TechTober is far from over.

Aside from vivo, OPPO, iQOO, and HONOR announcing their all-new high-end handsets, realme also steps into the arena and reveals the GT 8 series — their latest and greatest flagships for 2025.

Swap for some pop!

The realme GT 8 Pro dares to stand out with its brand new Mechanical Assembly Design.

This new design language provides swappable camera shapes for the GT 8 Pro.

Aside from the usual square and round cutouts, that rare transparent cover gives a nice Nothing-like touch of aesthetics.

For those who truly dare, you can keep its bare form — dubbed as “Robert” which mimics a robot-like look.

And with realme’s Design Studio, the possibilities are limitless.

And while we’re already at the design talk, its back can either be made of frosted glass or paper-like recycled leather that’s both resistant to wear and corrosion.

It’s also said to be lighter and thinner than conventional skins. Moreover, it’s also the industry-first to include Photon Nano-Sculpting Process that enables engraving process that’s both accurate and environment-friendly.

Frame is then made from matte-frosted metal.

GT meets GR

Camera swap-outs are for one. Revolutionary camera system is for another.

With almost every Chinese brand having their camera collab, realme says it’s better late than never as they finally join the game of camera collabs by partnering with Ricoh.

This also marks the first imaging partnership between a Chinese phone brand and a Japanese imaging company.

First and foremost, it brings Ricoh GR’s anti-glare properties.

To be precise, it’s a 7P high lens with ultra-low anti-coating alongside an Ultrasound lens glass with Double layer AR coating.

There are more nerdy stuff such as Deep Absorbent Blue Glass and IR Spin Filter.

The lens prowess is then partnered by Ricoh GR’s Intuitive Algorithm Engine.

Last but definitely not the least, Ricoh GR’s five classic film tones are here: Standard, Positive Film, Negative Film, Monotone, and Hi-Contrast B&W.

You can even play with Ricoh GR Blue and Green Shadows for that added personal feel onto your snaps.

For that ultimate Ricoh feel, swiping downwards the regular camera shutter brings you Ricoh GR mode with various options such as Fast Shot, Classic F 28/40mm, and even the Immersion Viewfinder.

All beneath that Ricoh goodness lies the powerful camera hardware.

On top of the standard 50MP f/1.8 main module, there’s also another 50MP f/2.0 ultra-wide lens.

But, the star of the show has got to be its 200MP f/2.6 3x periscope shooter — which also shares a large 1/1.56-inch image sensor as its wide (main) camera.

It’s also enabled by both OIS and EIS for that shake-free close-ups.

The realme GT 8 Pro also gives possible users utmost freedom between 8K/30fps video recording or 4K/120fps — either in flat 10-bit Log profile or in Dolby Vision format.

The Latest Grand Tourer

The realme GT 8 Pro is the brand’s grandest flagship smartphone so far.

It’s currently the third smartphone to run Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 3nm SoC headlined by the Xiaomi 17 series then followed by the iQOO 15.

More flagship-grade specs are found within.

You can choose between 12 or 16GB of LPDDR5X memory with plethora of storage options between 256GB / 512GB / 1TB in a newer UFS 4.1 protocol.

There’s even a 7000mm²  Vapor Cooling (VC) chamber for in-demand gaming.

Up front, there’s a large 6.79-inch 144Hz 2K AMOLED display based on BOE Q10+.

It’s capable of displaying 10-bit color depth, support of up to 1.07 Billion Colors, and up to 4000 nits of outdoor brightness (and a whopping 7000 nits local peak).

It also goes as low as 1 nit to protect your eyes when using it at dimly-lit surroundings.

Pixel density is 508ppi (Pixels per inch) with streamlined R-corners for that uniformed rounded rectangle look.

Beneath the display is (thankfully) an ultrasonic under-display fingerprint sensor.

Thanks to the continuous push of Si/C tech, battery capacity is pretty massive at 7000mAh which is promised to last for 2.3 days and rated to last for five long years. It can also withstand cold conditions of -15ºC.

