realme GT Neo 3T review
The Realme GT Neo 3T is a mid-range smartphone that offers impressive specs at an affordable price. While it shares many similarities with last year's model, the GT Neo 2, its upgraded charging speed and sleek design make it a compelling option. With a high-end Snapdragon 875G chipset, advanced passive cooling system, and bright E4 AMOLED display, this phone is poised to deliver seamless performance and captivating visuals. But does it stand out from other mid-range contenders?
Build Quality and Design
The Realme GT Neo 3T's build quality and design are worthy of attention. While it may not be the most unique or revolutionary phone in terms of aesthetics, the device does have a certain charm to it. The racing-themed look is quite snazzy, with a checkered flag pattern that adds some visual interest to the device. The phone's body is made of plastic, which gives it a slightly more premium feel than you might expect from a mid-range device. However, it's worth noting that the phone does feel a bit on the heftier side, which may not be to everyone's taste. One aspect of the design where the GT Neo 3T stands out is its display. The 6.62-inch E4 AMOLED screen is both color-accurate and bright, with a maximum brightness of around 515 nits in manual mode. In auto mode, this boosts to 800 nits, making it comfortable to use in the sun. The phone's design choices are a bit inconsistent, with the punch-hole for the 16-megapixel selfie cam located in the corner rather than centered, just like last year's model. The fingerprint reader is situated under the display and works well, although its placement could be slightly higher for easier access. Overall, while the Realme GT Neo 3T may not have the most striking design, it does have some nice touches that make it stand out from the crowd. The build quality is solid, and the display is top-notch, making it a great option for anyone looking for a mid-range device with a premium feel.
Battery Life
The Realme GT Neo 3T's battery life is a mixed bag. On the one hand, it packs a generous 5000mAh cell, which should provide ample power for most users. In our tests, we found that the phone easily lasted a day and a half with moderate use, including browsing, social media, and streaming music. However, when put through more strenuous tasks like gaming or video editing, the battery life took a hit. We managed to squeeze out around 10 hours of screen-on time, but this was at a relatively low brightness setting. If you prefer a brighter display, you can expect to get around 7-8 hours of screen time. Despite its generous capacity, the Realme GT Neo 3T's battery life is not particularly impressive. We've seen phones with smaller batteries lasting longer in our tests, and this one's performance was somewhat disappointing given its large cell size. On the plus side, the phone's charging speed has been upgraded to 80W, which is a welcome improvement over last year's model. This means you can quickly top up your battery when needed, but it's worth noting that the actual charging time doesn't seem to have changed significantly. Overall, while the Realme GT Neo 3T's battery life is not its strongest suit, it should still be sufficient for most users. Just be aware that more demanding use cases may require you to charge your phone a bit more frequently than you'd like.
Display
The display is one of the highlights of the Realme GT Neo 3T. It's a 6.62-inch E4 AMOLED panel with a 1080p resolution and a fast 120Hz refresh rate. The display itself is quite similar to last year's model, but it has been improved in some areas. One notable improvement is its increased brightness, which we were able to measure up to around 515 nits in manual mode and 800 nits in auto mode. This provides comfortable legibility even in direct sunlight. The HDR10+ support also ensures that colors are rich and vibrant. The display's accuracy has also been improved, with more accurate color reproduction compared to last year's model. The refresh rate is smooth, making it ideal for gaming and other high-intensity activities. However, like most Realme phones, there's no support for high frame rate gaming at least not on the GT Neo 3T. One minor quibble is that the fingerprint reader is placed under the display, which can make it difficult to find at first. It's fast and accurate once you get used to it, but a higher placement would have been preferable. Overall, the Realme GT Neo 3T's display is a significant upgrade over its predecessor and provides an excellent viewing experience. If you're looking for a phone with a great screen, the GT Neo 3T is definitely worth considering.
