Realme GT Master Edition First Impressions: A Unique-Looking Mid-Ranger at an Attractive Price

The Realme GT Master Edition is a fresh new take on the master edition philosophy, and it’s got a brand-new processor to go with it.

By Sheldon Pinto | Updated: 18 August 2021 18:50 IST

Realme GT Master Edition First Impressions: A Unique-Looking Mid-Ranger at an Attractive Price

Realme GT Master Edition in India price starts from Rs. 25,999

Highlights

Realme's GT Master Edition packs in a Snapdragon 778G processor
It has a Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate
There's a 4,300mAh battery, which supports 65W charging

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.

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Realme GT Master Edition

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Unique design
Quality 120Hz display
Good battery life and fast charging
3.5mm headphone jack

Bad
No stereo speakers
No IP rating
Average low-light camera performance
Too many preloaded apps

Read detailed Realme GT Master Edition review

Display 6.43-inch

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G

Front Camera 32-megapixel

Rear Camera 64-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel

RAM 6GB, 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB

Battery Capacity 4300mAh

OS Android 11

Resolution 1080x2400 pixels

More Realme mobiles Realme mobiles price in India

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Further reading: Realme, Realme GT Master Edition, Realme GT, Realme GT 5G Master Edition, Realme GT Master Edition Design, Realme GT Master Edition Price in India, Realme GT Master Edition Specifications, Realme GT Master Edition Battery, Realme GT Master Edition Cameras

Sheldon Pinto

Email Sheldon Pinto

Sheldon Pinto is based in Mumbai, and has several years of experience in reviewing smartphones and gadgets. As a Senior Reviewer at Gadgets 360, you will always find him deeply immersed in his reviews, switching from one phone to another. When the battery dies out, Sheldon is always browsing the web for a good sci-fi movie or reading up on cars and bikes. He also loves creating lists of interesting places to eat and travel. Sheldon is available on Twitter at @shellshocd, and you can mail him at ...More