The iQoo Neo 7 5G: A Gaming Beast With A Few Tradeoffs
The iQoo Neo 7 5G has landed in India, offering a compelling proposition for budget-conscious consumers seeking a powerful, feature-packed device. Packed with upgrades over its predecessor, the iQoo Neo 6, this mid-ranger boasts a potent 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 8200 SoC, a larger battery with faster charging, and a 120Hz AMOLED display. But amidst these enticing features, there is one notable omission that might raise eyebrows: the lack of an ultra-wide camera. Is this tradeoff worth it, and does the iQoo Neo 7 5G truly deliver on its promise as a gaming powerhouse? In this in-depth review, we’ll dissect its strengths and weaknesses to help you decide if it’s the right phone for you.
Price and Availability
The iQoo Neo 7 5G is available in India in two storage configurations:
- 8GB RAM + 128GB storage: Rs. 29,999
- 12GB RAM + 256GB storage: Rs. 33,999
Design and Display
Breaking away from the flat frame trend, the iQoo Neo 7 5G sports a curved rear panel and frame that gives it a premium feel despite its polycarbonate construction. The Frost Blue color variant, which we reviewed, features a matte finish, effectively resisting fingerprints and smudges. Although the gradient evident under light adds a touch of sophistication, the weight distribution feels well-balanced, with the phone weighing 193g and measuring 8.58mm thick.
On the front, the iQoo Neo 7 5G flaunts a large 6.78-inch display, matching the iQoo 11 5G. However, it comes with a Full-HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The flat screen boasts thin bezels with the thickest chin measuring 2.65mm, resulting in a 93.11 percent screen-to-body ratio. Adding to its visual appeal, the display supports HDR10+ and WideVine L1 certification, delivering a vibrant multimedia experience enhanced by loud speakers. While the volume is impressive, there’s a noticeable channel imbalance with the earpiece, doubling as a secondary audio output, lacking the volume of the bottom speaker. Outdoor visibility under direct sunlight is excellent, thanks to the display’s 1300 nits peak brightness achieved during HDR content playback.
Specifications and Software
Under the hood, the iQoo Neo 7 5G houses a MediaTek Dimensity 8200 SoC, constructed on a 4nm process. This powerful chipset boasts a peak clock speed of 3.1GHz and is paired with a Mali G610 GPU. The phone also supports eight 5G bands in India, offering blazing fast internet connectivity. Connectivity options include dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.3, providing seamless connectivity for everyday tasks. The generous 5000mAh battery receives a boost with 120W fast charging, supported by the included charger.
On the software front, the iQoo Neo 7 5G runs the latest Android 13-based Funtouch OS 13 out-of-the-box. While there is a presence of third-party apps like Byju’s, Snapchat, Spotify, these can be uninstalled if desired. The two app recommendation folders, Hot Apps and Hot Games, remain a persistent annoyance, as Vivo has moved the setting to disable them from the Settings app to the V-App Store, which is unfortunately absent on the iQoo Neo 7 5G.
Despite these minor setbacks, Funtouch OS 13 has undergone significant improvements in customization and personalization. The Settings app offers a plethora of options for customizing animations for actions like charging, unlocking with a fingerprint, and switching between the home screen and lock screen. Users can even personalize wallpapers, icons, and UI elements, giving them greater control over their phone’s aesthetic.
Funtouch OS 13 also utilizes Android’s Material You theme engine, synchronizing system icons and elements with the chosen wallpaper color. The color scheme can be fine-tuned further within the Settings app. A unique feature in Funtouch OS is the ability to create user profiles, including guest profiles, a functionality absent in other custom skins. While the software is certainly a step in the right direction, there’s still room for improvement. Bringing the China-exclusive Origin OS to India could be a game-changer, and hopefully, we’ll see its implementation with future Android 14 or 15 updates. iQoo has committed to providing three years of security updates for the iQoo Neo 7 5G.
Performance and Battery Life
iQoo phones are synonymous with performance, and the Neo 7 5G upholds this reputation. Its Dimensity 8200 SoC effortlessly handles everyday tasks and demanding games alike. We tested the phone with titles like Call of Duty: Mobile, Asphalt 9, and Genshin Impact. While the first two games were rendered flawlessly, Genshin Impact, being a resource-intensive game, exhibited occasional stutters. This is a common occurrence even on flagship devices, indicating that the resource demands of this game are particularly demanding.
