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Realme is one of the fastest-growing smartphone brands in the world, having shipped over 200 million units globally. Realme launched the GT5 Pro on December 7th in China, positioning it as the flagship phone in the GT line. While the GT line has represented Realme’s premium segment, the brand has not, until now, offered a true flagship device. Although the term “flagship” lacks a formal definition, it is generally considered to pack the latest and most powerful chipset and excellent camera capabilities.

Realme is positioning the GT5 Pro as a dual-engine flagship, claiming it strikes a balance between performance and imaging without compromise. The phone boasts the newest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and triple camera setup with the industry’s largest IMX890 periscope telephoto lens. Of course, the device has a lot more going for it, including a bright display and 3VC Iceberg Cooling System.

Designer: Realme

Aesthetics

The design of the GT lineup has undergone significant transformations from one model to the next. The GT2 Pro, designed by a world-renowned industrial designer Naoto Fukusawa, featured paper-like a back panel made with pulp extract and other renewable materials. Its successor, the GT3, adopted a more futuristic design boasting a customizable RGB light on its upper back right next to the square camera island.

In contrast, the GT5 Pro showcases a clean and sleek design. A big, round camera island takes up much of the top half of the GT5 Pro’s back. The camera island houses an LED flash, a triple camera set-up (A main camera, a periscope telephoto, and an ultra-wide), and finally, a placeholder to form a perfect symmetry. The intricate radial engraving underneath the glass extends to the side of the camera island giving a tactile feature to the camera island. This design, which Realme calls the “Star Trail lens”, gives a luxurious touch to the device. The Realme logo shines below the camera island.

The GT5 Pro offers three color options: Red Rock (red), Bright Moon (white), and Starry Night (black). The Red Rock and Bright Moon variants feature textured vegan leather, while Starry Night shines a glass back panel. I was hoping to receive the Red Rock variant which reminds me of a certain luxury handbag brand and has more character, but I ended up with the Bright Moon for the review. Despite my initial letdown, I found myself appreciating the appeal of the Bright Moon’s soft eggshell-like color.

Realme includes a protective cover, opting for a gray cover instead of the typical transparent case. Although typical transparent cases are far from attractive, the gray cover that comes with GT5 Pro isn’t aesthetically pleasing either.

Ergonomics

The phone weighs approximately 218g (224g for the Starry Night variant) and measures about 161.72 x 75.06 x 9.23 mm. Thanks to the center-circle design, it feels balanced when you hold it in your hand. The volume rocker and power button are located on the right side of the device, while the SIM card slot and USB-C port are situated at the bottom.

The GT5 Pro has a slightly curved panel and round shiny aluminum copper frame, which is stronger than a titanium frame, according to Realme. It doesn’t dig into your palm without being slippery.

While the phone is comfortable to hold, there is a notable consideration regarding the placement of the fingerprint sensor. Positioned very close to the bottom edge of the screen, approximately 1 centimeter or 0.4 inches above the bottom edge, the fingerprint scanner requires a slight stretch of the thumb for unlocking. Luckily, the GT5 Pro can be unlocked with other methods including one of the main features – palm gesture. But there is more to discuss about this feature.

Performance

The Realme GT5 Pro has a triple camera setup. There is a 50MP main camera that uses a LYT-808 1/1.4-inch sensor with OIS stabilization and an f/1.69 aperture lens with OIS stabilization. The upgraded 50MP periscope telephoto camera uses an IMX890 1/1.56 sensor and f/2.6 aperture lens. The telephoto also comes with OIS stabilization. It can zoom 2.7x optically and supports macro mode at 3x. Finally, there is an 8MP ultra-wide IMX355 with f/2.2 aperture.

The main camera produces great daylight photos with nice vibrant yet natural colors. It captures plenty of details without being overly processed and has good dynamic range, though there is a tendency for bright spots to be slightly overexposed. Additionally, the main camera performs admirably in low-light conditions, exhibiting excellent dynamic range and adeptly handling mixed lighting situations.

The 3x photos captured with telephoto are impressive thanks to its big 1/1.56 inch sensor. While the phone lacks a dedicated macro camera, the macro mode is implemented on the 3x zoom. The resulting images are just fine; however, I believe only a niche group of users will find this feature particularly noteworthy.

Turning our attention to the ultra-wide camera, it doesn’t stand out as particularly exceptional spec-wise, and the images it produces. The images display a decent dynamic range, and the color rendition aligns with that of the main camera is, but details especially towards the not very wide with FOV of 112 degrees.

