Realme GT Neo 3T review: Speedy like a racing car, but…

The Realme GT Neo series has been one of the most popular lineups from the brand until now. Recently we saw the Realme GT Neo 3 smartphone that even came with 150W super fast charging which is a one-of-a-kind thing. Now, Realme has expanded the lineup with the launch of a new phone, Realme GT Neo 3T, which can be dubbed as the watered-down version of GT Neo 3. The smartphone packs Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor for a power-packed performance.

With this step, Realme has managed to provide the Snapdragon 870 chipset to the masses at quite affordable prices. In the latest device, Realme has also taken a major step in design alteration as the rear panel is based on a racing flag type finish.

I got to review the smartphone around 10 days ago and it went through all the performance and camera-based tests by me. Here I am sharing the review of the smartphone on the basis of different aspects like performance, display quality, battery life, and a few other stuff. This review will also help you in making the buying decision regarding the smartphone.

Realme GT Neo 3T review: Unboxing

In true GT series style, the GT Neo 3T comes in a tall black colour retail box with Realme branding and the name of the smartphone on the front. On the back side, the features of the smartphone are mentioned and the manufacturer details are available at the bottom. The box consists of a:

• Realme GT Neo 3T device
• Charger
• USB cable
• SIM Ejector tool
• Safety guide
• Protective case
• Quick guide

Realme GT Neo 3T review: Design

I have to say that Realme has taken a leap in terms of design when it comes to Realme GT Neo 3T. Starting with the rear panel, I got to review the Drifinng White colour edition, and it has a checkers-like finish at the back. The Realme branding can be spotted at the bottom left corner of the smartphone. The camera bump is made of glass and complements the design overall. The camera island consists of two large sensors and a small sensor along with a flash ‘Matrix AI Camera’ embedded in it.

This time, Realme has refrained from offering flat edges which is not bad as the smartphone looks near perfect the way it is. On the front, the device has very thin bezels for a large display. There is a punch-hole cut out at the top left corner of the device for the placement of the front camera. The power button is placed on the right spine and the volume rockers are available on the left spine.

The SIM Tray, speaker grille, and USB type-C port can be spotted at the bottom of the smartphone. The placement of the fingerprint scanner is a bit weird, more towards the bottom, which we have seen in most of the Realme phones. However, the response time of the scanner is quite quick which makes the overall experience decent.

Realme GT Neo 3T review: Display

As compared to its predecessor, the display of the smartphone has gone through some of the best developments. The Realme GT Neo 3T comes with a 6.62-inch Samsung E4 AMOLED display accompanied by a 120Hz refresh rate. The smartphone offers a touch sampling rate of 360Hz and a peak brightness of 1300 nits. The improved gaming response of the device due to the high touch sampling rate is a boon for gamers.

It also comes with HDR10+ support that generates beautiful output while watching videos on Netflix and YouTube. At the time of testing, the smartphone’s brightness and colour processing were on point. I was watching She Hulk on Disney Plus Hotstar and the experience was excellent. In my opinion, you will love to use your phone in dark mode as it offers one of the finest pitch black colour levels on screen.

Other features of the smartphone like the image sharpener and video colour enhancer were also useful while viewing images and other stuff. You get two options for refresh rate adjustment including standard 60Hz and High 120Hz refresh rate. I used the device most of the time at high settings and the results were not below my expectations.

Realme GT Neo 3T review: Performance

Here we come to one of the most essential factors that affect the buying choice of the user. The Realme GT neo 3T runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor paired with 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. You can run multiple applications at the same time on the smartphone without worrying about any heating or lagging issues. On top of that, the smartphone also offers up to 5GB of virtual RAM expansion to skyrocket the performance.

The device operates on the Realme 3.0 UI based on the Android 12 operating system which helps in improving the overall performance of the device. Now, one thing which was a major turnoff in the device is that you will get to see multiple bloatware which is seriously irritating. Apart from that, I was unable to mark any flaws in the performance section. However, I’ll update the piece if in future I encounter any major problems with the device.

As from the gaming point of view, I tested games from different genres on the smartphone to calculate its performance. I started of with Call of Duty Mobile and the game graphics were at max, still the device managed to deliver unbeatable performance. Same was the case while playing Asphalt Legends, the graphics and game play were buttery smooth and the controls were easy to handle.

The device also has a set of special features which looks like a useful addition to me The features are Flexible windows, Quick return, Quick launch, Smart Sidebar, Simple mode, and Kid Space. All these features have their own significance and they can make your experience with the device smoother, at least they did for me. For example, the Quick Return feature allows you to go back to a window by just tapping the quick return button.

I loved the smartphone’s Smart Sidebar feature too as it helped me in keeping all my go-to apps in one place. You can even use it to take a screenshot or start a video recording. Not only this but two new features have also been added to the fingerprint scanner. Yes, you guessed it right, I am talking about the heart rate monitor which delivers near-to accurate results in most of the cases and the Quick launch option too which is a part of the special features cadre.

Realme GT Neo 3T review: Camera

The Realme GT Neo 3T flaunts a triple rear camera system including a 64MP primary sensor, 8MP ultra wide-angle sensor and a 2MP sensor. The rear camera system of the device manages to produce average quality photographs in daylight. In low light, you will get a little noise in the photographs which is a bit disappointing. In the standard camera mode, you will get 2X zoom which offered photographs that were not bad.

The details captured by the main camera in broad daylight were not that impressive as compared to other devices in the same price range. If you are planning to click photographs in an indoor setting with the smartphone, then you have to deal with a lot of noise but still not to a level that spoils the photographs. Using the Night Mode will help you get decent photographs at night too, however, the photographs can’t be termed breathtaking in any scenario.

On the front, the smartphone has a 16MP sensor for the sake of selfies and video calls. Though the colour output of the front sensor was not that good, still, it managed to deliver some of the best selfie shots in the day light.

Realme GT Neo 3T review: Battery

A smartphone with amazing performance and camera prowess is of no use, in my personal opinion, if it lacks a powerful battery and fast charging support. In this case, Realme GT Neo 3T passes with flying colours as it packs a 5000mAh battery along with 80W fast charging support. At the time of practically testing the smartphone, it got fueled up from zero to 100% in only 42 minutes which is quite fast.

As for the battery drainage, the smartphone loses around 10% battery an hour while playing heavy games like Asphalt Legends, Apex Legends Mobile, and Call of Duty. In case you are watching your favourite shows at medium brightness then the battery will drain at a speed of 7% to 8% in an hour which is quite impressive.

If you are intro moderately using the device, it can go on for around 30 hours without any issues. In the tests, I made around half a dozen calls, played games for multiple hours, watched a couple of movies, and surfed the internet for hours, still, the device managed to last for 16 hours.

Realme GT Neo 3T review: Should you buy it or not?

Realme GT Neo 3T is a go-to device for people who want to try Snapdragon 870 with decent camera prowess at an affordable price. The smartphone is one of the best in the industry when it comes to performance. The camera factor and the bloatware can be a little bit disappointing for the customers who are looking for a premium experience.

So, if you are someone who also thinks that Snapdragon 870 is still a better processor than most of the MediaTek stuff out there in the market, then you should but the Realme Gt Neo 3T without any doubt. Nonetheless, if you are someone who wants the device for the purpose of photography, then you should think twice as the device will not be able to give your photographs a professional touch.