iQOO 9T 5G Review with Pros and Cons – Only for Gaming?
Yet another smartphone from BBK Electronics, I mean iQOO, of course…
The IQOO 9T 5G price in India starts from Rs 49,999 for 8GB of Ram and 128GB storage while the 12GB of Ram and 256GB storage variant is priced at Rs 54,999. The device comes in Alpha & Legend color options and it will available from 2nd August 2022 via Amazon at Noon.
For those who don’t know, iQOO 9T 5G is a re-brand of iQOO 10 5G which was earlier launched in China.
So let’s find out in this IQOO 9T 5G review whether it’s just a gaming smartphone or a smartphone for everyone.
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Contents
iQOO 9T 5G Review
Yes, the IQOO 9T 5G is worth buying but it’s not for everyone because it doesn’t have the best OS and cameras, so if you wanted a powerful gaming smartphone with decent cameras at Rs 49,999 then the iQOO 9T 5G makes more sense.
The cameras are not that bad but at the same time, the camera feels the same as IQOO Neo 6 5G or IQOO 9 SE 5G.
In short, don’t expect the cameras to be like Galaxy S21 FE 5G or even Pixel 6A. IQOO is knowns for saturated images and the same is repeated with the IQOO 9T.
The Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 is the successor of Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, so there won’t be any kind of issue with performance. Also, Qualcomm has fixed the throttling and heating issue and the reason for that is, that the new chipset is manufactured by TSMC.
Related: 5 Gaming Smartphones Under Rs 50000
Other than cameras and performance, IQOO has added all the premium features including, no 3.5mm audio jack, glass build, metal frame, 120W superfast charging, dual speakers, Wideivine L1 support, 10-Point Multi-touch Support, Camera2Api Support, Carrier aggregation, 3 years of OS and 4 years of security updates, faster Ram and Storage, 10-bit HRD10+ 120Hz AMOLED panel and much more.
Overall, for the price of Rs 49999, IQOO 9T 5G is the best smartphone for gamers. The device does have its Pros and Cons, so let’s talk about them…
iQOO 9T 5G Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| 10-bit HRD10+ 120Hz AMOLED | No SD-Card Support |
| 120W superfast charging support | No 3.5mm Audio Jack |
| Long Battery Life | No Wireless Charging Support |
| OIS Support | Decent Cameras |
| Powerful SD 8 Plus Gen 1 Processor | |
| Solid Build | |
| 3 Years of OS Updates | |
| Dual Speakers | |
| Faster Ram and Storage Support | |
| 9 5G Bands |
Display
The iQOO 9T 5G comes with 6.78-inches 120Hz AMOLED with the resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and 1500 nits pick brightness along with the support for the HRD10+, 10-Point Multi-touch, in-display fingerprint sensor, Widevine L1 while it has 93.11% screen to body ratio.
The Widivine L1 will let you watch FHD+ content on all the OTT platforms but for some reason, I didn’t see HDR content on Netflix, I hope IQOO works with Netlfix to enable this feature because the phone does have support for HRD10+.
The 1500 nits are good enough to use the smartphone outdoors, the screen is bright, so there won’t be any issues while using the smartphone outdoors or even indoors.
Related: 10 Best Smartphones Under Rs 50000
The front is protected with the Schott Xensation glass, the frame is made out of metal while there is also glass on the back but there is no mention of which glass they have used.
Overall, you will be more than happy with the quality of the AMOLED display, it’s the best for the Rs 49,999 price tag.
Performance
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is new 4nm processor from Qualcomm and they have fixed the throttling and heating issue, other than that, there is nothing new that you should know.
The last gen processor was throttling and heating a lot because it was manufactured by Samsung, so this time, Qualcomm canceled the Samsung contract and went back with TSMC.
For context,
Out of 100 chipsets, Samsung use to deliver 35 good ones while TSMC delivers 73.
What I’m saying is, whether you want to play heavy games like COD Mobile, Apex Legend, or any other, the processor won’t heat up and give you any kind of problems.
I wanted to add the BGMI but hey, it’s again banned by the Indian government.
