iQOO, the sub-brand of vivo, has launched its latest smartphone series in China, the iQOO Neo 9 and the iQOO Neo 9 Pro. These devices are aimed at the mid-range segment, but they offer some flagship-level specs and features that make them stand out from the crowd. In this blog, we will take a look at what the iQOO Neo 9 series has to offer, and whether they are worth buying.
Design and Display
The iQOO Neo 9 series has a premium design, with a metal frame and a leather or glass back. The phones come in three color options: Red, Blue, and Black. The Red variant has a unique dual-tone design, with a white stripe on the left side. The phones also have a dual rear camera setup, with a Neo branding below the lenses. The phones have a 6.78-inch 1.5K OLED display, with a resolution of 3200×1440 pixels and a 144Hz refresh rate. The display also supports HDR10+, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, and 2160Hz high-frequency PWM dimming. The display has a punch-hole cutout on the top left corner, which houses the 16MP selfie camera.
Performance and Battery
The iQOO Neo 9 series has two different chipsets, depending on the model. The iQOO Neo 9 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, which is the latest flagship processor from Qualcomm, based on the 4nm process. The iQOO Neo 9 Pro is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 SoC, which is the latest flagship processor from MediaTek, based on the 5nm process. Both chipsets are capable of delivering excellent performance, with support for 5G, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.2. The phones also have a dedicated Q1 chip, which is a display driver chip designed by vivo to enhance the gaming experience. The Q1 chip can automatically adjust the refresh rate and the brightness of the display, according to the game being played. The Q1 chip also supports 135 games available in China, and can improve the loading speed and the frame rate of the games.
The iQOO Neo 9 series has various memory and storage options, ranging from 12GB to 16GB of RAM, and from 256GB to 1TB of internal storage. The phones also support UFS 3.1 and LPDDR5 technologies, for faster data transfer and lower power consumption. The phones have a 5160mAh battery, which supports 120W wired fast charging. The fast charging can charge the phones from 0 to 100% in just 15 minutes, which is very impressive. The phones also support reverse charging, which can charge other devices via a USB-C cable.
Camera and Software
The iQOO Neo 9 series has a dual rear camera setup, which consists of a 50MP Sony IMX920 primary sensor, and an 8MP ultra-wide-angle sensor. The primary sensor has optical image stabilization (OIS), and can record 8K videos at 30fps, or 4K videos at 60fps. The ultra-wide-angle sensor has a 120-degree field of view, and can capture more scenery in one shot. The phones also have a 16MP selfie camera, which can record 1080p videos at 30fps, or 720p videos at 60fps. The phones have various camera modes and features, such as night mode, portrait mode, panorama mode, slow motion mode, time-lapse mode, and pro mode.
The iQOO Neo 9 series runs on Android 14, with Funtouch OS 12.5 on top. Funtouch OS is the custom skin of vivo, which offers a smooth and user-friendly interface, with various customization options and features. Some of the features include multi-turbo, game space, smart scene, ultra game mode, and Jovi assistant.
Price and Availability
The iQOO Neo 9 series has been launched in China, and the prices are as follows:
- iQOO Neo 9 (12GB+256GB): CNY 3,499 (approx. Rs. 40,000)
- iQOO Neo 9 (16GB+256GB): CNY 3,799 (approx. Rs. 43,500)
- iQOO Neo 9 (16GB+512GB): CNY 4,099 (approx. Rs. 47,000)
- iQOO Neo 9 (16GB+1TB): CNY 4,999 (approx. Rs. 57,000)
- iQOO Neo 9 Pro (12GB+256GB): CNY 3,699 (approx. Rs. 42,000)
- iQOO Neo 9 Pro (16GB+256GB): CNY 3,999 (approx. Rs. 45,500)
- iQOO Neo 9 Pro (16GB+512GB): CNY 4,299 (approx. Rs. 49,000)
- iQOO Neo 9 Pro (16GB+1TB): CNY 5,199 (approx. Rs. 59,000)
The iQOO Neo 9 series will go on sale in China from December 31, 2023. There is no official word on the global availability of the phones, but some reports suggest that they might launch in India soon.
Conclusion
The iQOO Neo 9 series is a very impressive smartphone series, which offers some flagship-level specs and features, at a mid-range price. The phones have a premium design, a stunning display, a powerful performance, a fast charging battery, and a decent camera. The phones also have a dedicated Q1 chip, which enhances the gaming experience. The iQOO Neo 9 series is a great choice for anyone who wants a high-end smartphone, without spending too much. Thank you for reading
Please note that these specifications are based on the information available as of now and could be subject to change upon the official release. Stay tuned for the official launch for the most accurate details.