iQOO Neo 10 Review: Big Battery, Bigger Ambitions

The mid-range smartphone market isn’t what it used to be. It’s faster, fiercer, and far more unforgiving. That’s why it’s refreshing to see iQOO stick to its guns with a performance-first approach.

After testing the Neo 10 for a little over a week, I came away thinking: this phone doesn’t try to be everything, but what it does do, it does surprisingly well.

Design

I got to test the Inferno Red variant, and I must say, it grabs attention in an instant. But if you’ve seen the Neo 10R, you’ve basically seen this one too. From the rear, they’re nearly identical, which might disappoint those expecting a redesign.

What’s not identical, however, is the weight. At just over 200g, the Neo 10 definitely feels chunky, but it’s a calculated trade-off for the 7,000mAh battery tucked inside.

In day-to-day use, the phone didn’t feel slippery thanks to the matte finish. I’ve carried it in shorts, jeans, and even joggers, and it never once felt awkward to hold.

The IP65 rating is a subtle but meaningful addition. I didn’t panic when I got caught in Mumbai’s monsoon drizzle.

Bonus points for the symmetrical layout, thin bezels, and the under-display fingerprint scanner that is fast and accurate almost every single time.

Also Read: OPPO Reno 14 Review

Display and Sound

Being a gaming phone, the Neo 10 uses a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with 1.5K resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. But apart from gaming, this display is also great for binge-watching.

I watched Dune: Part Two on Netflix in direct sunlight at Marine Drive (Not the entire movie, of course. I’m not stupid), and the screen held up incredibly well. With a peak brightness of 5,500 nits, it didn’t wash out even once.

Gaming-wise, the 3000Hz instant touch response sounds like marketing fluff, but you do feel the difference in shooters like BGMI. It’s extremely responsive, even with wet fingers.

Compared to something like the Realme GT 7, the Neo 10 isn’t necessarily better on paper, but it nails real-world visibility and smoothness.

The phone offers stereo speakers that are loud and balanced, which is good for gaming and content consumption.

Also Read: Nipun Marya, CEO iQOO – Leaders In Tech & Auto

Performance

Let’s get to the fun part. This thing runs on the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, and the top variant comes with 16GB RAM + 512GB storage. That’s flagship-grade firepower, and it shows.

Whether it was editing 4K videos on CapCut, multitasking between Lightroom, YouTube, and Telegram, or running BGMI at 144fps, this phone just didn’t break a sweat.

The thermal management deserves applause. Even after 40 minutes of gaming, the back got warm but never uncomfortably hot. Benchmarks aside, what matters is that performance is sustained.

The Ultra VC cooling system isn’t just buzzwords; it works. Compared to the Realme GT 7, I’d say both phones are neck-and-neck, but iQOO’s game optimisation features like Super Gyroscope give it a slight edge for hardcore players.

Camera

I walked in expecting “just okay” cameras, and came out pleasantly surprised. The 50MP Sony sensor on the rear does a genuinely good job in daylight. Skin tones feel natural, and detail levels are high.

I compared shots with a friend’s iQOO Neo 10R, and the edge separation + background blur here felt way more refined.

At night, Night Mode is your best friend. Switch it on manually and you’ll get punchy, well-lit shots that hold their own even in dim restaurants or street-lit roads.

The 32MP front cam also earns its keep. No over-smoothening, even in low light. I took a selfie during a late-night bike ride, helmet and all, and it still came out clean.

Battery

The 7,000mAh battery is borderline ridiculous in 2025. I’ve gone two full days without needing a charge, and that includes using the phone for music, video calls, gaming, and hotspot usage.

When I did need to plug in, the 120W charger topped it up from dead to full in under 45 minutes. I once got 30% juice during a tea break — that’s enough to last half a day.

This makes the Neo 10 ideal for travellers, students, gig workers, or practically anyone who needs their phone to just not die on them midday.

Software

Running Android 15 with the latest Funtouch OS, the software feels… grown up. Bloatware is minimal, animations are snappy, and most importantly, it doesn’t feel like it’s trying too hard.

Where it does flex a little is with AI features. Something like the AI Note Assist helped transcribe my chaotic voice notes into something that sounded coherent.

For a sub-₹35K phone, it’s nice to have AI tools that actually make sense in daily use.