The iQOO Neo 6, launched in 2022, was a wildly popular smartphone under Rs 30,000, especially among those who sought a smartphone that was high on performance. Recently, when the brand announced its successor — the iQOO Neo 7, the company had to ensure that it was offering something more than the Neo 6 to attract its target base, the value-conscious consumer.
I have been testing the iQOO Neo 7 for over two weeks and here is my take on iQOO’s latest mid-range gaming smartphone.
Design: Basic and practical
There is noting unique about iQOO Neo 7’s design, when compared to the Neo 7. However, this lack of innovation in design is unlikely to budge most users. Coming from a flagship phone like the iQOO 11 and the Galaxy S23 Ultra, the iQOO Neo 7 with its 193-gram weight feels light. Owing to the even weight distribution, the device rests comfortably when held vertically or horizontally.
This weight cut definitely comes at a cost, as the smartphone uses a plastic back panel and frame. Just like its predecessor, the device misses out on a 3.5mm headphone jack, however, it is good to see a USB Type-C to 3.5mm dongle in the retail box. While the overall design of the smartphone seems to be built keeping in mind its utility, the major distinction here would be the camera bump.
Display: On par with the competition
While the 120Hz AMOLED display is no more a luxury, the iQOO Neo 7 does have a slightly better 6.78-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate along with an in-display fingerprint sensor. The display gets fairly bright, as one can use the phone even under direct sunlight. While I am mostly inclined towards a curved display like the one on the Realme 10 Pro+, I also know that a lot of people would definitely like the flat panel on the iQOO Neo 7 Neo.
With a flat panel display, it is easy to install a screen protector and the phone comes with one. On top of that, a flat display also cuts down on accidental touches while gaming and also offers an enhanced gaming experience. While there is HDR 10+ support, the brand should have included Dolby Vision to make it compatible with OTT platforms like Disney+ Hotstar.
Having a stereo speaker setup also further elevates the multimedia consumption, again, there is no Dolby Atmos support.
From gaming to content consumption, I have no complains about this panel and I would also like to report that the fingerprint worked flawlessly, even when I tried to unlock it with dirty and wet fingers. With a really narrow chip, a centred punch hole, and a higher screen-to-body ratio, it looks as premium as any high-end Android phone would look in 2023.
Cameras: Really good primary snapper, that’s it
The iQOO Neo 7 has a triple camera setup and it’s best to consider this as a single-camera unit with 64MP resolution and OIS with an additional 2MP macro lens and a 2MP bokeh lens. There is also a 16MP selfie camera at the front.
Except for the fact that the colour science is slightly on the flatter side, most pictures that I clicked on this phone came out really sharp, even in low-lighting conditions. The phone has a pretty quick shutter speed and by default the phone takes 16MP pictures, offering plenty of pixels to deliver a detailed photo. Again, there is an option to shoot a native 64MP picture.
The same goes for the 16MP selfie camera. Here are some of the camera samples from the iQOO Neo 7.
Performance: Best in segment
Being India’s first phone with the Mediatek Dimensity 8200 SoC, it does offer a good amount of prowess while multitasking and gaming. On the CPU stress test, the performance throttled down to 82 per cent after running the benchmark for 15 minutes. Similarly, on the AnTuTu benchmark, the device scored over 8 lakhs. However, the phone did get 10 degrees warmer while running the benchmark.
While I did not face any issues during normal usage, the phone did get hot while benchmarking and gaming. Again, as we have noticed on the throttling app, the clock speed gradually comes down and I did not notice any stutter or lag even during heavy usage, which includes tasks like background downloading with running multiple social media apps.
Connectivity and battery life
iQOO Neo 7 has got you covered even in terms of connectivity. The device supports Bluetooth 5.3 with 5GHz Wi-Fi. I was even able to connect to Jio 5G network without any issues. However, the 5G network reception is definitely not as strong as more premium devices like the Galaxy S23 Ultra and even the iQOO 11. Overall, the iQOO Neo 7 offers pretty solid connectivity.
The phone has a 5,000 mAh battery and the device supports 120W fast charging, offering flagship-grade charging speed. Order a coffee and by the time you finish the cup, the phone will be fully charged as it takes around 26 minutes to power up. In terms of battery life, the phone can easily deliver over 6 hours of screen-on-time even with heavy usage, and gamers can always quickly refill using the included 120W charger.
Verdict: Best phone under Rs 30,000
Anyone who wants the best phone under Rs 30,000 can consider the iQOO Neo 7. There is a Pixel 6a, which is mostly a software and camera-centric phone, and even the Nothing Phone (1) is also a great choice under Rs 30,000, especially with its premium build. However, when it comes to practicality, the iQOO Neo 7 is miles ahead with a flagship processor, 120Hz display, 120W fast charging, an above-average camera, and all the bells and whistles that one expects from a phone of this class.
I personally feel the iQOO Neo 7 is a phone that might not look like much from the outside, however, the phone has been made to perfection and focuses on the key features — performance, display, and battery.
