The newly launched iQOO Z9x 5G is an affordable alternative to its midrange counterpart, Z9 (read our review of iQOO Z9 here). Priced at Rs 13,000, this smartphone boasts rock-solid specs like the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC, a 6.72-inch display with a refresh rate of 120Hz, 44W charging, and an IP64 rating. Since iQOO is Vivo’s subsidiary brand, the Z9x is similar to the latter’s T3x, at least on paper. Being an iQOO product, it carries the reputation of being a powerhouse. So, let’s dive into our review of the iQOO Z9x 5G and see if this is a no-brainer purchase in the budget category.
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In This Article
iQOO Z9x 5G Review: Design and Display
Here’s what you get inside the iQOO Z9x 5G retail package:
- Smartphone
- Clear plastic case
- 44W power adapter
- USB Type-A to Type-C cable
- SIM ejector
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty card
The Z9x is available in two colour variants – Storm Grey and Tornado Green. We used the former for this review.
Even though the Z9x is an affordable version of the Z9, it has a better design. The matte finish on the plastic back panel feels premium and goes well with the blue colour scheme. The quality of the plastic used in this back panel is quite superior to its peers. It doesn’t feel flimsy or cheap in any way. The square camera island with rounded corners is inspired by the company’s flagship smartphone, iQOO 12 (read our review of iQOO 12 here).
The alignment of the plastic frame with the outer bezel of the display is a little outdated. Dragging your finger on the frame, you can feel the two-step arrangement. The right edge of the frame houses the volume rocker keys and the side button. This side button also doubles up as the fingerprint scanner. The SIM tray is located on the left edge. The elusive 3.5mm headphone jack is placed on the bottom edge, along with the USB port, primary microphone, and the speaker grille. The earpiece also acts as the secondary speaker on this smartphone.
The 6.72-inch IPS LCD panel on the Z9x has a refresh rate of 120Hz. It can reach a peak brightness of 1,000 nits. The display remains bright and legible under direct sunlight. Surrounding the display are thin, uniform bezels. The selfie camera is housed in a punch-hole cutout. It is refreshing to see a budget smartphone getting rid of the waterdrop notch and chunky bezels. While it doesn’t have an under-display fingerprint scanner, the side-mounted scanner works like a charm.
We streamed media from major OTT platforms on the Z9x and were pleased by the vibrant, rich colours relayed on the LCD panel. Of course, the blacks aren’t as deep as they would be on an AMOLED display, but the overall viewing experience was satisfactory. The dual audio output is another aspect that pulls its weight in this regard. Most smartphones in this price category are still reliant on a single, bottom-firing speaker.
Another aspect where the iQOO Z9x pulls ahead of its peers is protection against water and dust. The smartphone has an IP64 rating, which makes it resistant to water splashes. You can take a call on the smartphone when it’s drizzling and not have to worry about any damage to the device.
iQOO Z9x 5G Review: Performance and Cameras
The iQOO Z9x 5G packs the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC under its hood. We’ve seen this processor carry out the heavy work in midrange devices, so it’s great to see it being added to a budget smartphone. The Z9x 5G is available in three RAM options, with a fixed 128GB internal storage: 4GB, 6GB, and 8GB. These variants are priced at Rs 13,000, Rs 14,500, and Rs 16,000 respectively.
On the Geekbench 6 app, the Z9x scored 939 points in the single-core test and 2,819 points in the multicore test. The S6G1 chipset goes through everyday tasks like a breeze. Across the week-long review period, we did not experience a single jitter on the iQOO Z9x 5G, despite overloading it with tasks. The snappy touch response of the display coupled with the minimum loading time for apps makes the general usage experience very fun.
Being an iQOO smartphone, the Z9x also excels in gaming. We played games like Call of Duty Mobile and Asphalt 9 on this device and were quite impressed with its performance. The lags were kept to a minimum and frame drops were extremely rare. You can play COD Mobile on the Z9x with high graphics and a 60fps frame rate. The thermal management of this device is also impressive. We noticed the back panel get slightly warm after 40 minutes of gameplay.
The Android 14-based Funtouch OS 14 offers a good software experience on the Z9x. There is a fair amount of bloatware on the smartphone, but it is inescapable on any budget device. We like the overall aesthetics of Funtouch OS 14 along with a varied range of customisation options. Privacy and security features like the hidden folder in the gallery, app encryption, and app hiding are a great addition to the software. To top it off, iQOO has promised 2 major OS upgrades and 3 years of security patches for the Z9x.
Budget smartphones aren’t known for having the biggest batteries or fast charging. The iQOO Z9x breaks this mould with its amazing battery performance. The massive 6,000mAh battery pack on this device can hold enough juice to power it for a day. If you’re more conservative with your usage, you can push the smartphone’s battery life to two days. During the review period, our average Screen On Time on the iQOO Z9x was 5 hours. We were left with a 20-25% charge at the end of each day. Having a big battery means that it can take longer to charge it. However, with 44W fast charging support, you can fully charge this smartphone in just over an hour.
The rear camera panel of the Z9x houses a 50MP primary shooter and a 2MP depth sensor. The ultrawide lens is missing from this arrangement. Since the smartphone is priced competitively, we don’t mind this exclusion too much, though even an entry-level ultrawide lens would have been nice.
In bright outdoor conditions, the primary shooter takes good images that have good clarity and punchy colours. We were happy with the detail that the images managed to capture. The dynamic range and sharpness of shadows were also good. However, the camera has a tendency to overexpose the sky in daytime shots.
We didn’t have high hopes for the camera in limited lighting conditions, but it surprised us with an excellent performance. It did a great job of illuminating the subject and capturing the essential details while keeping the grain to a minimum. It feels like a benchmark performance for smartphones in this price range.
The edge detection in portrait shots is good, and the camera applies a good level of background blur. The 8MP selfie camera takes decent selfies but tends to brighten the skin of the subject and applies a smoothening effect on it.
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Verdict
The iQOO Z9x 5G is in a league of its own in this price range. Its premium form factor, powerful performance, and versatile battery make it a very easy recommendation from us. An AMOLED panel would have been a great addition to the device, but the viewing experience offered by the smartphone makes up for it. The Z9x also impresses with its camera performance by shooting vivid and clear images in a range of lighting conditions.
iQOO Z9x 5G: Pros
- Great form factor
- Snappy performance
- Good for gaming
- Big battery and fast charging
- Great for taking pictures in limited lighting
- Affordable
iQOO Z9x 5G: Cons
- IPS LCD panel instead of an AMOLED display