Flip the phone over, the front camera takes pleasant selfies in a wide variety of shooting situations. Images came out a bit on the softer and warmer side, but not overly done.

In terms of video, it can record video up to 8K at 24FPS with the main camera. The telephoto is capable of recording up to 4K at 60 FPS, 1080p at 30 FPS for the ultrawide, and 4K at 30 FPS for the front camera. Videos captured by the device are not going to wow you. One thing that bothered me was that the 0.6x ultrawide option is not visible on the main video interface unless you set the recording resolution to 1080p or lower. It would be more convenient to have a 0.6x ultrawide option accessible directly on the main video interface, with the resolution automatically adjusted to 1080p when the 0.6x is selected.

As for the screen, the GT5 Pro boasts a 6.78-inch, 2,780 x 2,364 AMOLED screen with a 144 Hz refresh rate, 460 pixels per inch, and an impressive peak brightness of 4,500 nits. We have to take the very high peak brightness with a grain of salt as this measurement probably does not reflect real-life usage scenarios. Realme provides a more realistic figure of 1,600 nits of global peak brightness. Nevertheless, the screen remains impressively bright performing well even under harsh sunlight. The narrow bezel is an additional noteworthy feature.

Under the hood, the phone is powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and four memory versions are available starting with 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB storage up to 16GB/1TB, which is the review unit that we received. There’s also the 3VC Iceberg Cooling System with a heat dissipation area of 12,000 mm² which Realme claims to be the largest in the market. So the device won’t get hot even when it’s handling heavy loads.

In terms of software, the GT5 Pro runs Realme UI 5.0 based on Android 14. One of the unique features of the Realme GT5 Pro is that you can unlock the phone with your palm using the front-facing camera and do all other sorts of stuff like opening apps, scrolling up and down, taking screenshots, and more. While I was initially excited to try these features, the experience turned out to be disappointing. To be fair, Realme mentioned the limitation of palm unlock, stating that for the feature to work, strong light, low light, or backlit conditions have to be avoided. The palm unlock functionality proved to be inconsistent. Even when I did manage to unlock the phone with my palm the 2-second duration required to hold my palm in front of the front camera felt a bit too long. The air gestures required some practice, and I struggled to smoothly navigate the device. I can envision the potential usefulness of palm unlock and air gestures in various situations, so let’s hope Realme improves its accuracy and usability in the future.

The phone is equipped with a massive 5,400 mAh battery, delivering excellent performance that easily sustains a day’s use without issues. When it’s time to charge, GT5 Pro charges remarkably fast at 100W via USB-C. Additionally, for the first time for Realme’s device, the phone supports wireless charging at 50W.

Sustainability

Apart from reduced plastic packaging which has become pretty much an industry standard nowadays, there isn’t much to mention about the sustainability aspects of the GT5 Pro. Considering Realme’s proactive approach in incorporating bio-polymer materials in the aforementioned GT2 Pro, which used bio-material for its back panel, the lack of use of renewable materials in the GT5 Pro is disappointing. Since its inception in 2018, Realme has always shown commitment to being an eco-friendly and sustainable tech player. Let’s hope they’ll strengthen the commitment as Realme steps forward into true flagship space.

Value

The Realme GT5 Pro offers incredible value starting at 3,499 CNY which translates to roughly US$490. Boasting capable cameras, a sleek design, a gorgeous screen, excellent battery life, and rapid wired and wireless charging capability, the GT5 Pro stands out in its price range. Unfortunately, it is currently exclusively available only in China, leaving us hoping that Realme will extend its market availability to other regions in the near future.

Verdict

Realme’s venture into the premium segment has left a positive impression. While it may not be flawless there’s no denying that the GT5 Pro offers a host of features. With its stylish design, good camera performance especially in low-light situations, bright display, outstanding battery performance, and fast charging, the Realme GT5 Pro is a compelling option for those who seek well-rounded, feature-rich devices without breaking the bank.

The post Realme GT5 Pro Review: Flagship dream for budget-conscious users first appeared on Yanko Design.

Funnel-shaped concrete skylights illuminate a plant-filled courtyard at the centre of this home in Bangalore, India, which has been designed by local studio A Threshold to “blur boundaries between the inside and outside”.

Named Ineffable Light, the four-storey family home is located on a tight urban plot with neighbouring buildings on three sides, which required the careful balancing of natural light and privacy.

In response, A Threshold opened-up the eastern facade of the home with glazed openings and stepped balconies and created a large skylit void at its centre, both of which are shaded by extensive planting.

“We aimed to evolve a design language that maximises the use of natural light, ventilation, and accessible green spaces within the home,” explained the studio.

