iQOO Neo 10R Review: Excellent Value for Money?

iQOO’s Neo 10R might not find yourself being the successor to final yr’s iQOO Neo 9 Pro when evaluating worth tags. However, the 2 telephones seem to cross paths as a result of their {hardware} specs and options overlap in a number of areas. The new iQOO Neo 10R lacks the “Pro” branding and, so we may count on a correct successor to the iQOO Neo 9 Pro, earlier than later. Interestingly, every of those two telephones have their sturdy factors. If you want to purchase the iQOO Neo 10R, you must also check out the Neo 9 Pro and here is why.

iQOO Neo 10R Design: Plain Jane

• Dimensions – 163.7 x 75.8 x 7.9mm
• Weight – 196g
• Durability – IP65

Compared to the iQOO Neo 9 Pro, the iQOO Neo 10R is as primary as potential. Yes, it has a slim general look, however the supplies used are fairly primary. The complicated graphics apart, the Raging Blue end makes use of a polycarbonate body and a polycarbonate rear panel. I’ve no points with its polycarbonate body, as its general high quality is kind of good and helps with the telephone’s weight. But its polycarbonate rear panel is a correct smudge and mud magnet. These are straightforward to wipe off, however they only want some pores and skin contact to get smudgy as soon as once more.

The use of polycarbonate does make sense as a result of this telephone packs a really high-capacity battery. And even after taking such weight-saving (or cost-cutting) measures, the telephone nonetheless feels a bit heavy at 196 grams.

The iQOO Neo 10R’s Raging Blue end is a really complicated colourway

 

An IP65 ranking is sweet to have at this worth level, however there are competing smartphones that supply a greater IP68 ranking for mud and water resistance. However, do remember the fact that most producer warranties don’t cowl harm as a consequence of water ingress.

A design component that I actually preferred concerning the iQOO Neo 10R is to do with its show. It has very skinny borders on the high, left and proper. The border on the backside, too, is kind of skinny, regardless that it is a bit thicker than the others.

iQOO Neo 10R Display: Neat and tidy!

• Display measurement – 6.78-inch, 1,260 x 2,800 pixels, 1.5K, 452 ppi
• Display kind – AMOLED, 60-90-120Hz
• Display safety – Schott Xensation Up

The show exhibits principally pure colors within the default display screen color mode. Sharpness is on level, and the show will get sufficiently vibrant (4,500 nits peak) open air. Despite packing the identical peak brightness because the Nothing Phone 3a, I seen that iQOO’s show sustained these brightness ranges for lots longer.

iQOO makes use of Schott Xensation Up glass for show safety. It does a effective job of rejecting fingerprints, which contrasts with the rear panel.

 

The show additionally helps Widevine L1, that means you’ll be able to stream content material in Full HD high quality. To my shock, the show can be HDR10 licensed and supported content material on supported apps appeared as anticipated.

The in-display fingerprint reader works as anticipated, and I had no bother utilizing it in the course of the testing interval.

iQOO Neo 10R Software: Something higher

• Android model – Android 15
• Software – Funtouch OS 15
• Software dedication – 3 years of software program and 4 years of safety updates

The iQOO Neo 10R runs Funtouch OS 15, which is powered by Android 15. Funtouch OS initially focussed on areas that different smartphone manufacturers ignored (fingerprint unlock customisation, charging animations, and so on). But with Funtouch OS 15, they’ve added new dwell wallpapers, new icon kinds, new always-on show results and lots extra. The OS, usually, additionally feels fluid and responsive.

I additionally like which you could run even probably the most demanding video games in a pop-up window, which turns out to be useful when you must wait for your flip. Or you merely have to get another activity completed in full-screen whereas ready for your sport to log in/load.

Funtouch OS 15 will get Android 15, some AI instruments and loads of customisation choices

 

There can be the same old set of synthetic intelligence (AI) instruments. The AI Erase instrument works surprisingly nicely however struggles when eradicating difficult objects in a scene. After choosing the thing you need to erase, you can too see how the instrument progressively erases it from the picture because it’s getting processed. There’s additionally an AI-enabled Photo Enhance instrument, which is constructed to reinforce the decision of Portrait pictures. The content material creation AI instruments additionally labored as anticipated.

During the testing interval, I do not bear in mind getting any spammy notifications, however the telephone does include a bunch of preinstalled third-party apps. However, they are often uninstalled you probably have no use for them.

iQOO Neo 10R Performance: Great for its worth

• Processor – Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
• RAM – 8/12GB (LPDDR5X)
• Storage – 128/256GB (UFS 4.1, UFS 3.1 for 8+128GB)

Funtouch OS runs easily sans any hiccups. With indoor use, the telephone hardly ever heats up besides when taking part in demanding video games like Genshin Impact. Outdoors, it is enterprise as ordinary till you hearth up the digital camera and begin taking pictures. This is when the telephone begins to warmth up. Funtouch OS nonetheless runs buttery-smooth on this situation, and the identical might be stated concerning the digital camera app. The warmth generated when utilizing the digital camera app can primarily be felt on the show and never a lot on the rear panel or the body. Despite getting extremely popular, the telephone didn’t ask me to cease recording 4K 60 fps video, nor did it cut back the variety of digital camera options obtainable.

As for gaming, which is the spotlight of this telephone, it carried out as anticipated. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 shouldn’t be a high-end premium chipset; in reality, the marginally older Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 within the iQoo Neo 9 Pro performs higher in some areas.

