iQoo Neo 10R review: Affordable gaming and beyond

has built a reputation for producing smartphones that deliver solid performance while offering excellent value for money. The company's devices consistently demonstrate reliable performance and are well-priced to meet consumer expectations. The iQOO Neo 10R is the latest addition to iQOO’s performance-focused lineup, aiming to deliver flagship-level features at a competitive price. Packed with the powerful Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset, a high-refresh-rate AMOLED display, and a massive 6,400mAh battery, the Neo 10R is designed for gamers and power users alike. The iQoo Neo 10R aims to meet all the benchmarks of an ideal smartphone. After spending some time exploring this new mid-range device, here’s our in-depth review.
The iQoo Neo 10R sports a sleek and ergonomic design, featuring a dual-tone finish that adds a sporty aesthetic. Available in Raging Blue and MoonKnight Titanium, the phone's lightweight build and flat edges make it comfortable to hold. The smartphone features a matte-finished plastic frame, complemented by a slightly curved back panel that enhances grip. However, the rear panel tends to attract fingerprints, so keeping a cloth handy for cleaning is recommended. The front of the smartphone houses a flat display which is protected with a coating of Schott Xensation Up glass on top. A squarish rear camera module is positioned in the top-left corner, accommodating the dual rear camera setup and prominently featuring the Neo branding. The right side of the smartphone houses the volume rockers and the power button, whereas the SIM card tray and the USB Type C charging port are located at the bottom. The IP65 certification ensures resistance to dust and minor water splashes. The Neo 6 stands out among mid-range smartphones with its sleek design and attractive color options, giving it an aesthetic edge over its competitors.
The iQoo Neo 10R features a vibrant and responsive display. The smartphone sports a 6.78-inch display with 1260x2800 pixel resolution. The 1.5K AMOLED display offers up to 144Hz refresh rate and up to 4500 nits peak brightness levels. The display is made scratch-resistant with a coating of Schott Xensation glass on top. The display delivers vibrant colors and supports HDR10+, ensuring an immersive viewing experience. With a peak brightness of 4,500 nits, outdoor visibility is excellent. However, the brightness could have been slightly better for direct sunlight use. The large display is perfect for binge-watching and gaming, offering wide viewing angles for an immersive experience. This mid-range smartphone ensures accurate color reproduction and provides three display color modes—Standard (default), Professional, and Bright. Users can also customize the display's color temperature for an enhanced viewing experience. Additionally, the iQoo Neo 10R supports three refresh rate options: 60Hz, 144Hz, and Smart Switch. Opting for the 144Hz setting delivers an exceptionally smooth display and scrolling experience.

iQoo Neo 10R is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 2 chipset. The smartphone comes in two variants — 8GB+128GB and 12GB+256GB. The smartphone packs a pretty powerful processor and with all these hardware specifications, the smartphone delivers a smooth performance. The iQoo Neo 10R delivers seamless and lag-free performance during multitasking. It excels in gaming, effortlessly handling heavy, graphics-intensive titles like BGMI, Shadow Fight 4, Asphalt 9, and more. Its ample RAM capacity and robust processor also ensure smooth operation of editing apps without any issues. The 6K vapor-chamber cooling system keeps thermals in check during extended gaming sessions, making it a powerhouse for gamers. The iQoo Neo 6 speakers deliver satisfactory performance, ensuring clear sound and call quality when using earphones. However, the loudspeaker audio falls short, with noticeable vocal distortion when playing music.

Coming to software, the iQoo Neo 10R runs Android 15 operating system topped with the company's own layer of FunTouch OS 15. The iQoo Neo 10R offers a clean and customisable user experience. The software includes convenient tools like Circle to Search, AI Eraser, and note translation, enhancing everyday usability. Gamers will appreciate the Game Space feature, which provides performance tips and analysis for an optimised gaming experience. Additionally, iQOO promises long-term support with three years of OS updates and four years of security patches, ensuring the device remains relevant and secure over time. The interface is intuitive and customisable, catering to both casual users and power users alike.
iQoo Neo 10R houses a dual rear camera with 50MP main camera with 1/ 1.95″ Sony IMX882 sensor, f/1.79 aperture, and 8MP ultra-wide angle lens with GC08A3-WA1XA sensor, f/2.2 aperture. The camera is also capable of recording 4K videos at 60fps. There’s also a 32MP selfie camera with f/2.45 aperture. The front camera is also capable of recording 4K videos at 30 fps. The camera app is quite clean and easy to use. The shutter button is placed in the centre and the multiple shooting modes are located above the shutter button. The smartphone offers multiple shooting modes which include, 50MP, Panorama, Long Exposure, Supermoon, Pro and others. The camera also allows you to select from different colour styles for a more natural and accurate output.




The 50MP main camera on iQoo Neo 10R delivers sharp and vibrant photos with good dynamic range and negligible noise. You will notice an ample amount of detailing and accurate colour reproduction in the images captured with the main camera. The camera delivered impressive performance in low-light conditions, capturing sharp and well-lit images at night. Portrait shots taken with the main camera were equally commendable, as it effectively distinguished the subject from the background for a clear and focused result. The 8MP ultra-wide lens is decent for landscapes. However, in some cases, we noticed that the images captured with the 8MP are a bit over processed and as a result, they look a bit unrealistic. Along with this, iQoo Neo 10R also delivered some really good macro shots. The shots taken with the macro camera turned out to be sharp and detailed. The 32MP front camera excels in selfies, offering natural skin tones and sharp details. Video recording supports 4K at 60fps, making it suitable for casual creators. While not a camera-centric phone, it performs reliably in most scenarios.
Battery life is a standout feature, making the Neo 10R a dependable choice for power users. The mid-range iQoo smartphone is backed by a 6,400 mAh battery which comes with 80W fast charging support. The smartphone easily lasted for more than 24 hours on a single charge. Also, the 80W fast charging support allows the device to charge quickly, with the included charger in the box. During our testing, the smartphone took 25 minutes to charge from 0 to 50%. Software optimisations also contribute to efficient power management, maximising battery life of the smartphones. The phone provides three battery modes within its settings: Battery Saver, Balanced Mode, and Monster Mode.

Battery Saver minimizes smartphone performance and restricts background traffic to enhance battery life. Balanced Mode delivers a well-rounded performance, allowing the battery to comfortably last over 24 hours on a single charge. Finally, Monster Mode prioritizes enhanced performance, resulting in higher power consumption and increased heat generation. In all, the large battery of iQoo Neo 10R will impress you with its battery performance. The large battery on the smartphone comfortably supports a full day of intensive use, encompassing gaming, streaming, and browsing activities.
The iQoo Neo 10R stands out as a performance-driven smartphone in the mid-range category. Equipped with a powerful chipset, vibrant display, and impressive battery life, it is optimised for gamers. Although there’s room for improvement in its design and software experience, the Neo 10R delivers good value for its price. At Rs 26,999 onwards, it is a compelling option for those seeking an affordable gaming phone and more.