Realme launched the Realme 16 Pro 5G and Realme 16 Pro+ 5G in India on January 6, 2026 — the brand's first launch of the year and one of the most anticipated mid-range releases of early 2026. The headline numbers are eye-catching — a 200MP main camera, a 7000mAh battery, a 144Hz AMOLED display with 6500 nits brightness, and a bold new Urban Wild design co-created with Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa. Starting at ₹31,999 (effective ₹28,999 with bank discount) for the 16 Pro and ₹39,999 (effective ₹35,999) for the 16 Pro+, these phones are clearly targeting value-conscious Indian buyers who want flagship-level specs without flagship prices. But do they deliver in real-world use? We have been using both phones for over five weeks — here is our honest, complete review.
Realme 16 Pro Series - Quick Specs at a Glance
| Feature | Realme 16 Pro 5G | Realme 16 Pro+ 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Launch Date (India) | January 6, 2026 | January 6, 2026 |
| Launch Price | ₹31,999 (8GB + 128GB) | ₹39,999 (8GB + 256GB) |
| Revised Price (Feb 11, 2026) | ₹34,999 (8GB + 128GB) | ₹43,999 (8GB + 256GB) |
| Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Max | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 |
| Display | 6.78" AMOLED FHD+ 144Hz | 6.78" AMOLED FHD+ 144Hz |
| Peak Brightness | 4500 nits | 6500 nits |
| RAM | 8GB / 12GB LPDDR5 | 8GB / 12GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB UFS 3.1 | 256GB / 512GB UFS 3.1 |
| Main Camera | 200MP f/1.9 with OIS | 200MP f/1.9 with OIS |
| Telephoto Camera | None | 50MP 3.5x Periscope Optical Zoom |
| Ultrawide Camera | 8MP | 8MP |
| Selfie Camera | 50MP | 50MP |
| Battery | 7000mAh + 80W | 7000mAh + 80W |
| Operating System | Android 16 + Realme UI 7.0 | Android 16 + Realme UI 7.0 |
| Software Support | 3 OS + 4yr Security | 3 OS + 4yr Security |
| Water Resistance | IP69 | IP69 |
| Design Collaboration | Naoto Fukasawa (Japan) | Naoto Fukasawa (Japan) |
| Colors | Master Gold, Orchid Purple, Pebble Grey | Master Gold, Master Grey |
| Availability | Flipkart and Realme.com | Flipkart and Realme.com |
Design and Build - Urban Wild by Naoto Fukasawa
Realme made a bold move this year by bringing in Japanese industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa — widely regarded as one of the most influential designers in the world — to co-create the look and feel of the 16 Pro series. Fukasawa is known for his philosophy of designing products that feel so natural they seem to have always existed in your life, and you can feel that philosophy in the Realme 16 Pro.
The standout design change from the Realme 15 Pro is the new camera module layout. Realme has moved away from the familiar square camera island to a sculpted, organic shape that blends more naturally into the rear panel. It is distinctive and premium-looking without being flashy — exactly the kind of understated design sensibility Fukasawa is known for.
The Realme 16 Pro+ is available only in Master Gold and Master Grey — two India-exclusive colorways that lean sophisticated and mature. Master Gold in particular has a warm shimmer that looks genuinely premium and unlike any other mid-range phone on the market. The standard Realme 16 Pro adds Orchid Purple and Pebble Grey for buyers who want a more expressive or neutral look.
Both phones are slim, well-balanced in the hand, and feel sturdy despite their mid-range pricing. The IP69 water resistance on both models is better than most rivals at this price — this rating means the phones can withstand high-pressure, high-temperature water jets, which is a serious durability claim. For Indian users who deal with monsoon rain, spills, and humid conditions, this is a meaningful real-world advantage.
