Ranking every iQOO phone launched in 2022: from iQOO 9 Pro to iQOO Z6 Lite 5G

iQOO has made its presence felt in the Indian smartphone market in just a span of two years, which is quite a remarkable feat given the cutthroat competition between existing OEMs. In fact, our recent Great Indian Smartphone Survey told us that iQOO beats the rest as the brand with the most satisfied users. Clearly, the brand is doing something right. iQOO users are happy with their phone’s speed, battery reliability, and more importantly, value for money. Since the start of 2022, iQOO has launched several noteworthy devices, such as the iQOO 9 Pro, iQOO 9 SE, and iQOO Neo 6.

Of course, not all iQOO phones have been a hit with consumers and reviewers alike. There are some that are simply not worth investing in as we approach the end of the year. With so many good iQOO phones available right now, it might be difficult for the average consumer to choose one to buy. So, we decided to rank every iQOO phone launched in India, in order of least favourite to the best of the best.

iQOO Z6 Lite 5G

The iQOO Z6 Lite 5G (review) is currently the cheapest iQOO phone you can buy in India. Moreover, it is one of the cheapest 5G phones in India, with a starting price of Rs 13,999. This is an easy choice for anyone looking for an affordable 5G phone in India, especially as 5G services from Airtel and Jio have begun rolling out. Apart from 5G support, the iQOO Z6 Lite 5G also features a 120Hz display and Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 SoC. That said, iQOO should have provided a charger inside the box and improved the phone’s low-light photography.

Pros:

• Good build
• Smooth 120Hz display
• Decent performance

Cons:

• No charger in the box
• Poor low-light photography

iQOO Z6 5G

A slightly better phone than the iQOO Z6 Lite 5G in terms of performance, the iQOO Z6 5G (review) is powered by the Snapdragon 695 chipset. At a price point of just Rs 15,499, the iQOO Z6 5G is one of the better performance-centric phones in the segment. In addition to a capable processor, the device also offers a 120Hz display, Android 12 OS, and a decent battery life. However, the phone’s sub-par cameras, bloatware issues, and lack of stereo speakers make it slightly less desirable than other phones in the segment.

Pros:

• Good design
• Decent display
• Strong performance

Cons:

• Average cameras
• Bloatware issues
• Lacks stereo speakers

iQOO Z6 Pro 5G

Easily the best phone in the iQOO Z6 series, the iQOO Z6 Pro 5G has plenty of power and features to offer at an attractive price point of Rs 21,999. Some of the things that work well with the iQOO Z6 Pro 5G are its performance thanks to the Snapdragon 778G chipset, its bright and vivid AMOLED display with 90Hz refresh rate, and a solid battery life backed by 66W fast charging support. That said, for a phone in this price segment, it does miss out on a few key features such as stereo speakers and HDR10 support.

Pros:

• Good display
• Strong performance
• Fast charging

Cons:

• Lacks stereo speakers
• No HDR10 support

iQOO 9 SE

iQOO is known for offering value-for-money smartphones, and the iQOO 9 SE (review) is a big example of that. At Rs 33,990, the iQOO 9 SE can be called an affordable flagship device thanks to a powerful Snapdragon 888 chipset under the hood. Other appealing features include 66W fast charging support, a 120Hz AMOLED display, and up to 12GB of RAM. Very few devices can match the iQOO 9 SE in this price range, making it an easy buy if you have a budget of around Rs 35,000.

Pros:

• Smooth performance
• Value for money
• Fast charging

Cons:

• Bloatware
• No 3.5mm headphone jack

iQOO 9

With the iQOO 9 (review), you enter the flagship territory. But at Rs 42,990, the iQOO 9 is far more affordable than many other premium flagship phones around. The device offers plenty of horsepower under the hood, thanks to the Snapdragon 888+ 5G chipset paired with up to 12GB RAM. The iQOO 9 also features a stunning 120Hz AMOLED display, 48MP Gimbal camera system, and 120W fast charging support. That said, the phone’s cameras could have been better as could its battery life.

Pros:

• Stellar performance
• Good display
• 120W fast charging

Cons:

• Cameras could be better
• Poor battery life

iQOO 9 Pro

Surprised to see that the iQOO 9 Pro (review) is not the best iQOO phone on our list? Well, the smartphone might be the most specced out device in this list, but its price tag makes it hard for us to call it the best of the best, especially considering other VFM iQOO phones out there. The iQOO 9 Pro was launched earlier this year with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC, a 6.78-inch 2K AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 50MP triple cameras, and 120W fast charging, among other things. But for a high-end flagship, the iQOO 9 Pro misses out on some key features, such as an IP rating and the inability to relay HDR media on OTT devices like Netflix.

Pros:

• Stunning display
• Superb performance
• Fast charging

Cons:

iQOO Neo 6

The iQOO Neo 6 (review) and iQOO 9 SE are so close to each other in terms of being value-for-money offerings that choosing between them is difficult for the average consumer. The iQOO Neo 6 is around Rs 4,000 cheaper than the iQOO 9 SE and is comparable to the latter in almost every way. It features a stunning 6.62-inch FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display, a powerful Snapdragon 870 chipset, and 80W fast charging, which is actually faster than the iQOO 9 SE. The iQOO Neo 6 is easily the best VFM iQOO phone launched in 2022.

Pros:

• Stunning display
• Good performance
• 80W fast charging

Cons:

• Average design
• Assisting cameras could be better

iQOO 9T 5G

The iQOO 9T (review) comes as close to being the best and fastest Android phone of 2022 as possible. If you’re in the market for a premium smartphone under Rs 50,000, the iQOO 9T is probably your best bet. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, which makes it blazing fast. It also features a smooth 120Hz E5 AMOLED display, 50MP triple rear cameras, and up to 120W fast charging support. Basically, it offers the user everything one could ask for in a flagship phone in 2022 without having to spend a fortune. This is why we rank the iQOO 9T 5G as the best iQOO phone to launch this year.

Pros:

• Exceptional performance
• Good cameras
• 120W charging

Cons:

• Low-light photography could be better
• Some bloatware