Yesterday in Milan, the new “flagship killer” realme GT 6 was announced. The device features a top-tier Qualcomm 8s Gen3 chipset, fast charging, a camera with optical stabilization, and AI functions.
realme GT 6 positioning and price
The first realme GT was launched in March 2021 and immediately became a hit. This device offered a top-tier processor and excellent quality screen for a relatively low price, earning its title as a “flagship killer.” Several successful models followed, including the GT 2 Pro, GT Neo 3, and GT Neo 5 with revolutionary 240W charging. Why was there no “four”? In China, the number four is considered unlucky.
The GT 5 and GT 5 Pro models resembled the realme 12 Pro / Pro+ series in appearance and never made it to the global market. Overall, we had a “break” from realme’s racing devices for two years. Finally, the series is making a comeback. It’s no surprise that the manufacturer organized this event with great fanfare.
The realme GT 6 was initially introduced in China as the GT Neo 6. It was launched alongside its “brother,” the GT Neo 6 SE (known in Europe as the GT 6T). Now, it’s time for its European announcement.
The devices differ in processors (the younger model features the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3), as well as in the amount and types of memory. The cameras are also different—the younger model lacks a telephoto lens, and its main module has slightly simpler specifications. The design, screen characteristics, battery, and charging speed are identical.
Let’s move on to positioning. The story remains the same—the realme GT 6 is a flagship killer. This means a phone with top-tier features and some compromises, allowing for an affordable price for most people. Despite this, in terms of overall capabilities, it is not inferior by two times or more compared to expensive high-end models. In this review, we will find out if there are any compromises and what they are.
Now for the prices:
- realme GT 6 12/256 GB – about $640 / €600
- realme GT 6 16/512 GB – about $715 / €670
Read also: realme 12 Pro Review: All About the Cameras
realme GT 6 specifications
- Operating system: Android 14, realme UI 5.0 shell
- Chipset: Qualcomm SM8635 Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 – octa-core (1×3.0 GHz Cortex-X4 and 4×2.8 GHz Cortex-A720 and 3×2.0 GHz Cortex-A520)
- Video card: Adreno 735
- Protection certificate: IP65 dustproof and waterproof
- Display: 6.78″, 8T LTPO AMOLED, 1264×2780 pixels (450 ppi), 1 billion colors, 120 Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 100% P3, typical brightness up to 1600 nits, array brightness up to 6000 nits, 360 Hz / 2500 Hz touch sampling, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection
- Memory versions: only 12/256 GB, 16/512 GB versions, UFS 4.0 drive type, LPDDR5x RAM type are available in Ukraine
- Memory card slot: not available
- Cameras:
- Main camera – Sony LYT-808; 50 megapixels, 1/1.4″, f/1.69, OIS
- Ultra-wide-angle module – Sony IMX355, 8 megapixels, 1/4″, f/2.2
- Telephoto lens – Samsung JN5; 50 megapixels, 1/2.8″, f/2.0, EFL: 46.91 mm
- Front camera – f/2.5, 22 mm (wide-angle), 1/2.74″
- Video recording – 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps
- Speakers: stereo, 24-bit/192 kHz Hi-Res audio
- Wireless technologies: Wi-Fi 6, NFC 360°, Bluetooth 5.4 (aptX HD, LHDC), Dual Band GPS L1 + L5, USB Type-C 2.0
- Battery: 5500 mAh, 120 Watt wired charging (50% in 10 minutes), battery retains more than 80% of capacity after 1600 charging cycles
- Dimensions and weight: 162.0 × 75.1 × 8.7 mm, 191 g
Package contents
In the box, you’ll find a set of documents, a SIM ejector tool, a cable, and a high-quality flexible plastic case. Yes, that’s right, there is no charger included (this applies to the EU market; it might be different in other regions). This is now realme’s policy, explained as a response to the EU’s environmental protection requirements.
