The iQoo 11 5G: A Powerful Flagship with Room for Improvement
The iQoo 11 5G is the first flagship Android smartphone of 2023 to hit the Indian market, arriving as the successor to last year’s iQoo 9T. Boasting the title of the "world’s fastest Android smartphone," this device packs a punch with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, a stunning 2K AMOLED display, a 50-megapixel primary camera, and 120W fast charging. While it undoubtedly offers top-notch performance and a premium feel, the hefty price tag raises the question: is the iQoo 11 5G worth its hefty price tag, or should you wait for other contenders to enter the arena? This comprehensive review delves deep into the iQoo 11 5G to help you decide.
iQoo 11 5G Price in India
The iQoo 11 5G is available in two configurations:
- 8GB RAM + 256GB storage: Rs. 59,999
- 16GB RAM + 256GB storage: Rs. 64,999 (The version reviewed here)
As part of its launch offers, iQoo is providing a discount of Rs. 5,000 for HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank cardholders.
iQoo 11 5G Design and Display
The iQoo 11 5G comes in two color options: Legend and Alpha. We received the Legend variant, featuring a classic white rear panel with a BMW Motorsport-inspired racing stripe design. This model incorporates a combination of fiberglass and silicone leather, offering a unique and refreshing texture without sacrificing a premium feel. The Alpha variant boasts a glass back for those who prefer a traditional black color option. Both models share a sleek metal chassis for enhanced durability and a premium aesthetic.
The phone’s dimensions make it quite tall and not ideal for one-handed use, measuring approximately 8.72mm in thickness. The power and volume buttons are conveniently located on the right side, easily accessible. Despite its weight of around 205g, the phone doesn’t feel overly heavy, though users accustomed to lighter devices might notice its density.
On the front, the iQoo 11 5G sports a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 2K resolution. The screen delivers vivid colors and deep blacks, creating an immersive viewing experience. Adding to its multimedia prowess, the display boasts a peak brightness of up to 1800 nits (ideal for outdoor use), WideVine L1 support, and HDR10 content support for apps like Netflix.
The bezel around the chin of the iQoo 11 5G is slightly thicker compared to other bezels. A hole-punch cutout at the top houses the front camera. The display is further protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus, providing enhanced scratch and drop resistance.
The iQoo 11 5G’s display employs intelligent refresh rate switching between 1Hz and 144Hz, dynamically adjusting based on on-screen content. While the phone boasts a 144Hz refresh rate, I observed that many apps ran at 120Hz during my testing.
The phone offers three refresh rate settings:
- Smart Switch: Automatically adjusts the refresh rate based on power consumption and usage scenarios. This is the preferred setting, but I encountered occasional stutters in the UI on apps like Twitter and Instagram.
- Standard (60Hz): Provides a balanced approach to performance and battery life.
- High (up to 144Hz): Unlocks the full refresh rate potential at the cost of battery life.
The iQoo 11 5G also features a smart refresh rate feature, where only specific portions of the display refresh at a higher rate when required. This is showcased in apps like YouTube, where the comments section refreshes at a higher rate during scrolling, while the video playback area maintains a lower refresh rate. iQoo claims that this intelligent switching optimizes power consumption. The display also supports Monster Touch, allowing you to use designated areas of the screen as additional buttons during gaming.
iQoo 11 5G Specifications and Software
As mentioned earlier, the iQoo 11 5G is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, making it the first smartphone in India to feature this flagship chipset. The device also includes a dedicated Vivo V2 chip which aims to enhance camera, display, and gaming performance. The phone comes equipped with a larger 5,000mAh battery compared to the iQoo 9T’s 4,700mAh cell and includes a 120W fast charger in the box.
Additional features include:
- In-display fingerprint scanner for quick and responsive unlocking
- AI face recognition
- Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.3, USB Type-C port, GPS
However, the iQoo 11 5G lacks an IP rating and wireless charging, which are omissions that are disappointing considering its price point.
Software-wise, the iQoo 11 5G runs Android 13 out of the box, layered with Vivo’s Funtouch OS 13. This custom skin offers a wide range of customization options for animations, app icons, wallpapers, and more. Funtouch OS 13 also incorporates Android 13’s system UI color palette feature, dynamically adjusting system-wide colors based on the chosen wallpaper or theme.
Funtouch OS provides the ability to create guest profiles, allowing others to use the phone without accessing your personal apps and data. This privacy feature is beneficial for those who frequently share their devices with others.
The software also supports the addition of widgets to the home screen, along with Android 13 features like the Privacy Dashboard and Permission Manager.
