Realme GT Neo 2 first impressions: Seems perfect for gamers

The Realme GT Neo 2 expands the company’s high-end GT series, offering the high-end performance of the Snapdragon 870 chip. Here are our initial impressions.

The Realme GT Neo 2 has been launched in India at a starting price ₹31,999. It uses the Snapdragon 870 chipset. (Amritanshu Mukherjee / HT Tech)

Realme has gone upmarket with the Realme GT series this year but its intention to provide more options remains unchanged. Hence, we now have the Realme GT Neo 2 that slots in between their “flagship” Realme GT and the more accessible Realme GT Master Edition. And as with all middle order phones this year, it uses the middle order Snapdragon 870 chip, which offers the high-end flagship performance without swelling up the prices.

Starting at ₹31,999, the Realme GT Neo 2 looks appealing if you want a gaming smartphone without spending a fortune. We have spent a couple of days with the GT Neo 2 and while the review is a few days away, we bring you our early impressions.

Realme GT Neo 2 design: o_o

Realme GT Neo 2 (Amritanshu Mukherjee / HT Tech)

Realme GT Neo 2 (Amritanshu Mukherjee / HT Tech)

Yeah, that's not a typo or error in the sub-heading. That is an exact representation of our reaction; Realme has managed to refresh the same age-old design to make it stand out ever so subtly. Coincidentally, that's how the cameras are arranged on the back.

The Neo Black variant that we have looks stealthy but Realme's standout Neo Green is what catches our fancy. Say what you may about Realme's over-the-top phone designs but it sure knows how to make people take notice.

Realme GT Neo 2 (Amritanshu Mukherjee / HT Tech)

Realme GT Neo 2 (Amritanshu Mukherjee / HT Tech)

Since there's glass on the rear, the phone is heavier than the Realme GT ME. However, the subtle curves on the rear make holding it easier on the palms. The front has the usual edge-to-edge display affair while the buttons are all within reach. All in all, a fairly comfy phone to use.

Realme GT Neo 2 features: Built for gamers

Realme GT Neo 2 (Amritanshu Mukherjee / HT Tech)

Realme GT Neo 2 (Amritanshu Mukherjee / HT Tech)

The Realme GT Neo 2 is built for mobile gamers in mind and hence, it has got all the crucial bits right. The 6.6-inch AMOLED display has a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz but the 600Hz touch response rate on the GT Mode has made playing games a lot easier. And since it's an AMOLED, it looks vibrant.

The Snapdragon 870 is no surprise here; it packs enough grunt to run games at its best and even host the Realme UI 2.0 interface with no noticeable lags. No Android 12 here yet but Realme UI 3.0 should hit the GT Neo 2 within a few months, bringing the enhanced visual changes.

Realme GT Neo 2 (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

Realme GT Neo 2 (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

Also, special mention to haptic feedback system. The Realme GT Neo 2 has one of the best haptic feedback systems in its class, which makes it a joy to interact with this phone.

Battery life has been an all-day affair so far with moderate usage and light gaming. The 65W fast charging has been a lifesaver on busy office days for a quick top-up.

Realme GT Neo 2 (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

Realme GT Neo 2 (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

A few quick sessions with the camera reveal the same old affair with high-end Realme phones; they are good but not the best tools for mobile photography around.

Realme GT Neo 2 first impressions

Realme GT Neo 2  (Amritanshu Mukherjee / HT Tech)

Realme GT Neo 2  (Amritanshu Mukherjee / HT Tech)

Nobody plays the mix-n-match game as good as Realme in the smartphone industry. The Realme GT Neo 2 is a cleverly designed phone, especially at the starting price of ₹31,999. It's got lots of performance on the card and a refreshing design to make case for itself. So far, I like what I see.

But is it a better choice over the segment's heroes, i.e, the iQOO 7 and Xiaomi Mi 11X? You will have to wait for our Realme GT Neo 2 full review to find out.