It’s joined by a super fast 120W charging (that’s also UFCS integrated) then paired by 50W wireless charging.

For third-party charging adapters, they can still be used and maximized with 55W USB-C PPS and 14.4W QC.

To finish it off, it boasts triple IP69 + IP68 + IP66 water and dust resistance ratings.

Lastly, it runs the latest realme UI 7.0 based on Android 16 with revamped looks and smarter AI tools in mind.

Base GT 8 ain’t left behind

As expected, the vanilla variant is as capable as its Pro sibling.

Aside from the absence of that swappable camera cutout mechanism, almost 90 percent of their specs are identical.

Still, there are notable differences. The base GT 8 has last year’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, “slower” 100W fast charging without USB-C PPS support, even the absence of wireless charging.

Camera systems are also different: 50MP 3.5x periscope shooter, a lot smaller 1/4.0-inch 8MP UWA, and a 16MP front-facing camera (versus 200MP 3x periscope, 1/2.88-inch 50MP UWA, and 32MP selfie on the Pro).

Finally, not a stark gap but GT 8 has UFS 4.0 internal storage protocol (vs UFS 4.1).

Pricing and Availability

The realme GT 8 series are available in three color choices alongside five configurations.

GT 8 Pro (Blue, White, Green)

• 12+256GB =  CNY 3999 (US$ 565 / EUR 485 / GBP 420 / SG$ 730 / MYR 2365 / PhP 32,680 / INR 49,615)
• 16+256GB =  CNY 4299 (US$ 605 / EUR 520 / GBP 455 / SG$ 785 / MYR 2540 / PhP 35,130 / INR 53,335)
• 12+512GB = CNY 4499 (US$ 630 / EUR 545 / GBP 475 / SG$ 820 / MYR 2660 / PhP 36,765 / INR 55,815)
• 16+512GB = CNY 4699 (US$ 660 / EUR 570 / GBP 495 / SG$ 860 / MYR 2780 / PhP 38,400 / INR 58,300)
• 16+1TB = CNY 5199 (US$ 730 / EUR 630 / GBP 550 / SG$ 950 / MYR 3075 / PhP 42,485 / INR 64,500)

GT 8 (White, Green, Navy)

• 12+256GB =  CNY 2899 (US$ 405 / EUR 350 / GBP 305 / SG$ 530 / MYR 1715 / PhP 23,690 / INR 35,965)
• 16+256GB =  CNY 3199 (US$ 450 / EUR 390 / GBP 340 / SG$ 585 / MYR 1890 / PhP 26,140 / INR 39,690)
• 12+512GB = CNY 3399 (US$ 480 / EUR 410 / GBP 360 / SG$ 620 / MYR 2010 / PhP 27,775 / INR 42,170)
• 16+512GB = CNY 3599 (US$ 505 / EUR 435 / GBP 380 / SG$ 660 / MYR 2130 / Php 29,410 / INR 44,650)
• 16+1TB = CNY 4099 (US$ 575 / EUR 500 / GBP 430 / SG$ 750 / MYR 2430 / PhP 33,495 / INR 50,850)

* These are just approximate, rounded-off pricing conversions

Much like any China-exclusive announcement, global pricing and availability are yet to follow.

HONOR has announced a strategic partnership with new-energy vehicle manufacturer BYD. The collaboration merges HONOR’s smart connectivity solutions with BYD’s next-generation DiLink system. This aims to create intelligent, AI-powered mobility experiences for everyday drivers.

The agreement was formalized in Shenzhen, witnessed by HONOR CEO James Li and BYD Chairman and President Wang Chuanfu.

A new phase in intelligent mobility

This partnership expands on years of cooperation between the two tech leaders. Their collaboration will now move across three key fronts:

• Core technology and features: Joint innovation in cross-device ecosystem integration, AI agent functions, and high-precision Bluetooth-based digital keys.
• Channel ecosystem and user benefits: A shared model that connects HONOR’s vehicle tech with BYD’s ecosystem for smoother cross-platform experiences.
• Joint communication and engagement: Coordinated marketing efforts and shared launch milestones to engage users more directly.

