iQoo Neo 7 Pro 5G: The Game-Changer in Affordable Premium Smartphones?

The iQoo Neo 7 Pro 5G has been introduced as a cutting-edge smartphone priced under Rs. 40,000 in India, positioned above the Neo 7 5G (Review) within the company’s lineup. It’s notable as the first device in this series in India to adopt the “Pro” label. Equipped with a high-end SoC, a triple-camera configuration, and 120W rapid charging capabilities, the question arises: is the iQoo Neo 7 Pro 5G among the top smartphones under Rs. 40,000 available in India? While we prepare for the complete review, here are our initial impressions of the device.

The iQoo Neo 7 Pro 5G is available in two styles and color varieties. We have the Fearless Flame version which features a vegan leather back. This model is lighter, weighing around 194.5g, and the curved textured rear and frame contribute to a satisfying grip. Additionally, there’s a Dark Storm variant featuring AG Glass on the back, which weighs approximately 200g.

The pricing for the iQoo Neo 7 Pro 5G starts at Rs. 34,999 for the model with 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage, while the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage version comes at Rs. 37,999.

The iQOO Neo 7 Pro features a vegan leather back panel in the Fearless Flame variant.

In contrast to the OnePlus 11R (Review), which showcases a curved-edge AMOLED screen, the iQoo Neo 7 Pro 5G offers a flat display with a punch-hole cutout at the center top. The display is designed for a refresh rate of 120Hz and boasts a full-HD+ resolution (2400×1080 pixels). Furthermore, it supports a 300Hz touch sampling rate along with a 1,200Hz «instant» sampling rate. iQoo asserts that the display can reach a peak brightness of up to 1,300 nits.

The Neo 7 Pro 5G includes an independent gaming chip which facilitates features like framerate interpolation in supported applications. The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC, with iQoo claiming that it achieves impressive benchmark scores, which we will evaluate in the detailed review. The iQoo Neo 7 Pro 5G features a robust 5,000mAh battery that supports 120W fast charging. A charger is included with the device.

The iQOO Neo 7 Pro 5G is equipped with several preinstalled third-party applications.

The rear of the device hosts a rectangular camera module for its triple-camera setup. The Neo 7 Pro 5G is equipped with a 50-megapixel Samsung GN5 primary camera with an f/1.88 aperture, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera with an f/2.2 aperture, and a 2-megapixel macro camera with an f/2.4 aperture. The camera setup is capable of recording video in up to 4K at 60fps and includes features such as Bokeh Portrait video, dual-view video, Horizon Correction, Super Night video, among others. For selfies, it is equipped with a 16-megapixel front-facing camera.

The iQoo Neo 7 Pro 5G runs on Funtouch OS 13 based on Android 13. It comes with several pre-installed third-party apps including Facebook, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Netflix, Amazon, Byju’s, and Spotify. It also provides dual speakers, an in-display fingerprint scanner, and supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, among other features.

The iQoo Neo 7 Pro competes with devices like the OnePlus 11R 5G, Vivo V27 Pro (Review), and other smartphones under Rs. 40,000 available in India. Be on the lookout for the comprehensive review on Gadgets 360.