iQOO Z10x First Impressions
The iQOO Z9x thrived with an all-aggressive price tag, but perhaps the marathon battery and the lightning-fast charging were the only two that actually stuck the landing. What about the cameras? A very forgettable set. And the software? Ask for bloatware, and this is a textbook case: an avalanche of nuisance notifications during the worst hours ever. Now, nearly one year after its initial cure to all $349 problems, iQOO returns for yet another swing with the Z10x. Has iQOO learned from past mistakes? Signs suggest yes, at least. It appears the Z10x might actuallyfightfor some room in the slick yet starved midrange-tier zone.
The rear panel is made of polycarbonate and has a matte finish, which does not pick up smudges and dust.
Forget dull. The iQOO Z10x arrives bearing a design that is indisputably a class above its predecessor. The polycarbonate mid-frame sticks to the modern straight flat edge, but the back panel boasts a sultry curve dipping towards the sides and crawling straight into the hand of an end user. Our Ultramarine review unit carried a mysterious lavender-ish glint in its back. But what makes it truly special? A faint, wave-like texture caresses the back, unveiling itself as you give it a twist or two in your palm. It’s really a nice touch of refinement, somewhat relieving us from in-your-face kind of glamor seen in phones like the iQOO Neo 10R.
Unlike the mid-range iQOO Z10, the iQOO Z10x retains its flat display panel.
Going around the back, that’s where the improvements shine, but the front tells an entirely different story. While the glossy 6.72-inch FHD+ LCD display runs a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, it is surrounded by some pretty distracting borders. Thinnest on the sides (though still nowhere near iQOO Z9x territory), these borders grow thicker at the top and finish off with a hefty one at the bottom, giving it quite a bit of presence. Very suspicious, as something was surely compromised here, which we’ll talk more about in our full review.
The IP64 dust and water protection stays on its successor with the Z9x; the 3.5mm port is a sorely missing feature on the newer model. Sacrificed for the heavy build and heft (tips the scales at 204g), the loss of the jack displeases the purists and the wired-only audiophile.
The third smaller camera-like cutout is actually an IR blaster
Expect any photo miracles? Not quite. The camera setup, although bafflingly complex on the inside, is annoyingly simple. We got the same 50MP main shooter (f/1.8, no OIS) and a laughable 2MP depth sensor that probably still hasn’t learned to actually help with Portrait mode. The front-facing camera? 8MP, deja-vu all over again. Quite frankly, I’m unimpressed; it seems all this year has been toasting to photographic stagnation.
Under the hood, the phone gets a serious shot in the arm. Out with sluggishness, in with MediaTek Dimensity 7300, a giant processor running at a speed of 2.5GHz. That is the big jump over last Gen 1 of Qualcomm Snapdragon 6. But the real kicker? The 7300 with its boosted GPU knocks in faster graphics with the Z9x, for a smoother and more engaging gaming experience. Time for liftoff!
iQOO’s Z10x is powered by Vivo’s Funtouch OS 15, which is based on Android 15
Here is what the mobile world has: the one thing that distinguishes the Z10x from an upgrade is its memory BOOST, which starts from 6GB RAM snappy enough to never be accused of lag! Consider the other storage options with the 6GB+128GB (Rs. 13,499), 8GB+128GB (Rs. 14,999), and 8GB+256GB (Rs. 16,499) configurations. Get future proofing with swift 5G support across SA and NSA bands, dual 5G stand-by included. While the NFC is not amused, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4 sit well with that.
The iQOO Z10x’s fingerprint reader is embedded in its power button
A heavy punch is thrown by the iQOO Z10x, essentially carrying a gigantic 6,500mAh battery, a big jump from the Z9x’s 6,000mAh rating. Team this with the new power-efficient TSMC chipset, and an unparalleled battery life will be created. Charging is also kept simple with the time-tested 44W charging.
The iQOO Z10x comes with promises of upgrades to outshine the Z9x of last year in certain key performance areas. Don’t expect anything revolutionary in cameras – apparently, it remained unchanged. Hopefully, iQOO has fixed those annoyingly spammy notifications that afflicted the Z9x. If you want a battery beast on a budget, then the Z10x is your champion. Hold on! The in-depth review is coming soon, and you would want to read it before making a decision.
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