Building on a strong foundation

HONOR and BYD’s partnership began in 2023 with smartphone NFC car keys. This allowed BYD drivers to unlock vehicles using HONOR devices. In 2024, they expanded to in-car fast charging. This year, Denza became the first brand to integrate HONOR Car Connect, paving the way for other BYD models to adopt the system for seamless phone-to-car connectivity.

Driving the AI era

Both companies aim to push the boundaries of AI-driven mobility, with upcoming projects centered on digital keys, deeper phone-to-car integration, and smarter safety features.

The collaboration will also take center stage at the 2025 HONOR Global Developers Conference and AI Device Ecosystem Conference on October 23, where HONOR will showcase the HONOR AI Connect platform and its role in building human-centric, scenario-based AI solutions.

After surpassing the first half of 2025, vivo continues with their one and lonely V-series model initiative.

While China’s S30 Pro mini was unveiled first as the X200 FE for global markets, the vivo V60 is simply the rebadged version of the S30.

Complex product portfolio and confusing naming scheme aside, it’s great to see that the Chinese brand still brings their wonderful midrange offerings outside their homeland towards consumers that need it more than just daunting entry-level choices or harder to obtain flagships.

But, how does the new V-ranger perform after extensive use? Here’s my take on the vivo V60 after 60 days.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it

Visually, the vivo V60 doesn’t differ much from its predecessor.

Once you place (or hold) them side by side, the overall look and feel of the vivo V60 is barely indistinguishable.

Looking closely, the only notable difference is their revamped camera cutout. Other than that, its Aura Light module is visibly smaller — despite being branded as “Portrait 2.0.”

Don’t diss it though as it’s actually brighter. There’s even an extra camera circle up top — more on that later.

That said, there’s nothing wrong with the design of the vivo V50.

Flipping to its front, those rounded corners are more comfortable to hold in contrast to the sharper edges found on the older V-phones like the V40 and V30.

Its micro-curved display also makes more sense when navigating the phone via gestures.

There’s enough tactility without the sharp feeling when swiping through edges of conventional flat screens.

Speaking of, the displays aren’t any different.

It still packs the similarly-sized 6.77-inch AMOLED display of the V50. Then again, I don’t have complaints as it’s already superior-looking for the category it belongs to.

It’s worthy to note though that brightness output has been upgraded to 1500 nits (HBM) and 5000 nits (peak HDR). That’s in contrast to 1300 and 4500 nits of the vivo V50.

Sad to say, vivo’s aging optical under-display fingerprint scanner still remains.

Speaking of, the loud and proud stereo speakers are also here to stay — which I truly enjoyed during my banging bathroom sessions.

They are not just loud, they sound fuller than regular phone speakers with enough separation between highs, lows, and mids.

With shower in mind, dual IP68 + IP69 rating are here to stay.

Thrice the ZEISS

For the first time in forever, vivo finally brings a triple camera system to the base V-model.

	vivo V60	vivo V50
Wide	50MP f/1.88 Sony IMX766 1/1.56” sensor	50MP f/1.88 OmniVision OV50E 1/1.55” sensor
Ultra-Wide	8MP f/2.2 OmniVision OV08D10	50MP f/2.0 Samsung JN1
Periscope Telephoto	50MP f/2.65 Sony IMX882 3x Optical Zoom	—
Selfie	50MP f/2.0 Samsung JN1	50MP f/2.0 Samsung JN1

To be precise, the presence of that 3x periscope shooter isn’t something in my bingo card this 2025. But, who am I to complain?

    

Without a doubt, these periscope samples look better than what its predecessor can take with its measly 2x in-sensor zoom based on the power of the 50MP main camera.

Speaking of, the main (wide) cameras may look similar in numbers. However, vivo changed the sensor to a Sony unit this time.

Honestly, taking 2x digitally-zoomed shots here looks more decent compared to its predecessor — despite having a similarly-sized sensor.

Bad thing or not, its ultra-wide lens was downgraded from a Samsung-equipped 50MP to an 8MP OmniVision sensor.

