Gaming has always been a focus area for iQOO where the brand specifically provides gaming-centric features in its devices that’ll appeal to the growing gaming community in India. The brand’s latest iQOO Neo 10R 5G is no different, where the device brings a host of features tailored for gamers, and paired with a high-end premium processor, the gaming experience on the device should be a breeze. Here in the iQOO Neo 10R 5G gaming review, we’ll find out whether the device stands up to a gamer’s expectations.
The iQOO Neo 10R 5G is powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 Chipset paired with up to 12GB LPDDR5x RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 4.1 storage. There’s also a 6043mm² vapour cooling chamber to prevent overheating. These specs are definitely not low-end and are meant for gamers.
iQOO has taken advantage of the powerful chip to provide a full-fledged gaming experience through its Ultra Game Mode. Accessible via the Settings app, Ultra Game Mode packs features like a game sidebar and view enhancement that can enhance game picture through local tone mapping, memory colour protection, detail sharpening, and colour enhancement.
Then there’s an Esports mode that fires up the cores to optimize the performance through adaptive refresh rate and temperature. Off-screen autoplay allows the games to run in the background even if the screen is off. 4D game vibration is also supported in certain games where the device can vibrate in sync with the on-screen action, such as when firing bullets in a shooter game. Game-specific sound quality and effects are also present.
There’s also a feature called frame rate priority that can reduce the Resolution of the game in exchange for a smoother and more stable frame rate. Other usual features like brightness lock, block notifications, mute calls, Game PiP, and screen mistouch prevention are also present for an uninterrupted gaming experience.
When you add a game in the Ultra Game Mode, the device then optimises itself for gaming whenever a game boots up and it also shows that through pop-ups. You can then access the Game sidebar from the left screen by swiping inwards. The sidebar consists of some features the Ultra Game Mode doesn’t showcase, such as Motion Control where tilting or raising the device in a certain position can trigger the desired on-screen game control. The feature works neatly when it does because it requires a user to get habitual to it.
Features like eye protection and record screen can also be accessed through this sidebar. Another useful feature is the direct drive power supply where if the device is connected to a charger while you are gaming, you can turn this feature on so the power is directed to the CPU instead of the battery which prevents the extra load on the battery and also the device from overheating.
Then the sidebar can also be used to access the Performance panel, where metrics like game duration, current FPS, current CPU and GPU speeds, and the battery remaining are shown. You can also use this menu to set the refresh rate within the game, switch to Wi-Fi or Mobile Data quickly, and set the touch sampling rate as well.
In terms of features, the iQOO Neo 10R 5G delivers a solid experience. It offers plenty of customization options for gamers to tailor their gameplay, ensuring a satisfying experience without any major drawbacks.
Speaking of performance, the iQOO Neo 10R 5G delivered in this area as well, for the most part. Games like Call of Duty Warzone worked well but not the best. In Warzone, I could notice multiple frame drops, excessive heating, a frozen Game sidebar, and more, during the gameplay. Within the graphics section, Call of Duty Warzone could run at a Medium visual quality at best, with high resolution, upscaling quality, and shadow quality. The option for ”Peak” visual quality remained unavailable. Because the game itself is known for its poor optimisation, I tried the regular Call of Duty Mobile as well.
The regular version performed significantly better, offering flagship-level graphics options such as “Very High” in Quality and “Max” in FPS. Frame rates remained stable, thermals were well-managed compared to Warzone, and the touch response was highly responsive, making for an excellent gaming experience.
Coming to Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), this was the game that offered the ultimate experience as it supported most of the gaming features available in the Neo 10R. It supported the Game Sound effects feature where you can increase the intensity of certain game sounds such as Bass, vocals, footstep sounds, surround sound, and sound field as well. It also supports features like Super Touch Control for better control response, along with Control Adjustment as well where you can set the sensitivity of metrics like Taps, swipes, micro controls, and gyroscope, ranging from Lowest to Highest.
These features did make a huge difference in real-world gameplay and also allowed for an advantage over other players. The gameplay in BGMI was extremely smooth with no noticeable frame drops or excessive heating.
Games like RL Sideswipe and Bullet Echo worked well too. A high touch sampling rate is highly recommended for such games and the iQOO Neo 10R 5G delivered. Frame rates in these games had to remain stable considering they aren’t as CPU or GPU-intensive as the Call of Duty and BGMI titles.
Overall, we’d say the iQOO Neo 10R 5G is an excellent option if you are looking for a smartphone to game on. It not only has a capable chipset but a huge battery and a whole lot of gaming features to further aid in providing a well-rounded gaming experience. We have already shared our initial impressions and a camera review of the device while a fully detailed review of the Neo 10R 5G is in the works so stay tuned for that.
