iQOO 12 is probably the least expected phone launch for many of you but what if we say that this device has the best hardware that you can get in 2024? The brand has managed to repeat this feat once again and have the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 out of the box at an affordable price for the hardware at least. iQOO has grown as a brand and it is seen as a force with clear focus on hard-performance products.
The iQOO 12 is a continuation in that direction and for Rs 52,999 you could definitely give it the well dished out ‘flagship killer’ tag. But price alone isn’t enough to merit this position and we decided to test out the device to see what exactly it manages to bring to the table for the buyers.
Raw Power Guaranteed
iQOO 12 uses Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with up to 16GB RAM which is what we got with our unit along with 512GB storage. Having the new chipset under the hood enables the device to perform at the highest levels that one can get for big money these days. It is still early days in the market but you can see the performance gains made by the 8 Gen 3 which gives us hope for 2024 with other brands lining up their own products. But coming back to the iQOO 12, you can throw everything at the device, including games at the highest settings, and the phone breezes through all of them, and still have enough in the tank to sustain its levels without heating up thanks to the effective vapour chamber system.
Much-Needed Design Polish
iQOO 11 was also a performance-centric device but the design felt stagnant which has thankfully changed with its successor. The new design language matches the gains made in other departments. The glass panel at the back and the aluminium frame give it a solid grip and yet offer the premiumness that people seek in this range. The squarish camera module adds to the difference on this phone, giving it that unique touch from last year’s iQOO 11. The layout is slightly protruding but it is not a deal breaker as such. The other bonus about iQOO 12 is that you get it with IP64 rating which is a welcome addition.
Camera Upgrades Evident
iQOO 12 also welcomes a new and fresh camera setup which includes a 50MP primary sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide sensor and a 64MP telephoto lens. The brand has decided to mix all the ingredients together and the results have shown the improvements. The primary camera does a good job of clicking photos in all conditions but the 64MP sensor makes the best impression of giving you macro photos and the quality is evident when you use it for shooting. Having said that, the colours look washed out with the ultra-wide sensor which we feel can be fixed using a software update.
Software Could Use More Refinements
iQOO 12 is definitely a step in the direction from the brand and even the software side of the device has seen some changes. However, you still have plenty of bloatware on the device, which can be removed but some default apps continue to annoy with notifications. Yes, you can disable all of them, but when you are talking about a flagship-grade device, these qualms shouldn’t be there in the first place. iQOO is promising three years of OS upgrades which means Android 17 will be available on the device.
The Reliable Performer
iQOO 12 has the latest hardware but the brand is equally conscious of giving you the best chance to make use of the device. So, you get a 5000mAh battery which doesn’t make the phone overly heavy and supports its usage with 120W charging speed out of the box and the adapter bundled in the box. The overall battery life is quite effective and you can make it run for well over a day on normal usage. We put the device through a heavy load with long hours of gaming, web browsing, listening to podcasts and still we had over 30 percent left in the tank. Having a fast-charging battery means you go from 0 to 100 in under 20 minutes.
iQOO 12 is a performance-packed, elegant and reliable device that surely scores high in our opinion. When you combine the price with the overall package, there is very little to complain about the device. You get reliable cameras, excellent raw performance, great battery life and Android 14 out of the box. However, the cameras can definitely use some tweaks in their processing to fare even better and the bloatware is still an issue but you can remove most of them.
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