This week iQOO was launched a few slim phones with big batteries – the Z9s duo are 7.5mm thick, but have 5,500mAh batteries. And they’re not that heavy, weighing in at 180g or 185g depending on which model you get.
The iQOO Z9’s features a curved 6.77” OLED display (FHD+, 120Hz), a Size 7300 chipset, a 50MP main camera (IMX882, 1/1.95”, OIS) with 4K video recording, and a 16MP selfie camera. As mentioned, the battery is 5,500mAh and charges at 44W. Both phones have an IP64 rating (dustproof, basic water resistance).
iQOO Z9s and Z9s Pro
The iQOO Z9s Pro builds on that by making the 6.77” curved display brighter (4,500 nits versus 1,800 nits) and adding a more powerful Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset and 80W charging (50% in 21 min). Additionally, the Pro model has an 8MP ultra-wide angle camera on the back. In case you missed it, here’s our photo tour from Baku with an iQOO Z9s Pro in his hand.
At a glance: Highlights of the iQOO Z9s and Z9s Pro
The Z9s pair will be sold in USA via the iQOO online store and Amazon. The Pro is already available, while the vanilla model goes on sale from Thursday. Here are the prices:
| Configuration | iQOO Z9’s | iQOO Z9s Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 8/128GB | ₹20,000 | ₹25,000 |
| 8/256GB | ₹22,000 | ₹27,000 |
| 12/256GB | ₹24,000 | ₹29,000 |
The Poco F6 (12/256GB) costs ₹30,000, so it’s a touch more expensive, and doesn’t have a cheaper 8/128GB option. However, it has a beefier Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset and a flat 6.67-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1220p+ and 12-bit colour. It gets the same IP64-rating and the same 50MP IMX882 main camera with an 8MP ultra-wide angle. The battery is smaller at 5,000mAh but is slightly faster with 90W charging (1-100% in 35 mins).
The Poco X6 (8/256GB) now costs ₹18,500, putting it against the Z9s. It has the weaker Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset, but it makes up for it with an 8MP ultra-wide angle and the same display as the F6. It has a similar IP54 rating and a smaller 5,100mAh battery with 67W charging (44 mins 100%).
Xiaomi Poco F6 • Xiaomi Poco X6
The OnePlus Nord 4 is on the pricey side (₹33,000 for 8/256GB), but can you really put a price on the joy of an aluminium unibody? This model packs the faster Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chipset (with a Cortex-X4 core) and has a flat 6.74-inch 1240p+ display. And it has a 5,500mAh battery with 100W charging (100% in 28 mins). The main camera is the 50MP LYT-600 sensor, which is essentially the same as the IMX882, and this is joined by an 8MP ultra-wide one. The phone is IP65-rated and has fast UFS 4.0 storage (versus UFS 2.2 on the iQOO).
Alternatively, the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus (8/256GB for ₹28,000) has the competing Dimensity 7350 Pro chip and a flat-panel 6.7-inch OLED (FHD+, 120Hz). And don’t forget those Glyph LED strips on the back. Its 50MP main camera has a larger 1/1.57” sensor, and is joined by a higher-resolution 50MP ultra-wide-angle one. Even the selfie camera has a 50MP sensor (versus the 16MP on the iQOO). The phone is IP54-rated and packs a 5,000mAh battery with 50W charging (100% in 56 mins).
On the cheaper end, the CMF Phone 1 starts at ₹18,000 for an 8/128GB model. This gets you the same Dimensity 7300 as the iQOO Z9s, but with a microSD expansion slot. The display is a flat 6.67-inch OLED panel (FHD+, 120Hz) and the back cover is removable, allowing you to customise the phone’s look (and attach some accessories). There’s a single 50MP camera on the back and a 5,000mAh battery with 33W charging inside. The removable back cover does harm this phone’s ingress protection, with only basic dust and water resistance.
OnePlus Nord 4 • Nothing phone (2a) Plus • vivo iQOO Z9s
What do you think of the iQOO Z9s Pro? Is the price and features a good enough balance that you would consider it when buying a new phone?
And what about the iQOO Z9s? It’s essentially the same phone, but for 20% less money. Good deal or not?