EMERALD HAZE

A power-packed visual marvel, born from the union of speed, heritage, and style.

- AAKASH S PAUL

It would not be a stretch to say that the smartphone market has become a bit dull, given the sheer number of devices launched every month. The real issue, however, is that most of these devices have identical features and specifications. So, it’s refreshing to see a special edition device made in collaboration with an F1 team. As the resident F1 fanatic at autoX, I was naturally excited when I received my review unit of the Realme GT 7 Dream Edition, made in collaboration with the Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team. The question, however, is - is it the perfect smartphone for fans of Formula 1?

SPECIAL DELIVERY

The Realme GT 7 Dream Edition starts off strong, offering an impressive unboxing experience. I have long felt that unboxing phones, even flagship models, has become a rather dull affair. It comes in a rather large box, finished in the Aston Martin Racing Green colour. Inside, there is another sleek black box, which splits open to reveal a thick coffee table book, encased in a cover. The booklet is a nice touch, featuring images from Aston Martin's racing history and detailing the collaboration between the two brands.

Beneath the black box lies the device itself. Pulling a tab on the lower half of the black box reveals a tray that holds a 120W fast charging brick, a Type-A to Type-C cable, some paperwork, a back cover with a carbon fibre finish, and a rather fancy SIM ejector tool, shaped like the Aston Martin F1 car. Kudos to Realme for their attention to detail and offering such a great unboxing experience. My only gripe is that the back cover doesn’t quite match the premium feel of the rest of the package.