Recently, iQoo released two new 5G phones that retail for less than Rs 20,000. One of them, the iQoo Z9s, was sent to us for review. It runs on Android 14-based Funtouch OS 14 and, while the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 processor powers it. The phone has a 5,500mAh battery included. A 6.77-inch AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 120 Hz is another characteristic of it. So should you purchase it? After more than a week of use, we will discuss both the positive and negative aspects of this smartphone in our review.
In This Article
iQoo Z9s Review: Design and Display
The package was quite known to us. The phone itself sits directly on top when you open it. You also get a 44W charging adapter, a USB A to USB C charging cable, some paperwork including the user manual and warranty card, and a nice transparent back cover. You don’t need to purchase anything more because iQoo has done a fantastic job providing everything. Yes, a screen cover has also been applied to the display to prevent scratches.
Our review device comes in a gorgeous Onyx Green colour option. It has a very subtle, glossy, sand-like surface at the back that appears extremely good, yet it deters fingerprints and smudges when you look carefully. We also noted that, while not made of glass, the rear panel is made of polycarbonate and yet feels sturdy.
The gadget weighs 182 grams and is very thin—just 7.49 mm. It is compact and comfortable to hold in our hands. The lower portion of the back panel has the iQoo logo. There is a large dual rear camera arrangement located in the upper left corner. Additionally visible is the bottom-mounted flash, which has an Aura light and a pretty attractive appearance.
Also Read: iQOO Z9s Pro Review: Under Rs 25K Game Changer?
Speaking of ports, the power and volume rockers are located on the right side. A secondary noise-cancelling microphone is located on top. A single downward-firing speaker, a USB type C connector, a microphone, and a SIM tray that holds two nano SIM cards are located at the bottom. Sadly, SD card storage expansion is not supported.
All in all, the design is really imaginative and interesting for the price. The camera module even draws your attention. This phone has curved corners and is extremely thin, giving it a highly compatible appearance. It is comfortable to hold. Interestingly, it is slim for having a sizable 5,500mAh battery.
Flipping the phone over reveals a large display with slender side bezels and a prominent chin and the top. The selfie camera is positioned in the middle of the punch-hole-shaped screen, at the top. Schott Xensation glass protection is included with the display.
The display specifications of the iQOO Z9s 5G include a 6.77-inch Full-HD+ 3D curved AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1,080×2,392 pixels. The screen has a pixel density of 387 ppi and a refresh rate of 120 Hz.
The colour reproduction is stunning, with vivid colours and perfectly rendered deep blacks. The second noteworthy feature is the extremely well-optimised 120Hz refresh rate. Yes, the refresh rate of 120 Hz is smooth and hasn’t given us any hiccups while testing. The animations feel much more seamless; we never experienced any lag or delay.
The screen has a peak brightness of 1,800 nits, and during our brief outside test, we were able to see the content on it easily. This phone is really easy to use outside in the sun.
With its curved display, watching movies and OTT videos on this phone is a lot of fun. Full-resolution video playback is possible with apps like Netflix and Prime Videos because of Widevine L1 certification.
There is only one down-firing speaker for audio, and the earpiece also functions as a backup speaker. Rich and crisp, the audio quality is superb. It is also necessary to mention that the level is increased by 300 per cent, making it loud enough to hear everything, even in greater detail.
iQOO Z9s Review: Performance and Cameras
Coming to the performance. The MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC powers the iQOO Z9s. Our version had 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM and support for an additional 12GB of virtual RAM extension, for a total of 24GB of RAM. It has a USB 2.2 storage type and 256GB of storage capacity.
This phone has been our primary device and seems to be high-end, speedy, plus responsive. Your most recent apps remain in the memory, opening apps is really quick, and multitasking is quite easy.
Also Read: Google Pixel 9 Review: Does the company walk the talk?
Let’s talk about gaming. While playing BGMI, we first adjusted the graphics and frame rate to 60 frames per second, which was smooth and extreme. There were no delays or stutters during the nearly perfect gaming experience. We were amazed that a phone under Rs 20,000 could have such outstanding performance. You get super responsive input while gaming. After playing for a while, it did get a little hotter, but the performance of the game was unaffected. The iQoo Z9s will be more than enough if you enjoy playing games of such kind without spending a fortune.
Let’s quickly examine the user interface. Out of the box, the phone runs Android 14 with Funtouch OS 14. All things considered, the user interface is incredibly user-friendly and highly optimised. Undoubtedly, FuntouchOS and all of its features are there, but the phone also has a tonne of bloatware that you can remove after you’re done with it. But again, only a few, not all.
Now let’s go straight into the cameras. The iQoo Z9s has two rear cameras: a 2-megapixel depth sensor and a 50-megapixel main camera with a Sony IMX882 sensor. There is a 16-megapixel selfie camera up front.
We discovered that the camera was pretty good in well-lit, daytime situations. The colours are good and there are a lot of details. Although there are no saturation problems, it’s still a pleasant experience. Additionally, the dynamic range is rather strong, and the photographs have a lot of details and excellent colour reproduction.
When it comes to portrait photography, we enjoyed taking those shots. Portrait shots seem crisper and have greater contrast and black levels because of the excellent background separation.
Selfies tell a similar story gorgeously as well. The skin tone appears to be normal.
We also appreciated the iQoo Z9s’s normal nighttime shots since it is able to allow in more light, which results in a reasonable dynamic range at the compromise of a bit less contrast.
The rear cameras can capture 4K video at 30 frames per second. The OIS produces videos that are generally more steady and have a decent level of sharpness and detail.
The selfie videos on this phone are recorded in 30 frames per second at full HD. The front camera does not record in 4K resolution, which is acceptable in our opinion.
Now let’s talk about the battery. Thus, even with heavy usage, the massive 5,500mAh battery will easily last you the entire day. The package includes a 44W charger, which requires slightly more than an hour and a half to fully charge.
Verdict
Alright, final thoughts.
So by providing a phone with a curved AMOLED, a trustworthy camera, a fluid gaming experience, and high performance, iQoo has successfully met the needs of today’s consumers.
The iQoo Z9s’s camera worked remarkably well for a phone priced around Rs 20,000. All we could hope for is the inclusion of an ultra-wide sensor, but that’s just us being picky.
For daily use, the 5G chipset offers a rather dependable performance.
The iQoo Z9s is a good bet if you’re searching for a smartphone around Rs 20,000.
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Pros
- New design
- Curved AMOLED screen
- Smooth gaming performance
Cons
- Comes with Bloatware
- Heats up a little
