The Realme P1 Speed was recently launched in India as a performance-centric phone at an affordable price. Its competitor – the iQOO Z9, is among the most popular phones in the sub-Rs 20,000 segment as it offers a great balance between performance, cameras, and battery life. In this guide, let’s compare the Realme P1 Speed and iQOO Z9 side-by-side to see which device is a good fit for you.
The base variant of the iQOO Z9 is priced Rs 500 higher, but the top-end variant of the Realme P1 Speed offers more RAM capacity. However, the price difference between the two phones is almost negligible. With bank offers, you can get either of the two phones for as little as Rs 16,999.
The Realme P1 Speed is sold on Flipkart, while the iQOO Z9 is available on Amazon. These phones are also available in select offline stores across India.
Realme P1 Speed vs iQOO Z9: Design
The Realme P1 Speed has a feather-inspired design on the back panel. It has a large dial-shaped camera module adding a premium finish. The phone weighs 185 grams and has an IP65 rating for dust and water resistance. It comes in Brushed Blue and Textured Aluminium colours.
The iQOO Z9 has a similar pattern-like design on the back. The phone has flat edges and the camera module has a plastic casing around the lenses which offers a sleek finish. It weighs 188 grams and comes with an IP54 rating. The device is available in Brushed Green and Graphene Blue colour options.
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The Realme P1 Speed offers a more premium device, which is similar to its number series, and even the OnePlus 12. However, design is subjective to personal choice. But, Realme has a major lead here as it offers a better water resistance rating compared to the iQOO Z9.
Realme P1 Speed vs iQOO Z9: Display
The Realme P1 Speed comes with a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2400×1080. This panel has a 120Hz refresh rate and supports peak brightness of up to 2000 nits. However, the company has not specified any special screen protection.
The iQOO Z9 features a 6.67-inch OLED display with a Full HD+ resolution of 2400×1080 pixels. The refresh rate is 120Hz, but the peak brightness is rated for up to 1800 nits. This screen is covered with Dragontrail Star 2 Plus glass for added durability.
While the panel type, resolution, and refresh rate are the same on both phones, the Realme P1 Speed supports higher peak brightness, which is useful outdoors. But the iQOO Z9 jumps back with its Dragontrail glass protection making it a more suitable choice.
Realme P1 Speed vs iQOO Z9: Processor
The Realme P1 Speed is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy processor. It is paired with the Mali-G615 MC2 GPU. It also has a vapour cooling system to keep the phone cool while gaming. The phone supports 60fps gaming in BGMI, CODM, and other games.
The iQOO Z9 has the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 processor, along with the Mali-G610 MC4 GPU. The phone has a Liquid Cooling System to dissipate heat. It also has support for 60fps gaming.
The Dimensity 7200 is a comparatively better processor as it is based on ARMv9 cores, compared to the ARMv8 cores on the Dimensity 7300 Energy. However, the performance difference is just around 10%, which can make a difference in gaming. Both phones can be equally good for daily usage, the the iQOO Z9 will have a slight edge in gaming. However, we haven’t compared the real-world and benchmarks of both phones yet.
It is worth noting that the Realme P1 Speed offers a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is NOT present on the iQOO Z9. This can be a key differentiating factor for hardcore gamers. However, the Realme P1 Speed supports USB-C audio, and normal earphones can be used with a dongle. Both phones have stereo loudspeakers.
Realme P1 Speed vs iQOO Z9: Software
The Realme P1 Speed runs Realme UI 5.0 based on Android 14. It is rated with TUV Rheinland Lag-Free mobile gaming certification. The device also has a special GT Mode for gaming which minimizes background tasks for higher fps. Realme has assured two major Android updates and three years of security patches.
The iQOO Z9 comes with FunTouch OS 14 based on Android 14. It also has special gaming features such as Motion Control and 4D vibration. The phone is eligible for two Android updates and three years of security patches, as per iQOO.
The software update cycle is the same for both phones. Hence, you can make your choice based on your preference between Realme UI and FunTouch OS. Both user interfaces offer unique gaming features and lots of customization options for regular usage.
Realme P1 Speed vs iQOO Z9: Cameras
The Realme P1 Speed has a triple rear camera setup. It includes a 50MP f/1.8 primary sensor, a 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor, and a third flicker sensor. The device supports video recording up to 4K 30fps with gyro-based EIS. The selfie camera is a 16MP f/2.4 sensor.
The iQOO Z9 has dual rear cameras. It has a 50MP f/1.8 primary sensor with OIS. The secondary camera is a 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor. The device supports video recording up to 4K 30fps with both OIS and EIS support. The rear camera comes with a special Moon mode. There is a 16MP front snapper with an f/2.0 sensor.
Although both phones offer a similar resolution camera setup, the iQOO Z9 comes with OIS support, which is helpful for quickly taking images while moving, and in low-light situations. It also has a wider aperture for the front camera. Hence, the iQOO Z9 has an edge over the Realme P1 Speed in terms of cameras.
Realme P1 Speed vs iQOO Z9: Battery and Charging
The Realme P1 Speed is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery. It supports 45W wired fast charging, and the fast charger is included with the box.
The iQOO Z9 features a 5,000mAh battery. It is compatible with 44W fast charging. Vivo has bundled a 44W charger with the device.
The Realme P1 Speed and the iQOO Z9 both have the same battery capacity and similar charging speeds. Hence, you can pick either of the two phones based on other specifications, without worrying about the battery.
Realme P1 Speed vs iQOO Z9: Verdict
The Realme P1 Speed offers an excellent OLED display, good cameras, a large-capacity battery, and an assured software update cycle of up to three years. It only has a major edge in water resistance with its IP65 rating, compared to IP54 on the iQOO Z9.
The iQOO Z9 matches the specifications of the Realme P1 Speed head-to-toe. It also offers a comparatively better chipset and the rear camera also has support for OIS. Both phones also have 5G connectivity.
The iQOO Z9 is an overall better package than the Realme P1 Speed as it provides slight improvements. Unless the price difference between the two is more than Rs 3,000, it makes sense to pick the iQOO Z9 over the Realme P1 Speed. You can read our detailed review of the iQOO Z9 here.