A factory-installed protective film is applied to the phone’s screen, which can also be considered part of the package.
realme GT 6 design
Realme GT smartphones have always stood out with their design. For example, the first generation had a version with a bright yellow back panel made of eco-leather. The stripes on the GT Neo 3 were reminiscent of racing cars, giving the model a “speedy” look. The GT 3 featured a semi-transparent LED screen on the back panel that could light up in various colors—a real wow factor. In this regard, the new realme GT 6 is somewhat disappointing. It looks like many other contemporary mid-range phones, lacking a unique touch or any special editions.
The smartphone is available in two colors only – dark green and silver.
The back panel is glossy and has a charming shimmer, revealing thousands of sparkles under certain lighting—realme calls this the nano-mirror back cover. The camera area is distinguished by a different shade.
It’s easy to guess that such a body collects fingerprints easily and is quite slippery in the hand, so the included case is very appropriate.
The back panel and the glass screen are curved, making the phone appear particularly thin and comfortable to hold. Overall, it’s not too large, and the ergonomics are good.
Screens with curved edges are not universally loved. Once a hallmark of premium devices, now flagships tend to favor flat screens, while mid-range and budget phones boast waterfall screens. Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with this design; phones come out narrower and more compact, and I haven’t had any issues with accidental touches, especially with a case on.
The body of the realme GT 6 is plastic, including both the rear panel and the side frames. It’s not necessarily a drawback, especially considering the price and the hardware it offers.
The display of the realme GT 6 is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, the most advanced development by Corning to date.
On the right side of the body, there are the power and lock buttons. In my opinion, they are very slim, but I haven’t encountered any issues while using them. The fingerprint scanner is integrated into the screen and works perfectly.
All ports on the bottom edge are USB-C, and there’s a dual SIM tray (without memory card support) along with a speaker (offering stereo sound, with the earpiece serving as the second speaker). An interesting addition on the top edge is the IR port, which can be used for controlling home appliances, functioning as a kind of universal remote.
The realme GT 6 chassis is protected to the IP65 standard. Again, this is not on par with flagship levels, but rather a compromise. The device is resistant to dust and can withstand water jets, but nothing more. It’s not advisable to submerge it in water and it’s better not to get it wet on purpose at all.
Read also: Realme 12 Pro Plus 5G Review: Created for Success
Screen
realme GT 6 has a truly flagship display. The dry numbers look like this:
- 6.78 in
- LTPO AMOLED (refresh rate can be lowered to 1 Hz if necessary to save energy)
- 1264×2780 resolution (450 ppi)
- support for HDR10+ and display of a billion colors
- frequency of up to 120 Hz, polling of the touch layer at 500 Hz.
But the main thing realme boasts about is the record-high brightness of the screen on the market. At its peak, for example, under direct summer sunlight, it can reach up to 6000 nits. The standard value is up to 1600 nits (the maximum in many smartphones in this price range).
Based on personal experience, the screen quality is phenomenal. It’s AMOLED at a flagship level with excellent brightness, clarity, and superb color reproduction. Support for Dolby Vision, HDR, 10-bit color depth, and 100% P3 color gamut coverage really make a difference.
The display also received support for a range of useful certifications: SGS Five-star Sunlight-Readable Display (sunlight readability), SGS Five-star Esports Display (up to 2500 Hz peak touch polling rate, suitable for online sports), SGS AI Eye-Protection Display (eye protection, harmful blue light filtration), TÜV Rheinland Strobe-free Certification (flicker-free protection); Dolby Vision Playback And Capture.
The AI-based system analyzes user behavior, including blink and yawn frequency, which can indicate fatigue, and adjusts the color temperature and brightness accordingly to provide a more comfortable viewing experience. Thanks to enhanced PWM (flicker) suppression with a frequency of 2160 Hz, the display is safe for use in low-light conditions.
It’s worth adding that the screen of the realme GT 6 doesn’t go haywire when wet. The processor analyzes the presence of water droplets that may interfere on the screen and optimizes user interaction accordingly.