The obvious sharpening can be seen once you zoom or crop in. Minus the presence of natural light, it gets worse — even with the Night Mode enabled.

Still, it still looks nice for those Gen-Z selfies.

The only thing similar are their front-facing cameras — which is coincidentally alike to the ultra-wide sensor of the V50.

Aura-fied Portraits

While already here, the vivo V60 is truly enjoyable for capturing picture-perfect moments.

With the signature ZEISS Style Bokeh, it gives the best of both vivo’s imaging and ZEISS’ color calibration plus lens imitations when shooting through Portrait Mode.

Fortunately, it’s not limited to human subjects as I was able to use it pretty much to adorable pets around.

There’s even the magic of Aura Light — a feature very exclusive to the V-series.

Not only the X-models don’t have it. The X200 Pro I use doesn’t have a flash toggle when taking photos through its more intricate Portrait Mode.

And while we’re at it, Aura Light is more preferable than using that harsh flash unit.

vivo’s special-made soft ring light clearly illuminates subjects better without overexposure and avoidance of blown-out highlights.

ZEISS Color Changes

There are also some changes in its native camera app.

At first, I thought the ZEISS Color Profiles were scrapped. That’s until I discovered it was moved towards the lower right part together with extra film-like looks: Classic negative (NC), Positive film (CC), and Clear blue (VB).

The vivo V50 (and even the X200 series) got those modes at the upper part.

With all that aside, here’s how the vivo V60 performed in various modes and color looks.

Experience-wise, there’s no single color profile that’s best for all.

Having to choose the most suitable one will still depend on what type of look and feel you’re trying to capture for your snaps.

Persistent Periscoproblem

The periscope shooter of the vivo V60 is far from being flawless.

One persistent problem I encounter is when I try shooting subjects (like food) at a closer distance.

Whenever I tap 3x focal length and beyond, the unit struggles to focus right after selecting the camera’s focus on the actual subject.

When it’s finally able to lock in that much needed focus, the quality seems like it was taken with a 10MP camera, having all that abundance sharpening happening while lacking detail altogether.

This doesn’t happen when using the periscope lens of other phones like the X200 Pro I daily drive. However, this isn’t also exclusive to the vivo V60.

The fact that I’ve experienced it in periscope telephoto shooters of some midrangers and even flagship devices might mean that it’s hardware-related — sensor, lens elements, periscope structure. Only the engineers (and true hardware nerds) know.

While I’m not THAT nerdy to determine the specific issue that hinders me to take zoomed shots at the minimum, it still bugs and bums me every time I wanted to take a closeup shot of something using the dedicated periscope camera.

The clear fix is to clearly avoid shooting at a very close minimum distance.

That said, that same zoom lens does its job without frills when shooting objects from afar.

Rodneil, my senior colleague, even brought it to 한소희 (Han So Hee)’s grand fan meeting last September.

For the proximity and the distance, you get stills that are post-worthy.

That’s also thanks to the Stage Mode feature that’s previously exclusive to vivo’s X-series flagship line.

Film Trim

In this era where film slash digicam aesthetics are the trend over professionally-looking phone snaps, V60’s Film Camera mode comes in very handy.

Being able to mimic Instax (or Polaroids) makes memory-making more memorable — at least in my eyes.

Although this was already a feature found in the last V-teration, V60’s flexible use of wide, ultra-wide, and dedicated zoom lenses made me use this feature more than last time.

With several film filters alongside various film designs and adjustments such as noise and blur, it feels like I got a subscription-based film app for free that comes native with the device itself.

Even if these are just digital copies, the overall aesthetics of the picture you captured makes it more nostalgic than just shooting one with vivo’s regular watermark.

And if you’re adamant about the persistent periscope problem I argued above, the same thing happens in this mode.

But hey, at least I got to use that Aura Light as a compensation to make my takes feel more like they’re actually shot on a film camera.

Ups and Downs

Within that six-month refresh cycle, the vivo V60 has promising notable hardware upgrades other than just its periscope telephoto.

