iQOO’s midrange and flagship offerings cater to gamers and users who value high benchmarks. However, its budget offerings appeal to a broader audience of casual users. The newly launched iQOO Z10x gives as much importance to aesthetics as it does to performance. On paper, it boasts some eye-catching specs. It is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC, runs the Funtouch 15 OS out of the box, packs a massive 6,500mAh battery with 44W fast charging, and is compliant with MIL-STD-810H durability standards. We took the smartphone for a spin to test how these specs translate into real-world performance. Here is our review of the iQOO Z10x 5G.
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In This Article
iQOO Z10x 5G Review: Design and Display
Here’s what you get inside the iQOO Z10x 5G’s retail box:
- Smartphone
- 44W power adapter
- USB Type-A to Type-C cable
- Clear plastic cover
- SIM ejector
- Quick start guide
- Warranty card
The iQOO Z10x looks nothing like last year’s Z9x (our review here). The new back panel feels more like glass, even though it is made out of plastic. Its edges slightly curve towards the plastic frame, giving the smartphone a nice grip. The rectangular camera panel now houses a Dynamic Light as well. It springs into action when you receive an incoming call or notification. It can even sync with the music playing on your phone. The light turns red when your phone hits a low battery level. The breathing animation indicates that the phone is currently charging.
The plastic frame houses the volume rocker keys and the side button on its right edge. The side button also functions as a fingerprint scanner. The SIM tray lies on the left side of the frame. The microphone, USB Type-C port, and speaker are positioned at the bottom. The earpiece acts as the secondary speaker. The smartphone has an IR blaster too, but it is placed in the camera panel instead of its more conventional position at the top of the frame.
The iQOO Z10x pays special attention to toughness and durability. The smartphone is compliant with MIL-STD-810H standards. While we didn’t conduct a drop test, we can confidently say that the smartphone can absorb light knocks and drops from the pocket with ease. Its IP64 protection safeguards it against water splashes.
The 6.72-inch IPS LCD panel has a 120Hz refresh rate. It can reach 1,050 nits in High Brightness Mode. In bright outdoor conditions, the display struggles to overcome the intensity of direct sunlight. On the bright side, its touch response is very smooth. There is no in-display fingerprint scanner to be found here, but the side-mounted fingerprint reader is quick and snappy. The bezels around the display get thicker in the chin area.
During the review period, we used the iQOO Z10x 5G as our primary media streaming device. The LCD panel produces rich and vibrant visuals, but it lacks the depth of an AMOLED display. Having said that, the viewing experience is quite good, considering the brightness and size of the display. The earpiece acts as a secondary speaker and bumps the audio output. The sound is slightly boxy, but that’s something to be expected from a device in this price bracket.
iQOO Z10x 5G Review: Performance and Cameras
The iQOO Z10x is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC. This is a very respectable processor in this price bracket. The smartphone is available in 3 RAM (LPDDR4X) + Storage (UFS 3.1) variants.
- 6GB + 128GB: Rs 13,499
- 8GB + 128GB: Rs 14,999
- 8GB + 256GB: Rs 16,499
On the Geekbench 6 app, the iQOO Z10x scored 990 points in the single-core test and 2,608 points in the multi-core test. In the week-long review period, we were satisfied with the smartphone’s everyday performance. It expertly handled routine tasks like calling, messaging, web browsing, navigation, and media streaming. Multi-tasking different apps did not prove to be a hassle either. The apps take slightly longer to load, but that’s the case with every budget smartphone.
We played Call of Duty Mobile and Asphalt Legends Unite on the Z10x and were satisfied with how it handled the two games. The gaming experience is enjoyable when you limit the frame rate to 60fps and set the graphics to the medium setting. The gameplay is smooth for the most part, and there are no jitters to be seen. It took 20 minutes of consistent gameplay for the back panel to start warming up.
iQOO Z10x runs the Android 15-based Funtouch 15 OS out of the box. iQOO has promised 2 major OS upgrades and 3 years of security patches for this device. There is some bloatware on this device, including the ‘Games’ and ‘Apps’ folders that serve as ads for the V-Appstore. The good thing about Funtouch 15 OS is that it’s light and well-optimised. There are plenty of customisation options for the lockscreen, icons, Always on Display, and home page. On top of that, the Z10x packs AI features like AI Erase, AI Translation, AI Photo Enhance, AI Documents, and Circle to Search.
The massive 6,500mAh battery pack puts up a good display. During the review period, our daily tasks on the iQOO Z10x included video calling, emailing, gaming, social media browsing, and media streaming. An average day ended with ~30% charge left in the tank. With more moderate usage, you can push the device’s battery life to almost 2 days. The 44W power adapter provided in the box takes almost 90 minutes to fully charge the smartphone.
Moving on, the iQOO Z10x’s rear camera panel packs a 50MP primary shooter and a 2MP depth sensor. The 8MP selfie camera is housed in a punch-hole cutout on the display. The rear camera can record 4K videos at 30fps. Meanwhile, the selfie camera can shoot 1,080p videos at 30fps.
In a bright outdoor setting, the 50MP primary shooter takes good pictures. The images showcase vibrant colours and optimum sharpness. The dynamic range is good, too. The images get visibly softer in limited lighting conditions. In pitch-dark conditions, the Night Mode does little to brighten the subject and remove the noise. This performance is on par with other devices in the segment.
The Z10x takes decent portrait shots. It does a good job of focusing on the subject, but the background blur leaves more to be desired. The 8MP front-facing camera takes good selfies. The images do not look overprocessed, even though the smartphone applies a subtle skin-smoothing effect. The skin tone is captured and processed really well.
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Verdict
The iQOO Z10x 5G is one of the most reliable smartphones you can get under Rs 15,000. It looks and feels like a premium device and backs up its aesthetic with an impressive performance. The Dimensity 7300 SoC is one of the most versatile midrange processors we’ve seen in a while, and it lives up to its reputation on the Z10x. The 6,500mAh battery pack is as vital to the phone’s performance as its processor. It puts the user’s battery anxiety at ease by lasting more than a day on conservative usage. The only thing that is a bit of a letdown on this smartphone is the lack of a microSD slot.
iQOO Z10x 5G: Pros
- Big display
- Good processor
- Decent primary camera
- Great battery life
iQOO Z10x 5G: Cons
- Does not offer expandable memory
- No 3.5mm jack
