The iQOO Neo 10R 5G launched in India a few days back and at a starting price point of Rs 26,999, the device is a powerhouse for gamers as we concluded in our gaming review of the handset. It didn’t disappoint us with its cameras either and today, we have the full review of the iQOO Neo 10R 5G where we cover the rest of the aspects of the device to help you decide whether it’s an all-rounder or not.
Design & Display
As we stated in our initial impressions of the iQOO Neo 10R 5G, despite being made with plastic, the device doesn’t feel cheap at all in the hand. It’s surprisingly slim and lightweight for a smartphone with a 6400mAh battery. The buttons feel tactile while the Haptics feel premium too. They are strong and tight and will easily notify you of a call even when in your pocket.
The device is on the bigger side in terms of form factor so one-handed use isn’t really possible but because it’s not too wide, you can reach the other EDGE of the device with one hand. The speakers on the bottom and the top are loud and clear, but don’t expect them to be bassy as the sound signature remains flat and at higher volumes, there is some distortion as well while the vocals get a little shrill.
We like the MoonKnight Titanium shade due to its minimal yet stylish look while the Raging Blue colour is for those who want an eye grabber. The squircle shaped camera module on the back gives it the classic iQOO look the brand has been maintaining with its more premium flagships.The design of the Neo 10R 5G is sleek and understated, making it an excellent choice for those who prefer minimalistic phones.
The display of the Neo 10R is a 1.5K AMOLED panel with a 144Hz Refresh Rate and surely it is a panel that offers a pleasant experience in most use cases, including while watching movies or videos or while playing games. It’s rich with vivid colours and runs smooth even with Smart Switch refresh rate mode.
The viewing angles are decent while the brightness under direct sunlight is also acceptable. The touch response remains high enough and it also supports HDR in apps like Netflix, making the multimedia experience a pleasant one.
The in-display fingerprint sensor worked just fine and was quick to identify the fingerprint and unlock the device. However, there was a bug that would bring me to the lock screen instead of the home screen if I tried to unlock the device through Always-on display.
Software and Performance
The iQOO Neo 10R 5G gets a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 Processor and this Chipset has already excelled in our gaming tests. The thermals remain well under control in most games and the performance in titles like Call of Duty Mobile and BGMI is simply excellent.
Speaking of real-world performance, the chip, as expected, handles everything with ease. Be it launching apps or multitasking, good RAM management paired with 8s Gen 3 chip does wonders for the device in terms of performance. It felt quite snappy when we opened multiple apps in quick succession just for the sake of testing. The device did get minutely warm but nothing too dramatic or out of the normal could be noticed.
The 128GB version has UFS 3.1 storage versus UFS 4.1 storage in the other two 256GB models, so we’d recommend opting for the higher memory variants as that would make the device more future proof.
The only thing that doesn’t work for the device is its software. We have said time and again that Funtouch OS lacks behind its competitor Android skins in terms of polish, consistency, and smoothness to some extent. Even with FunTouch OS 15, things haven’t improved a lot.The quick settings panel feels outdated, with some elements appearing overly cartoonish. The animations can sometimes end abruptly which shows that the skin requires some serious effort on Vivo’s part.
Moreover, the device came filled with bloatware, with games like Bubbles Boxes Match 3D and more pre-installed. Then there’s apps like Vivo’s V-Appstore, a browser, EasyShare, etc., that can’t even be disabled. Furthermore, the V-Appstore kept sending spam notifications even though I turned off App recommendations for the same.
Instances like these show how Nothing OS, Oppo’s ColorOS, Samsung’s One UI, etc., are far ahead in giving users a more comprehensive experience and not just focus on adding more features. It’s high time Vivo and iQOO work on their software so they can catch up to the competitors.
On the positive side, customisation features like various dynamic effects, ambient light effect, fingerprint icons, live wallpapers, a bunch of AOD styles, and much more are there for a personalised experience. There are some AI features included as well, such as AI eraser, Google’s Circle to Search, AI translation, Note Assistant, etc. The AI eraser worked well in some cases but some results were disappointing. Rest of the features worked decently.
Overall, for casual users, Funtouch OS on the iQOO Neo 10R might seem adequate, but for more advanced users seeking a polished experience, the software could detract from an otherwise excellent smartphone.
The iQOO Neo 10R is set to get 3 generations of Android OS updates and 4 years of security patches which is a decent software policy for its price segment. Brands like Samsung, however, offer up to 6 major Android OS updates.
Connectivity performance of the handset also remained optimal. One notable drawback is the lack of NFC, which means you won’t be able to use the device for features like tap to pay.
Battery
The 6400mAh battery, as impressive as it looks on paper, delivers strong performance in real-world use as well. However, keep in mind that it is not a silicon carbon battery but a Li-Ion cell.
As for the usage time, it is a two-day phone for sure if your usage remains moderate, such as chatting, scrolling through social media, watching videos, some amount of calling, browsing the web, etc.
I could easily procure a screen-on time of 8 hours (and sometimes above) from this cell on Wi-Fi and on 5G the results were again promising, with numbers going over 6.5 hours easily. Even when I pushed it to its limits with heavier tasks like gaming, the device would still last me a day without breaking a sweat along with 6 to 7 hours of screen-on time.
The device comes with a 90W charging brick but supports up to 80W of charging speeds. From 0 to 100 percent, the device can charge in nearly an hour which is again great for such a huge cell. However, remember to turn on the Fast charging option from Settings so the device takes full advantage of the charger. While it will charge faster, the phone will also generate more heat, making it hotter to the touch.
To increase and measure the lifespan of the battery, iQOO has included options like charging limit, ability to check the battery health, etc., within the software.
Cameras
We have already tested the iQOO Neo 10R 5G cameras in detail in a separate article. We concluded that the iQOO Neo 10R 5G camera setup has its ups and downs. While it is decent for casual photography and gives pleasant results in ample lighting conditions, it’s not made for those who are looking for a camera-centric device that can perform well in any type of lighting environment.
The cameras do begin to struggle in low light situations which can disappoint some users. Those who like selfies will also find that the Neo 10R 5G isn’t the best at handling those.
