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iQOO Z9x Review: iQOO, a performance-centric smartphone maker, unveiled the iQOO Z9x 5G in India today. The smartphone is among the company's bet to capture sales in the sub-Rs 15,000 price bracket. It boasts impressive specifications, including a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, a 6,000mAh battery, a 50MP primary camera and an IP64 rating.

At first glance, the smartphone's camera module appears as a blended version of the iQOO 12 and iQOO Neo 9 Pro's design. Under the hood, it gets a range of 'segment-best' specs that stand out while competing with offerings from Samsung, Redmi, Motorola and more. To test how these claims fare in real life, here are my detailed thoughts and the answer to whether you should buy the Z9x.

Also Read: iQOO Z9x Launched In India With Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 Chip; Check Price, Specifications Here

iQOO Z9x Design: 

The budget-centric smartphone sports a plastic back with a matte finish. Despite its shiny texture, it limits fingerprint marks nicely. It gets a dual camera setup and an LED flash in a Porthole-like design (remember iQOO 12's camera module?) with a circular brushed finish. The 'iQOO' branding is etched at the bottom of the rear.

The flat polycarbonate frame houses a USB-C port, headphone jack and speaker at the bottom, a volume and power button (with a fingerprint sensor that works efficiently) on the right and a SIM card tray (that supports up to 1TB microSD card-based expansion) on the left. A centre-punch hole camera sits at the top around slim bezels (decent in this range) on the screen. In all, the Z9x offer decent in-hand feel and well-crafted back to resist smudges.

iQOO Z9x Display: 

The Z9x gets a 6.72-inch 120Hz LCD screen with 1,000nits peak brightness. This display presents decent colours and good sharpness. The hardware ensures a snappy experience across the board while interacting with the display. While expecting deep blacks is not an option, it does get many things right, such as brightness, refresh rate and more.

In direct sunlight, visuals and text (in light mode) are visible adequately at maximum brightness. While the auto-brightness feature is tuned well for most conditions, it did demand manual adjustments outdoors. The refresh rate also complements the experience while using the phone. Most apps support refresh levels from 90 to 120Hz to limit the choppy experience.

iQOO Z9x's display offers sharp details and good colours. (Image:Vikas Yadav/JE)

For buyers who prioritise an OLED panel and can compromise on performance, the Samsung Galaxy M15 or Redmi Note 12 5G could be a better pick. On the other hand, if you can live without inky blacks, the Z9x's display offers sharp details, excellent touch response and a 120Hz refresh rate for a fluid experience for your eyes.

iQOO Z9x Performance: 

The device sports a 4nm octa-core Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, which is significantly faster than the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 and Dimensity 6100+ on paper. In real life, this claim is palpable as the Z9x glides through daily tasks such as calling, random social media scrolling, YouTube videos, multiple tabs in Chrome and more tasks.

But, you should not expect silky smooth multi-tasking while playing resource-intensive games. Despite this, the time-tested chip is arguably one of the best choices in this segment. Gameplay in Asphalt 9: Legends and Modern Combat 5: Mobile FPS was better than expected with default visual presets and 'Monster' mode enabled.

However, increasing FPS, render scale and GFX quality in MC5 to maximum did bring in some jitters. But these are expected considering the mid-range nature of the processor. You can also play around with 'Ultra Game mode' for an improved gaming experience. While the visuals won't be razor-sharp, you can expect a smooth experience at default presets.

The processor can be your best bet because it performs like a chip from a segment above - Dimensty 7050, which is available in phones of over Rs 15,000. The benchmark results below indicate the chip's performance is comparable to the MediaTek offering. It can perform admirably well and destroy its competition under Rs 13,000.

AnTuTu Benchmark, 3DMark and storage test results of the iQOO Z9x. (Image:JE)

To complement the gaming and video streaming experience, Z9x gets stereo speakers with a '300% Immersive Audio Booster'. While the overall output is fine, it bleeds muddy frequencies at 300 per cent volume. Secondly, though the chip ensures smooth frame processing, the Z9x lacks HDR support in 4K videos on YouTube, a con for some.

Also Read: iQOO Z9 5G Review: 'Nothing' To Worry About

iQOO Z9x 5G Software: 

The latest iQOO offering runs on Funtouch OS 14 based on Android 14. Straight out of the package, I would recommend you force the refresh rate to 120Hz from 'Smart Switch', this should iron out the minor jitters (which can be fixed via an OTA update) in exchange for a slight drop in battery backup. Other than that, the UI is well-optimised for the phone.

Bloatware apps like 'Block Blast!', 'Candy Crush Saga' can be uninstalled easily. (Image:Vikas Yadav/JE)

However, if you don't disable marketing toggles during the first setup, spammy notifications, lock screen posters and bloatware will bother you later. While you can easily uninstall bundled apps like Dailyhunt and Facebook, dealing with notifications and utilities like 'Global Search' demands a tough walkaround for beginners.

Beyond the niggles, Vivo's Funtouch OS packs enough elements (Dynamic Effects, home screen customisations, Themes, Split Screen mode and more) to keep your features expedition active for a while. A custom 'Phone' app is among other notable pros of the UI. Hence, if you are not an ardent fan of clean Android, the OS should not be a problem after debloating and turning off marketing toggles/notifications.

The phone runs on Android 14-based Funtouch OS 14. (Image:Vikas Yadav/JE)

iQOO Z9x Battery Life: 

Among the second significant plus, the IP64-rated device gets a 6,000mAh battery that supports 44W FlashCharge, all without burning a massive hole in your wallet. It can be a delight for people who are not into charging phones at regular intervals. Once I charged it in the morning, it got me through the entire day and the next evening with single-digit juice still left. This is insane battery life for what you pay.

My usage revolved around calling, playing games, running benchmarking apps, and scrolling social media with stable internet connectivity.  To add: Be it calling, 5G data or Wi-Fi, I did not face any connectivity issues during my usage. You can expect about two days of battery life and even longer with light usage. Credit where due: the Z9x also displays battery health within Settings.

The Z9x ships with a 44W charging support. (Image:Vikas Yadav/JE)

With the battery being a core positive of the Z9x, fast charging is a bonus. Recharging the battery from 0 to 100 per cent takes about one hour and 40 minutes via the supplied adapter. The percentage peaked at 60 (from 0) in an hour. It is great to see that iQOO pressed the phone below 8mm and maintained 200g weight with the gigantic cell.

Also Read: Lava Blaze Curve 5G Review: Beautifully Crafted Curves That Don't Blaze Your Purse | Should You Buy?

iQOO Z9x Camera: 

The smartphone offers a 50MP primary + 2MP bokeh lens on the rear and an 8MP selfie shooter. You can shoot up to 4k 30fps video from the main lens and 1080p 30fps from the front lens. However, don't expect super steady output. As for images, the 50MP sensor knits good results in daylight. The colours are close to natural, and the details are adequate.

The phone offers a 50MP primary camera with an LED flash. (Image:Vikas Yadav/JE)

At 2x, the output feels artificial if the photo packs complicated textures. Plus, the lack of an ultra-wide lens also is an added con. On top of this, while HDR works fine across most lighting conditions, it did falter occasionally in broad daylight. The front sensor captures decent pictures. However, it does perform some skin smoothening. Despite these two drawbacks, the camera is no slouch if you plan to buy the base trim.

Here are a few camera samples from the iQOO Z9x 5G.