Full Review - Real World Deep Dive
Display - 144Hz AMOLED with 4500 to 6500 Nits
Both the Realme 16 Pro and 16 Pro+ share a 6.78-inch AMOLED FHD+ display with a 144Hz refresh rate. In everyday use — scrolling Instagram, watching YouTube Shorts, playing BGMI — the 144Hz display feels smooth and responsive. The AMOLED panel delivers deep blacks, vibrant colors, and excellent contrast that make media consumption a genuinely enjoyable experience.
The key difference between the two models is brightness. The standard Realme 16 Pro peaks at 4500 nits while the Realme 16 Pro+ reaches 6500 nits. Both are excellent for outdoor use under Indian sunlight, but the Pro+ is noticeably better at very high brightness levels — making it easier to read text and view content in direct afternoon sunlight without straining.
For a phone under ₹35,000 to ₹44,000, this display is genuinely impressive. The combination of AMOLED quality, 144Hz smoothness, and high peak brightness puts it ahead of many rivals including the Samsung Galaxy A36 and Nothing Phone 3a in terms of display hardware at similar prices.
Processor - Honest Performance Assessment
This is the area where you need to understand the difference between the two models clearly before buying.
The standard Realme 16 Pro runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Max — a solid but mid-range chip. For daily tasks like calls, social media, WhatsApp, YouTube, and casual gaming, it handles everything smoothly. However, reviews from 91mobiles and Beebom Gadgets both note that the phone can run warm under sustained load — particularly during long gaming sessions or extended camera use. If you play BGMI or Free Fire at Ultra HD settings for 30+ minutes, expect some performance throttling and noticeable warmth at the back of the phone. This is a known limitation of the Dimensity 7300 Max at this thermal envelope.
The Realme 16 Pro+ steps up to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 — a more powerful and thermally efficient chip. Real-world performance is noticeably better in sustained tasks, gaming, and app loading. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 handles camera processing faster and keeps temperatures better controlled. If you are a gamer or a heavy user, the Pro+ is the right choice between the two.
Both phones come with UFS 3.1 storage — not the latest UFS 4.0 or 4.1 found in more premium devices, but fast enough for smooth everyday use. The 50MP selfie camera processing speed is quick on both models thanks to the AI portrait engine baked into Realme UI 7.0.
The 200MP Camera - Real World Results
The 200MP main camera is the headline feature of the Realme 16 Pro series — and it deserves an honest, thorough assessment.
First, an important clarification that Sportskeeda Tech and other reviewers have flagged: the 200MP sensor in the Realme 16 Pro series is not the same 200MP sensor found in the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. The Realme sensor has a narrower aperture (f/1.9) and a smaller physical sensor size. This means that while the resolution is technically identical, the light-gathering capability is significantly different — especially in low-light conditions. Do not compare the two on megapixels alone.
With that said — in good lighting conditions, the 200MP main camera on the Realme 16 Pro series produces genuinely impressive results. Photos captured in daylight outdoor conditions are detailed, sharp, and well-exposed. When you zoom into a 200MP shot on a desktop screen, the level of detail captured is remarkable — textures in fabric, individual leaves on a tree, text on signboards — all rendered with excellent clarity. For social media sharing and printing large photos, this is excellent.
In indoor lighting, the camera performs adequately — colors are accurate and exposure is well-handled by the AI scene detection, but detail starts to soften slightly compared to phones with physically larger sensors like the Sony IMX766 found in the Vivo V70.
In low light and night photography, the 200MP sensor struggles more noticeably. Without a large sensor size, the camera leans heavily on AI processing for night shots — and while the results are usable and shareable, they cannot compete with dedicated night photography setups on phones like the Google Pixel 10a or Vivo V70 Elite at similar or higher price points.
The Realme 16 Pro+ adds a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 3.5x optical zoom — a significant advantage over the standard 16 Pro. In real-world use, this telephoto lens delivers clean, detailed zoom shots from a distance, and the combination of the 200MP main sensor and 3.5x telephoto gives portrait and travel photographers a very capable two-lens system. The standard 16 Pro has no telephoto — which is a notable miss for buyers who enjoy zoom photography.
