The Battle of the iQOOs: Is the Neo 7 Just a Slightly Improved Version of the Neo 6?

The iQOO brand has gained a reputation for providing high-performance phones at affordable prices. The latest in the lineup is the iQOO Neo 7, which launched a few days ago with a new processor, faster charging, and a questionable camera setup. But is it significantly better than the iQOO Neo 6, which is one of the best-performing phones under Rs. 30,000, or is it just a slight upgrade?

iQOO Neo 7 Vs iQOO Neo 6

To begin with, the iQOO Neo 7 has the newer MediaTek Dimensity 8200 processor, which has a smaller transistor size (4nm vs 7nm of the Snapdragon 870) and a higher Antutu score (864K vs 701K of the Snapdragon 870, according to a Nanoreview test) than Qualcomm's Snapdragon 870. Clearly, the processor in the Neo 7 is superior, but synthetic benchmarks and numbers don't tell the whole story.

As a result, we put the iQOO Neo 7 through an extreme gaming test to see how it compares to the already excellent iQOO Neo 6, which is a performance champ under Rs. 30,000...and the results are, to say the least, intriguing.

In our extreme gaming test video, the iQOO Neo 7 ran Call of Duty Mobile at "Very High" graphics and "Max" framerate for thirty minutes and delivered a flawless performance. The phone did not get warm at first, but after an hour, it began to pick up heat. At 71 degrees, the CPU became toasty, and the phone felt very warm to the touch. In terms of performance, the phone stutters a little during action-packed gameplay, but it never feels uncomfortable or unplayable. For the next hour, the graphics were reduced to "Low" graphics and a framerate of "60 fps," and the phone cooled down slightly, albeit with a few frame drops. The stutters, however, did not affect the overall gameplay experience.

Now, addressing the elephant in the room, the iQOO Neo 7 performs surprisingly similar to the Neo 6. The Neo 6 is known for providing excellent performance for the low price of Rs. 29,999. The iQOO Neo 7 will also start at Rs. 29,999, so choosing between the Neo 7 and the Neo 6 solely on performance is difficult.

Should you buy the iQOO Neo 7 or Neo 6?

This question can be answered based on what features you prefer in a smartphone. Starting with performance, both phones provide comparable performance; however, because the iQOO Neo 7 is the most recent phone on the market, it will receive the latest updates faster and will be supported for a longer period than the iQOO Neo 6. Also, there may be performance and optimization improvements in the works for the Neo 7, allowing it to eventually supplant the Neo 6.

If promises of improved performance in the future don't appeal to you, the iQOO Neo 6 is a good buy if you can find some good deals and offers.

Aside from performance, the other major difference is in the camera, which also plays a role in deciding which phone to buy. The iQOO Neo 7 comes with a 2MP macro camera, while the Neo 6 comes with an 8MP ultrawide camera. According to us, the ultrawide camera has more applications because it can be useful for taking group photos or taking beautiful shots outside, such as of mountains or hills.

Furthermore, the 2MP macro mode, while useful for closeup shots, lacks the versatility of the Neo 6's ultrawide camera, which can even take macro shots from the same sensor, resulting in better images due to the higher megapixel count. If the camera is important to you, the Neo 6 has a better setup, and you won't miss the dedicated macro camera.

To summarize, the iQOO Neo 7 is an excellent buy if you want the most up-to-date specs a phone can offer at an affordable price and don't care about the camera or want a dedicated macro camera. Otherwise, the iQOO Neo 6 is a great purchase if you can find a good deal on it or if you want an ultrawide camera.