In the ever-competitive smartphone market, iQOO has carved its niche by delivering performance-driven phones that gamers and power users love. The iQOO Neo 10 continues that legacy, combining flagship-level hardware, lightning-fast charging, and a smooth display, all at an affordable price. But how does it perform in real-world use? Let’s dive deep into this impressive device and find out whether it’s truly the gaming powerhouse on a budget that it claims to be.
Design and Build Quality
At first glance, the iQOO Neo 10 looks bold and futuristic. Its design language is clearly inspired by gaming smartphones, but it doesn’t scream “gamer.” It’s stylish enough for everyday use. The back panel is made of high-quality plastic, which keeps the device light, though it does compromise the premium “glass feel” you get from flagship phones.
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The phone’s curved edges and ergonomic grip make it comfortable for long gaming sessions. The button placement is intuitive, and the fingerprint scanner (embedded in the display) is fast and accurate. iQOO also includes stereo speakers that deliver surprisingly good sound, perfect for gaming and watching videos.
Overall, while the materials may not scream luxury, the design feels purposeful, sleek, and gamer-friendly.
Display: Bright, Smooth, and Gorgeous
The 6.78-inch AMOLED display is one of the biggest highlights of the iQOO Neo 10. With a 1.5K resolution (2800 × 1260 pixels) and a blazing 144Hz refresh rate, this screen is built for smoothness. Whether you’re scrolling through social media or battling enemies in BGMI, every frame feels buttery and responsive.
Brightness is another strong suit of the screen can hit up to 5500 nits at peak, making it perfectly visible even under direct sunlight. Colors are vibrant, blacks are deep, and HDR content looks stunning. iQOO has also added adaptive refresh rate switching, which helps save battery when you’re not gaming.
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In short, this display punches way above its price range. It’s crisp, bright, and responsive, everything a gamer could ask for.
Performance: Pure Gaming Beast
Under the hood, the iQOO Neo 10 packs the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset paired with iQOO’s own Q1 supercomputing chip. This combination delivers phenomenal performance. Apps open instantly, multitasking feels fluid, and demanding games like Call of Duty Mobile, Genshin Impact, and PUBG New State run effortlessly at high settings.
What’s impressive is how well the phone manages heat. Thanks to a large vapor cooling system, the Neo 10 stays relatively cool even during extended gaming sessions. There’s minimal frame drop, and the touch response rate is exceptional, giving you a noticeable edge in competitive games.
If you love gaming or heavy multitasking, this phone delivers flagship-level speed without the flagship price tag.
Battery Life and Charging
iQOO went all out here. The Neo 10 packs a massive 7000mAh battery, something you rarely see even in premium phones. With this capacity, you can easily get through a full day of gaming, streaming, and social media without worrying about charging.
And when you do need to top up, the 120W fast charger included in the box gets you from 0% to 100% in around 25 minutes. That’s ridiculously fast. Even a 10-minute charge can provide hours of gaming or video playback.
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This combination of battery size and charging speed makes the iQOO Neo 10 one of the most reliable smartphones for heavy users.
Cameras: Good, But Not Great
The iQOO Neo 10 sports a 50MP Sony IMX882 main camera, paired with an 8MP ultra-wide lens and a 32MP selfie camera. In good lighting, the main camera captures sharp, colorful images with decent dynamic range. Portrait shots look pleasant with accurate skin tones and nice background blur.
However, the ultra-wide camera and low-light photography are where things start to fall short. The ultra-wide lacks the same level of detail, and nighttime shots can get a bit noisy. The selfie camera performs well for social media posts, though it sometimes over-brightens the image.
If photography is your top priority, there are better options. But for casual photos and social media use, the Neo 10 gets the job done.
Software Experience
The phone runs Android 15 with Funtouch OS 15 on top. While it’s smooth and feature-packed, the UI still comes with some pre-installed apps and ads that might annoy you. The good news is that most of them can be uninstalled, and iQOO promises consistent software updates for better optimization.
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The interface supports numerous customization options, from dynamic wallpapers to performance tuning, giving users control over how they want their phone to behave.
Gaming Experience: Made for Winners
If there’s one area where the iQOO Neo 10 absolutely shines, it’s gaming. The combination of the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip, 144Hz display, and Q1 gaming chip ensures silky-smooth gameplay. The device maintains stable frame rates even in graphically intense titles.
The Game Space feature adds even more value, allowing players to customize touch sensitivity, block notifications, and track FPS in real-time. Paired with the excellent stereo speakers and haptic feedback, the gaming experience feels immersive and professional.
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For mobile gamers, this is one of the best phones you can buy under ₹35,000.
Price and Variants
In India, the iQOO Neo 10 starts at ₹31,999 for the 8GB + 128GB variant, with higher configurations offering up to 16GB RAM and 512GB storage. Given the specs, this pricing is incredibly competitive and undercuts several rivals like the OnePlus Nord 4, Poco F6, and Realme GT Neo 6.
Verdict: A True Flagship Killer for Gamers
The iQOO Neo 10 delivers everything that matters most powerful performance, a stunning display, exceptional battery life, and ultra-fast charging, all wrapped in a sleek design that doesn’t cost a fortune.
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Sure, the cameras could’ve been better, and Funtouch OS still has room for refinement, but for gamers and performance enthusiasts, these are minor compromises. At this price point, it’s tough to find a better all-around performer.
⭐ Final Verdict:
- Performance: 9/10
- Display: 9/10
- Battery & Charging: 9.5/10
- Camera: 6.5/10
- Value for Money: 9/10
👉 Overall Rating: 8.8/10 A near-flagship gaming beast that offers unbeatable value for its price.
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