Realme GT Neo 2 First Impressions: This One’s for the Gamer

The Realme GT Neo 2 is the third smartphone in Realme's new GT series of devices to be launched in India. Despite its premium looks, it sits comfortably between the mid-range Realme GT Master Edition (Review) and the premium Realme GT (Review).

Considering its more approachable price, the Realme GT Neo 2 is missing the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 from the GT, as Realme decided on the Snapdragon 870 instead. There are no fancy Maglev Triggers, dedicated gaming button, or RGB lighting like on the Poco F3 GT (Review), but this new phone's AMOLED display is equipped with a high touch sampling rate that gamers will like. With a more subtle design, can the Realme GT Neo 2 attract gamers as well as the non-gaming crowd? After using it for a short while, here are my first impressions.

The Realme GT Neo is officially priced starting at Rs. 31,999 in India and is available in three finishes: Neo Green, Neo Blue, and Neo Black. I have received the signature Neo Green unit for review. The phone is available in two variants, one with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage priced at Rs. 31,999, and the second with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, which is priced at Rs. 35,999. With offers that Realme has announced at launch time, these prices could go down by up to Rs. 7,000 each. However, these offers are only for a limited time.

The Realme GT Neo 2's display has a 120Hz maximum refresh rate and 600Hz peak touch sampling rate

While the overall design remains the same regardless of which colour option you choose, the Neo Green variant I received has a slightly different finish. It features a dual-tone glass back panel – the green parts have a soft matte finish, while the black stripe is glossy. The frame of this phone is made of polycarbonate and has a matte finish, but looks quite premium. The GT Neo 2 does not have an IP rating like the rest of the GT lineup.

There's a 6.62-inch full-HD E4 AMOLED display, which Realme claims consumes less power than Super AMOLED panels. The hole-punch display has a 120Hz refresh rate and 600Hz peak touch sampling rate, which gamers will find useful. The refresh rate is adaptive, meaning it can switch between 30Hz, 60Hz, 90Hz and 120Hz depending on the application in use. HDR10+ is also supported, and the display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

The Realme GT Neo 2 has three rear cameras

The Realme GT Neo 2 has three rear cameras, including a 64-megapixel primary camera, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2-megapixel macro shooter. Selfies are handled by a 16-megapixel front-facing selfie camera.

The phone features a 5,000mAh battery, which is a first for the GT series. The GT Neo 2 charges up using the 65W charger found in the box. The phone runs Realme UI 2.0 which is based on Android 11.

The Realme GT Neo 2, just like its siblings, seems to offer good hardware given its price. This phone could turn out to be an all-rounder in its segment if it can shoot good photos and video as well as deliver solid battery life and performance for gaming. This is what will determine its appeal not just to the gaming crowd, but also to those looking for a good all-rounder with a budget that can stretch to slightly over Rs. 30,000. I will test all these aspects of the Realme GT Neo 2 in detail in my full review, which will be out soon.