Introduction
The iQOO 12 5G series is the latest flagship offering from the company for 2023. These phones are successors to last year’s iQOO 11 series and aim to comes with heavy Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC processors.
iQOO has marketed these phones heavily around their processing power, display quality, charging speeds and camera capabilities. The focus is clearly on offering a well-rounded flagship experience to demanding users who play heavy games and want good multimedia performance.
Design
The IQOO 12 5G features an alluring glass and metal body that feels premium in the hand. At 163.22 x 75.88 x 8.1 mm and 203.7 grams, it strikes a good balance of slimness and heft. The aluminum frame has a matte finish that resists fingerprints. On the back, IQOO uses special Fluorite AG Glass which has a glossy finish that diffuses light nicely. The rounded edges and curved back make the phone comfortable to grip as well.
Overall, the IQOO 12 5G has a high quality design and build that looks and feels like a flagship smartphone. The combination of metal and glass gives it a stylish yet durable construction. While keeping the size relatively compact, IQOO still fit in a good-sized 5000 mAh battery. At 203.7 grams, the phone has some weight to it without feeling too heavy.
Display
The iQOO 12 5G comes with 6.78-inch 1.5K LTPO AMOLED display with 144Hz variable refresh rate and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits
Camera
The iQOO 12 5G features a versatile triple camera setup on the rear, comprising of a 50MP main camera, 64MP 3x telephoto, and 50MP ultra-wide cameras. This camera Offers 4K and 8K video recording with satisfactory quality.
- iQOO 12 Review Highlights:
- Features Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, setting it apart in performance from previous phones.
- Boasts significant improvements in CPU, GPU, AI engine, and camera processing compared to prior flagships.
- Demonstrates a substantial 20-30% CPU boost and a 20% improvement in GPU benchmarks.
- Offers stability in sustained performance, particularly in CPU stress tests, with some throttling in GPU stress tests.
- Delivers a premium design with a porcelain-like glossy glass back and aluminum frame, albeit slightly slippery.
- Display and Audio Features:
- Flaunts a 6.78-inch flat E7 Amite display with 144Hz variable refresh rate, 10-bit color depth, and HDR 10+ support.
- Impressive brightness hitting around 500 nits manually and exceeding 1,400 nits in auto mode.
- Equipped with stereo speakers offering good loudness but average audio quality.
- Performance and Storage:
- Responsive optical under-display fingerprint reader.
- Provides storage options of 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB UFS 4.0, non-expandable via microSD.
- Software and Battery Life:
- Operates on Vivo’s FunTouch 13 atop Android 14, offering unique features like IR blast BL for appliance control.
- Promised three major Android updates and four years of security patches.
- Houses a 5,000mAh battery with commendable active use lasting approximately 13.5 hours.
- Offers lightning-fast 120W charging, reaching 69% in 15 minutes and a full charge in 26 minutes.
- Camera Capabilities:
- Sports a main 50MP camera, 64MP 3x telephoto, and 50MP ultra-wide cameras.
- Main camera captures detailed, sharp photos with good dynamic range but occasional processing imperfections.
- Impressive low-light performance with excellent detail, exposure, and dynamic range.
- Offers 4K and 8K video recording with satisfactory quality but minor limitations in 4K recordings.
- Telephoto and ultra-wide cameras deliver excellent details and performance, particularly in low-light scenarios.
- Selfies at 16MP display good exposure and dynamic range but lack detail compared to other cameras.
Pricing & Availability
The iQOO 12 5G is available in two variants in India:
- 12GB RAM + 256GB storage: Rs. 59,999
- 16GB RAM + 512GB storage: Rs. 64,999