I always enjoy using limited-edition phones (who doesn’t?), and I liked what Realme did last year with the 15 Pro Game of Thrones Limited Edition. The brand is following that up with another fantasy-related collaboration, this time launching the Harry Potter Edition of the 16 Pro.
I’m a Potterhead; I grew up with the Harry Potter books, and not being content with the canon, I went down the fanfic rabbit hole (HPMOR is incredible). My wife and sister also like the books, and we went to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios a few years ago (it was a thoroughly enjoyable three days, and I highly recommend it).
(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)
Anyway, let’s talk about the device itself. Realme has proven that it knows how to make a limited-edition phone, and the brand outdid itself with the 16 Pro 5G Harry Potter Edition. The attention to detail with the box, accessories, and the phone itself makes this one of the best collaborations in this category, and I know what I’m talking about — I used every phone-based collab to come out in the last decade.
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The design is centered around Hogwarts, and the box that the phone comes in reflects that. The box is styled after Harry’s Hogwarts trunk, and it comes with a ton of accessories: you get the Hogwarts letter (which is just plain cool), Platform 9 3/4 train ticket, bookmarks of each house, and four postcards.
(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)
There’s a delightful SIM card ejector styled like the Hogwarts crest, a phone case with the crest on the rear, and a charger and cable that are of the same color as the phone itself. This is a big deal in and of itself, because most limited-edition collabs use the same charger as the regular models.
All of this leads to an unboxing that feels quite special, and honestly, it’s clear that Realme put a lot of thought into this edition. The phone itself continues the Hogwarts livery, with the four-house crest highlighted on the rear along with Harry Potter and Realme inscribed underneath.
I also like the soft brown leather texture, and the pattern contrasts really well with the crest (it’s also a good choice if you’re into Burberry). Realme says the camera island is styled to look like Hedwig’s eyes, and there’s a laser-engraved Welcome to Hogwarts etched on to the mid-frame on the right.
I didn’t notice this in the beginning, but the crest has what Realme calls Quadra Light-Sensing Color-changing Tech, which basically means it shows the colors of each house when you shine a UV light over it. This is undeniably cool, and I’ll admit I wouldn’t have come across it if I didn’t go to Realme’s product page.
There’s a lot to like with the software as well. Realme added unique icons and animations, and it makes the device stand out from the regular model. If you don’t like the styling, you can use the standard icons that come with Realme UI.
Other than that, the rest of the phone is similar to the Realme 16 Pro. It’s a reliable mid-ranger, and it honestly is one of the better choices available in this category. You get a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel, Mediatek Dimensity 7300 Max, 12GB of RAM with 256GB of storage, a 200MP main camera, and 7,000mAh battery.
(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)
On the whole, the Realme 16 Pro 5G Harry Potter Edition is one of the best limited-edition phones I used. It does a great job reliving the magic of the Wizarding World, and I like the number of accessories Realme included this time around. of course, the result of that is the phone being costlier than the regular model; it costs ₹62,999 ($656) in India, and that’s a considerable hike over what the standard 16 Pro costs in the country. Still, if you’re a Potterhead and want a new phone, it is a great choice.
