iQOO 13 vs iQOO 12: Which Offers Better Value-for-Money Flagship Experience?

The iQOO 13 is now also available in offline markets, making it easier for customers who prefer to buy phones in stores.

iQOO 13 vs iQOO 12: Build and Design

The design has not changed much between the two generations of the iQOO flagships. Both devices have a glass back panel with an aluminium frame. The curvature of the back is also similar, and the weight difference of six grams is almost unnoticeable. The phones feel premium and solid in hand and have an even weight distribution.

The iQOO 13 gets a huge visual upgrade as it features a new Halo Light around the camera module. It can be customised from the settings to glow RGB and custom light effects. It adds a unique look, which is unmatched by any other flagship. Nothing and ASUS ROG devices do come close, but the overall design language of the iQOO 13 adds a unique touch to these lights.

The iQOO 13 now also supports an IP68+IP69 rating for water resistance, which means you can use your phone near a swimming pool, in the rain, or other moist areas. To recall, the iQOO 12 was limited to just IP64. So, overall, the iQOO 13 is a better pick here.

iQOO 13 vs iQOO 12: Display

While the iQOO 13 has a sharper 2K resolution screen, the difference is not as noticeable in daily usage as the 1.5K display on the iQOO 12 is adequately sharp. Both devices produce excellent colours with deep blacks and ample amounts of saturation.

The screen curvature is also similar on the two phones and is very subtle. It adds a premium touch but is not as edgy as the OnePlus 12. If you close your eyes and feel the screens of both phones in hand, you won’t be able to differentiate between them.

The iQOO 13 have some extra features such as Eye Care protection and TUV Rheinland certification, making it a better choice. But, these are nifty additions that help your experience in the longer run and are not easily noticeable at first glance.

iQOO 13 vs iQOO 12: Performance

The iQOO 13 features the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, making it almost 40% faster than the iQOO 12 with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It supports 120fps gaming in BGMI and Call of Duty Mobile, and the device performed extremely well in our testing. However, the back panel gets significantly warm after a while and can get uncomfortable for some users. But the phone does not show any signs of thermal throttling or a drop in performance.

While the iQOO 12 is almost a generation older, it remains a capable flagship. The device also supports 120fps gaming and continues to deliver stellar performance. It becomes less hot than the iQOO 13 but this could also be due to all the updates it has received over the last year.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite is almost 40% more powerful than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. This is also evident from benchmarks. However, the iQOO 13 scored slightly lower in AnTuTu benchmarks compared to its competitor Realme GT 7 Pro (2,799,236). Hence, we can expect the performance of the iQOO 13 to improve further with software updates, on top of the upgrade between the two processors.

The iQOO 13 and iQOO 12 both are excellent phones for daily usage, and you will not face any lags or stutters. The latest flagship does deliver higher numbers in benchmarks, but the same difference cannot be said for gaming.

iQOO 13 vs iQOO 12: Software

The iQOO 13’s UI is smooth and offers plenty of customisation options with themes. It also has some bloatware apps but they can be uninstalled easily. The iQOO 13 has support for Circle to Search, which serves as a convenient feature for quickly making a web search.

The iQOO 12 is expected to get the Android 15 soon as per the official schedule. The update will bring support for Circle to Search on the phone.

The biggest difference between the two devices is the software update cycle. The iQOO 13 will receive four major Android updates and five years of security patches, making it eligible for up to Android 19. The iQOO 12 will only receive three Android updates and four years of security patches and will be limited to Android 17. So if you want to enjoy the latest features for a longer duration, the iQOO 13 will suit you better.

The faster and more powerful NPU on the Snapdragon 8 Elite of the iQOO 13 also means that it will be able to perform better for upcoming AI features launched in both Funtouch OS and third-party apps.

iQOO 13 vs iQOO 12: Cameras

In our testing, the iQOO 13 captured excellent images in daylight with the primary camera. The photos were sharp and the colour tones were closer to real life. The dynamic range was impressive while taking pictures of the sky. While the telephoto lens has been shrunk to 2x optical zoom, it works perfectly for portrait images. The device also captures bright photos during the night, but some improvement is expected with updates.

iQOO 13 camera samples

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The iQOO 12 has an equally good camera with a similar camera setup. It captures a good amount of details in good lighting conditions, and the post-processing has improved with updates. The telephoto lens has a great zooming range and clicks sharp images. In low-light conditions, the iQOO 12 struggles a bit and there are some noticeable artefacts throughout the image.

iQOO 12 camera samples

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The iQOO 13 performs better in low-light conditions. The upgraded camera setup is already doing good, but we expect it to improve with upcoming updates. So, the iQOO 13 makes more sense.

iQOO 13 vs iQOO 12: Battery and Charging

The iQOO 13 consistently gave us a screen-on time of around 6 hours. The battery drain is significant during gaming; it consumes almost 25% of power in an hour. The charging speed is quick, so you can quickly refill the tank to resume gaming.

The iQOO 12 also gave us an average screen-on time of around six hours. The battery drain in gaming is similar, and you can expect a gaming session of around four hours on a full charge. The charging speed is the same (slightly faster than the iQOO 13), but not by a huge margin.

While the iQOO 13 has a significantly larger capacity battery, the higher resolution screen and the more powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset mean that the overall battery life is almost the same as the iQOO 12. Both phones have a fast charger included in the box.

iQOO 13 vs iQOO 12: Verdict

The iQOO 13 is indeed the latest and the greatest device from the brand. It offers significant upgrades such as a higher resolution screen, the latest Qualcomm chip, an improved camera setup, and a larger capacity battery. iQOO has managed to deliver this package with a price hike of just Rs 2,000, retaining the flagship title at an aggressive price point.

The iQOO 12 is not that far behind and continues to remain a promising flagship phone. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 can easily handle 120fps gaming, and the device will serve you well for the next 2-3 years.

If you already have an iQOO 12, it’s not worth upgrading. Not because the iQOO 13 has any flaws, but because the iQOO 12 is still a solid phone. If you are looking to purchase a new flagship phone, it’s worth spending the extra Rs 2,000 and getting the iQOO 13.

You can also read our full review of the iQOO 13 and the iQOO 12.