In the settings, you can choose the screen refresh rate (although I recommend leaving it on automatic by default), lower the resolution (for battery saving, although it’s better to keep it high for the best experience), adjust color reproduction, activate eye protection (blue light filtration, adaptive shades for ambient conditions), and other options.
realme GT 6 hardware and performance
The realme GT 6 runs on the octa-core Qualcomm SM8635 Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset, which was introduced in March 2024. It differs from the top-tier Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with the letter “s” in its name and features slightly lower frequencies, excluding the ability to record videos in 8K format. However, it consumes slightly less energy. Apart from frequencies, you won’t notice significant differences compared to models based on the flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in terms of performance. In the AnTuTu test, the GT 6 impressively scored 1,565,659 points.
Numbers are good, but what really matters is how the phone performs in real-world use. And here, everything is top-notch – apps launch quickly, switching between them is seamless. It even seems like the phone completes tasks faster than I can give them!
You can definitely enjoy gaming on it as well. The GT 6 runs all popular and demanding games smoothly. Specifically, PUBG and League of Legends run at 120 FPS. Titles like MLBB, COD, and Genshin Impact also perform smoothly, at least better than on devices with Dimensity 9200 and Exynos 2400 processors. Moreover, the Qualcomm processor significantly heats up less during gameplay.
Users can even increase the core frequencies of the processor using the Geek Power Tuning feature. This can be done from the gaming menu during gameplay (swipe from the top left corner of the screen).
Users can even increase the core frequencies of the processor using the Geek Power Tuning feature. This can be done from the gaming menu during gameplay (swipe from the top left corner of the screen).
The immediate question would be about how this powerful phone handles heat. It barely heats up! The realme GT 6 is equipped with a unique 3D dual VC thermal regulator with a diameter of 10014 mm², allowing the phone to maintain stable performance even during prolonged sessions of resource-intensive gaming. The GT 6 features a total of 9 layers of cooling materials, specifically:
- copper foil with a thickness of 10.870 mm² above the screen
- 7075 mm superconducting graphite in the screen compartment
- double evaporation chamber with a thickness of 10.014 mm²
- cooling gel
- 1420 mm² copper foil on the top of the motherboard
- copper PCB with a diameter of 800 mm
- a 5300 mm² mold support made of graphite
- an aluminum support.
The realme GT 6 is available in Europe in three memory configurations: 8/256GB, 12/256GB, and 16/512GB. The memory modules are fast, with LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage. Overall, any version will operate swiftly and smoothly, but opting for the 12GB RAM version is recommended if possible. The higher configuration should only be chosen if you need the 512GB storage capacity, as there is no memory card slot. This is the exact version we tested. By the way, there’s a familiar option in the settings to add RAM from the storage. The feature is enabled by default and allows adding from 4 to 12GB of additional RAM.
Read also: Realme 12 5G Smartphone Review
realme GT 6 cameras
We’re accustomed to cameras typically not being the strongest suit of flagship killers (compromises, compromises…). Can the new GT 6 change this situation? Perhaps so. It features a full set of cameras, with the main module being the Sony LYT-808 (50 MP, optical stabilization, sensor size 1/1.4″). There’s also an 8 MP wide-angle camera Sony IMX355 and a 50 MP telephoto lens with a 47 mm focal length. The front module boasts a resolution of 32 MP.
In good lighting conditions, the photo quality is excellent – on a flagship level. There’s superb clarity, high detail, beautiful natural yet vibrant tones, and a good dynamic range. Here are some examples:
At night, it’s also impressive, thanks in part to the AI Night Vision Mode (where would we be without AI), which realme claims to be the best in the industry. The shots are vivid (sometimes even overly so, in my opinion), sharp, and practically free of digital noise. The night mode activates automatically, and the duration the phone needs to be held steady depends on the scene’s lighting level.
