iQOO 11 5G Evaluation: Does It Finish Your Quest for the Final Smartphone?

Vivo-backed iQOO debuted as a gaming-centric smartphone model in 2019. It has, since then, expanded to extra markets internationally and launched a number of smartphones throughout completely different worth segments.

Nonetheless, of all its choices, it’s the numbered sequence that’s captured probably the most consideration: iQOO’s been providing high-end specs on these fashions with an above-average digicam and a sexy design for a comparatively low worth than its competitors. And for probably the most half, it’s labored out properly for the corporate.

With its newest providing, the iQOO 11 5G, iQOO continues with the identical tried-and-true formulation. As such, you get the newest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, a 144Hz refresh charge AMOLED show, 120W charging, Android 13, and a sexy design—all at a beginning worth of Rs 59,999.

However will this method work out for iQOO this yr too? We’ve been utilizing the iQOO 11 5G for a few weeks, and right here’s what we really feel.

iQOO 11 Evaluation: Design and Construct

Probably the most hanging facets of the iQOO 11 – in addition to the brand new chipset – is the design. These accustomed to iQOO know that that is nothing new: The corporate has been providing visually hanging backs of its numbered sequence for a while now, with some fashions even getting a racing design impressed by the BMW M paint job because of the partnership with BMW.

The iQOO 11 additionally will get the identical therapy. It’s accessible in two coloration choices: white (Legend) and black (Alpha), with the Legend version that includes a white fake leather-based end on the highest of the fiberglass, much like earlier Legend version fashions, together with BMW M Motorsport branding. This branding is actually a three-color stripe on the again of the system that runs vertically alongside the precise edge. The Alpha colorway has an AG again in black with solely the iQOO branding on the underside edge.

We actually just like the Legend variant over Alpha. It has a hanging look that makes the system stand out from most smartphones in the identical worth bracket. (On a couple of events, we even had folks come as much as us asking concerning the system). Plus, aesthetics aside, this again additionally provides a great grip in hand, thanks partially to the leather-based end and the curved again, which makes utilizing it with one hand simple. Having a white again, after all, raises considerations about discoloration for some folks. Nonetheless, we had been stunned it didn’t: we used the system with out a case all through our testing, and it managed to carry fairly properly.

One other side of the system’s again that stands out is its outsized digicam module. It’s a metallic island housing three cameras and an LED flash. All three lenses have spherical, CD-like rings round them, which give them a fairly distinctive look. And though large, this digicam module doesn’t protrude from the physique a lot, and, as such, there isn’t a noticeable wobble when utilizing the system on a desk.

Shifting to the edges, the iQOO 11 comes with a metallic body for higher energy. Alongside the highest edge, you get an IR blaster (a rarity as of late) and a mic. In the meantime, the underside has a dual-SIM card tray, a mic, a USB Kind-C port, and a speaker grille. There’s additionally a secondary speaker situated alongside the highest fringe of the show, and it doubles as a microphone. Alongside the precise edge, the cellphone options quantity rockers and an influence button, each of which supply good tactility.

Total, we just like the design and construct of the iQOO 11. It looks like a premium system and provides a great in-hand expertise. Sadly, there’s no phrase from the corporate on the ingress safety accessible on the system, which could be a letdown for some folks.

iQOO 11: Show

Shifting to the entrance, the iQOO 11 options an upgraded display screen over the one discovered on the iQOO 9 sequence. It’s a 6.78-inch AMOLED show with QHD+ (3200 x 1440px) display screen decision, 1800 nits of peak brightness, and a 144 Hz refresh charge.

iQOO’s used an LTPO panel for the show this time round, which implies it helps variable refresh charges, i.e., the display screen can refresh from 1Hz all the way in which as much as 144Hz as required, and due to this fact, eat much less battery than an ordinary OLED show. One other main spotlight of the display screen is that it’s an E6 panel. For these unaware, what this implies is that it will possibly refresh two segments of the display screen at completely different refresh charges—albeit its use instances are restricted, at the least as of now.

We’re impressed with the general show high quality of the iQOO 11. It will get sufficiently shiny—even open air—and produces good and vibrant colours. What additionally works in iQOO’s favor is that this can be a flat panel, which, typically talking, is best suited to content material consumption and gaming. Apart from, iQOO provides sufficient customization choices for the show, so you possibly can tweak completely different facets of the display screen, just like the refresh charge, display screen decision, and display screen colours, as you want.

Amongst different issues, the iQOO 11 comes with Widevine DRM certification (L1) and HDR assist (YouTube solely). Mixed with the stereo audio system, this makes the system good for streaming content material throughout varied apps like Netflix and YouTube. Final however not least, the show comes with Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus safety, which may stand up to scratches and drops significantly better than different forms of safety.

iQOO 11: Efficiency

Underneath the hood, the iQOO 11 5G runs on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which makes it the primary system in India to return with this processor. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 debuted in November 2022, and it builds upon the success of the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1.

