Univers Freebox offers you today the test of the Realme GT Neo 2, a smartphone promising a high-end configuration at an affordable price. He will have been convincing from start to finish.
Before going to the test, here are the main technical characteristics of the Realme GT Neo 2 which costs 449.99 euros in 8 + 128 GB configuration or 549.99 euros in 12 + 256 GB configuration.
Realme GT Neo 2 technical sheet:
Processor: octa-core up to 3.2 GHz (Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 chipset)
RAM: 8 or 12 GB of RAM
Screen: 6.62-inch AMOLED panel with a definition of 2,400 x 1,080 pixels,
120Hz refresh rate and 600Hz touch sample rate
Audio: dual stereo speaker
Storage: 128 or 256 GB in UFS 3.1 (not expandable by MicroSD card)
SIM management: two Nano-SIM slots (in a drawer on the bottom edge)
4G compatibility: support B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B8, B12, B13, B17, B18, B19, B20, B26, B28, B38, B39, B40, B41, B66 bands
5G compatibility: support bands n1, n3, n5, n7, n8, n20, n28, n38, n40, n41, n66, n77, n78
Triple photo sensor on the back:
64 + 8 + 2 Megapixels (main + ultra wide-angle + macro)
Front photo sensor: 16 Megapixels in an eccentric punch
3.5 millimeter headphone jack: no
Charging connection: USB-C (lower edge)
Wi-Fi support: Wi-Fi version 6
Bluetooth connectivity: version 5.1
NFC: yes
Battery: 5,000 mAh non-removable
Wired charging: 65 Watts charging support (65 Watts charger supplied)
Wireless charging: no
Operating System: Android 11 with Realme UI 2.0 interface
Unlock solutions: facial recognition
or fingerprint reader under the panel
Security patches installed during our test: August 2021
Dimensions: 162.9 x 75.8 x 9 millimeters
Weight: 198.8 grams
Head SAR: W / kg
Trunk SAR: W / kg
SAR limbs: W / kg
A nice smartphone, we can say it
The Realme GT Neo 2 is available in three colors. We got the Neo Blue version, actually a shiny back with blue or yellow depending on the angle. As welcome is the protective case supplied as standard, it is a shame that it is black and not transparent to keep this pretty design visible.
In the hands, the Realme GT Neo 2 makes itself felt, due to its good size screen and good capacity battery. It is thus not very slippery, because of its smooth hull.
As for its rear photo unit, it will hardly escape your fingers when held in landscape mode for video playback or gaming. And the application of the protective shell will not change much.
120Hz AMOLED display, dual stereo speaker
AMOLED panel, Full HD + definition, refresh rate up to 120 Hz, touch sampling rate of 600 Hz and off-center punch to more easily escape viewing in multimedia. The Realme GT Neo 2 is as enticing on paper as it is convincing in use.
In the settings, you will be able to adjust the colors and the refresh rate, but also find a dark mode and an eye comfort mode. You will also have the possibility to hide the punch with a black border created by the software.
In terms of sound, no mini-jack for wired audio devices. The smartphone, on the other hand, benefits from a dual stereo speaker. Moreover, if the rendering pulls a little too much towards the mediums, it at least has the merit of offering a good symmetry, not perfect, but more than acceptable.
Four photo sensors
The Realme GT Neo 2 is equipped with three photo sensors on the back, with 64, 8 and 2 Megapixel modules. If the ultra-wide-angle sensor responds present, the sensor dedicated to the zoom is on the other hand absent subscribers. The third dorsal sensor is actually just a 2 Megapixel sensor for macro photography, so it doesn’t add much to the overall experience. Above all, it artificially inflates the technical sheet. The approach of focusing on really useful sensors, such as on the Poco M4 Pro 5G, appears more judicious. For the selfies that will enhance their social networks, users can count on a 16 Megapixel sensor.
Below, a photo sensor from ultra wide angle up to 20x zoom:
A photo with background blur (“Portrait” in the options row):
Two photos with macro mode (“Plus / Ultra-Macro”):
Two photos with 64 Megapixel mode (“64M” in the options line):
Night photos and their versions corrected by the dedicated mode (“Night”, to the right of the options row):
Two selfies with portrait mode:
A 5G and dual-SIM smartphone
The Realme GT Neo 2 supports 4G and 5G on the 700 MHz frequency band, on which Free has relied heavily for the deployment of its networks. It also offers dual-SIM operation, thanks to two Nano-SIM slots, thus making it possible to manage a personal number and a business number from the same terminal. As always, we carried out measurements with the free tools nPerf and RNC Mobile.
