If you’re looking for a performance-centric phone that also excels in other areas like cameras, battery life, charging, and display, the iQOO Neo 10R stands out as a solid choice. With powerful internals, a reliable main camera, and a decent display, it justifies its ₹26,999 price tag. Yes, it does have its niggles, including some bloatware and others, which are not a good look at this price point. Nonetheless, overall, the phone is promising, and here, we lay down the details. Read on.
iQOO Neo 10R is a powerful phone for the price
If you’re after a high-performance phone that excels in gaming and tasks like photo or video editing, the iQOO Neo 10R, with its Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip and up to 12GB RAM, is certainly up to the task.
While I am not a heavy gamer, I did try a few rounds of Genshin Impact and a fair bit of GTA: San Andreas via Netflix. The phone handled both exceptionally well, with no stutters, excellent performance, and minimal heating. The frame rates remained consistent, and features like Ultra Game Mode enhanced the experience.
When it comes to UI responsiveness, the phone is quite fluid. Apps open quickly, animations are smooth, and iQOO has clearly put effort into optimising Funtouch OS 15. That said, the software design may not appeal to everyone, icons could be more minimal, and UI elements could be cleaner.
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iQOO Neo 10R is a battery powerhouse
For me, the iQOO Neo 10R is a true two-day phone. Even with regular usage, which includes WhatsApp, occasional camera use, and frequent phone calls, I consistently ended the day with around 40% battery remaining. On one occasion, I used the phone throughout Friday, had 40% left on Saturday morning, and managed most of Saturday without needing to charge. When it does need charging, the 80W fast charger is impressive. A quick 30 to 40-minute charge is enough to get you back up and running.
iQOO Neo 10R: Design and ergonomics
In terms of design, the phone doesn’t feel the most premium due to its plastic back. It’s also slightly slippery, thanks to the matte finish. However, the matte texture prevents fingerprints, keeping the phone looking clean.
The camera module has minimal branding, just an OIS label and the iQOO logo, giving it a clean look. One drawback is that the module tends to attract dust along the edges, requiring frequent cleaning. The phone also boasts IP65 dust and water resistance, so minor splashes or spills shouldn’t be a concern.
Another area where iQOO has done well is haptic feedback. While it’s not as refined or strong as OnePlus’ O-Haptics, it’s still tactile and far superior to many competitors in this price range.
Display: Smooth and customisable
The iQOO Neo 10R features a 6.78-inch Full HD+ display with a 144Hz refresh rate. The panel is smooth, bright, and well-calibrated. iQOO has included several customisation options in the display settings, allowing users to fine-tune their experience.
You can switch between Standard, Professional, and Bright screen modes, adjust colour temperature, and toggle between different resolutions (2400×1080 or 2800×1260). A lower resolution saves power, but even at the highest setting, I didn’t notice a major difference in battery drain.
Outdoor visibility is excellent, with good legibility under direct sunlight. I also didn’t experience any significant dimming during prolonged use.
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iQOO Neo 10R’s camera performance was a pleasant surprise
The iQOO Neo 10R features a dual-camera setup with a 50MP f/1.8 wide sensor and an 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide lens. While the ultra-wide lens suffers from oversharpening and noticeable fringing along the edges, the main shooter is quite capable.
Photos from the 1x camera are sharp, with well-controlled highlights, natural highlight roll-off, and manageable noise levels. The camera performs well in mixed lighting conditions, whether in artificial light or a combination of natural and artificial light.
Portraits are solid, though HDR can sometimes be overly aggressive, especially when using the 2x digital crop. Sticking to the 1x mode yields more natural results.
Hvaing said that, I’m not a fan of the ultra-wide; it lacks detail, and isn’t the best at colour reproduction. I would just use the main lens, and back up a little.
iQOO has also included built-in styles and filters, such as Vintage Film and Black & White Master, which are fun to experiment with.
On the video front, the phone supports up to 4K 60fps recording, something missing in competitors like the Nothing Phone (3a) Pro. However, stabilisation could be better, and the phone occasionally struggles with focus. Still, the overall camera performance makes the iQOO Neo 10R a surprisingly good camera phone in addition to its performance chops.
Selfies exhibit typical iQOO processing, skin smoothening is noticeable, making faces appear texture-free. Disabling beauty filters helps achieve a more natural look, and overall, selfies retain good detail.
You can check out the sample images in our video review, here:
iQOO Neo 10R review: Verdict
If you’re after a performance-focused phone with a decent camera setup, the iQOO Neo 10R is a strong option. While Funtouch OS 15 still isn’t as polished as OnePlus’ OxygenOS, it includes meaningful features like Ultra Game Mode and an excellent camera app. That said, the iQOO App Store could be removed, and while pre-installed apps like Snapchat can be uninstalled, the V-App Store remains non-removable.
For buyers, we recommend the base model with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, as it offers the best value for money. The 12GB + 256GB model is an option, but the ₹4,000–5,000 price jump doesn’t bring significant benefits. The 8GB + 128GB variant remains the best choice.
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