Realme GT2 vs. vivo iQOO 9 Pro: A Deep Dive into Flagship Performance

The Realme GT2 and vivo iQOO 9 Pro represent compelling options in the increasingly competitive flagship smartphone market. The GT2, powered by the Snapdragon 888, offers a strong foundation at a potentially lower price point, while the iQOO 9 Pro leaps forward with the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, promising a significant performance boost alongside blazing-fast charging. This comparison dissects the key differences to determine which device delivers the best overall experience.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For most users, the vivo iQOO 9 Pro emerges as the superior choice. While the Realme GT2 offers respectable performance, the iQOO 9 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and significantly faster 120W charging (full charge in 20 minutes) justify the price premium. The brighter display is also a noticeable advantage.

PHONES
Phone Names Realme GT2 vivo iQOO 9 Pro
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 66
5G bands1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G
 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - ChinaCDMA2000 1x
Launch
Announced2022, January 042022, January 05
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, January 08Available. Released 2022, January 12
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frameGlass front (Panda Glass), aluminum frame, glass back or aramid fiber back
Dimensions162.9 x 75.8 x 8.6 mm (6.41 x 2.98 x 0.34 in)164.8 x 75.2 x 8.8 mm
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight194.5 / 199.8 g (6.88 oz)204 g or 210 g (7.20 oz)
 -Splash and dust resistant
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 5Panda Glass
Resolution1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~398 ppi density)1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~518 ppi density)
Size6.62 inches, 105.8 cm2 (~85.7% screen-to-body ratio)6.78 inches, 111.0 cm2 (~89.6% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeAMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak)LTPO2 AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 500 nits (typ), 1000 nits (HBM), 1500 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 660Adreno 730
OSAndroid 12, Realme UI 3.0Android 12, Funtouch 12 (International), OriginOS Ocean (China)
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
 UFS 3.1UFS 3.1 (V6)
Main Camera
FeaturesColor spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panoramaDual-LED lash, HDR, panorama
Single16 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.0µm16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.1", 1.0µm
Triple50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 119˚ (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro)50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.57", 1.0µm, PDAF, gimbal OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 60mm (telephoto), 1/3.1", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2.5x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.3, 15mm, 150˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS8K@30fps, 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDR, panoramaHDR
Single16 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.0µm16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.1", 1.0µm
Video1080p@30fps1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with dual speakers
 24-bit/192kHz audio32-bit/384kHz audio
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless
Infrared port-Yes
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSSGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0, OTGUSB Type-C 2.0, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Battery
Charging65W wired, 100% in 33 min120W wired, 50% in 8 min, 100% in 20 min 50W wireless 10W reverse wireless
Type5000 mAh4700 mAh
Misc
ColorsPaper White, Paper Green, Steel Black, Titanium BlueLegend (White w/ BMW M branding), Dark Cruise, Orange
ModelsRMX3310, RMX3312, RMX3311V2172A, I2022
PriceAbout 790 EURAbout 630 EUR
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 115h Endurance rating 97h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -26.8 LUFS (Good) -24.8 LUFS (Very good)
Performance AnTuTu: 810512 (v9) GeekBench: 3487 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 862324 (v8), 997948 (v9) GeekBench: 3708 (v5.1) GFXBench: 46fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Realme GT2

  • Potentially better battery endurance (115h rating)
  • More affordable price point (likely)
  • Solid Snapdragon 888 performance

  • Slower charging speeds (65W)
  • Less powerful chipset (Snapdragon 888)
  • Dimmer display (846 nits)

vivo iQOO 9 Pro

  • Significantly faster charging (120W wired, 50W wireless)
  • More powerful chipset (Snapdragon 8 Gen 1)
  • Brighter display (1000 nits)
  • Reverse wireless charging

  • Shorter battery endurance (97h rating)
  • Higher price point

Display Comparison

The iQOO 9 Pro boasts a brighter display, reaching a measured 1000 nits compared to the Realme GT2’s 846 nits. This translates to better visibility outdoors under direct sunlight. Both displays share an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. While neither specification details refresh rate, both brands typically employ 120Hz panels in this class. The iQOO 9 Pro’s higher peak brightness is a clear advantage for multimedia consumption and outdoor usability.

Camera Comparison

Both devices are listed with 'Photo / Video' capabilities, lacking specific sensor details. However, given iQOO’s focus on performance, it’s reasonable to expect a more advanced camera system. The iQOO 9 Pro likely benefits from a more sophisticated image signal processor (ISP) within the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, leading to improved image quality and video stabilization. Without detailed sensor specifications, it’s difficult to make a definitive judgment, but the iQOO 9 Pro’s chipset suggests a more capable camera experience.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets. The iQOO 9 Pro’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm) represents a generational leap over the Realme GT2’s Snapdragon 888 (5nm). The 4nm process node of the Gen 1 offers improved power efficiency and thermal performance, potentially mitigating throttling during sustained workloads. The iQOO 9 Pro’s CPU features a Cortex-X2 prime core clocked at 3.00 GHz, exceeding the GT2’s 2.84 GHz Cortex-X1. The iQOO 9 Pro also utilizes newer Cortex-A710 performance cores, further enhancing multi-core performance. While both phones likely feature LPDDR5 RAM, the iQOO 9 Pro’s chipset advantage will be noticeable in demanding tasks like gaming and video editing.

Battery Life

The Realme GT2 offers an endurance rating of 115 hours, while the iQOO 9 Pro manages 97 hours. This suggests the GT2 has better overall battery stamina, likely due to the more efficient Snapdragon 888 and potentially a larger battery capacity (not specified). However, the iQOO 9 Pro compensates with significantly faster charging. Its 120W wired charging can reach 50% in just 8 minutes and 100% in 20 minutes, a massive advantage over the GT2’s 65W charging (33 minutes for a full charge). The iQOO 9 Pro also adds 50W wireless and 10W reverse wireless charging, features absent on the GT2.

Buying Guide

Buy the Realme GT2 if you prioritize a balance of performance and affordability, and are comfortable with slightly slower charging speeds. It’s ideal for users who enjoy mobile gaming but don’t demand the absolute highest frame rates. Buy the vivo iQOO 9 Pro if you demand the fastest possible performance, need rapid charging (especially the 50W wireless option), and value a brighter, more vibrant display. This phone is geared towards power users and mobile gamers.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the iQOO 9 Pro suffer from overheating issues?
Early reports of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 experiencing thermal throttling were common. However, vivo typically implements robust cooling solutions in their iQOO series. The iQOO 9 Pro likely features a vapor chamber cooling system to mitigate overheating during prolonged gaming sessions, though sustained performance will still be lower than the GT2 in some scenarios.
❓ How does the 120W charging of the iQOO 9 Pro affect battery health over time?
While extremely fast charging can theoretically degrade battery health faster, modern smartphones employ sophisticated charging algorithms to minimize this effect. The iQOO 9 Pro’s charging system likely slows down the charging rate as the battery approaches full capacity, protecting long-term battery health. The convenience of rapid charging often outweighs the minimal potential impact on battery lifespan.
❓ Is the difference in display brightness between the two phones noticeable in everyday use?
Yes, the 1000 nits peak brightness of the iQOO 9 Pro is significantly brighter than the GT2’s 846 nits. This difference is most apparent when viewing content outdoors in direct sunlight, where the iQOO 9 Pro will remain much more readable.