Below, flow rates obtained indoors:
And other flow rates, measured outdoors:
When it comes to performance, you can rest assured
With a Snapdragon 870 SoC on board, performance is obviously there. The Realme GT Neo 2 starts up quickly, offers smooth navigation, installs applications in the chain, and loads without waiting for games. Even when stressed, it does not heat up excessively. Our smartphone was a bit lukewarm at worst.
The speed of internal memory also contributes to good overall performance. Available free of charge and used for measurements during our tests, the Disk Speed tool indicated 367 MB / s for writing and 1.1 GB for reading. Note in passing that this internal storage is not expandable by means of a MicroSD memory card. The drawer at the lower edge is in fact only intended to accommodate two Nano-SIM cards. It will therefore be necessary to keep this in mind when choosing between the 128 or 256 GB configurations.
Good autonomy, very fast charging
To power its smartphone, Realme has opted for a 5,000 mAh battery. The first day therefore promises to be a formality, while the possibility of a second day will depend on usage. In the case of moderate use, you will leave for the weekend with enough peace of mind.
Below, a follow-up of use: departure at 4:45 p.m. with 100% and arrival the two following day at 12:32 p.m. with 2%
- 40 minutes of play with the sound of the smartphone
- 55 minutes of YouTube with smartphone sound
- 25 minutes of streaming with smartphone sound
- Twitter / Gmail / LinkedIn consultation and alerts
- Internet surfing
- Two short voice calls
- SMS / MMS
- Pictures
- 3 hours and 15 minutes of 4G sharing
- 1 system update
- 18 app updates
- 4 app downloads, one big
- Flow tests
- Continuous operation of TousAntiCovid
No load 10, 20 or 30 Watts for our friend. It indeed supports a wired charge in 65 Watts, which allows to consider full curls very quickly. Good news: the correct charger is included in the box.
Below, a wired charge monitoring:
- 4:15 p.m.: 11%
- 4:25 p.m.: 51%
- 4:30 p.m.: 65%
- 4:35 p.m.: 79%
- 4:40 p.m.: 92%
- 4:45 p.m.: 100%
Android 11 with Realme UI 2.0 interface
The Realme GT Neo 2 smartphone comes with Realme UI 2.0. This is the manufacturer’s interface based on the Android 11 operating system.
This interface offers a few practical functions, including:
- The many customization possibilities (wallpapers, Alway-On Display screens, icon styles, etc.)
- The choice to have or not the application drawer
- Advanced management of gestures and movements
- The sidebar for favorite apps
- The floating window
- The screen split in two
- The play area
- The Children area to define the applications that can be used for children
It also comes with a small package of applications preinstalled as part of partnerships: Netflix, Facebook, Amazon Store, Prime Video, Amazon Music, Booking, Twitter, LinkedIn and PUBG Mobile. Only Netflix cannot be uninstalled.
Finally, regarding the security aspect, the fingerprint reader under the panel and facial recognition with the front camera have proven to be very effective. No waiting time before arriving on the home screen.
At the same time, a 279MB update took us from the August 2021 patches to the October 2021 patches. They are not the last, knowing that we are at the end of December at the time of writing this test.
VERDICT:
If it turns out to be attractive by its technical sheet and its price, then in the hands, the Realme GT Neo 2 does not take long to convince in use. Responsive, equipped with a fluid and bright AMOLED screen, spoiled by stereo sound, rather versatile in photos, offering good battery life and charging very quickly, this smartphone offers a high-end experience without costing both arms ( and both legs). It also benefits from a complete interface (from which almost all partner software can fortunately be uninstalled). The appropriate protective shell and charger are included in the box. The only shortcomings are the MicroSD extension and wireless charging. A not perfect copy, but very convincing. The brand continues to surprise us pleasantly, and not only on the low prices where it came to rub shoulders with Xiaomi.
We would love to say thanks to the writer of this short article for this remarkable material
Test of the Realme GT Neo 2, a high-end smartphone at an affordable and convincing price