While the software offers several positive aspects, the company’s native V-App Store generates frequent spam notifications, which can be an annoyance. Beyond the stock apps, the only pre-installed third-party apps include Snapchat, Spotify, and Byju’s, which can be uninstalled if desired.
iQoo has pledged three years of Android updates and four years of security support for the iQoo 11 5G. This means the phone is expected to receive Android 14 to Android 16, along with security patches until 2027.
iQoo 11 5G Performance and Battery Life
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC within the iQoo 11 5G is a powerhouse. I did not encounter any lag during gaming or general tasks. Call of Duty: Mobile ran smoothly even at "Max" frame rate and "Very High" graphics. The phone did not experience significant heating even after extended gaming sessions, a welcome surprise considering its powerful processor. My experiences with Asphalt 9 Legends were equally impressive, free of lag or stuttering.
The iQoo 11 5G features frame rate interpolation, which aims to add extra frames to games that do not inherently support them. "Ultra Game" mode allows users to switch between Battery Saver, Balanced, and Monster power modes. While Balanced mode provides a balanced mix of performance and efficiency, Monster mode unlocks peak performance at the cost of battery life.
To gauge the iQoo 11 5G’s performance, I ran several benchmarks. The company claimed a score of 13,23,820 points on AnTuTu. My review unit scored 12,63,366 points, slightly lower than the claimed score but still among the highest scores we’ve recorded. Importantly, the iQoo 11 5G outperformed the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC powered Asus ROG Phone 6 by a noticeable margin. The iQoo 11 5G also demonstrated strong scores in Geekbench’s single-core and multi-core tests, achieving 884 and 3099 points, respectively.
Despite its impressive performance, the iQoo 11 5G exhibits surprisingly efficient battery management. I achieved an average screen-on time of over six hours, which is commendable for a flagship Android smartphone. In our HD video loop test, the iQoo 11 5G lasted for an impressive 20 hours and 59 minutes, highlighting its exceptional battery life. The 120W fast charger efficiently replenishes the battery from 1-100 percent in 23 minutes, which is slightly faster than the advertised time.
iQoo 11 5G Cameras
The iQoo 11 5G boasts a triple-camera setup on the rear.
The setup includes:
- 50-megapixel Samsung GN5 camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS)
- 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera
- 13-megapixel portrait camera with 2X optical zoom
iQoo’s premium phones typically deliver exceptional camera performance, and the iQoo 11 5G largely upholds this reputation. The primary camera’s daylight performance is excellent, producing images with slightly boosted colors but remarkable dynamic range. Photos exhibit controlled highlights and well-exposed shadows, regardless of the time of day. The Photo mode with scene detection can capture impressive low-light shots, often delivering well-exposed images. If desired, you can utilize Night mode, which takes a few seconds for capture and processing.
The ultra-wide camera sensor, however, falls short compared to other flagship devices, lacking the sharpness of its counterparts, especially around the distorted edges. The dynamic range performance is also below par, leaving room for improvement. While the telephoto camera with 2X optical zoom captures good detail, the portrait mode can over-smooth skin tones, resulting in subjects appearing lighter than in real life.
The 16-megapixel front camera delivers skin tones accurately in most cases, but like the rear camera’s portrait mode, it can also make subjects appear lighter. The front camera’s portrait mode tends to smooth the skin, despite turning off all beauty modes, and can occasionally blur the wrong edges.
In terms of video recording, the iQoo 11 5G can capture up to 8K 30fps videos using the rear camera. The V2 chip unlocks Night Mode video recording at 4K 30fps, producing impressive results. Although some noise is present in darker areas, the overall video is well-exposed and surpasses standard video mode. Night mode videos are also available at 1080p 30fps, but not at 1080p/ 4K 60fps.
The front camera is limited to 1080p 30fps video recording, with good subject exposure but compromised dynamic range.
Verdict
The iQoo 11 5G sets the bar for Android flagship smartphones in 2023. While design preferences are subjective, I found the faux-leather back of the Legend edition appealing. While the two color options offer good choices, I hope iQoo ventures into more color variations in the future.
The phone excels in other areas, offering a stunning display, impressive performance, excellent battery life, and decent cameras. The inclusion of the 120W charger in the box is a welcome feature.
The iQoo 11 5G is expected to receive three major Android updates, and while Funtouch OS is improving, iQoo needs to address the excessive spam notifications from its native apps. The absence of wireless charging and IP rating are significant drawbacks, especially considering its price point.
The primary camera delivers strong results, with useful features like night mode for video recording. However, the ultra-wide camera lacks the quality expected of a device in this price range.
For a lower price, the iQoo 9 Pro offers a superior camera setup, making it a more compelling choice. If wireless charging and an ultrasonic fingerprint reader are important features, the iQoo 9 Pro remains a strong contender.
If you prioritize best-in-class performance driven by the latest processor, fast charging, a premium multimedia experience, and decent cameras, the iQoo 11 5G is a worthy consideration. However, keep in mind that several other Android flagships from OnePlus, Samsung and other brands are on the horizon, so waiting before making a purchase decision might be prudent.
