On December 27, the iQOO Neo9 series, comprising Neo9 and Neo9 Pro, was officially released. Neo9 is equipped with Snapdragon 8 Gen2, while the Pro version is the first to feature the Dimensity 9300. The third Dimensity 9300 phone is from Blue Factory, it’s crucial to note that there are only three Dimensity 9300 phones in the market, all originating from Blue Factory. More notably, the iQOO Neo9 Pro stands out as a flagship phone with direct Dimensity 9300 and a distinctive screen design.
Admittedly, Blue Factory’s accurate insights into the smartphone market and consumer needs, coupled with adept product positioning skills, shine through. Today’s consumers crave a product that is “capable of both civil and military use” and armed with a Dimensity 9300 direct-screen flagship phone. The iQOO Neo series leads the pack, being the first to employ the Dimensity 9300 with a full large-core design, coupled with the standard Q1 self-developed e-sports chip, and matching the main camera and ultra-wide angle of its own X100, putting direct pressure on its competitors. Without further delay, let’s delve into the evaluation and experience session.
Design
Last week, the iQOO Neo9’s appearance was released ahead of schedule. Gizcoupon brings you the iQOO Neo9 “Red and White Soul” color variant hands-on experience. For those intrigued, more details are available here.
In terms of design, both Neo9 and Neo9 Pro share identical size and weight, directly mirroring the iQOO Neo9 series. Starting with the color scheme, the iQOO Neo9 series offers nautical blue, fighting black, and red and white soul colors. Concerning process design, the “Red and White Soul” variant of iQOO Neo9 adopts a double-grain leather splicing process, integrating carbon fiber texture leather in the off-white area and litchi texture leather in the red area. It boasts a sleek 0.32mm ultra-fine rim splicing.
As per the official description, the red and white colors embody the core of a “dual duel,” paying homage to the determination to surpass oneself and the courage to face challenges. The “Nautical Blue” color scheme employs enamel texture glass technology, while the “Fighting Black” variant uses fluorite AG glass technology. These two colors are slightly heavier but stay within the 200g range, with a weight of 196g, offering a satisfying hand feel. Opting for a lighter feel, the red and white soul, crafted from plain leather, weighs only 190g. However, its thickness is slightly increased to 8.34mm from the previous two versions’ 7.99mm. Nonetheless, these variations are relative, as all three colors maintain excellent size and weight control.
The entire iQOO Neo9 series has Neo’s “highest capacity battery in history,” reaching 5160mAh. Notably, the increased battery capacity does not add weight but contributes to a “thinner and lighter” build, deserving commendation. This generation of the iQOO Neo9 series exhibits a significantly upgraded look and feel, appearing more refined. A key improvement is the absence of a “plastic bracket” on the front. The same holds true for the iQOO Neo9 series post-screen activation—the left and right borders narrow to 1.54mm, and the body width shrinks by 1.3mm compared to the iQOO Neo8 series. This reduction in borders and body width lends a more high-end and refined appearance.
Display
While the chin remains slightly wider, the overall aesthetic has qualitatively improved. The screen itself boasts flagship-level 8T screen material, featuring fast frequency conversion, rapid response, and low power consumption. Specific parameters include 1.07 billion colors, a 6.78-inch display with 1.5K 144Hz 8T, 2800 × 1260 resolution, LTPO refresh rate of 1~144Hz intelligent dynamic high refresh, HDR10+, screen brightness (typical value) of 600nit, global excitation brightness of 1400nit, local peak brightness of 3000nit, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, and 105% NTSC.
For eye protection, the entire iQOO Neo9 series has secured SGS low blue light certification and SGS low flicker certification. The Neo9 series supports full high-frequency dimming mode, allowing users to activate “full high-frequency dimming” under a screen brightness range of 2~600nit via developer options, achieving 2160Hz high-frequency PWM dimming. A compelling feature for gamers.
The entire iQOO Neo9 series supports full-scenario NFC, infrared remote control, closed three-dimensional dual speakers, large X-axis linear motors, and IP54. In terms of details, a plastic middle frame is standard across the series, as expected. However, it’s noteworthy that the “Red and White Soul” color scheme employs a deep red mid-frame color, a rarity in the industry, showcasing iQOO’s mastery of this red hue, exuding a full metallic texture at first glance.
Performance
The iQOO Neo9 Pro, featuring the Dimensity 9300 chip, a large 6043mm² VC vapor chamber, and a unique gaming chip Q1, offers configurations up to 16GB+1TB. It leverages the latest LPDDR5X, UFS4.0, and MCQ multi-circulation queue for memory fusion 4.0, effectively doubling storage capacity to “16GB+16GB.”