Just like the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 can also be constructed on TSMC’s 4nm node. Nonetheless, not like its triple-cluster (1 + 3 + 4) construction, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 makes use of a quad-cluster (1 + 2 + 2 + 3) construction as a substitute, which makes it extra versatile for varied sorts of use instances in on a regular basis use. This configuration consists of one Cortex X3 tremendous giant core clocked at 3.2GHz, two 2.8GHz Cortex A715 giant cores, two 2.8GHz Cortex A710 medium-sized cores, and three 2.0GHz Cortex A510 small cores.

To deal with the graphics, the iQOO 11 has an all-new Adreno 740 GPU, which guarantees a 20% enhance in efficiency over that of the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. Aiding the processor additional is Vivo’s newest V2 chip. It kicks in to assist the chipset with body interpolation and evening images.

As for reminiscence and storage choices, the iQOO 11 comes with 8GB / 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 (non-expandable) storage choices. The cellphone provides assist for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3, and there’s additionally assist for 5G (SA and NSA) throughout a number of bands.

In day-to-day use, what all of this interprets to is tremendous quick efficiency. With most on a regular basis duties like calling, opening apps, streaming content material, and social media, the iQOO 11 glides by means of with ease. Moreover, being a gaming-centric system, it additionally manages to carry up properly throughout gaming.

We performed titles like Actual Racing, Name of Obligation, and Apex Legends as a part of our testing, and the iQOO 11 didn’t disappoint a bit. Actually, if something, we had been stunned to see how properly it carried out within the highest graphics settings throughout all of those video games with no signal of lag or stutter. That stated, there have been some situations the place we felt the system heating up a little bit. Most prominently, these had been throughout prolonged gaming classes, digicam use, photograph modifying, and video streaming (over 5G); the latter wasn’t a difficulty over 4G or Wi-Fi.

As for the miscellaneous stuff, the iQOO 11 has stereo audio system on board. These get fairly loud and sound actually good. Moreover, you additionally get assist for AptX HD codec too, so when you eat plenty of content material in your cellphone, you’ll love the expertise on this one.

Relating to authentication, iQOO bundles an in-display fingerprint scanner on the iQOO 11. It’s tremendous fast and correct, though, had the place may’ve been a little bit larger, it might’ve made unlocking a little bit extra comfy. Then, there’s additionally a twin X-axis linear motor beneath for haptics, and it provides pretty good suggestions.

iQOO 11: Software program

By way of software program, the iQOO 11 comes pre-installed with FunTouch OS 13 (primarily based on Android 13) out of the field. Whereas iQOO’s managed to get many issues proper with this software program, the general expertise is stricken by a couple of points.

For one, there’s a ton of bloatware current on the system. Though you possibly can uninstall most of it, there are a couple of apps you possibly can’t uninstall. Then, there’s the V-Appstore, which pushes unsolicited and irrelevant notifications all through the day and brings alongside annoying and unwarranted Scorching Apps and Scorching Video games to the system. Fortunately, iQOO helps you to disable it from the V-Appstore, which you must do proper after organising the system.

One other irritating pre-installed app is iManager. Each time you put in an app on the iQOO 11, it scans it for viruses (and tells if it’s protected to open or not) and, together with that, throws a bunch of different app solutions within the combine. Not solely does this create friction by requiring you to shut the display screen each time, but it surely additionally spoils the general consumer expertise on the system. Equally, different issues that have an effect on the expertise additional are the complicated Settings categorization and the International search choice, which crops up each time you swipe right down to entry the notification shade.

Apart from these factors, although, FunTouch OS 13 performs properly for probably the most half and features a vary of customization choices that you need to use to personalize the expertise as per your necessities.

iQOO 11: Battery Life and Charging

Battery life is one other robust swimsuit of iQOO 11. The system packs a large 5000mAh that provides a stable battery life: we managed to get greater than in the future’s price of use with a single cost. Even with 5G enabled, we had been capable of get round 6 hours of screen-on-time on the system.

As for when the battery runs out of juice, 120W bundled charger is useful for a fast top-up. We used to cost our system with it throughout testing, and it nearly at all times charged up the battery from anyplace between 2-10% to 100% in below 20 minutes.

iQOO 11: Digital camera

iQOO makes use of a triple digicam system on the iQOO 11, with a 50MP major digicam, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 12MP telephoto lens. The first digicam is actually the identical 50MP Samsung ISOCELL GN5 sensor used within the iQOO 9T. Though this sensor is previous, it typically carried out properly within the iQOO 9T. To realize higher picture high quality within the iQOO 11, iQOO now depends on its improved picture processing capabilities, particularly in low-light situations, because of the V2 chip.

