iQOO Z9 Review: Priced Just Right

iQOO’s latest contender in sub-Rs 25,000 space, the iQOO Z9, is one of the biggest pricing masterstrokes I’ve seen in a long time. A look at the spec sheet reveals it’s a typical iQOO device — it’s performance-centric and offers a day-long battery life with fast charging. But, a deeper dive into it reveals a whole different perspective — it wants to be the worst nightmare of Nothing Phone (2a). It’s got a great primary camera, and the best part? Pricing. It’s about four grand cheaper. So is it worth a shot? Find out in our review.

iQOO Z9 Review: Performance and software

The Dimensity 7200 is a tried and tested powerhouse, and it powers several other Vivo and iQOO phones. Don’t make the mistake of confusing it with the Dimensity 7200 Pro, which is a slightly tweaked version of the chipset found at the heart of the Nothing Phone (2a). Further, the RAM and storage types of the two phones are also identical.

Despite having a non-Pro chipset, the iQOO Z9 performs slightly better in benchmarks.

But, the difference isn’t that huge. We also gamed extensively on the Z9, and here are our observations:

iQOO has worked to make the software more acceptable to general audiences, especially at this price. Visually, not much has changed, it’s still FuntouchOS, and there’s still some bloat in the form of Hot Apps and Hot Games.

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But, they have included a new master switch within the Vivo Store settings, which lets you turn off the Hot Apps and Hot Games folders with a single tap. I like that. While I prefer Phone (2a)’s clean UI, kudos to iQOO for finally delivering a long-requested feature.

iQOO Z9 Review: Camera

While the iQOO Z9’s focus seems to be on gaming, they have also upped the ante on camera. There’s a 50-megapixel Sony IMX882 shooter with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) at the helm of the camera module. Wondering where have we seen that? In the Realme 12 Pro series. But, don’t get your hopes up too high, the secondary camera isn’t an ultrawide — it’s a depth sensor.

iQOO took us to Udaipur to try out the Z9’s camera system. We have previously written about our experience with it, but to put it simply:

• Daytime photography is good. Photos are sharp, skin tone and texture look natural.
• The dynamic range is also decent. We were able to click some good shots with harsh backlight.
• For the price, portrait photography is also acceptable. Yes, sometimes the effect isn’t applied quite right on finer elements of a subject, such as individual strands of hair.
• Low-light performance is a mixed bag. It is particularly good at controlling noise and ensuring that the night sky appears dark and not bright (something that other competitors often do). But, the shutter lag, or the time taken to register your tap on the shutter button in a dimly lit environment, can be frustrating at times.
• We were particularly impressed by the video chops of the rear camera system. You can record super stable 4K videos with good noise reduction. This requires some serious computing prowess, and for that, credit goes to the Dimensity 7200 powering the phone.

iQOO Z9 Review: Display

A 6.67-inch 120Hz AMOLED display lights up the front of the iQOO Z9. This is pretty much what you’d expect from a phone of this price. But when you compare it with its predecessor, you immediately start seeing everything in a new light. It’s a much larger, faster and brighter display this time around, and if you enjoyed using the Z7, you should definitely consider this as a valuable upgrade.

The content viewing experience is good, the colours are punchy and vibrant and the contrast is representative of a typical AMOLED panel, with true blacks.

But, I wish outdoor legibility, especially in harsh sunlight, could have been better.

iQOO Z9 Review: Battery and charging

Here’s another area where the iQOO Z9 punches beyond its weight class. With around eight hours of screen-on time, the iQOO Z7 manages to improve on its predecessor, which was any way in the top echelon of its price tier. It manages to last a day with ease, and on several occasions, it could pull out a few more hours on the second day as well.

However, the charging speeds have remained unchanged. The iQOO Z9 takes about one hour and 15 minutes for a full charge from a dead battery.

iQOO Z9 Review: Design

iQOO has tried to add a touch of youthfulness to the rear design of the phone by introducing a new feather finish on a striking green colour. I’ll be honest here, it still looks a tad bit bland, especially in front of the rather spicy Nothing Phone (2a). I’m not implying everybody loves the Phone (2a) design, I’m just saying that it’s genuinely unique.

I don’t have anything against the plastic design and frame, very rarely do we get to see glass and metal at this price. But I think it’s time to think beyond just adding a new texture or colour to the rear. There’s also IP rating here, and that’s a huge plus for a phone at this price.

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While I found Z9’s predecessor “cute to hold” because of its smaller size, I understand the general appeal of a larger display. But, I am not the biggest fan of jumping a continent every time I have to reach the corner of a display.

But, I’m all gaga about the presence of a dual speaker setup here – it’s loud, clear and helps with gaming massively.

iQOO Z9: Verdict

If you have a strict budget of Rs 20,000 to buy a power-packed phone, the iQOO Z9 should be on the top of your hotlist. There are very few options in the market that come to satisfy the core needs of a buyer at this price. The Z9 nails the performance, display and battery departments, the three main pillars of a budget smartphone. Its primary sensor definitely qualifies as a mid-range camera champ, given the price.

There are a few things that I feel are in a grey area. For instance, while I did miss an ultrawide here, the primary camera did its duties fairly well. I also dig the inclusion of a bloat-removal master switch, but I wish there were a few “quality of life” widgets that could add a personal touch to the user experience.

Over its predecessor, the Z9 seems to be a night and day difference. Against the competition, it has a clear lead in terms of performance.

So, for now, it is clear that the iQOO Z9 will make gamers and power-hungry users on a budget very, very happy.