Realme unveils the GT 8 Pro – its first Ricoh GR-powered camera phone

Realme isn't the most well-known smartphone brand out there, especially in the West, but the Chinese company is certainly looking to change that with the release of the GT 8 Pro. The long-awaited announcement reveals a laundry list of top features for the new flagship, including a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, a 7000 nit HyperGlow display, a 7000mAh battery, the world’s first switchable camera bump – and a brand new Ricoh GR powered camera system.

Let's dive into the cameras. Thanks to a partnership with Ricoh GR, the GT 8 Pro features the Ricoh compact's classic 28mm and 40mm focal lengths that make it, according to Realme, the "best street snap shooter". For this, the camera uses Realme's new Super QPD Snap algorithm, which it claims enables a new level of instant shooting.

The GT 8 Pro also serves up some classic Ricoh GR film tones, including Standard, Positive, Negative, Monotone, and High-Contrast Black & White, to deliver authentic GR-style aesthetics. Realme claims it feels like holding a Ricoh GR IV camera in hand while capturing every moment with precision and creativity.

Beyond these "street moments", the camera system also includes an impressive 200MP Ultra Clarity telephoto lens equipped with a flagship 1/1.56-inch sensor. With a 3x focal length, the camera promises to create a natural depth, while "advanced algorithms ensure every strand and feature stays crisp".

The camera system is rounded off with an upgraded 50MP ultra-wide camera with a 116° field of view and F2.0 aperture. That means you'll have no problems capturing group shots or sweeping cityscapes.

In terms of video, the GT 8 Pro features 4K 120fps Dolby Vision, 8K 30fps ultra-high-resolution recording, and 4k 120fps 10-bit Log format. That's enough video smarts to get both casual users and professionals excited.

If that wasn't enough, the phone also boasts the first-ever switchable camera bump. Given that no other camera brand has ever attempted anything like this, I'm left impressed by Realme's innovation. Users can customize their phone's look by unscrewing the original bump before fitting their chosen one with a precise lock-in click.

At the heart of the GT 8 Pro is a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, which features a 3rd-gen Qualcomm Oryon CPU clocking at 4.6GHz. The chip works in tandem with Realme's Hyper Vision+ AI Chip to enable parallel rendering with the GPU, boosting image resolution by up to 4x and refresh rate to 144Hz for silky-smooth gameplay.

To guarantee long-lasting use between charges, the GT 8 Pro includes a 7000mAh Titan battery that is supported by 120W Ultra Charge and 50W wireless charging. Realme claims this delivers "continuous YouTube and TikTok playing for more than 20 hours, and lasting MLBB gameplay for 8.4 hours".

The 2K 144Hz HyperGlow display results in an impressive peak brightness of 7000 nits, which should be more than sufficient for use even in the brightest direct sunlight. The GT 8 Pro includes a Symmetric Master Acoustic Speaker, an Ultra Haptic Motor, and a 7K Ultimate VC Cooling System.

The GT 8 Pro will be available in Diary White and Urban Blue colors, featuring 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for the base variant and 16GB RAM and 512GB storage for the higher variant.

The GT 8 Pro will not see a release in the US, and so far, only Indian pricing has been confirmed, which typically differs significantly from European launch prices. In India, the 12GB/256GB base model comes in at ₹67,999 (~ $776 / £586 / €665 ), while the 16GB/512GB version is priced at ₹73,999 (~ $834 / £638 / €724).

According to a Realme representative, European pricing is expected to be announced on November 24. Early leaks point to a much higher price tag in Europe, potentially starting around £999 / €1,099 (that's around $1,265) for the base model, though we’ll have to wait to see how accurate those predictions are.

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