iQOO has been known to disrupt the smartphone segment with powerful hardware and aggressive pricing, and with the launch of its iQOO Neo 9 Pro, the brand has once again set a new benchmark. This device isn’t just another addition to the market—it’s the cheapest phone featuring the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, and that alone is enough to grab attention. But there’s more. From design to performance, this phone is built to impress without burning a hole in your pocket.
Let’s explore why the iQOO Neo 9 Pro is creating so much buzz.
A Design That Feels Premium
The iQOO Neo 9 Pro gets an aesthetic upgrade with a dual-tone color design, available in Conqueror Black and Fiery Red. The in-hand feel is surprisingly good, partly due to the leather back finish and lightweight 191g body. With a thickness of just 7.99mm, it feels sleek yet sturdy.
The phone also features ultra-narrow bezels, making the display pop even more. The device is protected by Schott Xensation Up glass, which gives it solid durability. Whether you’re using it for content consumption or daily usage, the Neo 9 Pro feels much more premium than its price suggests.
Stunning Display for Everyday Use
One of the standout features of the iQOO Neo 9 Pro is its display. It sports a 6.78-inch 1.5K LTPO AMOLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate. The visuals are incredibly smooth, and the 2160Hz PWM dimming ensures reduced eye strain during extended use. For brightness, it offers 3000 nits peak brightness and 1400 nits HBM, so outdoor visibility is never a problem.
Colors look vibrant, blacks are deep, and the sharpness is on point—ideal for gamers and binge-watchers alike.
Powerful Camera Setup
In the camera department, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro holds its own with a 50MP Sony IMX920 main sensor. It captures detailed shots with good dynamic range. The 8MP ultrawide lens is useful for landscape and group shots, and the 16MP selfie camera delivers crisp selfies with decent edge detection for portrait mode.
While it’s not trying to compete with high-end flagships, the Neo 9 Pro offers a reliable camera experience for the price.
Top-Tier Performance
This is where the iQOO Neo 9 Pro absolutely shines. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm) processor, the device achieves an Antutu score of 1,634,527, which is impressive for any smartphone, let alone one at this price point.
You get options of 8GB or 12GB LPDDR5X RAM, and storage options include 128GB UFS 3.1 and 256GB UFS 4.0. This means apps load faster, games run smoother, and multitasking is a breeze. There’s also virtual RAM expansion if needed.
Keeping the temperature in check is a 6K VC cooling system, which ensures consistent performance during heavy gaming or video editing.
The phone runs on FuntouchOS 14, based on Android 14, with the promise of 3 years of major OS updates and 4 years of security patches—a solid software support cycle for a mid-range device.
Long-Lasting Battery with Super Fast Charging
The 5160mAh battery on the iQOO Neo 9 Pro is more than enough to get through a full day of heavy usage. What’s even more impressive is the 120W fast charging support. And yes, the charger is included in the box along with a Type-C to Type-C cable—a welcome move when many brands are ditching adapters altogether.
With this setup, you can go from 0 to 100% in under 30 minutes, making battery anxiety a thing of the past.
Well-Thought-Out Ports & Buttons
The phone comes with all essential ports and buttons in convenient placements:
- Bottom: SIM Card Tray, Microphone, USB Type-C, Speaker Grill
- Right: Power Button, Volume Rocker
- Top: IR Blaster, Noise Cancellation Microphone
It also has an in-display fingerprint scanner and face unlock, offering multiple secure and fast unlocking options.
Solid Connectivity Options
The iQOO Neo 9 Pro supports 5G, Dual 4G VoLTE, WiFi 7, and Bluetooth 5.3. The only thing missing here is NFC, which might matter to users who rely on contactless payments. However, for most users, this won’t be a deal-breaker.
Pricing That’s Hard to Beat
Perhaps the most attractive part of the iQOO Neo 9 Pro is its price. The base variant (8GB + 128GB) comes in at just ₹32,373, and with applicable bank offers, you can bring it down even further. For a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 device with flagship-tier features, this is arguably one of the best deals in the current smartphone market.
Final Thoughts
The iQOO Neo 9 Pro isn’t trying to do everything. But what it does, it does exceptionally well. It delivers flagship-level performance, a premium display, solid camera, and fast charging—all while staying under ₹35,000. Whether you’re a gamer, power user, or just someone looking for a future-ready phone, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro hits that sweet spot of price-to-performance like few others.
Disclaimer: The above content is for informational purposes only. Prices and features mentioned are based on publicly available data at the time of writing and may vary over time or by location. Please verify with official sources before making a purchase decision.