This week, iQOO launched a pair of slim phones with big batteries: the Z9s duo are 7.5mm thick but pack 5,500mAh batteries. And they're not that heavy, weighing in at 180g or 185g, depending on which model you buy.
The iQOO Z9s features a 6.77-inch curved OLED display (FHD+, 120Hz), Dimensity 7300 chipset, 50MP main camera (IMX882, 1/1.95”, OIS) with 4K video recording, and a 16MP selfie camera. As mentioned earlier, the battery is 5,500mAh and charges at 44W. Both phones are rated IP64 (dustproof, basic water resistance).
iQOO Z9s and Z9s Pro
The iQOO Z9s Pro builds on this tech by making its 6.77-inch curved display brighter (4,500 nits vs. 1,800 nits) and packing a more powerful Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset and 80W charging (50% in 21 mins). Additionally, the Pro model has an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera on the back. In case you missed it, here’s our photo tour of Baku with an iQOO Z9s Pro in hand.
Overview: Highlights of the iQOO Z9s and Z9s Pro
The Z9s pair is being sold in India via iQOO online store and Amazon. The Pro is already available, the vanilla model will go on sale from Thursday. Here are the prices:
| Configuration | iQOO Z9s | iQOO Z9s Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 8/128 GB | ₹20,000 | ₹25,000 |
| 8/256 GB | ₹22,000 | ₹27,000 |
| 12/256 GB | ₹24,000 | ₹29,000 |
The Poco F6 (12/256GB) is priced at ₹30,000, which is a bit more expensive and doesn’t have a cheap 8/128GB option. It has a more powerful Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset and a 6.67-inch flat OLED display with 1220p+ resolution and 12-bit colours. The phone has the same IP64 rating and the same 50MP IMX882 primary camera with an 8MP ultrawide. The battery is a smaller 5,000mAh, but it’s a bit faster with 90W charging (1-100% in 35 mins).
The Poco X6 (8/256GB) is currently priced at ₹18,500, which puts it up against the Z9s. It features the weaker Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset, but it makes up for it with an 8MP ultrawide and the same display as the F6. It has a comparable IP54 rating and a smaller 5,100mAh battery with 67W charging (100% in 44 mins).
Xiaomi Poco F6 • Xiaomi Poco X6
The OnePlus Nord 4 is expensive (₹33,000 for 8/256GB), but can you really put a price on the joy of an aluminium unibody? This model is powered by the faster Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chipset (with a Cortex-X4 core) and has a 6.74-inch 1240p+ flat display. And it has a 5,500mAh battery, this one with 100W charging (100% in 28 mins). The main camera uses the 50MP LYT-600 sensor, which is essentially the same as the IMX882, and it’s joined by an 8MP ultra-wide. The phone is IP65-rated and has fast UFS 4.0 storage (vs. UFS 2.2 on the iQOO).
Alternatively, the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus (8/256GB for ₹28,000) features a competitive Dimensity 7350 Pro chip and a 6.7-inch flat OLED display (FHD+, 120Hz). And don’t forget the Glyph LED strips at the back. The 50MP primary camera has a larger 1/1.57-inch sensor and is joined by a high-resolution 50MP ultra-wide-angle shooter. Even the selfie camera has a 50MP sensor (vs. 16MP on the iQOO). The phone is IP54 rated and has a 5,000mAh battery with 50W charging (100% in 56 mins).
On the cheaper side, the CMF Phone 1 costs ₹18,000 for an 8/128GB model. That gets you the same Dimensity 7300 as the iQOO Z9s, but with a microSD expansion slot. The display is a 6.67-inch flat OLED panel (FHD+, 120Hz) and the back is detachable, allowing you to customise the look of the phone (and attach accessories to it too). There’s a single 50MP camera on the back and a 5,000mAh battery with 33W charging inside. The detachable back cover hurts this phone’s ingress protection and only offers basic dust and water resistance.
OnePlus Nord 4 • Cordless Phone (2a) Plus • vivo iQOO Z9s
What do you think of the iQOO Z9s Pro? Are its value for money and features good enough for you to consider it when buying a new phone?
What about the iQOO Z9s? It’s largely the same phone, but for 20% less. A good deal or not?