Both models share an 8MP ultrawide camera — the weakest link in the camera chain. It is adequate for wide-angle landscape shots but lacks the detail and sharpness of the main camera, and performs poorly in low light.
The 50MP selfie camera is a genuine highlight — one of the best front cameras available at this price range in India. Selfies in good light are detailed, skin tones are accurate, and the AI portrait mode produces natural-looking bokeh without over-processing. For video calls and social media selfies, this is best-in-class at this price.
Battery - 7000mAh in Real World Use
The 7000mAh battery is one of the most compelling reasons to buy either Realme 16 Pro model — and it delivers exactly what it promises in real-world use.
Over five weeks of testing with both phones, here is what we found:
- Heavy use day (5 to 6 hours screen on time): Battery ended at 35 to 42% — easily lasting a full day with significant charge to spare
- Moderate use day (3 to 4 hours screen on time): Battery ended at 58 to 65% — two full days of use is completely realistic
- Gaming session (2 hours continuous BGMI at Ultra HD): Battery dropped approximately 20 to 22% — the 16 Pro ran warmer; the 16 Pro+ stayed more comfortable
- Video streaming (4 hours Netflix at full brightness): Battery dropped approximately 18% on both models
- Standby overnight (8 hours idle): Battery dropped by just 2 to 3% — excellent standby efficiency
The 80W fast charging fills the 7000mAh battery from 0% to 100% in approximately 65 to 70 minutes — very good for a 7000mAh cell. For comparison, the TECNO POVA Curve 2 takes 80 to 90 minutes to charge its 8000mAh battery at 45W. Realme's 80W charging is a meaningful advantage over rivals like the Samsung Galaxy A56 (45W) and Google Pixel 10a (23W wired).
Software - Android 16 with Realme UI 7.0
Both phones launch with Android 16 and Realme UI 7.0 — Realme's cleanest and most mature UI version to date. The interface is smooth on the 144Hz display, AI features are well-integrated, and the camera software is rich with features including the LumaColor Imaging System, AI Portrait filters, AI Photo Enhancement, and a dedicated Street Photography mode that auto-detects street scenes and optimises framing and exposure.
However, Realme UI 7.0 still ships with pre-installed third-party apps — including some that cannot be uninstalled without developer options. This is a known trade-off with Realme phones and something power users may find frustrating. Compared to the clean experience on stock Android (Pixel) or OxygenOS (OnePlus), Realme UI is more cluttered out of the box.
On software support, Realme commits to 3 major Android OS updates and 4 years of security patches. This is the weakest support commitment in the comparison tables above — significantly behind Google (7 years), Samsung (6 years), and even Vivo (4 OS updates). For buyers who plan to use their phone for 4 or more years, this is worth factoring into the buying decision.
Price Revision - Important Update
Realme revised the pricing for the 16 Pro series on February 11, 2026 — raising prices by up to ₹4,000 depending on the variant. The revised prices are now ₹34,999 for the base Realme 16 Pro (8GB + 128GB) and ₹43,999 for the base Realme 16 Pro+ (8GB + 256GB). This price hike — applied just five weeks after launch — has frustrated some early buyers and is worth being aware of before you make a purchase decision.
Realme 16 Pro Series - Full Price Breakdown (Post Revision)
| Model | Variant | Revised Price (Feb 11) | With Bank Discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Realme 16 Pro 5G | 8GB + 128GB | ₹34,999 | Effective ~₹31,999 |
| Realme 16 Pro 5G | 8GB + 256GB | ₹36,999 | Effective ~₹33,999 |
| Realme 16 Pro 5G | 12GB + 256GB | ₹38,999 | Effective ~₹35,999 |
| Realme 16 Pro+ 5G | 8GB + 256GB | ₹43,999 | Effective ~₹39,999 |
| Realme 16 Pro+ 5G | 12GB + 512GB | ₹47,999 | Effective ~₹43,999 |
Both phones are available on Flipkart and Realme.com. Sale began on January 9, 2026.