Camera
The camera department on the Realme GT Neo 3T is pretty much standard fare for a mid-range smartphone. The primary sensor is a 64-megapixel shooter that captures nice-looking 16-megapixel images with decent detail, accurate exposure, and excellent dynamic range. Colors are punchy but not over the top, although sharpness could be improved upon. One notable feature of the Realme GT Neo 3T's camera system is its ability to produce detailed photos in low-light conditions. The main camera's performance here is a significant improvement over last year's model, with enough sharpness and detail to make for impressive images. Exposure is spot on, and light sources are handled well. The addition of night mode does help to further improve the quality of photos taken in low-light conditions. With this feature enabled, you get a nice boost in sharpness, lower noise, and shadows that come out much brighter without ruining the highlights. However, it's worth noting that this night mode can be quite aggressive, potentially making images look unnatural. The ultra-wide camera is a bit of a letdown, producing soft images with plenty of noise and limited dynamic range. Colors and contrast are nice, but sharpness could be better. The night mode performance here is somewhat different from the main camera, delivering wider dynamic range, more detail across the frame, and lower noise. Selfie photos taken with the 16-megapixel front camera are somewhat soft and noisy, with bland colors that lack vibrancy. However, the subject's face remains well-exposed in most cases. In terms of video recording capabilities, the Realme GT Neo 3T can shoot up to 4K at 60fps, delivering a high level of detail, excellent sharpness, and wide dynamic range. The footage is certainly impressive, with only a minor complaint regarding colors that could be more lively. The ultra-wide camera's 1080p video output has higher contrast and juicier-looking colors but are somewhat soft with narrow dynamic range. Overall, the Realme GT Neo 3T's camera department delivers decent performance across various scenarios, although it may not set any new benchmarks for mid-range smartphone cameras.
Price and Value
The Realme GT Neo 3T is the lesser-known sibling of the popular Realme GT Neo 3, but does it offer a similar value proposition at a lower price point? In this review, we'll examine whether this mid-range device is worth considering. Priced similarly to last year's Realme GT Neo 2, the GT Neo 3T seems like a rehashing of an old model. The similarities in specs are undeniable – both devices boast the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 875G chipset, 6.62-inch E4 AMOLED display with HDR 10+ support, and similar camera setup. However, this year's model does bring faster 80W charging, which is a welcome improvement. The question remains: at what cost? Given that last year's GT Neo 2 has already been refreshed with an improved camera, it's puzzling why Realme didn't take the opportunity to revamp the GT Neo 3T. Instead, we get a slightly faster charger and a more aggressive design language – a checkered pattern on the back that might appeal to some. Value-wise, the GT Neo 3T is a decent mid-ranger, but its price tag feels inflated considering the similarities with last year's model. When you factor in the availability of competitive offers from Realme itself, including the GT Neo 2 and other devices that have undergone meaningful upgrades, it becomes harder to justify paying full price for this rebrand. Ultimately, the GT Neo 3T is a device that's stuck between two eras – an old model with slightly improved specs. While it may offer some advantages over its predecessor, its pricing makes it less competitive in today's market. If you're looking for a reliable mid-range device, there are better options available.
Performance
The Realme GT Neo 3T boasts an impressive high-end Snapdragon 875G chipset, often found in flagship killer phones. While it may not achieve top benchmark scores like its counterparts, this processor delivers more than enough punch for seamless multitasking and great gaming performance. One notable advantage of the GT Neo 3T is its advanced passive cooling system, which enables stable sustained performance during intense usage. Our stress test revealed that the phone can maintain excellent thermal management, a feat not easily achieved by many flagships this year. In terms of raw power, the Realme GT Neo 3T's Snapdragon 875G chipset may be outperformed by some top-tier flagships and even its sibling, the Realme GT Neo 3 with MediaTek Dimensity 8100. However, in everyday usage, the difference is hardly noticeable. The phone's performance is complemented by a large 5,000mAh battery, which delivers comparable endurance to last year's model. Charging has been upgraded to 80W, a significant improvement over its predecessor, although actual charging speeds haven't seen a substantial boost. In gaming and heavy usage scenarios, the Realme GT Neo 3T proves itself capable of handling demanding tasks with ease. The phone's processor may not be the most powerful on the market, but it gets the job done efficiently, making it an attractive option for those seeking a reliable mid-range device.
Pros
1. The phone has a high-end Snapdragon 875G chipset, which provides more than enough punch for multitasking and great gaming performance.
2. The display is improved over last year's model, with better color accuracy and brightness, reaching up to 800 nits in auto mode.
3. The advanced passive cooling system and excellent thermal management ensure stable sustained performance throughout stress tests.
4. The phone has a fast 80-watt charging speed, although it doesn't quite live up to the hype of faster speeds.
Cons
1. The GT Neo 3T's specs are nearly identical to last year's Realme GT Neo2, making it feel like a rebrand rather than a new flagship.
2. The phone lacks official ingress protection, unlike some competitors at this price point.
3. The main camera can produce some noise and limited sharpness, especially in low-light conditions.
4. The ultrawide cam produces soft images with plenty of noise and limited dynamic range, even though colors and contrast are nice.