The iQOO Neo 10R has a twin rear digital camera setup

 

I may play Call of Duty: Mobile comfortably at Very High graphics and Max body fee with none heating points, with the telephone managing a gentle 59-61 fps throughout gameplay. So, I attempted out one thing a bit tougher (when it comes to graphics) and put in Genshin Impact. The telephone managed a gentle 60 fps with all graphics settings maxed out to High. However, at Very High graphics settings, even 30 fps was a bit unstable. This is okay on condition that it is solely the top-end chipsets on premium gadgets that may deal with this setting nicely.

In brief, iQOO Neo 10R is a performer who can deal with most video games nicely with out noticeable efficiency points. For a smartphone priced from Rs. 26,999, it does ship when it comes to uncooked efficiency, as might be seen from the desk under.

 

 

iQOO Neo 10R Cameras: Could have been higher

• Primary digital camera – 50-megapixel, f/1.79, OIS, AF
• Ultrawide digital camera – 8-megapixel, f/2.2, FF
• Selfie digital camera – 32-megapixel, f/2.4, FF

I’ve in contrast the iQOO Neo 10R to the Nothing Phone 3a I reviewed earlier to provide our readers an concept about the place the iQOO ranks at this worth level.

The Nothing Phone 3a’s major digital camera (under) performs higher in a primary daylight picture comparability

 

Off the bat, there appears to be a color consistency downside each between the 2 rear-facing cameras and even when utilizing the first digital camera itself. In the Natural color mode, pictures present barely muted colors in comparison with the ultrawide digital camera, which confirmed probably the most true-to-life colors. At the identical time, when taking pictures objects up shut, I seen that the first digital camera randomly boosts saturation ranges, so you might discover a powerful pink or inexperienced tone when utilizing it, relying on what you seize.

The Nothing Phone 3a’s major digital camera (under) shoots pictures with higher color accuracy when taking pictures close-up pictures

 

Colour accuracy apart, the pictures from the first digital camera do a little bit of submit processing, including a little bit of distinction. While I like that this processing provides some emotion to the photographs captured (regardless of slicing down on the general dynamic vary), the {hardware} in some way is unable to tug a lot element from a scene even in daylight, resulting in lowered element and elevated softness, particularly close to the sides of the body.

In low gentle or street-lit scenes, the iQOO Neo 10R’s major digital camera suffers from the identical points with softer photographs which are low on resolved element. Nothing manages higher. (Top: iQOO Neo 10R, backside: Nothing Phone 3a)

 

As for the iQOO Neo 10R’s ultrawide digital camera, it produces poor photographs, that are a bit too mushy, lacks any resolved element in any respect and in addition present a whole lot of purple fringing within the vibrant areas.

 

When taking pictures in low gentle, the pictures from the iQOO Neo 10R (high) are primarily unusable versus what you get from the Nothing Phone 3a (under).

 

Portrait mode selfies captured in daylight have respectable edge detection however are a bit low on element, regardless that they seem a bit oversharpened. Low-light selfies additionally minimize down on element and, regardless of utilizing the show flash, have an over-processed look.

 

Video recordings in daylight are surprisingly good. 1080p video recordings (30 and 60fps) confirmed correct colors have a {smooth} framerate together with good stabilisation. 4K video recordings seem cropped and mimic the 1080p footage when it comes to character however with barely higher high quality. Shooting at 4K at 60fps gives the highest quality however will restrict you to the first digital camera solely. Sadly, in low gentle, noise creeps in, and the movies seem mushy and blurry at greatest.

iQOO Neo 10R Battery: Fantastic

• Battery capability – 6,400mAh
• Wired charging – 80W
• Charger within the field – Yes

With an enormous battery and good standby time, the iQOO Neo 10R simply lasts a complete day and a bit extra with heavy utilization. With informal use, count on this one to final greater than 1.5 days on a single cost. Our video loop check, which runs an HD video in a loop at 50 % brightness until the battery runs out, lasted a powerful 34 hours and 56 minutes. Running the PC Mark Work Battery check noticed the telephone final an equally spectacular 24 hours and 38 minutes, far forward of its rivals.

The iQOO Neo 10R prices very quick, given the excessive capability of its battery

 

Charging speeds are equally spectacular, on condition that this telephone packs a high-capacity 6,400mAh battery. The bundled charger managed a 26 % cost in quarter-hour, 55 % in half an hour and one hundred pc cost in an hour, finishing the charging course of 3 minutes later (1 hour and three minutes).

iQOO Neo 10R Verdict

Indeed, the iQOO Neo 10R packs fairly the punch given its attractively low price ticket. The telephone delivers with regards to software program efficiency, gaming, battery life, and charging, nevertheless it comes up brief within the digital camera division.

It’s right here that the just lately launched Nothing Phone 3a (Review) shines, holding in thoughts its cheaper price, coupled with its arsenal of cameras which are uncommon for this worth phase. While its software program expertise is unmatched on this phase, the Nothing Phone 3a shouldn’t be a performance-oriented machine just like the Neo 10R.

A direct competitor to the iQOO Neo 10R is the Poco F6 (Review), which retails at a cheaper price. Fortunately for the Poco, it additionally packs good digital camera efficiency (major solely). However, it additionally can not match the Neo 10R with regards to battery life or charging.

At an extra Rs. 5,000, is the elephant within the room, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro (Review), it packs a strong, premium-grade Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, a wonderful set of cameras and even gives a greater end with a vegan-leather choice. Battery and charging are top-notch, although inferior to the Neo 10R. If you’ll be able to stretch your price range a bit, I extremely suggest skipping the iQOO Neo 10R and reaching for the Neo 9 Pro as a substitute.