In good lighting, there’s hardly any noticeable difference between photos taken with the wide-angle module and the main one. In low light, however, it’s evident that the wide-angle captures less light, but it’s not critically so. Here are examples, with the wide-angle module on the right:
We also have a telephoto lens that allows for 2x zoom without losing quality. Other digital zoom levels are available up to 20x. It’s not a Galaxy S24 Ultra, of course, but for its price, the GT 6 zooms quite well! It relies on digital assistance, and you can zoom in to read texts, signs, car numbers, and more without assistance. Below, I’ll show examples of videos zoomed at 2x – 4x – 10x – 20x respectively.
In good lighting conditions, as you can see, there are no issues. However, in low light, zooming becomes difficult, so don’t expect high quality in such conditions.
The camera interface is straightforward and familiar.
Among other features, as tradition goes with realme, there’s a street photography mode, now named Street Mode 4.0 in the latest models. In this mode, you can use zoom along with enhanced stabilization to capture impressive shots while in motion. Examples:
There’s also the option to add light filters. Here are a few examples:
The 32 MP front camera takes excellent photos even in low light conditions. It offers real-time beautification options and a decent portrait mode.
The realme GT 6 supports video recording in formats such as 4K@30/60fps and 1080p@30/60/120fps. While it lacks 8K recording, it’s not necessarily a drawback. 8K videos consume a lot of storage and are not widely viewable on most televisions. 4K and Full HD are more than sufficient, offering good quality and stable stabilization, even in low light conditions.
In summary, the camera of the GT 6 will satisfy the vast majority of users. Considering its price point, there’s really nothing to criticize – it captures beautiful photos even at night, has quality zoom capabilities, and produces excellent video.
Data transfer
The smartphone supports the latest versions of Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4 modules. It also features Dual Band GPS L1 + L5 and 360° NFC, which means you don’t need to perform acrobatics near a terminal – you can tap the phone from any side.
In addition, realme emphasizes the E-game Antenna Network technology. This is a special placement of cellular antennas in the middle of the case. So if you play with the phone in your hands in a horizontal orientation, there will be no problems with the cellular signal or Wi-Fi/Bluetooth.
Furthermore, the AI-based system learns how the user holds the phone and optimizes antenna performance accordingly.
Read also: Realme C67 4G review: stereo sound, IP54 and battery life
Sound
The realme GT 6 supports Hi-Res 24-bit/192 kHz audio. It features stereo speakers – one at the bottom panel and the earpiece serving as the second speaker above the screen. The sound is well-balanced, loud, spacious, and even bass-heavy, leaving a significant impression. To fully appreciate the Hi-Res audio, wireless headphones are recommended since there is no jack for wired ones. In the settings, there are audio presets like OReality (smart, film, games, music), activation of spatial sound mode, and holo sound for immersive audio experiences.
When it comes to vibrations, they are on par with flagship models. The large linear axis motor provides rich and realistic tactile feedback. Vibrations are useful not only for incoming calls but also for everyday interactions with the phone such as scrolling through menus, typing on the keyboard, taking photos, playing games, and even setting alarms. Everything is well-designed to enhance the tactile experience and usability of the smartphone.
Artificial intelligence software and functions
The realme GT 6 runs on Android 14 with the realme UI 5.0 interface. This software version is familiar from previous realme smartphones like the realme 12 series, so there are no surprises. The system is fast, smooth, featuring elegant animations, and highly customizable.
Additionally, like before, the realme UI offers various gestures, split-screen mode, a side menu for quick app access, and windowed mode. The realme Lab application includes experimental features such as the ability to connect two pairs of wireless headphones to the phone and pulse tracking using the fingerprint scanner.
A convenient and relatively new feature unique to realme is File Dock. It’s an area on the screen where you can drag and drop images, videos, and documents for quick access from other applications.
There’s another similar option called AI Smart Loop. You can highlight any file or text and drag it into the Smart Loop area. The system will automatically suggest relevant apps according to its understanding, such as the browser, messaging apps, maps, social media apps, file manager, and more.