“This approach creates a more porous environment, giving rise to a series of connections and fostering interaction, further enhancing the users’ way of life,” it continued.

“It’s an attempt to transform the space into a place, making the house into a home that celebrates life.”

Entering through a shaded porch alongside a parking area, kitchen and home office, the organisation of the home has been split into two halves on either side of large existing tree at the front.

To the north, a more open “public” side contains living areas, which merge with the full-height atrium and are overlooked by a series of balconies and internal gardens at the rear of the home.

“The green terraces [of the facade] are also multiplied internally to become extensions of living and bedroom spaces, offering a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor living,” described the studio.

“Interconnected green courtyards, overlapping sections and levels allow residents to have visual connectivity throughout the house.”

To the south, the more private half of the building contains bathroom and bedrooms, which open onto and overlook the atrium and balconies through bi-folding windows and wooden shutters.

Looking to use light as a “significant material”, the private side of the home is much darker than the public, creating transitions between lighting conditions that are likened by the practice to traditional Indian temples.

“Drawing inspiration from the quality of light in traditional Indian temples, the intensity of darkness increases as one moves from outside to inside,” added the studio.

This quality is reflected in the internal finishes, with dark wood used in areas with less illumination and exposed concrete and white walls in the brighter, communal areas.

Previous projects by A Threshold include a subterranean community centre in Bangalore, which was designed around a series of freestanding brick walls intended to resemble “ancient ruins”, which was longlisted in the sustainable building category of Dezeen Awards 2023.

The photography is by Atik Bheda.

Project credits:

Client: Shashi Kumar N
Project architects, design team: Avinash Ankalge, Harshith Nayak, Sameed Ahmed, Karthik Krishna
Execution team / builder:  Manjunath BR, design2konstruct.
Structural consultants: Radiance
Civil contractor: Design2konstruct
Landscape: A Threshold

The post Skylit home offers a “seamless transition between indoor and outdoor living” appeared first on Dezeen.

The 5 Gyres research institute says bioplastics are “not a silver bullet solution” for plastic pollution, following a study that raises concerns about so-called biodegradable products.

In its Better Alternatives 3.0 report, the Californian non-profit found that while bioplastics degrade faster than their fossil-derived counterparts, some degrade much slower than others.

The study found that some bioplastic packaging did not decompose after being buried underground for more than a year, regardless of the climate and soil conditions.

Researchers at 5 Gyres tested the degradation of 22 types of single-use packaging, with each type tested in both soil and sea for a total of 64 weeks, on sites in Florida, California and Maine.

In all three locations, straws made from polylactic acid (PLA) – a bioplastic made from corn starch or sugar cane – decomposed in the ocean but remained largely intact when buried underground.

Other common types of bioplastic packaging showed little or no signs of degradation after 64 weeks in soil, with forks, bottles and tampon applicators among them.

Lisa Erdle, director of science and innovation at 5 Gyres, said the results prove that bioplastics are not a one-size-fits-all fix for plastic pollution, despite what their biodegradable labelling might lead people to assume.

“There is no silver bullet solution for the plastics crisis,” she said. “Instead, we need targeted solutions that address each sector of plastic use in society, from textiles and tyres to agriculture and electronics.”

However, Erdle suggested that bioplastics can “offer potential to mitigate harm in specific cases”.

“There are opportunities for upstream innovations across all sectors,” she explained. “And for some sectors, bioplastics offer an alternative to traditional plastics.”

The study backs up this claim. Among the 22 object types tested were three made from polyethene, or PE, a thermoplastic derived from petroleum. Film, forks and straws made from PE failed to degrade at any test sites, either terrestrial or marine.

While the bioplastics all degraded faster, some types were significantly more successful than others.

While the PLA straws failed to degrade in soil, alternatives made from polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) – a bioplastic produced by bacteria – biodegraded either fully or partially at all test sites.

The results from different types of bioplastic film were equally varied.

PLA fragmented far slower than polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), another bioplastic produced by bacteria. Fragments of PLA remained at all test sites after 64 weeks, while the PHA was no longer detectable at the Florida marine site after just eight weeks.

The test objects also included paper straws, which were found to be similar to PHB in terms of degradation, and bamboo forks, which were the slowest to degrade of all the utensils.

According to Marcus Eriksen, co-founder and researcher at 5 Gyres, the results prove the need for greater transparency and clearer messaging in how disposable products are used and marketed.

He believes that terms such as “biodegradable” or “compostable” are not clear enough for manufacturers or consumers.