By the way, the IQOO 9T 5G runs on Fun Touch OS 12 based on Android 12. The IQOO has promised the 3 years of OS updates and 4 years of security updates.
Related: 5 Best Smartphones Under Rs 40,000 in India
Even though the phone is priced at Rs 49999, still, it comes with tons of pre-installed apps and yes, it does have ads in the UI which you can disable but not 100%.
Let me just say this clearly,
I don’t like Fun Touch OS, Vivo has made the New OS simple yet it feels complicated to use
Now, this is all me, your take on the Fun Touch OS might be different.
Also, the device has 9 5G bands and also, and 5G is launched in India and you will be able to use the 5G network in 15 cities by the end of 2022.
Overall, this is the best smartphone for gaming but what about cameras, let’s take look…
Cameras
The IQOO 9T 5G comes with a 50MP primary sensor with OIS Support, 13MP ultra-wide lens, and 12MP 2x telephoto lens while there is a 16MP selfie shooter on the front. The rear cameras can shoot videos at 4k@30fps and 1080p@30/60fps while the front can only shoot at 1080p@30fps.
I just want to appreciate, IQOO for not giving 2MP sensors.
The 50MP primary sensor has OIS support which works fine, nothing extraordinary but it’s there and it works most of the time.
When you shoot videos at 1080p or even 4k, the OIS will give you all the magic you need, and its works.
Now, here is the PRO tip:
If you want smooth videos then shoot videos at only 1080p, don’t use that 4k because the OIS doesn’t work the best with 4k. IQOO can work this out with software updates but will they, only time will tell.
When it comes to images, we have seen that IQOO usually boosts the colors a little bit because that’s what users like the most.
In short, if you’re that kind of person who loves natural colors then you will be disappointed with the IQOO 9T 5G. By the way, iQOO is not the only brand that does this, most of the BBK Electronics smartphones provide the same image quality with slight changes.
The details are also there when taking images under good lights but when you take images under low light, the images will come out a bit softer and there will be sharpness. By the way, the same can be said for the front camera too.
The 13MP ultra-wide lens won’t provide the same quality images or colors as the 50MP primary sensor. Under good lights, the images will come out good and you can post them on social media but when it comes to low light, the ultra-wide lens suffers a bit.
What I’m saying is, don’t use the ultra-wide lens, if there are not enough lights.
The 12MP telelens does its job, there is now WOW movement but yes, it has 2x optical zoom.
Coming to the 16MP front cameras,
We all know that the front camera is what Vivo is known for, so if you love to take selfies then you will like the front camera as it comes with default beauty mode.
I have said, Vivo because iQOO is a sub-brand of Vivo and most of the tech used by IQOO is from Vivo.
Overall, for the price of Rs 49999, the cameras are not that great but they’re useable. I can even say that, for gaming smartphones, iQOO 9T 5G has the best cameras.
Here, Cameras samples of iQOO 9T 5G (G–Drive)
Audio
The iQOO 9T 5G comes with dual speakers and they’re also good too. Again, you will be more than happy with its quality.
The device has 2 × 2MIMO Carrier aggregation and two microphones, so there won’t be any issue with calling…
For those who are wondering, no the iQOO 9T 5G doesn’t have the 3.5mm audio jack or even a micro-SD card slot.
Battery
The iQOO 9T 5G comes with a 4,700 mAh battery with 120W wired fast charging support which will charge the device from 1% to 100% in 19 Minutes.
Just like everything else, the battery life depends on user by user.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is a battery-efficient processor which means the battery will last for a day. Also, that 120W fast charging helps a lot but keep in mind, always keep that charge and cable with you, other chargers won’t able to charge the iQOO 9T 5G at 120W.
iQOO 9T 5G FAQs
Q: Does iQOO 9T 5G has a 3.5mm Audio jack?
A: No.
Q: Does iQOO 9T 5G has NFC Support?
A: Yes.
Q: How many OS updates will the iQOO 9T 5G will get?
A: The IQOO has promised the 3 years of OS updates and 4 years of security updates.
