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iQOO Z9 Lite 5G Review: iQOO entered the budget 5G smartphone market in 2024 with the iQOO Z9 Lite 5G. The entry-level handset from the Vivo sub-brand aims to offer an alternative to phones like the POCO M6 Pro, Redmi 13C 5G, Samsung Galaxy M14, Realme C65 (among other confusing lineup of Realme and Narzo devices) and more.

But how does the company's first entry-level 5G 2024 device fare in the sea of competition in this price range? To begin with, the phone ships with a Dimensity 6300 processor, a 50MP primary camera, a 5,000mAh battery and an attractive design. However, it does offer some downsides, such as an HD display and slower charging than the competition.

Also Read: iQOO Z9x 5G Review: Silky Performance, Gigantic Battery Pressed In Slim Form Factor

But the question is - are the compromises enough to skip the Z9 Lite 5G? Or do the positives outshine the negatives with a substantial margin to make the iQOO Z9 Lite 5G a value-for-money pick in the sub-Rs 11,000 price range? I will try to answer the question in this review. Let's kick off things with design.

iQOO Z9 Lite 5G in Mocha Brown. (Image:Vikas Yadav/JE)

Design and Build:

Right out of the box, the Z9 Lite 5G will radiate an excellent vibe for the money you will pay. We received the Mocha Brown colour that ships with a shimmery back that negates fingerprints to an exceptional level. The glossy treatment around the camera setup and the golden accents make the device feel one class beyond the competition.

With a thickness of 8.39mm and a flat frame, the Z9 Lite is comfortable to hold. But it does feel slippery without the case. At 185g, the IP64-rated phone is easy to carry in the pocket. I tried it out in light rains in Delhi, and it sailed without issues. A fingerprint sensor and a volume rocker sit on the frame. Unlocking the phone takes about one second with a registered fingerprint most of the time.

iQOO Z9 Lite 5G's side frame and front notch. (Image:Vikas Yadav/JE)

The feedback from these buttons is pretty average. I craved a more tactile response. At the top, the speaker offers Dynamic Audio '150%' Volume Boost with decent loudness and clarity. A 3.5mm jack and USB-C port sits at the bottom. You can expand the storage via a microSD insert inside the SIM tray. To close this section, the Z9 Lite offers a practical design with all the necessary ports.

Display:

The Z9 Lite 5G gets a 6.56-inch 90Hz LCD 720p screen with 840nits brightness in HBM mode and a water-drop notch. While I noticed the soft text and icons because of frequent to-and-fro across premium and mid-range phones, this might not be a problem for people who rarely switch smartphones. However, note the competition offers an FHD screen and a higher refresh rate.

iQOO Z9 Lite's Display (Image:Vikas Yadav/JE)

Considering LCD standards, the screen produces good colours and decent details in videos and images. As for multimedia, the playback is restricted to 1440p on YouTube and lacks HDR. But I won't complain considering the price. While video playback is smooth, the brightness is average in broad sunlight.

To sum up, the face of the Z9 Lite offers an average experience, at best. It leaves room for improvements in sectors like resolution, bezels and camera notch. However, a lower refresh rate translates into extended battery backup on the device. But, if you can live with the compromised aesthetics, the display packs nearly 80 per cent of the bells and whistles compared to the competition.

iQOO Z9 Lite 5G's display in sunlight. (Image:Vikas Yadav/JE)

Performance:

iQOO Z9 Lite 5G sports an octa-core Dimensity 6300 chipset. In day-to-day performance, the experience feels snappy. Forcing the refresh rate to 90Hz can be better for a smoother experience and reducing minor jitters while multitasking. App opening and switching across them is well-managed by the MediaTek processor. As for gaming, you can play lite titles without any problems. But do not expect it to be a gaming beast.

The graphics turn sub-optimal if you switch gears to heavy ones like Asphalt Legends Unite, NFS No Limits and more. However, the gameplay is smooth and one of the best in this price slot. The good part is that the temperature mostly remains under 40 degrees while stressing the device during benchmarks and gaming. Here are the benchmark scores of the Z9 Lite 5G.

iQOO Z9 Lite benchmark scores. (Image:JE)

As for calling and data, the experience was largely seamless. The earpiece is placed slightly off-centre on the right. While call quality is flawless, I felt the phone switched to 4G+ more than usual, considering my experience with my previous primary driver. However, the experience largely remained similar. Meanwhile, I did not face any issues with Wi-Fi 5 or Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity.

Software:

The device runs on Funtouch OS 14 based on Android 14. While you can expect spammy notifications and bloatware apps out of the box, the experience is still improved than the Android 13-based offerings I have tested in the past. Plus, you can disable/uninstall most bloatware apps and turn off notifications from the settings or during the setup process.

Beyond this, the experience is well-optimised and I did not notice any bugs in the OS. Be it navigating across the UI or switching apps, the Z9 Lite 5G does not show any signs of its budget character provided you don't stress its storage and play heavy games. As for customisations, you can customise the lock screen, colours of app icons and Dynamic Effects.

Funtouch OS 14 on iQOO Z9 Lite. (Image:Vikas Yadav/JE)

Plus, Funtouch OS bring Mini Window, Split-Screen, Hidden Photos, Game Mode, App Retainer and a native dialer app among other handy features. If you want a cleaner experience, you may have to opt for Samsung or Motorola offerings. For the rest, the OS should not be an issue if you can remap the settings and toggles in your favour.

Battery and Charging:

iQOO Z9 Lite 5G sports a 5,000mAh battery with 15W charging. A 100 per cent boost can easily last for about one day with light to medium usage. I consistently received a screen-on time of 8 hours (even nine hours in some instances) with the device. The usage revolved around watching videos, playing games, scrolling social media, running benchmark tests, answering cellular calls and more with Wi-Fi connected.

iQOO Z9 Lite 5G ships with a 15W charger in the box. (Image:Vikas Yadav/JE)

Once you run out of power, you can use the in-box charger to recharge the battery. It takes about 2 hours and 40 minutes to move the percentage from 0 to 100 again. This appears significantly slower than the rivals that offer 33W charging. However, I will still consider the device's battery a strong positive due to its longer backup.

Camera:

The budget offering gets a 50MP primary and a 2MP bokeh camera on the rear. It captures good colours and decent details in daylight. The HDR processing is effective in photos but irregular in videos. In most cases, it captures saturated hues (which appear social media-ready) and tends to oversharpen the output. As for dull lighting conditions and low light, the images do get soft with some levels of noise kicking in.

Surprisingly, 2X shots offer good details and can significantly zoom into the subject while keeping the focus and details intact. On the front, the handset offers an 8MP selfie shooter which can capture decent selfies in daylight. While colours are accurate, you cannot expect pinpoint details due to the low megapixel count. Both front and rear sensors can shoot 1080p at 30 FPS footage.