iQOO Neo 9 Pro Review: How on earth did they manage to do this?

Every once in a while, there comes along a phone that makes you wonder, “How on earth did they even manage to do this?” We remember getting those vibes with the likes of the Mi 3, the OG OnePlus One, and, well, with the iQOO 12 recently. As if surprising us with the iQOO 12 was not enough, Vivo’s sub-brand has now taken another rabbit out of its hat with the iQOO Neo 9 Pro.

The iQOO Neo series has always been about devices with surprisingly affordable price tags that have floated close to the flagship zone (generally with a slightly older chip). The iQOO Neo 9 Pro not only continues this tradition but actually adds a whole new chapter to it because, at its starting price of Rs 34,999, it pretty much is in a zone of its own. In more than one regard.

iQOO Neo 9 Pro Design and Appearance: Ain’t no phone that looks like this!

When it comes to budget flagships, one of the corners most brands cut to get a more affordable price is design. Budget flagships are often slightly plain and predictable in design terms, fighting mainly on their spec-price equation. The iQOO Neo 9 Pro is quite a contrary beast because it is actually a beauty. The iQOO Neo 9 Pro has two color options – a quietly classy Conqueror Black with a gently shiny Fluorite AG glass back and, well, the OTHER one, the Fiery Red.

The Fiery Red features a dual-tone red and white design that is almost synonymous with the device because it is so strikingly different from anything in the market out there. As its name indicates, its back is a blend of a vertical white band and a slightly wider red one. Right at the top of the white band are the two jet-black cameras of the device, one below the other, arranged independently rather than as part of an elaborate camera unit. It is not just the color of this back that is striking. The texture is different, too, thanks to the use of vegan leather. Round that off with a shiny red frame, and you have one of the most recognizable phones on the market right now.

At 163.5 mm, it is a big phone, although it is impressively slim at about 8 mm and weighs 190 grams, which is lighter than what we expected it to be, going by its size. The display in front has no certified protection, although the phone itself has IP54 splash resistance. Some might not be too impressed by the plastic frame and might find the red and white combination a little too loud, but we think that this is one of the most striking phones out there.

iQOO Neo 9 Pro specs: Spectacularly specced for the price

Its appearance is not the only thing that jumps out at you in the iQOO Neo 9 Pro. The phone packs in some very impressive hardware, perhaps the best for its price segment. It comes with a 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED one with 1.5K resolution (2800 x 1260px) and a refresh rate of 144 Hz, one of the highest around. Powering the phone is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, the favorite of 2023 flagship phones and still a very able performer in 2024. Accompanying it is iQOO’s Q1 supercomputing chip, which the brand claims significantly improves gameplay. These come with LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage in RAM and storage variants of 8 GB/ 128 GB, 8 GB/ 256 GB, and 12 GB/ 256 GB.

On the camera front, iQOO has opted for trimming the camera population – the iQOO Neo 9 Pro comes with only two cameras: a 50-megapixel IMX920 main sensor with OIS and an 8-megapixel ultrawide, while a 16-megapixel snapper in front handles selfie duties. Also on board are stereo speakers. Running all this is the task of a large-ish 5160 mAh battery with support for 120W charging and a 120W charger in the box for good measure. The iQOO Neo 9 Pro comes with Android 14, with Vivo’s FunTouch 14 interface on top of it. All in all, this is a spec sheet made to deliver some very good performance.

iQOO Neo 9 Pro gaming and general performance: Gaming beast and everyday beauty

With all that hardware on board, it is scarcely surprising that the iQOO Neo 9 Pro turns in a sterling gaming performance. We can say that this is the best gaming we have experienced on a phone below Rs 40,000, and perhaps even Rs 50,000. One of the big reasons for this is the brand’s decision to go in with a flat display rather than a curved one, which we find easier to use while playing games. It also provides us with a better viewing experience as you do not get a feeling that some of the content is flowing over the side (many folks like it, but we do not). The audio quality from the stereo speakers is very good, and among the best we have heard in the segment, although some might prefer louder volumes. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor remains a very powerful proposition. It can handle heavy-duty games like Genshin Impact and Call of Duty at high graphics settings without any problems whatsoever. Gaming is a wonderfully smooth experience on the iQOO Neo 9 Pro.