The Dimensity 9300 chip has a CPU with 4 Cortex-X4 cores at 3.25GHz and 4 Cortex-A720 cores at 2.0GHz, enhancing performance by 40% and reducing power consumption by 33% over its predecessor. Its GPU, the 12-core Immortalis-G720, improves performance by 46% while cutting power usage by 40%.
In Gizcoupon’s test, the vivo X100 with Dimensity 9300 scored over 2.2 million, placing it second in AnTuTu’s November Android phone list. The iQOO Neo9 Pro scored 2,213,564 in AnTuTu (v10.1.7), with GeekBench 5 and 6 scores of 1639/2261 (single-core) and 7253/7609 (multi-core). It showed exceptional read/write speeds in AnTuTu’s storage test and scored 16875 in 3D Mark’s Wild Life, maintaining 68.2% stability after 20 rounds, demonstrating its gaming prowess.
A 30-minute “Genshin Impact” test on the iQOO Neo9 Pro yielded an average 60.0fps, with minimal fluctuations. The Dimensity 9300 maintained stable performance with slight frame rate variations. The device stayed around 40°C, thanks to its efficient 6K VC vapor chamber.
The iQOO Neo9 Pro’s Q1 gaming chip enhances visuals, enabling super-resolution effects, zero-latency frame insertion, and stable super-frame concurrency. In “Genshin Impact,” it achieved a 1.5K high-quality super score and 72-frame super-frame concurrency, providing an exceptional gaming experience. This positions the iQOO Neo9 Pro among the elite smartphones in both specifications and performance.
Zoom in on details:
With the super ultra-high image quality set at 2800×1260 and the highest native game image quality at 1800×810, direct comparison pictures vividly showcase the differences. As depicted in the above picture, enabling ultra-high image quality immediately enhances the clarity of character edges, details, and ground texture. Turning on ultra-high resolution transforms details from “hazy” to “clear and sharp,” akin to donning glasses after myopia, offering a clearer world perspective.
In terms of experience, the evident improvement in image quality with the iQOO Neo9 Pro makes a significant impact. For avid high-definition gamers, the device enables an early experience of “Genshin Impact” in 1.5K quality on mobile phones, albeit unofficially. Regarding super frames, iQOO Neo9 Pro, powered by the Q1 chip, supports up to 144 frames. The CPU renders 48 frames, achieving 144 through triple frame interpolation. The fps after the superframe is represented by the gray line.
Furthermore, iQOO Neo9 Pro facilitates super frame and super concurrency in the “Genshin Impact” game. The collaboration of software and hardware fully enhances the gaming experience of “Genshin Impact” on iQOO Neo9 Pro. So, when you utter “Genshin Impact Starts” next time, pairing it with an iQOO Neo9 Pro seems fitting. Beyond “Genshin Impact,” the iQOO Neo9 series extends support to over 100 144-frame super-frame games and 37 super-score games, as displayed below.
It also has compatibility with “Dark Zone Breakout” full-map ray tracing, ensuring stable operation at 60 frames with ray tracing activated. Introducing self-developed super-sensitive touch V-Sync technology, the iQOO Neo9 series aligns the entire game link’s frame rate from “rendering” to “display,” challenging the industry’s lowest touch latency at 37.92ms.
Cameras
The iQOO Neo9 Pro derives its image specifications entirely from the vivo X100, featuring the same 50-megapixel Sony IMX 920 main camera, the same 50-megapixel Samsung JN1 ultra-wide angle, and the same image algorithm. These components support functions like suspended motion capture.
Here are the specifications of the two lenses:
The 50-megapixel Sony IMX 920 boasts an f/1.88 aperture, 23mm focal length, 1/1.49″ sensor size (actual usable area 1/1.56″ when shooting 4:3), 1μm sensor unit pixel size, and includes OIS+EIS, AF, and a 6P lens. Similarly, the 50-megapixel Samsung JN1 lens comes with an f/2.0 aperture, 15mm focal length, 1/2.76” sensor size, 0.64μm sensor unit pixel size, and features EIS, AF, and a 5P lens. Given these identical lens specifications and algorithms from the X series, the iQOO Neo9 Pro’s “lower limit” for image experience remains impressively high. Moreover, it ranks very well among performance-focused mobile phones of the same level.
Regarding the “upper limit,” it naturally won’t surpass the X100 from the same family. Therefore, users who invest in the X100 series need not worry about being “backstabbed.” Besides, the X100’s unique portrait feature in the industry will impress users, as those who have tried it can attest. Moving on, the iQOO Neo9 Pro also offers three color modes for photography, with the default set to vivid.
