The iQoo 9 SE: A Value-Packed Smartphone with a Few Quirks
The iQoo 9 SE, part of iQoo’s premium 9-series lineup, aims to shake up the value-driven premium segment. With a powerful Snapdragon 888 chipset, a vibrant 120Hz AMOLED display, and impressive camera capabilities, the iQoo 9 SE appears to offer a lot for its price point. However, after a week of testing, we discovered that it’s not entirely perfect. Let’s dive into the details to see if the iQoo 9 SE truly lives up to its promise.
iQoo 9 SE Price in India
The iQoo 9 SE is available in two configurations:
- 8GB RAM + 128GB storage: ₹33,990
- 12GB RAM + 256GB storage: ₹37,990
Both variants come in two stylish color options: Space Fusion and Sunset Sierra. Our review unit was the Sunset Sierra model with 12GB of RAM.
iQoo 9 SE Design
The iQoo 9 SE, especially in the Sunset Sierra finish, exudes a premium vibe thanks to its sleek overall profile. The back panel and frame are crafted from polycarbonate, while the raised rear camera module is made of metal. The matte finish on the back and frame, although pleasing to the eye, does make the phone a bit slippery. On the plus side, these surfaces are excellent at resisting fingerprints. While the phone lacks an official IP rating, iQoo claims it has the necessary seals around its ports and the SIM tray to meet an equivalent of IP52 rating.
The iQoo 9 SE features a large 6.62-inch full-HD+ Super AMOLED panel boasting a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Bezels are thin all around, and the front-facing camera hole is unobtrusive. The display is protected by Panda glass and is remarkably adept at resisting fingerprints. On the right side, you’ll find the volume rocker and power button, while the bottom houses the SIM tray, Type-C USB port, and primary speaker. The phone relies on an in-display fingerprint sensor which proved to be quick and reliable.
iQoo 9 SE Specifications and Software
Under the hood, the iQoo SE packs a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC. Adding to its performance arsenal, iQoo claims to have integrated its own Intelligent Display Chip (IDC), which, in the company’s words, assists the GPU with MEMC (Motion Estimation and Motion Compensation) and SDR-to-HDR video upscaling when needed. Communication features include Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and the usual satellite navigation systems. Unfortunately, there’s no 3.5mm headphone jack, although iQoo does kindly include a Type-C to 3.5mm adapter in the box. The dual-SIM tray supports dual-5G standby, but there’s no option for storage expansion.
The iQoo 9 SE runs Funtouch OS 12, built upon Android 12. This means you get access to new Android 12 features like the Material You widgets, the permissions manager, and the privacy dashboard. However, despite running Funtouch OS 12, iQoo has oddly omitted the theming engine present on the iQoo 9 Pro, making the automatic matching of keyboard and widget colors to the chosen wallpaper impossible. There’s a plethora of preinstalled third-party apps, thankfully most of which can be uninstalled.
iQoo 9 SE Performance
The 6.62-inch full-HD+ Super AMOLED display delivers punchy colors at the default ‘Standard’ setting. While many users will be content with this setting, a ‘Professional’ setting offers a more natural-looking color tone for those seeking accuracy. Sunlight legibility is commendable, and I didn’t encounter any issues with touch sensitivity during general use.
The 120Hz refresh rate setting is adaptive, switching between 120Hz and 60Hz depending on the content. Being HDR10+ certified, the display shines when consuming HDR content on platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. The dual stereo speakers impressed with their loud, clear, and well-balanced audio output during video streaming and gaming.
The iQoo 9 SE provided a smooth and fluid day-to-day experience, devoid of any lag or stuttering. Benchmark scores were equally impressive and aligned with the competition. The iQoo 9 SE scored 8,54,095 in AnTuTu, 1,065 and 3,414 in Geekbench’s single and multi-core tests, respectively. These scores are remarkably close to those achieved by some Snapdragon 8 Gen 1-powered smartphones.
Gaming performance was generally excellent. The phone did experience a bit of warmth while playing games at the highest settings, but performance remained unaffected. Asphalt 9: Legends ran flawlessly with graphics set to High Quality (60 fps mode). Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) also performed smoothly with HDR graphics and frame rate set to Extreme. However, Call of Duty: Mobile exhibited some optimization issues, displaying stuttering and lag from launch to the menus and even during gameplay. Even at the lowest graphics settings, it didn’t run smoothly. Hopefully, future software updates will address this issue.
Battery life proved to be quite good. The phone endured for 20 hours, 1 minute in our HD video loop test, a commendable result. The smartphone’s 4,500mAh battery managed to last for a day and a half with moderate gaming and camera usage. The iQoo 9 SE’s 66W charger takes the phone from 0-76% in just 30 minutes and completes a full charge in 50 minutes.
iQoo 9 SE Cameras
The iQoo 9 SE boasts a triple rear camera system and a single 16-megapixel front-facing camera. The rear camera setup comprises a 48-megapixel (with OIS) primary camera, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2-megapixel mono camera for depth data capture. The ultra-wide-angle camera doubles as a macro camera, thanks to its autofocus capabilities. The camera interface is unmistakably iQoo, featuring important buttons on the left side of the viewfinder. A hamburger menu grants access to camera settings, aspect ratio, a countdown timer, and an on-screen overlay for framing shots. The default camera modes – photo, video, portrait, and Night – can be replaced with other frequently used modes.
Photos taken in daylight displayed excellent detail with good dynamic range. Images captured using the Portrait mode with the rear camera were sharp, boasting detailed textures and accurate edge detection. The ultra-wide-angle camera produced decent photos but exhibited a sharper center with blurrier edges. Macro shots impressed with their detail, leveraging the 13-megapixel sensor of the ultra-wide-angle camera. Photos captured using the front-facing camera were also clean and sharp, offering good dynamic range.
Low-light performance, while not perfect, was still good. Texture details in auto mode weren’t as clear in dimly lit scenes. Some noise was present in darker scenes, but overall quality remained acceptable. Night mode brightened images and added a touch of sharpness, but the quality wasn’t drastically improved. The ultra-wide-angle camera’s low-light performance was merely average, capturing images that appeared soft. Selfies captured in low light fared well, exhibiting good detail and controlled noise. Edge detection, however, was average in such conditions.
Videos recorded in daylight were a bit saturated but displayed good dynamic range. Video appeared well-stabilised, but this stability deteriorated when exceeding 4K 30fps. 4K 60fps clips were decent in terms of quality but displayed noticeable shakiness. In low light, 30fps footage (1080p or 4K) was the most pleasing, offering good stabilisation and controlled noise.
Verdict
The iQoo 9 SE emerges as a strong contender in the sub-₹40,000 smartphone segment, delivering outstanding value for money. This category in India currently features several compelling options from various manufacturers, but the iQoo 9 SE distinguishes itself with its impressive software and camera performance. Other features that enhance the phone’s appeal include the HDR-capable display, a selfie camera that performs well in low light, and its ability to capture impressive macro shots.
The attractive price tag seals the deal. Available starting at ₹33,990 for the 8GB + 128GB variant, the iQoo 9 SE appears highly enticing compared to its competitor, the Realme GT 5G. The iQoo 9 SE would also be a better choice than Samsung’s recently launched Galaxy A53 5G, unless you absolutely need the IP67 rating. For those seeking a near-stock Android software experience, Motorola’s Moto Edge 20 Pro could be an alternative.
Overall, the iQoo 9 SE is a compelling choice for those looking for a solid all-around smartphone experience without breaking the bank. While it may have a few quirks like the lack of theming and the slightly inconsistent low-light camera performance, its strengths outweigh these minor flaws, making it a worthy contender in its price range.
