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Design and Build
If anything, Realme went above and beyond in designing the phone, and the GT 8 Pro Dream Edition looks quite different to the regular GT 8 Pro.
The brand did a great job translating Aston Martin's livery, and the metallic paint conveys a sense of elegance that you just don't get with the standard model.
You even get flow lines etched on the rear, and that just looks cool.
The green design has yellow accents, and this again adds a little bit of flair to the phone (not that it needs it).
Honestly, the GT 8 Pro Dream Edition is one of the most striking phones around.
Display Performance
If anything, Realme is doing a good job with the panel in general, and that is noticeable while gaming.
The only quibble in this area is that the device misses out on LTPO tech, so it doesn't go down to 1Hz while idling.
Otherwise, you get the standard 120Hz, with the option to go up to 144Hz while playing select games.
Performance and Thermals
Like its Chinese rivals, the GT 8 Pro Dream Edition uses the latest Qualcomm silicon, and I didn't see any issues in regular use.
The only downside is that it tends to overheat, and that's the case on the phone as well, with the device exceeding 53 degrees while running synthetic tests.
In regular gaming, I saw it get uncomfortably hot, but no so much that I couldn't actually hold it (which was the case during 3DMark testing).
Camera System
While it doesn't have the best camera sensors, Realme's collaboration with Ricoh means there are tangible gains in this area with the GT 8 Pro Dream Edition.
The phone gets a 50MP custom Sony LYT-700 main camera, 200MP Samsung HP5 that acts as the tele lens with 3x and 6x modes, and a 50MP OmniVision wide-angle lens.
The phone also gets a dedicated Ricoh GR mode with manual controls, and other than that, you get the same camera interface as the Find X9 Pro.
Overall camera tuning is pretty great with this generation, and the Dream Edition takes fabulous photos in any scenario, and you get enough shooting modes and filters to make your shots stand out a little bit.
Software Experience
Switching over to the software, you get plenty of custom tweaks to highlight the Aston Martin collaboration, including icons, backgrounds, and effects.
It doesn't look gaudy in the least, and the icons are decent enough that I didn't see the need to switch to the default ColorOS option.
Other than that, the phone runs Android 16 out of the box, and the interface is fluid, with excellent customizability.
Realme has all the standard ColorOS 16 features, but it calls the interface Realme UI 7.0, which is similar to what OnePlus does with the OnePlus 15.
The only issue is that the phone won't get as many software updates, with Realme guaranteeing just four platform updates.
Verdict
The best part is that the phone doesn't cost much more than the regular model, so if you're an F1 fan looking to buy a new phone, the GT 8 Pro Dream Edition is a great choice as we head into the 2026 season.
The GT 8 Pro Dream Edition is the best phone if you're an F1 fan looking to get a new device this year.
- If anything, Realme went above and beyond in designing the phone, and the GT 8 Pro Dream Edition looks quite different to the regular GT 8 Pro.
- The brand did a great job translating Aston Martin's livery, and the metallic paint conveys a sense of elegance that you just don't get with the standard model.
- The phone gets a 50MP custom Sony LYT-700 main camera, 200MP Samsung HP5 that acts as the tele lens with 3x and 6x modes, and a 50MP OmniVision wide-angle lens.
- The only quibble in this area is that the device misses out on LTPO tech, so it doesn't go down to 1Hz while idling.
- The only downside is that it tends to overheat, and that's the case on the phone as well, with the device exceeding 53 degrees while running synthetic tests.
- The only issue is that the phone won't get as many software updates, with Realme guaranteeing just four platform updates.