iQOO Z9 5G Review Pros and Cons

In the current budget smartphone market landscape, increased competition is evident. Striving to introduce a device that not only offers commendable performance but also has a capable camera and stylish design is a considerable challenge. Over the past few years, iQOO, a subsidiary of Vivo, has diligently managed to follow this path by offering a mid-budget performance segment under the Z series. Recently, the brand unveiled the iQOO Z9 5G at a price below Rs 20,000 in the Indian market. This begs the question: can the iQOO Z9 5G stand out in such a fiercely contested arena? Let’s dive into a full review of the iQOO Z9 5G to find out:

iQOO Z9 5G Goodbye: Design and build

The iQOO Z9 comes in two distinct color variants. For review purposes, I received the Graphene Blue version, although users also have the option to select the Brushed Green variant. Upon first inspection, the smartphone presents a modest aesthetic appeal, with no immediate impression. The back panel features a matte finish that exhibits a cross pattern in certain lighting conditions.

Located in the upper left corner of the rear panel is the camera module, which stands out for its shiny, glass-like appearance. In the module, two large cutouts are present, accompanied by a pill-shaped LED flash and the inscription “Aspherical Premium Lens”. The iQOO branding is prominently displayed at the bottom of the panel.

Built with a plastic back panel, the device features a metal-finished frame along its edges. On the right edge, users will find the volume buttons and a power button, while the left edge remains unoccupied. The bottom edge hosts a SIM tray, microSD slot, microphone, Type-C port, and speaker grill, while the top edge houses a secondary microphone.

As soon as you turn on the screen, you'll notice that the bezels are sleek, with the ones on the chin being slightly thick. At the top of the screen is a small punch-hole selfie camera.

With its matte finish, the device can easily be held in the hand without a cover. Although there is a protective cover inside the box, putting it on is optional. Although we don't like the color much, the good thing is that the back panel doesn't attract any stains. The smartphone is thin (7.83 mm) and light. At 20k, you also get an IP54 rating against dust and splashes.

Overall, this budget iQOO Z9 5G features a decent design. It might not be the best, but it doesn't feel cheap either. The phone is made of plastic but the build quality is good and the hand feel is also comfortable.

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iQOO Z9 5G Goodbye: Display

So, the iQOO Z9 5G sports a large 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED display right on the front. Compare that to its predecessor, the iQOO Z7, which sported a 6.3-inch display, and you've got a bigger screen to love. But hey, if you were hoping for something more user-friendly, sorry, this one won't cut it. It seems like everyone loves bigger screens these days, with 6.7 inches becoming the new standard.

The iQOO Z9 packs a punch with its 120Hz refresh rate and 1,800 nits peak brightness. It supports HDR support, which means you can watch all those HDR videos on YouTube and Netflix. Colors pop like crazy on this display with its support for 16.7 million colors. Everything looks crisp and vibrant, especially when we launched Netflix with HDR. And don't even get me started on the goodness of AMOLED: it's like watching colors come to life!

But here's the problem with this refresh rate. There are three options to choose from: smart switch, standard (60 Hz), and high (120 Hz). Of course, the High setting is great for a smooth experience, but sometimes it dials down to save battery. It's disappointing, but hey, sacrifices for longer battery life, right?

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iQOO Z9 5G Goodbye: Performance

Alright, let’s talk performance! iQOO didn't mess around with the Z9 5G. They went all out and equipped it with a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 chipset, a step up from its predecessor's Dimensity 920. It is a 4nm chipset, offering good everyday performance. And with 8GB of LPPDR4X RAM and 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage, you've got plenty of room to play. Moreover, with virtual RAM storage, you can even use 8 GB of storage as additional RAM. Need more space? No worries, just insert a microSD card and expand it up to 1TB.

You have phones like the Realme 12+ 5G, Lava Blaze Curve, Redmi Note 13, and Narzo 70 Pro, all fighting for your attention at similar prices. But here's the best part: the iQOO Z9 has a much better SoC, which means you get a lot more bang for your buck. We put this baby through its paces for a week, using it for all our daily tasks like calls, scrolling social media, binge-watching videos, and, of course, some serious gaming. And guess what? Not a single shift in sight.

In everyday life, the device's performance is smooth and it never heats up during use. You can play heavy titles like BGMI and COD comfortably and even after a long gaming session there was only a slight frame drop. This is impressive considering the price of the device. Results of some benchmark tests are shared below.

iQOO Z9 5G runs FunTouch OS 14 based on Android 14 out of the box. iQOO has promised two years of software updates and three years of security patches with the smartphone. I don't like FunTouch OS very much but it is easy to use. There is a certain amount of bloatware like on other smartphones, as apps like DailyHunt, Netflix, Linked In and Snapchat come pre-installed, but these can be removed if you don't want them.

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iQOO Z9 5G A.OPINION: CAMERA

This affordable smartphone from iQOO comes with a dual camera setup at the back. It features a 50 MP primary Sony IMX882 sensor with f/1.79 aperture, OIS and EIS. Additionally, there is a 2 MP depth sensor with an f/2.4 aperture. There's no ultra-wide camera, which is slightly disappointing. For selfies and video calls, there is a 16MP punch-hole snapper on the front.

For the 50 MP main camera, a Sony IMX882 sensor was used, which takes 12.5 MP images by default. The sensor takes good photos during the day. Clicks are full of detail, with natural colors and decent dynamic range. In some cases, the edges of some images appear softened.

The skin tone of slightly distant people also looks natural in photos. Photos clicked under indoor lighting during the day also look impressive.

There is an option to zoom in the viewfinder, but enabling 2x zoom reduces click detail.

Talking about low light photography, here are some examples to illustrate the same. These images are also detailed and the green color of the plants also looks natural and not enhanced. Overall, photos taken with the main camera in low light conditions are very good.

There is also a 50MP mode, which lets you click pictures in 50MP. Apart from this, the camera setup also comes with panorama, slow motion, time-lapse, pro, snapshot and super zoom modes.

The 16MP selfie sensor also performs well in good daylight conditions. The subject's face and skin tone look natural and real in selfies taken with this snapper. The camera doesn't enhance selfies to make them look better. However, low-light selfies are not up to the mark as you will find noise in these images.

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iQOO Z9 5G review: Battery life and charging

iQOO Z9 5G is a slim device, but it packs a 5,000mAh battery under the hood that provides the user with a long battery life. Last year, iQOO bundled a 4,500mAh battery with the iQOO Z7, so it's a nice upgrade. The smartphone comes with 44W fast charging capability as the adapter is provided in the box.

With the Smart Switch refresh rate option, my daily usage included clicking photos, video streaming, light gaming, official messaging, messaging, calls, and social media apps. With all this activity the phone lasted 2 days.

The 44W charger charges the device from 0 to 50% in half an hour and from 0 to 100% in about an hour. The battery backup of this smartphone is good and considering the price, the fast charging speed is also decent.

Review Verdict: If you buy the iQOO Z9 5G?

The iQOO Z9 5G has made its debut in the Indian market, positioned in a budget range of Rs. 9,999. 20,000. It stands out in particular as the first smartphone in this price segment to integrate the Dimensity 7200 chipset, renowned for its robust performance capabilities. This chipset is complemented by notable features such as substantial battery capacity, enhanced fast charging functionality surpassing that of its competitors, a Sony IMX882 primary sensor, and a commendable 120Hz AMOLED display, collectively contributing to its budget smartphone stature. outstanding. However, it should be noted that the design of the device has a conventional aesthetic and the presence of pre-installed bloatware represents minor drawbacks associated with the iQOO Z9.