The excellent display and hardware also enable the iQOO Neo 9 Pro to glide through everyday tasks with ease. The display is great for viewing content on the Web, social media, mail, and messaging, and thanks to the generous amount of RAM, we were able to run multiple apps on the phone without any problems whatsoever. There is plenty of hardware muscle here to handle even something as hefty as video editing without too many problems. The phone can get a trifle warm at times, but never worryingly so. Call handling was good, and while the in-display fingerprint scanner is not the fastest we have seen, it worked well. The FunTouch 14 interface on top of Android 14 is packed with features and some bloatware too. It might appear a little overwhelming in comparison with the cleaner OxygenOS and Nothing interface, but it works smoothly enough.

iQOO Neo 9 Pro cameras: Sticking to basics

They might not sound very impressive on paper, but the cameras of the iQOO Neo 9 Pro tick all the basic boxes. We would advise sticking to the main 50-megapixel Sony IMX 920 main sensor, as it is a brilliant performer in normal as well as in low light (especially after a recent update). The colors tend to be a little on the brighter side, but we do not think too many users would have a problem with that, as they often end up with very pleasant-looking shots.

Video quality from the main sensor is good, too, although we would not call it exceptional.”Good, rather than exceptional” are the words we would use for the 8-megapixel ultrawide camera and the 16-megapixel selfie camera on the phone as well. The ultrawide delivers some surprisingly vivid colors but we suspect its low megapixel count makes it lose out on detail.

As for the selfie camera, be ready to see smoother skin no matter how often you turn off the beauty settings, but again, we do not expect to see too many folks complain about this. All said and done, the cameras of the iQOO Neo 9 Pro are not its strong point, but they are not weaknesses either. We do miss having a decent telephoto sensor for zooms and portraits, but the main camera is an outstanding one, and the others are reasonable performers.

Thankfully, there are no token 2 or 5-megapixel ‘depth’ and ‘macro’ sensors whose only purpose seems to be to occupy space and attract dust. For macro shots, we recommend using the main sensor and then cropping, as the level of detail captured is often outstanding. This being an iQOO device with FunTouch OS, you get plenty of shooting, editing, and sharing options – the minimalist crowd might frown at this, but we can see mainstream users having some photographic fun.

iQOO Neo 9 Pro Battery life and charging: Seeing out a day with super fast charging

The iQOO Neo 9 Pro comes with a 5160 mAh battery, which is slightly larger than the 5000 mAh one that is very common these days. And it is good enough to see you through a day of normal usage, with a few hours of calls and gaming. We would call this steady rather than spectacular battery life, as we had expected a little more from the slightly larger battery. Perhaps the higher refresh rates can sometimes take a toll.

A bit of careful use and tweaking display settings can easily add a few hours to what is already a decent battery backup. If you run out of charge, there is the 120W charger in the box that can recharge the phone from 1 to 100 in about 40-45 minutes. Frankly, you can get to about 50 percent of the battery recharged in fifteen minutes, which is more than enough for most of us.

iQOO Neo 9 Pro Pricing: Those killer price tags

The iQOO Neo 9 Pro is available in these RAM and storage configurations at the following prices:

• 8 GB/ 128 GB: Rs 34,999
• 8 GB/ 256 GB: Rs 36,999
• 12 GB/ 256 GB: Rs 38,999

Those prices make the iQOO Neo 9 Pro easily the most affordable budget flagship in the market. Its closest rival in terms of featuring a similar processor is the OnePlus 12R, which starts at Rs 39,999 for an 8 GB/ 128 GB variant – the top variant (12 GB / 256 GB) of the iQOO Neo 9 Pro is actually less expensive than the base variant of the OnePlus 12R. The fact that the iQOO 9 Pro is closer in price to the Redmi Note 13 Pro+, which starts at Rs 31,999, rather than the OnePlus 12R at Rs 39,999, gives an idea of just how competitively it has been priced. It has been placed in a zone that is not only well below that of budget flagships but is actually within touching distance of the premium mid-segment, making it a very tempting option for audiences of both segments.

Those seeking a different interface and user experience might consider the Nothing Phone (2), which comes with an older processor but is a very good performer with an innovative UI at a starting price of Rs 35,999. Well, the Pixel 7a brings a classic Android experience with superb photography, for slightly under Rs 40,000, but in terms of sheer power and performance at its price, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro stands alone at the time of writing.

iQOO Neo 9 Pro Review Verdict: Should you buy it? (why EVER not!)

If you have a budget of Rs 35,000 and want a flagship-level phone or simply want a flagship-level phone at the most affordable price, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro is a complete and utter no-brainer.

Or if you want to rhyme, well:

If value for money
Matters for you
And flagship specs
Are on your tech menu
You would be cuckoo
To ignore this iQOO

As we pointed out in the price section, the phone’s nearest competitor, the OnePlus 12R, is significantly more expensive at Rs 39,999. Yes, there are devices like the Nothing Phone (2), which can provide a cleaner interface, and the Pixel 7a, which brings some excellent cameras and smart features to the table, but let’s face it, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro stands out from the budget flagship or flagship killing crowd in terms of price and performance and even design and appearance. It pretty much redefines what one expects in the segment.

So much so that we are tempted to wonder, “How on earth did they manage to do this?”

Buy iQOO Neo 9 Pro