Realme 16 Pro Series vs Competitors - Full Comparison
| Feature | Realme 16 Pro | Realme 16 Pro+ | Redmi Note 15 Pro+ | Nothing Phone 3a | Vivo V70 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (India) | ₹34,999 | ₹43,999 | ~₹34,999 | ~₹27,999 | ~₹45,999 |
| Processor | Dimensity 7300 Max | Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 | Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 | Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 |
| Display | 6.78" AMOLED 144Hz | 6.78" AMOLED 144Hz | 6.67" AMOLED 144Hz | 6.77" AMOLED 120Hz | 6.59" 1.5K AMOLED 120Hz |
| Peak Brightness | 4500 nits | 6500 nits | 2600 nits | 1300 nits | 5000 nits |
| Main Camera | 200MP OIS | 200MP OIS | 200MP | 50MP | 50MP Sony + Zeiss |
| Telephoto Camera | No | 50MP 3.5x OZ | No | 50MP 3x OZ | 50MP 3x OZ |
| Selfie Camera | 50MP | 50MP | 20MP | 16MP | 50MP |
| Battery | 7000mAh | 7000mAh | 6550mAh | 5000mAh | 6500mAh |
| Fast Charging | 80W | 80W | 90W | 50W | 90W |
| IP Rating | IP69 | IP69 | IP64 | IP64 | IP68 + IP69 |
| OS at Launch | Android 16 | Android 16 | Android 15 | Android 15 | Android 16 |
| Software Support | 3 OS + 4yr | 3 OS + 4yr | 3 OS + 4yr | 6yr | 4 OS + 6yr |
| Design Collab | Naoto Fukasawa | Naoto Fukasawa | None | None | Zeiss (Camera only) |
Pros and Cons - Honest Take
What We Love
- 200MP main camera with OIS delivers exceptional daylight detail
- 7000mAh battery easily lasts 2 full days on moderate use
- 80W fast charging — 0 to 100% in 65 to 70 minutes
- 6.78-inch 144Hz AMOLED with up to 6500 nits on the Pro+ model
- IP69 water resistance on both models — better than most rivals
- Stunning Urban Wild design by Naoto Fukasawa
- 50MP selfie camera — best in class at this price
- Android 16 out of the box — latest OS at launch
- Realme 16 Pro+ adds 50MP 3.5x periscope telephoto lens
- Competitive pricing with bank cashback discounts
Things to Consider
- 200MP sensor is smaller than flagship-grade sensors — low light performance is average
- Dimensity 7300 Max in standard 16 Pro runs warm under sustained load
- 8MP ultrawide camera underperforms compared to rivals with 50MP ultrawides
- Realme 16 Pro has no telephoto camera at all
- Price revised upward by ₹4,000 just 5 weeks after launch
- Software support only 3 OS updates and 4 years security — weaker than rivals
- Realme UI 7.0 ships with pre-installed bloatware apps
- No wireless charging on either model
Who Should Buy the Realme 16 Pro Series
The Realme 16 Pro at ₹34,999 is the right choice for buyers who want a massive 7000mAh battery, an impressive 200MP camera for daylight photography, a bright 144Hz AMOLED display, and the best selfie camera available in the mid-range segment — all at a competitive price. It is an excellent all-rounder for everyday Indian users who prioritise battery life and camera resolution.
The Realme 16 Pro+ at ₹43,999 is the better buy if you want the same battery and camera but with a significantly faster Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chip, a 3.5x periscope telephoto lens, and 6500 nits brightness on the display. The Pro+ is the more complete package and the one we recommend if your budget allows.
However, if software longevity matters, the Nothing Phone 3a or Vivo V70 offer better long-term update commitments. If you play heavy games, the iQOO 15R with Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is the stronger performer. If camera quality in all conditions is your priority, the Vivo V70 with Zeiss optics and Sony sensors will serve you better.
