartphones have
The Realme GT 8 Pro runs Android 16 out of the box. It will receive four Android updates. In line with the manufacturer's previous promises, security updates should then be available for five years.
The manufacturer's user interface is called Realme UI 7 and offers more than just a customised design. Live notifications are Realme's version of Apple's Dynamic Island. Discreet information appears in a field around the front camera, which expands when tapped. It currently works for the Google app, Google Maps and Google Wallet as well as music playback, screen recording, hotspot and game timer service.
A bicycle mode and air gestures can also be found in the settings. The bike mode displays Google Maps, the phone app and the music controls together on one screen. It's like Android Auto for two-wheelers. I can use the air gestures to answer or drop calls and scroll through selected apps - Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok and YouTube - by waving my hand up or down in front of the front camera.
Of course, AI is also a must. Gemini is pre-installed as an AI assistant. In addition, «Mind Space» is a place to collect notes and screenshots that the AI prepares and searches. In the settings, I can also activate short summaries of notifications and an AI planner that recognises appointments or tasks after a double tap on the back of the smartphone. There are also translation functions and writing aids. The «AI Smart Loop» is a context menu that appears when I hold a file with my finger on the touchscreen. The AI then displays apps on the side of the screen with which I can use the file.
When taking photos, you can also hand over decisions to the AI. It then selects an image section for you that complies with common image composition rules - no matter how crooked you hold the camera.
In a nutshell
Currently the best smartphone on the market
Realme is setting new standards with the GT 8 Pro that other manufacturers have yet to surpass. It achieves new best values for both battery life and performance and leaves the OnePlus 15 behind. I'm curious to see how the upcoming smartphones will rank here.
With the interchangeable elements for the camera hump, Realme gives you a new way to customise your smartphone. The replacement is done quickly and with a 3D printer you have unimagined design possibilities.
The cameras all deliver good image quality. Only when viewed in their original size are slight deficiencies in sharpness noticeable. However, these are not relevant for the typical use of smartphone photos. The cooperation with Ricoh, on the other hand, should only be met with enthusiasm if you like the aesthetics of the filters.
You can expect a lot of AI in the software. I find the bike mode particularly exciting. The four Android updates are the minimum in terms of updates. Security updates are available for longer.
Overall, the differences between the Realme GT 8 Pro and the OnePlus 15 are very small. If I had to choose between the two smartphones at this moment, I would rather go by my feelings for the design or my sympathy for one of the manufacturers - or go for the lower price.
Pro
- Very long battery life
- plenty of power
- All cameras with good image quality
- Interchangeable elements for a customised look
Contra
- Cooperation with Ricoh only interesting if you like the image aesthetics
- Only four Android updates
Header image: Jan Johannsen
Jan Johannsen
Senior Editor
Jan.Johannsen@galaxus.deAs a primary school pupil, I used to sit in a friend's living room with many of my classmates to play the Super NES. Now I get my hands on the latest technology and test it for you. In recent years at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, now at Digitec and Galaxus.
These articles might also interest you
18 comments
later