What else is artificial intelligence good for here? Photo processing, of course. We have a “smart” feature for removing objects from photos. You can outline or “paint over” an unwanted object, and the system will cut it out and fill in the remaining space.
The function works very well, here are a few examples:
In the “Accessibility” settings section, you will also find an option for screen content recognition using AI. Text in images will be highlighted and translated. However, in our context, the benefits of this feature are limited as only English and Chinese languages are currently supported. Nevertheless, the manufacturer can proudly talk about the smartphone’s AI capabilities, as in today’s world, life supposedly cannot function without them (sarcasm intended).
In realme, unfortunately, bloatware is still present to some extent. However, in the test model, there was surprisingly little of it—only Amazon and TikTok (realme 12 left a worse impression), but the amount of this “junk” varies depending on the market—some have more, some have less. In any case, it can be uninstalled. Additionally, the proprietary apps sometimes send spam messages, such as software catalogs.
Read also: Realme Buds Air 5 Pro review: I would have paid more!
Battery life
Another killer feature of the realme GT 6 is its powerful battery with fast charging. While most smartphones on the market offer a “golden standard” of 5000 mAh, realme has gone further by equipping the GT 6 with a 5500 mAh battery. Moreover, the 120W SUPERVOOC charging (GaN) allows you to reach 50% charge in just 10 minutes and 100% in 28 minutes. We tested these figures, and in practice, it holds true.
Some people are afraid of fast charging because they believe it harms the batteries. Firstly, this is a myth. The damage is minimal, and over the typical lifespan of a phone, which is 3-5 years, you won’t even notice it. Technologies continually evolve, and the realme GT 6 supports “smart charging,” which constantly monitors the battery’s condition and adjusts the charging speed accordingly (this option can be activated in settings). With 38 levels of protection, the phone can safely charge even in temperatures as low as -17°C.
The manufacturer also claims that the battery retains over 80% of its capacity after 1600 full charge cycles, which is twice the average of competitors. With one charge per day, the battery lifespan can extend up to four years.
Well, and most importantly – how long does the battery last? Giving a definitive answer to this question is impossible – it all depends on how you use the phone. But you can be sure that for a day of active use, it will last and you won’t need to charge it. And for many users, a single charge of the realme GT 6 will last for two days. We tested the smartphone with video playback at 60% brightness – it lasted over 20 hours. Playing PUBG on Wi-Fi at 50% brightness can give you more than 7 hours of gaming.
In the battery settings, you can activate the GT mode. It noticeably boosts performance but also increases power consumption.
realme GT 6 does not support wireless charging, but we won’t consider this a drawback. The feature is quite specific and not essential for most flagship killers. For instance, Motorola Edge 50 Pro includes it, albeit being cheaper due to its simpler chipset.
Read also: Realme Buds Air 5 TWS Headphones Review
Conclusions
realme set out to create a better flagship killer in 2024, and we’re ready to say they’ve succeeded with the realme GT 6. At a reasonable price, it offers a top-tier processor (not the absolute top, but practically indistinguishable in real-world performance), excellent overall performance including gaming prowess. The smartphone features a superb high-resolution display with a record peak brightness of 6000 nits. Its cameras perform exceptionally well, even at night—its target audience will find little to criticize and much to be pleased about.
realme GT 6 indeed packs some killer features: a 5500 mAh battery, 120W fast charging, and intelligent battery management technologies ensuring two days of use without recharging—a practical reality. Adding to this, it boasts excellent stereo sound, ergonomic design, water resistance, fast memory, and up-to-date data transmission modules. Is it almost the perfect smartphone? Or is there still something missing?
In our opinion, realme GT 6 offers everything you need considering its price point. However, there are compromises since it’s not a flagship model. It lacks maximum water resistance, has a plastic body that is glossy and slippery, doesn’t support eSIM or wireless charging. For many, the key takeaway is getting a super-fast phone with a phenomenal display, long-lasting battery, and excellent cameras at a reasonable cost. We believe that over time, as the price of the GT 6 decreases, it will become a well-deserved sales hit.
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