Those include the newer Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 SoC announced last June 2025 and an even bigger 6500mAh BlueVolt Si/C battery. For context, vivo V50 has Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 and 6000mAh.

While those might look like minuscule improvements to most of you, my experience says otherwise.

Hardcore games such as Racing Master was able to run in Ultra-High graphics.

On the other hand, HoYoverse’s Zenless Zone Zero run on Low settings by default. Yet, the V60 maintained a stabler frame rate and response time in contrast to how the vivo V50 did.

Moreover, that 500mAh bump means I get to play games for longer periods without any battery anxiety especially when I’m nowhere near a plug outlet. That newer generation Snapdragon chipset might have also helped to make endurance longer and more efficient.

Powering up Performance Mode through vivo’s Game Mode sidebar, you can go past its native limits and trick the game to run smoother with several software optimizations. Of course, at the expense of heat and battery life.

For a full day of moderate to heavy use, the vivo V60 still has some left in the tank — around 8 to 15 percent.

In days where it’s lightly used or just staying in idle, it lasts for days.

And the moment it completely dies down, its bundled 90W FlashCharge adapter can quickly juice that tank up.

	1st Attempt	2nd Attempt
START TIME (From 0%)	9:33AM	10:01PM
3 minutes	1%	1%
5 minutes	5%	1%
10 minutes	15%	5%
15 minutes	22%	13%
20 minutes	30%	21%
30 minutes	46%	38%
45 minutes	71%	62%
1 hour	95%	85%
1 hour 5 minutes	98%	93%
1 hour 10 minutes	—	98%
END TIME	10:41AM 1 hr 8 mins	3:26AM 1 hr 14 minutes

For a capacity this massive, it’s understandable that it takes more than an hour to fully fill the phone.

If wireless charging feature is a huge dealbreaker for you, the vivo V60 unfortunately still doesn’t have one.

Is the vivo V60 your GadgetMatch?

The vivo V60 variant I have (12+512GB) retails for PhP 30,999.

Another variant with less half the storage retails for PhP 28,999 / SG$ 699 / INR 40,999. There’s even a smaller offer (8+256GB) at PhP 27,999 / MYR 1899 / INR 38,999.

Considering all the various configurations and great stuff listed above, it’s a midranger wonder definitely worthy to Swipe Right.

If it isn’t clear, the vivo V60 offers six upgrades worth considering: a newer chipset, faster and stabler graphics performance, bigger battery, longer endurance, and, heck, even a brighter display.

Last but definitely not the least, that extra periscope shooter is definitely the cherry on top.

Competitive Competition

The vivo V60 isn’t the only phone that boasts a combination of great hardware and software goodness.

Case in point: The realme 15 Pro is vivo V60’s closest and clearest competitor.

That similar PhP 30,999 price tag gets you the same 12+512GB config and chipset plus a larger 7000mAh battery — with the clear absence of a periscope shooter.

The HONOR 400 Pro is also a close call.

For PhP 2,999 more, you get a flagship-level Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. In return, you get an extra telephoto (not periscope) unit. Albeit, a smaller 6000mAh battery.

Considerably, the TECNO CAMON 40 Premier is a clear destroyer.

For a shockingly affordable price of just PhP 21,999, you get a very capable camera system — periscope lens included. That’s if you don’t mind having MediaTek’s Dimensity 8350 Ultimate (that’s frankly still very capable), a smaller 256GB storage, and an even lower 5100mAh battery.

If you’re coming from the vivo V50 or V40 (or even the V30 Pro), it’s clearly not something worth upgrading — not unless you badly needed that periscope shooter and even more battery capacity.

Those who own older V-phones like the V30, V29, V27, V25, V23 (you get the idea), this is a significant update worthy to upgrade. All that camera pizazz and ZEISS-tras the V60 offers are just way ahead than what they all have.

Having to use vivo’s V-series over the years, they’ve come far enough not just in hardware, but also both in software and even imaging. You just have to consider the inconsistencies I’ve brought up to say how that will affect you and your purchasing decision.