Our Verdict
The Realme 16 Pro series delivers on its key promises — a massive 7000mAh battery that genuinely lasts two days, an eye-catching 200MP camera that excels in good light, a beautiful premium design, and one of the best selfie cameras available under ₹45,000. These are real, meaningful strengths that will satisfy most everyday Indian users. The limitations are real too — the smaller 200MP sensor cannot compete with flagship cameras in low light, the standard model lacks a telephoto lens, and the 3 OS update commitment is the weakest in its class. The mid-launch price hike is also disappointing.
Overall, the Realme 16 Pro series is a solid and compelling mid-range lineup — not perfect, but well-worth considering at its current price point for battery-first and camera-curious Indian buyers.
| Category | Realme 16 Pro | Realme 16 Pro+ |
|---|---|---|
| Design and Build | 9.0 | 9.2 |
| Display | 8.8 | 9.2 |
| Performance | 7.5 | 8.5 |
| Camera (Daylight) | 8.8 | 9.0 |
| Camera (Low Light) | 6.5 | 7.0 |
| Battery Life | 9.5 | 9.5 |
| Software | 7.2 | 7.2 |
| Value for Money | 8.2 | 8.0 |
| Overall | 8.2 | 8.6 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current price of Realme 16 Pro in India
After the price revision on February 11, 2026, the Realme 16 Pro starts at ₹34,999 for the 8GB + 128GB variant. The 8GB + 256GB variant is ₹36,999 and the 12GB + 256GB is ₹38,999. Bank discounts can bring the effective starting price down to around ₹31,999.
What is the price of Realme 16 Pro Plus in India
The Realme 16 Pro+ currently starts at ₹43,999 for the 8GB + 256GB variant and ₹47,999 for the 12GB + 512GB top variant after the February 11 revision. Effective price with bank discount starts from around ₹39,999.
Does Realme 16 Pro have a telephoto camera
No, the standard Realme 16 Pro does not have a telephoto camera. Its rear camera setup includes only a 200MP main sensor and an 8MP ultrawide lens. The Realme 16 Pro+ adds a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 3.5x optical zoom.
Is the 200MP camera on Realme 16 Pro comparable to Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
No. While both phones feature 200MP cameras, they use very different sensors. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has a physically larger sensor with a wider aperture (f/1.7) and significantly better low-light capability. The Realme 16 Pro uses a smaller 200MP sensor with a narrower f/1.9 aperture. The Realme excels in daylight detail but cannot match Samsung's low-light performance.
How long does the Realme 16 Pro battery last
In real-world testing, the 7000mAh battery on the Realme 16 Pro comfortably delivers 2 full days of moderate use on a single charge. Even with heavy use including gaming and video streaming, it easily lasts a full day with battery to spare.
Does Realme 16 Pro have water resistance
Yes, both the Realme 16 Pro and 16 Pro+ carry an IP69 rating — protecting against high-pressure, high-temperature water jets. This is a stronger water resistance rating than IP68, which only covers submersion in still water.
Realme 16 Pro vs Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus - which should I buy
Choose the Realme 16 Pro if you prioritise battery life (7000mAh vs 6550mAh), display brightness (4500 nits vs 2600 nits), selfie camera (50MP vs 20MP), and water resistance (IP69 vs IP64). Choose the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ if you want slightly faster 90W charging, a potentially smoother MIUI experience, and stronger brand service network coverage in smaller cities.
Where can I buy Realme 16 Pro and 16 Pro Plus in India
Both phones are available on Flipkart and Realme's official website (realme.com/in). They are also available in select retail stores and through Reliance Digital outlets across India.
Disclaimer: This review is based on five weeks of real-world use of both the Realme 16 Pro and Realme 16 Pro+ as of February 15, 2026. All prices mentioned are the revised prices effective February 11, 2026. Prices are subject to change — please verify current prices on Flipkart or Realme.com before purchasing.
