Realme 16 Pro Review: Say Goodbye to Battery Anxiety

The Realme 16 Pro arrives with big promises, packing a 200 MP camera, massive 7,000mAh battery and a refreshed design language to push the brand's number series up a notch. On paper, it looks like a strong upper mid-range contender, but real-world usage tells a more nuanced story. After using the phone as my daily driver for everything from binge-watching content to photography and gaming, here's all that I think in this detailed Realme 16 Pro review.

Realme 16 Pro Unboxing

The Realme 16 Pro has all the goodies in the box, and there's no compromise on that front. Here's a quick rundown of everything you get alongside the phone itself:

Now, before getting into the review itself, here's a quick look at the Realme 16 Pro specifications for your reference:

Realme 16 Pro Build and Design

The Realme 16 Pro is a lightweight boy and I liked how rounded it is this time around. As a result, the phone fit perfectly in my hands and that leather back doesn't just make things extra premium but also offers quite the grip. Also, the frame is metal and that adds to the premium-ness of it all.

However, when I did flip it around to take a good look at the back panel, I noticed that the leather has these textures mimicking wheat fields that the brand is calling an "Urban Wild Design".

I also couldn't help but notice how the camera module design is just an inverted version of the OnePlus 15 deco. Although I do like the look it gives the phone, it does seem like Realme is going through an identity crisis. However, I did like how controlled the camera bump is, while keeping the phone nice and stable on a desk.

Now, because the phone is relatively light, rounded off in the corners and offers a good grip, one-handed usage is effortless. The volume rockers and power button on the right side of the frame are also within my thumb's reach, making things more convenient. As for the buttons themselves, they are satisfyingly tactile and don't wobble one bit. 

Realme 16 Pro Display Quality

Things are equally impressive at the front, as the Realme 16 Pro instantly won me over with those near-symmetrical bezels all around. The display also blinded me right off the bat, and our Lux Meter tipped the scale at a little over 1,400 nits, which is quite bright. I never felt the need to squint or shade the display with my hands outdoors. Meanwhile, indoors, I have always had to tone it down or let auto-brightness do me a favour.

Colours are the right kind of punchy out of the box, and I didn't feel the need to tweak it in any way. I also liked that the Realme 16 Pro lets you choose between Full HD+ (2354 x 1080 pixels) and 1.5K (2772 x 1272 pixels) resolutions. While there isn't that big a difference and I mostly kept it at Full HD+, it's still a nice option to have. 

I binge-watched Stranger Things Season 5 on this screen, and it's an absolute treat to the eyes. From those dark blacks to those frightening reds, this AMOLED panel does capture it all beautifully. Peak cinema, as doom-scrollers would rightfully say. However, when watching 1440p YouTube videos, I did notice strange micro jitters, which were solved via an update (more on this later) later on. 

Additionally, the Realme 16 Pro display didn't feel buttery smooth at first but after the update, the 144 Hz did start hitting. 

There are also dual speakers on board and while they are loud, I felt they could have used a little more bass. Since it's too high on the treble, the volume output from the speakers can sometimes seem flat. Audio separation is decent, too.

Realme 16 Pro Performance Tested

The Realme 16 Pro's Dimensity 7300-Max is not exactly a marathon runner. In day-to-day usage, the phone does feel smooth, but there are those minor jitters, which often give away the processor's flaws. I also noticed a bug where, if I downloaded a new app and opened it, all the other apps in the recent apps panel automatically cleared out. 

The phone also doesn't handle heavy multitasking and rapid app switching that well. At one point, I had over 20 apps running in the background, and the Realme 16 Pro did feel rather sluggish at times when shuffling between them. I did notice that keeping the GT Mode turned on helped the most, and a lot of that sluggishness settled down.

Those benchmark numbers are not too different either and here's a quick rundown of it all:

I also got some gaming in and the phone handled it all well. I played CoD Mobile and BGMI comfortably on high settings, but there were a few stutters in Genshin Impact. The good thing is that the phone never got uncomfortably warm, even after a good hour of gaming. 

Realme 16 Pro Software and Updates

Right out of the box, the Realme 16 Pro runs on Android 16-based Realme UI 7.0, and I was running on the RMX5120_16.0.1.304 (EX01) build.

Now, I'm guessing I was still running the pre-launch version at this point as there were a bunch of jitters in the UI, the touch response was slightly delayed, among other things. However, Realme rolled out the RMX5120_16I.0.1.304 update and the phone got a lot smoother to operate post that.

Most of the phone's smoothness came from the Realme UI 7.0's new Flux Engine, which improves scrolling smoothness and overall system responsiveness. Animations remained quite fluid, as a result. 

However, I did spot those nasty Hot Games and Hot Apps bloatware, which can't be uninstalled completely. The haptic integration is another area where I was left unsatisfied. The Realme 16 Pro seems to have a very average haptic motor, which is a little too harsh and unrefined for my taste. 

Realme 16 Pro Camera Review

Realme 16 Pro's 200 MP main camera delivers good results in good lighting, but it doesn't quite live up to the ambitious branding once conditions get challenging. During the day, photos come out sharp and with plenty of detail, especially when there's ample light.

Dynamic range is acceptable, and the camera generally handles exposure well, making it reliable for causal outdoor shots and social media use. Colours, however, tend to lean slightly punchy rather than natural, which some users may enjoy. However, that consistency varies from shot to shot as well. 

Selfies in daylight are a mixed bag. Subject separation is mostly accurate and edge detection works fine in simpler scenes, but skin tones can look inconsistent depending on the lighting and background. The multiple focal lengths are useful on paper, yet in practice, results vary. 

Once the sun goes down, the camera's limitations become much more apparent. Low-light and night photos suffer from noticeable noise, aggressive noise reduction and odd colour shifts. In several night shots, colours appear muddy or unnaturally tinted, with the camera struggling to maintain consistency between consecutive images. Highlights are often blown out, while shadows lose detail, resulting in images that lack depth and clarity. 

Video performance emerges victorious though, with nicely stabilised shots with acceptable details. Overall, the Realme 16 Pro cameras are serviceable for daylight photography and falls short in low-light scenarios. 

Realme 16 Pro Battery Life and Charging

Battery life is one of the strongest aspects of the Realme 16 Pro, thanks to a massive 7,000mAH capacity. The phone easily delivers over 9 hours of screen on time with regular usage, which includes a mix of social media scrolling, web browsing, video streaming, messaging, camera use and occasional gaming. Also, do note that this was with the 144Hz refresh rate mode, Full HD+ display resolution and Always On display selected. 

Charging is also rapid, with the 80W charger topping up the battery from 0–100% in about an hour, making the overall experience practical despite the battery's sheer size. 

Realme 16 Pro Review: Should You Buy It?

The Realme 16 Pro is a phone that makes a strong first impression and holds up well in everyday usage, especially if battery life, display quality and comfortable ergonomics are high on your priority list. The massive battery easily outlasts most competitors, the AMOLED display is bright and immersive, and the phone feels great in hand thanks to its lightweight build and grippy back finish. 

That said, it's not without compromises. Performance is mostly smooth but shows cracks under pressure and the cameras struggle badly in low light despite impressive hardware. However, it does make up for it with good daytime camera performance. Overall, it's a capable mid-ranger with clear strengths but also enough weaknesses to make your buying decision worth a second thought.