IQOO Z9s 5G: The mid-range smartphone space in India is more hotly contested than ever, and iQOO keeps releasing feature packed handsets that make a good mariage of performance and value.
The newly-launched iQOO Z9s 5G is the company’s another bet to rule the sub-₹20,000 segment with its blend of fast performance, beautiful design, 5G support, and big battery life.
Let’s dissect what this device has to offer, and whether or not it manages to live up to its “budget flagship killer” promise.
Design and Build Quality: Thin but Premium
On the face of it, there isn’t a lot about the iQOO Z9s 5G that screams budget. That back is smooth with a flat matte finish that looks premium and is fingerprint-resistant.
The flat sides and rounded corners feel good to handle, and yet the phone is light despite having a big battery.
On the back, it’s offering a dual-camera system, in tidy and clean fashion. (Like Brushed Green and Graphene Blue!) It definitely seems to be worth more than the price suggests.
Display: Fast and Fluid
The Z9s features a 6.67-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display at a blazing-fast 120Hz refresh rate that visibly smoothens anything from scrolling to gaming. The colors pop, blacks are deep, and brightness is good enough to use outdoors.
Whether you’re watching Netflix or gaming, the screen looks gorgeous, with a max brightness of 1800 nits and HDR support.
Performance: Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 Gets It Done
The iQOO Z9s 5G uses the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC, a decent performing SoC fabricated on a 4mm process. The phone offers fast and uniform performance in day to day tasks and comes with 6GB or 8GB RAM and up to 128GB of UFS 2.2 storage.
Apps open quickly, multitasking is zippy and casual games are buttery. Even heavier games such as BGMI or Asphalt 9 also perform well on medium to high settings. It also does a good job in thermal management, which is to be expected from its liquid cooling system.
Software: Clean, And Responsive
It’s up and running Funtouch OS 14 on top of Android 14, and it’s a clean, fast experience. There are a handful of pre-loaded apps, but the vast majority of them can be uninstalled. iQOO has also committed two years of software updates and three years of security patches, which contributes to the phone’s long-term value.
Camera: Clear in the Sun, Medium in the Shade
The iQOO Z9s 5G includes a 50MP large sensor and a 2MP depth camera system structure with Sony IMX882. Photos look sharp, detailed and color-accurate in good lighting. The portrait mode is quite good and the dynamic range is decent.
Low-light photography isn’t the phone’s strongest suit, though. Even in night mode, some images appear noisy and not sharp.
The 16MP front camera takes good selfies and video calls, but not anything to write home about.
Battery Life: Built to Last
Its 5000mAh battery ensures that the Z9s has no problems lasting through the day with ease even with moderate to heavy usage. Whether you’re watching videos, playing games, or multitasking apps, the battery drop is slight.
The 44W fast charger that’s included charges the phone from 0 to 50% in about 25 minutes, which is impressive.
Connectivity and Extras
Unsurprisingly, the phone features 5G over multiple bands, as well as Bluetooth 5.1, Wi-Fi 6, USB-C and a 3.5mm headphone jack. There’s also a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, which is fast and accurate.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Bright AMOLED display with 120Hz This content is not available due to your privacy preferences.
Great performance with Snapdragon 6 Gen 1
Great battery life and 44W Fast charger
Clean UI with Android 14
Premium design for the price
Good daylight photography
Cons:
Average low-light image quality
No ultra-wide sensor
Mono speaker setup
Plastic back (though sturdy)
Embedded Bloatware (Yes/No)
IQOO Z9s 5G Verdict: Feature-Rich Leader in Value
iQOO Z9s 5G somehow gives budget users a flagship like experience With the quick switching of the screen, the powerful processor, the clean software and the excellent battery life, it’s a phone that exceeds its own weight.
Though there are some compromises in the camera and audio department, they’re forgiven at this price.
If you want an affordable 5G phone with a good all-round camera performance under ₹ 20,000, the Z9s should definitely be on your radar.