iQOO has been challenging smartphone contenders across price segments in India and the iQOO Neo 10R is its latest mid-ranger that’s supposed to give a tough fight to the likes of the Nothing Phone (3a) series and more. Here are our initial impressions of the device where we’ll find out whether it is capable of making an identity for itself at a starting price point of Rs 26,999 or not.
Starting with the in-box contents, the Neo 10R comes with a charger, a USB-C cable, instruction manuals, a SIM ejector tool, and a transparent TPU case. The charger is a 90W brick and supports a USB-A to USB-C cable.
The design of the iQOO Neo 10R 5G will remind you of the iQOO 12 and the Moonknight Titanium shade we received for review showcases a minimal look with an arc pattern in the bottom half.
While it may not draw as much attention as a Nothing Phone (3a), it’s definitely made for those who want a premium-looking phone with a subtle design language. If you want a device that’s more eye-catchy, you can opt for the Raging Blue version.
The build is entirely polycarbonate but despite it being plastic, the device didn’t feel cheap in the hand, a complaint we had with the Neo 9 Pro 5G whose frame not only looked cheap but also felt the same way. It is also commendable how well iQOO has managed to pull of the weight distribution and has also kept the device slim despite it packing a huge battery under the hood.
The iQOO Neo 10R sports a 6.78-inch (2800 x 1260 pixels) 1.5K AMOLED 20:9 display with a 144 Hz refresh rate, 4500 nits peak brightness, 3840 Hz PWM dimming, HDR 10+, and up to 300 Hz touch sampling rate.
In our initial testing, we found the display to be quite responsive, bright, and sharp. Moreover, there’s support for Smart Switch refresh rates that can automatically adjust the Refresh Rate through software based on the content you are watching, but keep in mind it’s not an LTPO panel.
The in-display optical fingerprint sensor also works well in terms of accuracy and speed. It’s positioned well and detected my finger 9 out of 10 times.
Read More: iQOO Revises iQOO 12 Software Policy, Will Now Get 1 More Android OS Update
The device packs the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC and runs on Android 15-based FunTouch OS 15. It will receive 3 major Android OS updates and 4 years of security patches. The smartphone also houses up to 12GB LPDDR5x RAM and up to 256GB UFS 4.1 storage. However, the 8GB + 128GB model has UFS 3.1 storage.
The Chipset in use has earned a strong reputation, and our initial tests confirm why. The device is fast, responsive, and delivers a pro-level gaming experience. We did find some software inconsistencies, non removable bloatware, and we’ll talk about them in detail in the full review along with the performance as well, but if you are looking for raw power or for gaming, we can already tell you the Neo 10R 5G will serve you well.
The device is backed up by a 6400mAh Li-Ion battery with 80W Fast charging support. For optics, there’s a 50MP Sony IMX882 primary sensor paired with an 8MP ultra wide-angle sensor. On the front, there’s a 32MP f/2.45 selfie sensor. A camera review of the iQOO Neo 10R 5G is already live where we tested these Sensors in detail.
We’ll test the battery in the full review but on paper, it does look promising. What’s also yet to be tested are the Haptics and audio, which will also be discussed later.
To address the question we posed earlier, the iQOO Neo 10R 5G performs well in most areas and could be a strong contender against its rivals. Stay tuned for our full review, where we’ll help you decide if it’s worth buying.
