IQOO Neo 9 Pro 5G Review: Best Flagship Killer?

We’re gonna be brutally honest with you guys, the IQOO smartphones are currently extremely high in demand especially for gaming as they provide good specs under low price segment plus the Neo series is surely exciting as they indeed provide great performance. The IQOO neo 9 Pro was recently released and fortunately, we were able to get our hands on it, we then ran the IQOO neo 9 Pro through some tests to see how it holds up.

If you’re someone looking to purchase a new Android phone for daily use or gaming then hold up! and check out our review of the IQOO neo 9 Pro to see if this smartphone fits all your needs. We can assure you that once you reach the end of this article, you’ll have a better knowledge of this staggering smartphone. Sit back, chill out, and let us quickly dive in on our review.

IQOO Neo 9 Pro’s Specifications

Given that Iqoo operates under Vivo’s umbrella, it’s not surprising that the Neo 9 Pro shares the same software package as current-generation Vivo smartphones. It runs on FunTouch OS 14, based on Android 14, with some tweaks tailored to Iqoo’s gaming-centric approach. While FunTouch OS has its quirks, overall it benefits from Android 14’s standardized platform.

The Iqoo Neo 9 Pro boasts the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, paired with LPDDR5X RAM (8GB/12GB) and UFS 4.0 storage (256GB). It also offers an extended RAM feature, allowing for up to 12GB of additional RAM borrowed from storage, claimed to support up to 46 background apps simultaneously. The device includes the SuperComputing Chip Q1, designed to enhance performance in popular mobile games like Genshin Impact and BGMI, with features such as a 144Hz refresh rate, improved resolution, and more.

Key specifications include dual-SIM (nano) with 5G support, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 7, and a 5160mAh battery with USB Type-C charging. Notably, there’s no wireless charging or eSIM support, positioning it slightly below the flagship IQOO 12.

The review unit, priced at ₹39,999, comes in a 12GB/256GB variant, while an 8GB/256GB variant is available for ₹37,999, and an 8GB/128GB variant which is supposed to launch on March 21 for ₹35,999.

IQOO Neo 9 Pro’s Design

Depending on your preference, the Iqoo Neo 9 Pro offers either a glass or vegan leather rear panel. The Fiery Red variant has 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, featuring a flat AMOLED display and red-colored flat edges with a matte finish resistant to fingerprint smudges.

The center-aligned selfie camera resides within a hole punch cutout at the screen’s top. A thin plastic scratch protector comes pre-applied to the display. On the back, you’ll find a vertical dual rear camera setup positioned at the top left, encircled by a metallic ring. Specifically, the Fiery Red model boasts a vegan leather rear panel.

An Iqoo logo sits modestly at the screen’s bottom, while the terms “Neo” and “Power to Win” are subtly embossed beneath the rear camera on the white vegan leather, devoid of additional branding elsewhere on the device.

The rear panel offers a blend of white and red hues, providing a soft tactile experience. However, its light tones make it prone to accumulating marks and stains over time, suggesting the use of a transparent case for those wishing to showcase vibrant colors while preserving cleanliness. Despite this, the phone exhibits satisfactory grip, even without the included TPU case.

Must Read: Honor 9XB Review

IQOO Neo 9 Pro’s Display

The Iqoo Neo 9 Pro embraces the enduring trend of large screens, boasting a spacious 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a crisp 2800×1260-pixel resolution. While its refresh rate can surge to 144Hz during gaming, it typically maxes out at 120Hz for regular use and drops to a mere 1Hz for the always-on screen feature. Under specific conditions, screen brightness can peak at an impressive 3000 nits, complemented by HDR10+ support for compatible content.

Adding to its appeal, the device incorporates wet-hand touch technology, enabling accurate touch responses even with moist or sweaty fingertips. Despite its expansive display, the IQOO Neo 9 Pro maintains a sense of compactness, thanks to its slim profile, ergonomic design, and timeless aesthetic. This straightforward and uncomplicated approach aligns well with its price point, appealing to users who value practicality and functionality in their smartphone experience.

IQOO Neo 9 Pro’s Camera

The Iqoo Neo 9 Pro boasts a versatile dual rear camera setup, headlined by a 50-megapixel primary shooter featuring a sizable 1/1.49-inch Sony IMX920 sensor, an f/1.88 aperture, and optical image stabilization (OIS). Accompanying this powerhouse is an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera flaunting an OmniVision OV09D10 sensor with an f/2.2 aperture. For selfie enthusiasts, there’s a 16-megapixel front camera with a Samsung S5K3P9SP04-FGX9 sensor and an f/2.5 aperture.

The device is equipped with a comprehensive camera application, including a Pro mode accessible via a simple swipe on the viewfinder. Additional modes can be found by swiping to a More option. Through extensive testing, I found myself gravitating towards the primary camera for its reliability and considered performance.

Images captured with the 50-megapixel primary camera exhibit exceptional detail, whether at standard 1x magnification or utilizing the inbuilt 2x in-sensor zoom. Outdoors, and colors are rendered accurately, and users can choose between three distinct effects: Vivid, Textured, and Natural, with the latter producing the most pleasing results.

While the ultra-wide-angle camera captures decent images suitable for social media sharing, it falls short in detail and color accuracy compared to the primary camera. Zooming in at 2x retains clarity and sharpness, with a slight softening of distant details.

The primary camera shines in low-light scenarios, delivering impressive detail and brightness, both with and without the dedicated night mode. Portrait shots, available at 1x and 2x zoom, feature a pleasing bokeh effect without visible haloing or blurring.

On the video front, the Iqoo Neo 9 Pro impresses with support for up to 8K resolution at 30fps, without OIS. The 4K/60fps mode offers optimal quality with minimal artifacts, making it a standard choice for videography enthusiasts.

IQOO Neo 9 Pro’s Battery Life

Sporting a robust 5,160 mAh battery, the Iqoo Neo 9 Pro impresses with its commendable on-battery longevity, easily surpassing a day of normal usage and boasting a screen-on time of 7-8 hours. While power-intensive tasks naturally accelerate battery drainage, the device’s inclusion of a 120W charger ensures swift replenishment, with a full charge achieved in approximately 40 minutes, minimizing any downtime. Now let us discuss the Performance that this staggering smartphone provides.

IQOO neo 9 Pro’s Performance

Now the part that the majority of you might be waiting for is the performance of this smartphone, and I’d like to talk about the gaming performance. The Gaming Performance is absolutely insane, we will list down the games at the amount of FPS they provide:

• COD Mobile: 120FPS
• Genshin Impact: 60FPS
• BGMI: 60FPS

The gaming performance is immaculate and the best part is that the device doesn’t get hot easily as it has the biggest vapor cooling chamber plus the Q1 chipset is staggering as it upscales the games and multimedia as well.

You aren’t gonna face any lags while performing daily tasks such as scrolling through Instagram, surfing the internet, listening to music, etc. All these tasks can be done easily on this staggering device.

Over To You

So the IQOO neo 9 Pro is a stunning smartphone and we highly recommend you guys to purchase it as it provides staggering specs and great design that too in a budget segment. This smartphone surely has the potential to hold a spot in one of the best Android phones.

If you guys have any doubts regarding the above information then do let us know i the comments below and our team will get back to you as soon as possible. Till then stay safe!