Realme GT2 vs Xiaomi 12T Pro: A Deep Dive into Flagship Performance and Value

The Realme GT2 and Xiaomi 12T Pro represent compelling options in the increasingly competitive flagship space. While both aim to deliver premium experiences, they take different approaches. The GT2, powered by the Snapdragon 888, focuses on a balanced experience, while the 12T Pro leverages the newer, more efficient Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 to prioritize performance and charging speed. This comparison will dissect their strengths and weaknesses to determine which device best suits your needs.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For most users, the Xiaomi 12T Pro emerges as the superior choice. Its Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset offers a noticeable performance uplift and improved thermal efficiency over the GT2’s Snapdragon 888. The significantly faster 120W charging further sweetens the deal, despite a slightly lower endurance rating.

PHONES
Phone Names Realme GT2 Xiaomi 12T Pro
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 800 / 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, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 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, 75 SA/NSA
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - China-
Launch
Announced2022, January 042022, October 04
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, January 08Available. Released 2022, October 06
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame-
Dimensions162.9 x 75.8 x 8.6 mm (6.41 x 2.98 x 0.34 in)163.1 x 75.9 x 8.6 mm (6.42 x 2.99 x 0.34 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight194.5 / 199.8 g (6.88 oz)205 g (7.23 oz)
 -IP53, dust and splash resistant
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 5Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~398 ppi density)1220 x 2712 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~446 ppi density)
Size6.62 inches, 105.8 cm2 (~85.7% screen-to-body ratio)6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~86.7% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeAMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak)AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 500 nits (typ), 900 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 660Adreno 730
OSAndroid 12, Realme UI 3.0Android 12, upgradable to Android 14, HyperOS
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM
 UFS 3.1UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesColor spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panoramaColor spectrum sensor, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama
Single16 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 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)200 MP, f/1.7, (wide), 1/1.22", 0.64µm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro)
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDR, panoramaHDR, panorama
Single16 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 1/3", 1.0µm20 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/3.47", 0.8µm
Video1080p@30fps1080p@30/60fps, HDR
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit/192kHz audioTuned by Harman Kardon 24-bit/192kHz audio
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
Infrared port-Yes
NFCYesYes (market/region dependent)
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSSGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)
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, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Battery
Charging65W wired, 100% in 33 min120W wired, 100% in 19 min
Type5000 mAhLi-Po 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsPaper White, Paper Green, Steel Black, Titanium BlueBlack, Silver, Blue
ModelsRMX3310, RMX3312, RMX331122081212UG, 22081212G
PriceAbout 790 EUR$ 208.76 / € 167.62
SAR-1.08 W/kg (head)     1.07 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-1.00 W/kg (head)     1.00 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 115h Endurance rating 91h
Camera Photo / VideoPhoto / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -26.8 LUFS (Good) -24.1 LUFS (Very good)
Performance AnTuTu: 810512 (v9) GeekBench: 3487 (v5.1) GFXBench: 56fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)AnTuTu: 1032185 (v9) GeekBench: 4081 (v5.1) GFXBench: 65fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Realme GT2

  • Slightly better battery endurance rating
  • Potentially lower price point (depending on market)
  • Solid all-around performance

  • Older Snapdragon 888 chipset
  • Slower charging speed (65W)
  • Lower peak display brightness

Xiaomi 12T Pro

  • More powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset
  • Significantly faster 120W charging
  • Brighter display for outdoor visibility

  • Lower battery endurance rating
  • Potentially higher price point
  • May run slightly warmer under sustained load (though 8+ Gen 1 is efficient)

Display Comparison

Both the Realme GT2 and Xiaomi 12T Pro feature displays with an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, typical for OLED panels. However, the Xiaomi 12T Pro boasts a higher peak brightness of 913 nits compared to the GT2’s 846 nits. This translates to better visibility under direct sunlight. While both offer excellent viewing experiences, the 12T Pro’s brighter display provides a slight advantage for outdoor use. Details regarding refresh rates and panel technology (LTPO) are missing, but given the flagship positioning, both likely support high refresh rates, though the GT2 may lack adaptive refresh rate technology.

Camera Comparison

Both devices are listed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, lacking specific details. Without sensor size or aperture information, a direct comparison is difficult. However, Xiaomi generally focuses on computational photography, potentially offering more refined image processing. The absence of details suggests neither phone features a particularly groundbreaking camera system, focusing instead on all-around competence. We can assume both will offer a range of shooting modes, but the 12T Pro’s more powerful ISP (Image Signal Processor) within the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 could provide an edge in low-light performance and video recording.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Xiaomi 12T Pro’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm) is a significant upgrade over the Realme GT2’s Snapdragon 888 (5nm). The 4nm process node of the 8+ Gen 1 delivers superior power efficiency and thermal performance, meaning less throttling during sustained workloads like gaming. The 12T Pro’s CPU, featuring a Cortex-X2 prime core clocked at 3.19 GHz, outperforms the GT2’s Cortex-X1 (2.84 GHz). The newer Cortex-A710 cores in the 12T Pro also provide a performance boost over the GT2’s A78 cores. While both phones likely utilize LPDDR5 RAM, the 8+ Gen 1’s memory controller is more efficient, contributing to overall system responsiveness.

Battery Life

The Realme GT2 boasts an endurance rating of 115 hours, while the Xiaomi 12T Pro manages 91 hours. However, this doesn’t tell the whole story. The 12T Pro compensates for the lower endurance with its blazing-fast 120W charging, achieving a full charge in just 19 minutes. The GT2’s 65W charging takes 33 minutes. This difference in charging speed is substantial, making the 12T Pro more convenient for users who frequently need to top up their battery. The 8+ Gen 1’s efficiency also contributes to real-world battery life, mitigating the impact of the smaller battery capacity.

Buying Guide

Buy the Realme GT2 if you prioritize a slightly longer endurance rating and are comfortable with a chipset that, while still powerful, is a generation behind. It’s a solid option for users who don’t demand the absolute peak performance. Buy the Xiaomi 12T Pro if you value raw processing power, faster charging speeds, and a more modern chipset architecture, making it ideal for gamers and power users.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in the Xiaomi 12T Pro suffer from significant thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions?
While the Snapdragon 888 in the Realme GT2 is known to throttle under sustained load, the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in the 12T Pro is significantly more efficient. The 4nm process and architectural improvements minimize heat generation, resulting in less throttling and more consistent performance during long gaming sessions. However, some throttling is still possible, especially in demanding titles with high graphics settings.
❓ How much faster is the 120W charging on the Xiaomi 12T Pro compared to the 65W charging on the Realme GT2 in real-world usage?
The difference is substantial. The 12T Pro can charge from 0-100% in just 19 minutes, while the GT2 takes 33 minutes. This means you can add a significant amount of charge in a very short time with the 12T Pro, making it ideal for users who are always on the go. The convenience of the faster charging is a major advantage.
❓ Given the lower endurance rating of the Xiaomi 12T Pro, will I notice a significant difference in daily battery life compared to the Realme GT2?
The difference in endurance rating (115h vs 91h) is noticeable, but the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1's improved power efficiency partially offsets this. In typical usage, you might see a slight reduction in screen-on time with the 12T Pro, but the faster charging mitigates this concern. Most users will find the battery life adequate for a full day of use.