The iQoo Neo 7 5G supports 90fps gameplay for PUBG: New State and Call of Duty: Mobile out-of-the-box. iQoo has also confirmed that BGMI, currently unavailable in India, is expected to receive 90fps support by March 2023. iQoo introduces new features in its Ultra Game mode, including Motion Gestures. These can be customized for specific games, for example, tilting the phone to a certain angle can initiate a tilt-scope in PUBG Mobile. The Ultra Game control panel also offers a Monster Mode option, which disables throttling to guarantee peak performance for smoother gaming. However, this potentially comes at the cost of increased device temperature and battery life.
During intense gaming sessions, the back of the phone, just below the camera module, experiences a slight warming. This is to be expected due to the heavy processing demands. According to iQoo, the presence of a large vapor chamber cooling system aids in heat dissipation, preventing excessive heating even during long gameplay sessions in hot environments.
Benchmarking results are impressive, with the iQoo Neo 7 5G scoring 8,58,057 points in AnTuTu, surpassing competitors like the Nothing Phone 1’s score of 6,05,375 points. The iQoo Neo 7 5G also significantly outperforms the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G, which scored 4,38,678 points in AnTuTu. In Geekbench, the iQoo Neo 7 5G achieved 995 points in the single-core test and 3,885 points in the multi-core test, surpassing both the Nothing Phone 1 (822 and 2,898 points) and the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G.
Battery life is equally impressive with the iQoo Neo 7 5G’s 5000mAh battery providing all-day use. Only when subjected to extended periods of heavy usage would screen-on time (SoT) drop below six hours. Over the review period, we achieved an average SoT of 7.5 hours, a commendable result for a phone with a large display and a powerful SoC. The 120W fast charging supported by the included charger enables rapid recharging, taking the phone from 1 to 100 percent in under 25 minutes. In our HD video battery loop test, the iQoo Neo 7 5G endured for 21 hours and 4 minutes, showcasing its exceptional battery endurance.
Cameras
While the iQoo Neo 7 5G excels in many areas, the camera department falls short of expectations. The camera setup comprises a 64-megapixel main rear camera with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), a 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a 2-megapixel macro camera. The absence of an ultra-wide camera is a significant drawback, especially considering its price point and the prevalence of ultra-wide cameras in competing phones. iQoo defends the absence by citing customer survey results that indicated the target audience for this phone did not utilize ultra-wide cameras frequently.
However, the remaining cameras deliver decent performance. The primary camera captures images with good color reproduction and detail, though it occasionally underexposes subjects. Low-light shots demonstrate impressive dynamic range management, effectively exposing shadows without overblowing highlights. The software enhancements further improve dynamic range performance.
The 16-megapixel front camera also offers good detail and dynamic range in both "Photo" and "Portrait" modes. In "Portrait Mode," photos exhibit softer skin textures with slightly higher exposures, potentially giving a more fair appearance. "Natural" and "Classic" presets result in similar looks, but disabling Beauty Mode produces results closer to reality. Edge detection is generally accurate.
The iQoo Neo 7 5G supports 4K 60fps video recording with the main rear camera. While the colors and detail are good, dynamic range requires improvement. The front camera is limited to 1080p 30fps video recording, prioritizing subject exposure and focus, leading to compromised dynamic range. iQoo introduces a Vlog Mode with templates for recording videos using either the front or rear camera. This mode allows users to create a vlog by shooting multiple short clips. Filters can be applied, some of which are available for download separately.
Verdict
The iQoo Neo 7 5G presents a compelling package, exceeding expectations in many aspects. It delivers best-in-class performance coupled with exceptional battery life and rapid charging. Its large display and loud speakers make it a media consumption powerhouse. While software has steadily improved, further refinement is still needed. One of its biggest strengths is the inclusion of the latest software, a stark contrast to phones like the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G.
However, the absence of an ultra-wide camera is a significant drawback, making the camera setup less versatile than the competition. If you value having an ultra-wide camera, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G offers a better option. Alternatively, if you crave a unique design and features like wireless charging and an IP rating, the Nothing Phone 1 might be worth considering.
Ultimately, if you prioritize gaming performance within a budget of around Rs. 30,000, the iQoo Neo 7 5G is a highly recommended choice. It offers an impressive and immersive gaming experience with all the power and speed you need.
