iQOO Neo 9 Pro vs OnePlus 12R 5G: Which is the Best Smartphone Under Rs 40,000 in India?

iQOO just dropped a new premium mid-range smartphone in India in its Neo series. With the iQOO Neo 9 Pro, the company's aims to offer maximum value in the sub-40K segment. However, there is one challenger to its throne, the OnePlus 12R.

The OnePlus 12R was unveiled in India last month alongside the flagship OnePlus 12 5G. We already paired the OnePlus 12R against the Pixel 7a, Nothing Phone (2), and Oppo Reno 11 Pro 5G. And OnePlus did manage to come out on top in most scenarios. But how does it fare against the iQOO Neo 9 Pro? Let's find out!

iQOO Neo 9 Pro vs OnePlus 12R 5G: Full Specs Comparison

Design

When it comes to design, the OnePlus 12R follows the standard design formula with its curved screen and glossy back panel. On the other hand, iQOO Neo 9 Pro arrives with a flat screen with a glass or vegan leather rear panel.

Both phones also feature glass protection on the front, although the OnePlus 12R features flagship-grade Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection. OnePlus has opted for an aluminum frame on its premium mid-range smartphone. Unfortunately, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro features a plastic frame. The OnePlus 12R also features an IP64 rating for resistance to dust and water.

Display

The iQOO Neo 9 Pro and OnePlus 12R are pretty evenly matched in the display segment. However, OnePlus does pull ahead by an ever-so slight margin. It features a brighter screen and uses the latest LTPO 4.0 technology. The screen on the OnePlus 12R also supports the Dolby Vision format. The one advantage in iQOO's favor is the higher refresh rate.

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip is used in both the iQOO Neo 9 Pro and OnePlus 12R. It is worth noting that the OnePlus 12R has a larger cooling area. However, the Neo 9 Pro is equipped with a dedicated Q1 display chip to improve frame rates in games.

In theory, the new display chip should aid the iQOO Neo 9 Pro in managing higher frame rates in games. You can check out our video comparison of the OnePlus 12R and iQOO Neo 9 Pro to see which handset comes out on top in terms of performance.

Cameras

Both the OnePlus 12R and iQOO Neo 9 Pro use 50 MP primary camera sensors, although the former uses a Sony IMX890 sensor, while the latter opts for a Sony IMX920 VCS primary sensor. We are yet to test the cameras on both phones, but the Sony IMX920 sensor is the same used on the Vivo X100, which is a solid leap over the past generation.

On the other hand, the OnePlus 12R features the same camera sensor as its predecessor, the OnePlus 11R. Going by hardware alone, iQOO should have an advantage in terms of primary camera sensors. Both the OnePlus 12R and iQOO Neo 9 Pro feature an 8 MP ultrawide camera, although the former also gets a 2 MP macro unit.

Lastly, both smartphones feature a 16 MP selfie camera. In terms of video recording, the OnePlus 12R maxes out at 4K 60fps, while the iQOO Neo 9 Pro is capable of recording video in 8K resolution. Overall, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro does appear to have an edge in terms of hardware, although it is hard to point out a clear winner without testing.

Battery, Charging

When it comes to battery capacity, both the iQOO and OnePlus don't hold back, equipping their respective devices with large cells. However, the battery on the OnePlus 12R is larger than that on the iQOO Neo 9 Pro. Charging speed is nearly the same for both devices, although OnePlus's intelligent battery management promises four years peak capacity (over 80%).

Software

The iQOO Neo 9 Pro runs Android 14-based Funtouch OS 14 out of the box. On the other hand, the OnePlus 12R runs on OxygenOS 14 based on Android 14. Both brands offer three years of major OS updates and four years of regular security updates. If we had to pick one of the two, it would be OxygenOS by a long shot as it feels more refined, while offering a cleaner UI experience.

Pricing, Colors

The iQOO Neo 9 Pro price in India starts from Rs 35,999 for the base 8GB/128GB configuration, while the 8GB/256GB and 12GB/256GB variants cost Rs 37,999 and Rs 39,999, respectively. The iQOO Neo 9 Pro arrives in Conqueror Black (AG Glass) and Fiery Red (Vegan Leather) color options.

The OnePlus 12R price in India starts from Rs 39,999 for the base 8GB/128GB variant. Additionally, the 16GB/256GB configuration will set you back Rs 45,999. The OnePlus 12R 5G is offered in Cool Blue (Gorilla Glass) and Iron Gray (Gorilla Glass) color options.

iQOO Neo 9 Pro vs OnePlus 12R: Our Final Thoughts

Both the iQOO Neo 9 Pro and OnePlus 12R are evenly matched, trading blows across the board. In terms of design, the OnePlus 12R is certainly the more elegant of the two, while the iQOO Neo 9 Pro prioritizes style with its vegan leather finish. Additionally, the OnePlus 12R also features a slightly superior build.

The iQOO Neo 9 Pro also has the upper hand in terms of gaming performance, although the OnePlus 12R comes out on top in terms of battery life and display quality. However, the main advantage of the OnePlus 12R comes on the software front as Oxygen OS offers a clean, bloat-free experience.

With both phones trading blows, it is hard to pick out a clear winner. So despite delivering some of the best hardware in the segment, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro doesn't have what it takes to dethrone the OnePlus 12R as the best smartphone under Rs 40,000 in India. But it does do enough to share the crown.