“Our research shows that real-world factors greatly impact what happens to a product if it ends up in the environment,” Eriksen said.

“An item may be advertised as biodegradable or compostable, but under what conditions? We need greater transparency and truth in advertising about the things we buy.”

With this in mind, many designers have focused instead on using bioplastic to make long-lasting products, with recent examples including furniture by German designer Basse Stittgen and textiles from Copenhagen-based Natural Material Studio.

All images are courtesy of The 5 Gyres Institute.

The post Researchers find bioplastic straws intact after more than a year underground appeared first on Dezeen.

Architecture studio Aedas has designed a pair of round-edged, 150-metres-high skyscrapers, named One Future, in Hangzhou, China.

Informed by lotus plants in the nearby West Lake, One Future features facades of aluminium and glass panels lined with bronze fins that taper at the building’s base.

“The formal concept of these twin towers is from lotus roots which is a very popular plantation and of good metaphorical meaning in local Xiao Shan culture,” Aedas executive director Wei Li and global design principal Ken Wai told Dezeen.

“Architecturally speaking, we were seeking for a simple and subtle form that can provide efficient floor layouts, while building up strong connections to the rich local culture.”

On each tower the facades curve inwards to mark a refuge floor, which offer a safe space for occupants in the case of an emergency, squeezing the two structures at different heights to break up their rectilinear form.

At the base of the towers, a curving canopy extends from the facades to form a sheltered entryway.

A paved, ground floor courtyard lined with trees wraps around the towers and is hidden from the adjacent street and main roads by a perimeter wall and hedges.

Entrances to the buildings were punctured into the curving facade, outlined by bronze frames which match the fins.

“The site is very small so the overarching site strategy is to gain as much open landscape area as possible,” Li and Wei said.

“We first dropped the idea of a chunky podium and minimized the car circulation, then the bottom of the towers tapers inward to release more ground area.”

Spread across 33 stories, the 63,500-square-metre interior contains both office and residential spaces – accessed via individual elevators to define the two programmes.

According to the studio, the project is a response to increased demand for flexible live/work spaces for young entrepreneurs in the city – therefore offering tenants a choice between work or residential unit layouts.

“[Young entrepreneurs] are not interested in standard Class A offices like bankers, but rather a place can flexibly live and work in, so our design came from such idea,” Li and Wei explained.

Within the buildings, the studio optimised useable space on the limited plot by minimising elevator zones within the architectural cores.

Other projects recently completed by Aedas include an arched skyscraper resembling local “auspicious stones” and a twisting skyscraper informed by the shape of the northern lights.

The photography is by DONG Image.

Project credits:

Client: Hangzhou Jumen Real Estate Co
Design and project architect: Aedas
Design directors: Wei Li (executive director), Ken Wai (global design principal)

The post Aedas lines twin skyscrapers with bronze fins in Hangzhou appeared first on Dezeen.

Promotion: Thailand‘s Department of International Trade Promotion has announced Style Bangkok 2024 in March 2024, which will spotlight environmentally conscious products designed by Thai brands and craftspeople.

Style Bangkok 2024 will be held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, Thailand, from 20 to 24 March, highlighting the output of established and emerging Thai designers.

Over 400 individual companies and craftspeople are set to display their products at the event, with items showcased from over 1,000 distinct booths.

The items on display include furniture, materials, homeware, art, tableware, accessories and kitchenware – all underpinned by sustainable design principles.

Among the exhibiting brands is Deesawat, a furniture brand specialising in outdoor furniture made from teak.

Also displaying its products is Hug Furniture, which designs and manufactures multifunctional and minimalistic pieces that are affordable and innovative.

Moonler – another Thai furniture design brand – is also showing its products at the event, which are made primarily from Chamchuri wood. Its furniture is designed with traditional crafts in mind, as well as a commitment to waste reduction.

Plinn is an accessory design brand specialising in leather bags made from unusual materials such as python and stingray skin. Its environmentally considered products will also be available to view at the event.

Another accessory taking part at Style Bangkok 2024 is the Royal Orchid Collection, which produces jewellery made from flowers. Their catalogue includes necklace pendants, rings, earrings, brooches and hair clips.

Also attending is 103Paper Shop – a homeware brand that has pioneered a new material called ‘paper clay’. This material is fashioned into decorative objects including vases and planters.

Homeware brand Thaniya also presents its goods at the event, including candles that double as massage oils when melted.

Style Bangkok 2024’s trade days take place between 20 and 22 March, with the event open to the public from 23 to 24 March 2024.

To read more about The Department of International Trade Promotion, visit its website.

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

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