As for its imaging capabilities, the 50MP sensor can click on some good photographs in daylight situations. The pictures come out sharp with sufficient particulars and good dynamic vary. Topics are uncovered correctly, and human pores and skin tones are additionally saved intact. Equally, it additionally manages to maintain the colour temperature fairly near how the encompassing seems in actual life, which makes it a dependable shooter.

Most of those traits of the first sensor are maintained even with night-time photographs. Nonetheless, relying on the lighting situations, sure traits like saturation, coloration temperature, and sharpness can generally go for a toss. Fortunately, the evening mode on the iQOO 11 is sort of efficient, and it will possibly come to the rescue and shoot pictures whereas getting most of these items proper.

Swap over to the telephoto lens, and also you’ll be impressed with how carefully its outcomes resemble these from the principle sensor. Photos come out wanting pure in most lighting situations, and there’s no lack of element or sharpness by any means.

In low-light situations, nevertheless, the pictures prove a little bit oversaturated and have underexposed shadows. We had been anticipating the HDR to be a little bit extra helpful in such situations, but it surely didn’t impress right here.

Speaking about ultrawide, the output from this sensor isn’t constant in any respect. It’s erratic, and also you by no means know what to anticipate from the shot: generally, it boosts the saturation and distinction, whereas different occasions, it produces boring and easy pictures. That is fairly frequent on most Android smartphones, although, however given the iQOO 11’s worth, we had been anticipating it to be a little bit higher.

On the entrance, the iQOO 11 sports activities a 16MP shooter beneath the show. It’s a good performer, too, so long as you shoot pictures with none results or modes. Photos come out with a great quantity of element and sharpness in them, and their coloration illustration can also be fairly correct.

HDR is simply helpful when there’s an excessive amount of mild within the background; in common lighting situations, you’re higher off with the traditional mode, because the HDR typically tends to make pictures look unnatural. Likewise, portrait mode isn’t as efficient too, and we wouldn’t suggest utilizing it for selfies both because it smoothens the pores and skin a little bit an excessive amount of and makes the picture look cartoonish.

iQOO additionally provides a couple of different taking pictures modes too, reminiscent of time-lapse, pano, supermoon, twin view, lengthy publicity, and sports activities. If you happen to’re feeling inventive, you possibly can check out these modes to seize some interesting-looking photographs. Apart from, if you’d like extra management over completely different facets of the picture, there’s a professional taking pictures within the digicam app that you need to use to click on footage as you want.

As for video recording, the iQOO 11 can shoot as much as 4K movies at 60 fps from the rear digicam and as much as 1080p movies at 30 fps from the front-facing digicam. The movies got here out common, and we weren’t too happy with their total high quality. We initially thought the 50MP sensor would carry out higher in videography, too, prefer it did in images. Nonetheless, the recordings didn’t get the colours and the temperature proper more often than not. Apart from, stabilization is one other space the place we thought iQOO may’ve finished higher.

iQOO 11 Evaluation: Verdict

iQOO provides the iQOO 11 in two configurations, and right here’s how they’re priced:

• 8GB + 256GB: Rs 59,999
• 16GB + 256GB: Rs 64,999

Considering the bottom variant, which comes with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage for Rs 59,999, the system does justify the asking worth to a sure diploma and is an efficient buy for somebody coming from a couple of generations older processor. It’s received the newest chipset (that provides a superb gaming expertise), a stellar battery life, a 144Hz easy AMOLED show, and an eye catching design.

That stated, the iQOO 11 does current some shortcomings, in our opinion. The dearth of ingress safety, lacking wi-fi charging, a not-so-great software program expertise, and common auxiliary cameras make up this record for us. And as such, we wouldn’t suggest shopping for it if these facets matter to you. Or, for that matter, even when you’re already utilizing a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 system and don’t essentially desire a handset powered by the newest chipset.

As for direct rivals, there’s at present just one competitor in the marketplace – the OnePlus 11, which will likely be launched in early Feb 2023 (look out for our overview of that). The opposite potential competitor, the Xiaomi 13 Professional, isn’t but in the marketplace in India. So except you’re in a rush, we suggest ready a while to learn how the iQOO compares to the competitors so you can also make an knowledgeable choice.

Nonetheless, if you’d like a tool proper now, right here’s a breakdown that can assist you determine when you ought to take into account the iQOO 11 as of in the present day:

Purchase the iQOO 11 5G if:

• You desire a smartphone with an eye catching design
• You desire a gaming-centric cellphone with top-notch efficiency
• You want full-day battery life and super-fast charging
• You want a 144Hz refresh charge show

Don’t purchase the iQOO 11 5G if:

• You want a tool with some ingress safety
• You desire a clear software program expertise
• You want an all-round digicam system
• You need wi-fi charging

Purchase iQOO 11 5G

Evaluation Overview