realme GT 6: Comeback of the Flagship Challenger

We have not seen realme‘s lineup of smartphones for quite some time. The last GT model we reviewed was the GT3 back in 2022.

This year, though, realme is staging a comeback with the realme GT 6. Positioned to be a flagship killer, realme developed the GT 6 with all the makings of a flagship hardware but at a pocket-friendly or more competitive price-point.

Here are 6 reasons why we think the realme GT 6 can pull this off:

Flagship Level Hardware

Powering the GT 6 is the latest Snapdragon 8s Gen3 chipset from Qualcomm. This is composed of a single high-performance Cortex-X4 running at 3.0GHz, a quad-core Cortex-A720 @ 2.8GHz, and a triple-core Cortex-A520 running at 2.0GHz.

This is a twin brother of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 that is not pricey but still as capable, so you will still benefit from the great performance but will not be charged a premium.

The chipset also comes with a powerful Adreno 735 GPU that is paired with 12GB of fast LPDDR5X RAM and an additional 12GB of Dynamic RAM Expansion for better multi-tasking capability.

As expected, you get a very fast and snappy device capable of just about anything you throw at it — from heavy multitasking to intensive gaming, the GT 6 can handle it without a sweat.

Likewise, in our series of benchmark tests, the GT 6 scores very well across the board and surpasses the 1.5 million mark in Antutu benchmark, among others.

As you can see, the UFS 4.0 storage scored high in both read and write speeds. PCMark also gave it high marks for all productivity tasks.

This is mostly due to the special cooling technology incorporated into the GT 6.

The realme GT 6 “has a 10,014mm² 3D Tempered Dual Vapor Chamber Cooling System that covers a large area & dissipates heat fast and keeps the phone’s temperature low even during intense activity.”

We’re able to see the effects of this in our battery test where we also monitored the device temperature over the entire period.

Premium Design

The realme GT 6 comes in two colorways – Fluid Silver and Razor Green. Between the two, the Fluid Silver that we have as our review unit is perhaps the most elegant.

The glass back design comes in two tones that complement each other, with majority of the back panel covered in smooth Titanium-textured glass that somewhat absorbs surrounding light and reflects it differently in a nice, muted fashion.

A band of Nano Mirror Glass complements the Steel Deco camera module, giving it a nice sheen and reflection, much like a silver mirror. This isn’t just for aesthetics, though. As the mirror finish is so reflective, you can use it to frame your shots when you do those Gen-Z selfies.

Despite the 8.6mm profile, which is partly due to the larger battery, the GT 6 still feels slim and manageable, all thanks to the curved display and the tapered edges of the back panel.

Top-notch Camera System

For photography, the realme GT 6 features a triple camera system that is headlined by a Sony LYT 808 sensor with optical image stabilization and is capable of 4K @ 60fps video recording. The LYT 808 is among the latest and most capable camera sensors for smartphones, allowing for more light intake due to its large 1/1.4” sensor size.

This allows you to take great photos in any situation or light condition and still get clear and crisp images.

This is paired with a secondary telephoto camera using a 50MP Samsung JNS sensor with 2x optical zoom capabilities, which can be great for portrait shots.

The 3rd camera is an ultrawide camera using an 8MP Sony IMX355 sensor with an 112-degree field-of-view.

For better selfies, the front camera uses a 32MP Sony IMX615 that is also capable of shooting 4K @ 30fps videos.

The combination of these three sensors makes for a great all-around smartphone camera that’s versatile and powerful, so you won’t miss a shot or worry about blurry and shaky photos whenever you take them.

Immersive Display

With a large 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display, you get an immersive experience – whether watching your favorite Netflix show or playing games with your friends.

The thin bezels and curved glass display make it look like the images overflow from the edges of the screen, giving it a generous 94.2% screen-to-body ratio. You’ll enjoy games and movies even more, thanks to the 120Hz screen refresh rate and up to 6,000 nits peak brightness (1,000 nits, typ; 1,600, HBM).

The full HD+ display has a 1.5K (2780×1264 pixels) resolution with up to 450ppi pixel density.