Q: What is the screen refresh rate of the iQOO 9T 5G?
A: It has a 120Hz refresh rate AMOLED.
Q: Does iQOO 9T 5G has stereo speakers?
A: Yes.
Q: Does iQOO 9T 5G Widevine L1 support??
A: Yes.
Q: Does iQOO 9T 5G has a cam era2api enabled?
A: Yes
Q: Does iQOO 9T has 5G Support?
A: Yes.
Q: How Many 5G Bands does iQOO 9T 5G has?
A: It has 9 5G bands.
Q: Does iQOO 9T 5Ghave fast charging support?
A: Yes, it has a 120W wired fast charging support.
Q: Does iQOO 9T 5G has carrier aggregation?
A: Yes, it has Carrier Aggregation.
Q: Does iQOO 9T 5G has a compass sensor?
A: Yes.
Q: Does iQOO 9T 5G has an In-Display Fingerprint sensor?
A: Yes, it has an optical in-display fingerprint sensor.
Q: Where to buy iQOO 9T 5G in India
A: The iQOO 9T 5G is available on the Amazon India website.
Q: Alternatives of iQOO 9T 5G?
Verdict
iQOO 9T 5G is a solid smartphone for gaming, the phone also has good cameras but it doesn’t justify the 50k price tag. Considering the gaming smartphone, iQOO 9T 5G has great cameras, it’s even better than the ROG Phone 5s.
So yes, if I wanted to buy a gaming smartphone for myself then I would buy the iQOO 9T 5G but the thing is, I will hesitate a bit to pay Rs 50000 for iQOO because of the Fun Touch OS.
Still have questions, do let me know in the comments.
iQOO 9T 5G Full Specifications
| Launch Date | 2nd August 2022 |
| Available From | 2nd August 2022 at noon via Amazon |
| India Price | 8GB Ram + 128GB Storage: Rs 49,999 12GB Ram + 256GB Storage: Rs 54,999 |
| Bank Offers | Rs 4000 off on ICICI Bank Credit Cards |
| Colors | Alpha and Legend |
| In the Box | IQOO 9T 5G USB Data cable 120W Charger Protective Case Safety information and warranty card SIM tray ejector |
| Display | 6.78-inches FHD+ AMOLED display 10-bit panel Schott Xensation Glass Screen-to-Body Ratio: 93.11% 1500 nits pick the brightness 120Hz refresh rate 388 PPI density |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
| Dimensions | 164.5 x 77.1 x 8.4 mm |
| Build | Schott Xensation Glass Front Metal Frame Glass Back |
| Rear Camera | 50MP Primary (OIS) 13MP Ultra-Wide 12MP Telephoto (2x optical zoom) Video: 4K recording at 30 fps 1080p recording at 30 or 60 fps Cameras Samples |
| Front Camera | 16MP Front Video: 1080p video recording at 30 fps |
| Processor | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) GPU: Adreno 730 CPU: Octa-core (1×3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3×2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4×1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| OS | Android 12, Funtouch 12 3-Year OS Update and 4-Year Security Updates |
| 5G Support | Yes, 9 5G Bands |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, In-display Fingerprint Sensor |
| NFC | Yes |
| Audio | Stereo Speaker No 3.5mm audio jack |
| Battery | 4,700mAh battery 120W wired turbo fast Charging USB Type-C 2.0 Charging Speed: 1-50% in 7 minutes, 1-100% in 19 minutes |
| Other Features | UFS 3.1 Storage LPDDR5 RAM Bluetooth 5.2 Wi-Fi 6 Dual X-Axis Linear Motor HDR 10+ 10-Point Multi-touch Supported Camera2Api Supported Widevine L1 Supported Carrier aggregation |
| SD Card Slot | No |
| Weight | 206 Gram |
| Modal Number | – |
| Available at | Amazon |
**Images Credit: Techno Ruhez
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Seeing your review made me rethink. Then which phone would you suggest under 50k. Good cameras, good specs and issues/bug free (unlike nothing and pixel)