The momentum that iQOO gained with the release of their flagship smartphone, the iQOO 12, in late 2023 carried over to their entire lineup in 2024. One standout product from last year was the Neo 7 Pro, which prompted iQOO to waste no time in announcing its successor, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro. This new device aims to provide flagship-level performance at an affordable price. However, is it just a marketing gimmick, or does it truly deliver an exceptional experience? Let’s find out in our comprehensive review.
iQOO Neo 9 Pro Design
The iQOO Neo 9 Pro, which succeeds the Neo 7 Pro, offers a fresh and updated design. It combines aesthetics with user comfort by providing two material finishes: a standard glass-like finish and a dual-tone leather finish. In this review, we will focus on the vegan leather option, which offers a more subtle elegance and improved grip, appealing to those who prioritize practicality.
To maintain a manageable weight, iQOO has chosen a functional plastic frame, although it may lack a premium feel. The camera module on the back panel follows a “Squircle” design language, seamlessly blending with the panel and minimizing any potential camera bump. Overall, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro feels solidly built and sturdy.
The placement of ports and buttons is straightforward. The power and volume buttons are located on the right side of the phone, while the SIM card tray and USB-C charging port can be found at the bottom. The top of the phone features an IR blaster and a secondary microphone. The phone has a water splash resistance rating, meaning it can endure some splashes, but it is not suitable for submersion in water.
iQOO Neo 9 Pro Display
The iQOO Neo 9 Pro boasts a spacious 6.78-inch AMOLED display with minimal bezels, maximizing the screen space. The display seamlessly blends with the frame, creating a cohesive and visually pleasing look. In terms of performance, the panel is of exceptional quality and is on par with the iQOO 12 flagship smartphone. The display truly shines in auto brightness mode, especially when used outdoors in bright sunlight. Users have the option to select from three color modes – Standard, Pro, and Bright, with Standard being the default setting.
When it comes to streaming HDR content, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro provides a delightful experience. The phone excels at striking a balance between colors and brightness in dynamic scenes. Gaming is incredibly smooth, thanks to the Q1 chip, allowing popular titles to be played at a stunning 144fps. Colors truly come to life in HDR10+, and the 144Hz refresh rate ensures buttery smooth performance whether browsing or engaging in intense battles. Additionally, the dynamic refresh rate can drop to 1Hz to preserve battery life when reading.
iQOO Neo 9 Pro Software & UI
The iQOO Neo 9 Pro is powered by Android 14 with Funtouch OS 14. The latest version of Funtouch OS 14 has a sleek and modern appearance, with a consistent design throughout. Gone are the cluttered days – this version features a clean design with a touch of Material You. iQOO is confident in their software, offering 3 years of Android updates and 4 years of security patches.
While bloatware is minimal, there are still a few pre-installed apps (fortunately, they can be uninstalled). In addition, Vivo’s Jovi Home and their own dialer/SMS app are included instead of Google’s defaults. However, don’t worry, new users! Funtouch OS 14 will feel familiar as it incorporates elements from other popular custom UIs, making it an easy transition. Funtouch OS 14 delivers smooth performance, visually appealing graphics, and improved multitasking to enhance your productivity. There are plenty of customization options available, from dynamic Kinetic wallpapers to customizable lock screen clocks.
iQOO Neo 9 Pro Performance
The iQOO Neo 9 Pro is positioned as a performance powerhouse, with the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC at its core. During our review, the phone performed well in various settings, effortlessly handling everyday tasks and gaming. We experienced fluidity and encountered no lag or overheating issues.
However, where the iQOO Neo 9 Pro truly shines is in its gaming capabilities. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, paired with the phone’s Adreno 740 GPU, is a dream team for gamers. We tested the phone with a variety of graphically intensive titles, including Genshin Impact, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Asphalt 9: Legends. In all cases, the phone delivered smooth frame rates and stunning visuals, even on the highest graphics settings. The phone effectively managed thermals as well, avoiding excessive overheating during extended gaming sessions.
Before discussing battery performance, it’s important to mention the haptics used by iQOO. Our only complaint is about the placement of the in-display fingerprint scanner, which is located too low and makes it inconvenient to reach when using the phone with one hand.
Moving on to battery life, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro is equipped with a 5,160mAh cell that easily lasts for a day. There is no need to worry about battery life with this phone, even on days with heavy use. We managed to achieve over 7 hours of screen-on-time (SoT) with mixed usage. When it comes to charging, the phone supports Vivo’s 120W charging technology, allowing the battery to be fully charged in under 30 minutes. It’s worth mentioning that iQOO is using a new type of battery chemistry that is said to last for 2 years without showing any signs of degradation. We expect to see this on a number of Vivo/iQOO smartphones coming out this year.
iQOO Neo 9 Pro Camera
The camera system of the iQOO Neo 9 Pro has its strengths and weaknesses. While it excels in certain areas, there is still room for improvement in others.
The camera user interface (UI) is similar to other phones running Funtouch OS and offers a variety of features such as AR stickers, Pro Sports mode, long exposure, 50MP mode, supermoon, Astro, fisheye, and more. A new addition this year is the option to choose a photo style, with three options available: Vivid, Textured, and Natural. Vivid mode produces highly saturated photos, perfect for sharing on social media. Textured mode adds a gritty texture and a vignette effect to photos. During our review, we found ourselves mostly preferring either the Natural or Vivid mode.
The standout feature is the 50MP primary sensor. This Sony IMX920 sensor has a large size (1/1.49-inch) and captures detailed and well-lit photos in daylight conditions. Colors appear vibrant and true-to-life, and the autofocus system is generally fast and accurate. The portrait mode with the primary sensor is also impressive, delivering a pleasing bokeh effect that effectively blurs the background while keeping the subject sharp.
However, the camera system of the iQOO Neo 9 Pro struggles a bit in low-light conditions. While noise reduction algorithms help to some extent, photos taken in low light can show noticeable noise when zoomed in. This is particularly true for the 8MP ultra-wide sensor, which feels like a missed opportunity. The ultra-wide sensor captures a wider field of view but lacks the detail and sharpness of the primary sensor, especially in low-light scenarios.
The 16MP front-facing camera takes acceptable selfies in good lighting conditions. However, compared to some competitor phones, it may lack detail and sharpness.
iQOO Neo 9 Pro Pros & Cons:
Pros:
- Superb Performance
- Blazing Fast Charging
- Lovely Display
Cons:
- Average Audio Quality
- Average Build
- UI is not smooth enough
- Average Secondary Cameras
iQOO Neo 9 Pro Review – The Verdict
The iQOO Neo 9 Pro is a strong contender in the mid-range smartphone market, offering high-performance thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. It effortlessly handles everyday tasks, supports smooth multitasking, and can even handle demanding games. The device also features a capable display and long-lasting battery life.
However, it’s important to note that the iQOO Neo 9 Pro does have its downsides, such as certain design choices and average camera performance.
So, who would benefit from the iQOO Neo 9 Pro? If you’re a gamer or someone who values top-notch performance at an affordable price, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro is definitely worth considering.