The GT 6 also sports a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for protection from scratches, dings and accidental drops. Additionally, the phone also comes with an IP65 Rating, which means it is completely dust-proof and splash-resistant.

Ultra-long Battery Life

Most flagship devices suffer from battery life due to the power-hungry hardware they have to carry.

This is not the case with the GT 6. Packing a dual-cell (2,750mAh) battery to produce a total of 5,500mAh, the device maximizes battery life by combining system optimization and efficient heat management.

As such, we observed extended battery life we’ve never seen before in most of the flagship smartphones we’ve reviewed in a long time.

In our PCMark Battery Test, the GT 6 managed to last 17 hours and 16 minutes on a full charge at 50% brightness, zero volume, and in airplane mode. Likewise, in our proprietary video loop test, the unit copped an impressive 35 hours and 47 minutes playing a full HD movie under the same conditions.

These are results we rarely get in the hundreds of phones we review on a yearly basis and perhaps the highest score in any flagship thus far.

Again, that Tempered Dual Vapor Chamber Cooling System not only increased sustained performance but also made the battery last longer.

Additionally, the GT 6 comes with a 120W GaN adaptor with SUPERVOOC charging technology that can juice up the phone from zero to 100% in just 26 minutes. Considering that it has a 5,500mAh capacity and not the usual 5,000mAh or lower in most other flagship phones, this is super fast charging at its best.

AI-Enhanced OS

The realme GT 6 runs on the latest Android 14 operating system with realme UI 5.0 skinned on top. It is the same simple and familiar yet highly customizable user-interface we used to like with realme devices.

This one includes new features, such as Smart Image Matting, File Dock, Flash Capsule, and Windows PhoneLink.

Other new features include Riding Mode, Air Gestures (In-App and System Navigation), Smart Code Scan, Dedicated RAM for Games, AI Assistant, and Quick Launch.

On top of that, there are a ton of AI-optimized features included in this release, dubbed realme Next AI.

Among the more notable ones include the following:

AI Smart Loop

The Smart Loop feature is a predictive on-screen “task wheel” that suggests the next steps you might want to take on any object on your screen (whether it’s a photo, video, text, or location). The Smart Loop will give you possible actions, such as sending via Bluetooth, email, searching, or buying on Amazon, and more.

AI Smart Removal

Remove unwanted objects from photos and generate content to recognize and recreate the missing portions after removing an object.

AI Night Vision Video

Allows the ability to take brighter videos even under extremely low light conditions through advanced night algorithms.

The realme UI 5.0 is also highly customizable you can practically make granular and specific changes to how you interact with the UI and make the most out of the phone.

Our Verdict

What makes the realme GT 6 unique is that it is a well-thought-out smartphone that can cater to anyone who is looking for a flagship-level smartphone. The specs are not over-kill or over-done yet manage to perform at a level that can be considered a true flagship.

In our experience with the device and testing its many capabilities, the realme GT 6 has shown, on many occasions, that it can slug it out with every other flagship out in the market today. Whether it’s performance, design, photography, and, most especially, battery life – the GT 6 breezed through each category like a champ.

And, with a price point that will not burn your wallet, the realme GT 6 can certainly stand up to its claim of being a “flagship challenger”.

The realme GT 6 is set for global launch this June 20, 2024 and will soon be available in the Philippines.

realme GT 6 specs:

6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display FHD+ 1.5K resolution @ 2780×1264 pixels, 450ppi
120Hz refresh rate, 1,000 nits (1,600 HBM, 6,000 peak brightness)
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
1x Cortex-X4 3.0GHz, 4 Cortex-A720 @ 2.8GHz, 3x Cortex-A520 2.0GHz
Adreno 735 GPU
12GB LPDDR5X RAM (+12GB Dynamic RAM Expansion)
256GB UFS 4.0 internal storage
Triple rear camera system:
• 50MP Sony LYT808 OIS Camera
• 50MP Samsung JNS Telephoto Camera
• 8MP 112° Wide Angle Camera
32MP Sony IMX615 front camera
WiFi-7 support
5G, dual nano SIM
Bluetooth 5.4
NFC
GPS
IR Blaster
realme UI 5 (Android 14)
5,500mAh battery, 120W SUPERVOOC wired charging