Additionally, the device boasts a wide range of customization options for the watermark photo frame, including artistic signature watermarks, text seals, and more. Users can even customize various pictures and texts. For instance, there are options like “KFC V50” and “Luckin Coffee,” allowing for a wealth of creative freedom. Sharing these on WeChat Moments is bound to garner a lot of likes if you catch my drift. Regarding night samples, the default style is bright, and all uploaded samples undergo compression. There’s also a Supermoon mode. As for day samples, they too default to a bright style, with all samples being compressed.
Samples
Two aspects are particularly noteworthy. First, the night shots display high purity and excellent highlight suppression. Even when using the main camera at 2X zoom, the quality remains impressive. Second, the iQOO Neo9 Pro’s ultra-wide angle lens demonstrates commendable tolerance performance. Despite the JN1’s foundation not being exceptionally large, the image effect shines, particularly in some backlight scenes.
When it comes to portrait mode, it’s sufficient but not exceptional. The phone also offers a super moon mode for photography enthusiasts, providing three focal lengths: 1X, 2X, and 10X. Upon recognizing the moon, the phone performs a set of “computational photography” techniques, delivering results comparable to those of a phone equipped with a periscope.
Battery
The iQOO Neo9 Pro revolutionizes battery technology with its largest-ever 5160mAh battery. It has an 15.1 hours of video playback, 83.3 hours of music, and a Super Power Saving Mode 2.0, allowing essential tasks like subway code swiping and standby for extended periods.
It showed remarkable endurance in Gizcoupon’s testing. In a rigorous 30-minute “Genshin Impact” session on high settings, it consumed only 9% battery, indicating the potential for 5.6 hours of continuous gameplay. Even after a demanding 3-hour mixed-use test, 66% battery remained, effectively quelling battery life concerns.
Charging is equally impressive. The device supports 120W ultra-fast flash charging, juicing up from 1% to 40% in just 9 minutes. This rapid charge is facilitated by the included 120W charger, compatible with dual 100W public protocols (PD and PPS), making it versatile and environmentally friendly. It can even fast-charge devices like the iPad Mini6.
OriginOS 4
The iQOO Neo9 series also excels in software with OriginOS 4, offering unique features like a parking assistant, conference aid, office suite, and health manager. A standout feature is the Blue Heart Xiao V AI, built on the Lanxin large model. This AI handles natural language interactions and various tasks like summarization, mind mapping, and photo searches. Users can access it easily for functions ranging from booking tickets to writing assistance.
The AI’s integration into daily life is noteworthy. It simplifies tasks such as copywriting and group coordination, making it indispensable once adopted. The iQOO Neo9 Pro, with its advanced battery, charging capabilities, and AI integration, represents a significant leap in smartphone technology.
Verdict
The iQOO Neo9 series stands out as a very rare high-performance direct-screen flagship phone in the current smartphone market. Additionally, it might be considered the dual-core performance flagship with the best feel. Consequently, for those who are passionate about direct-screen design or have extremely high-performance requirements, the iQOO Neo9 series is a noteworthy option. This series is particularly appealing to users who seek the ultimate sensory experience in gaming and demand stable performance without compromising in areas like imaging, feel, design, and screen. Therefore, the iQOO Neo9 series, especially the iQOO Neo9 Pro, emerges as the best choice in the early 3K range, undoubtedly meeting the demands of those who “want, want, and want.”
Moreover, the iQOO Neo9 series has features like the Dimensity 9300, the self-developed gaming chip Q1, and the same main camera and ultra-wide angle as its own X100. It also holds the distinction of being the industry’s only device with a “Genshin Impact” 1.5K high-quality super score, showcasing its dedication. Undeniably, the release of the iQOO Neo9 series may put friendly manufacturers under some pressure again due to its impressive offerings.
Regarding the pricing, the iQOO Neo9 series is available in various configurations:
iQOO Neo9:
- 12GB + 256GB priced at 2299 yuan (about $324)
- 16GB + 256GB priced at 2,499 yuan (about $353)
- 16GB + 512GB priced at 2,799 yuan (about $395)
- 16GB + 1TB priced at 3199 yuan (about $451)
iQOO Neo9 Pro:
- 12GB + 256GB priced at 2,999 yuan (about $423)
- 12GB + 512GB priced at 3299 yuan (about $466)
- 16GB + 512GB priced at 3,599 yuan (about $508)
- 16GB + 1TB priced at 3999 yuan (about $564)
Read Also: iQOO Neo9 Pro Launch With IMX920 Camera Lens, on Dec 27th