After starting with the flagship, now it’s iQOO’s turn to present a number of smartphone options that are more affordable for consumers. Through the Z7 Series, the iQOO Z7x 5G is a cheaper option. Even so, the specifications are no less interesting, even with a battery that actually lasts longer than its older brother.
Of the several iQOO smartphone series that have been launched, it seems that this sub-brand from Vivo wants to try to present a fast smartphone, but still has a stylish design like a standard smartphone. Priced at around US$200, the iQOO Z7x 5G is the strongest competitor for the POCO X5 5G . Of course, each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Within this price tag, of course you can’t have all the excellent features in one device. Is this one option more suitable for you than the offer from POCO? Check out the following iQOO Z7x 5G review!
Design
My initial impression when holding and seeing the design of the iQOO Z7x 5G was, “wow, looks like a Vivo flagship huh.” Especially the Vivo X50 – X70 Series generation, when viewed from the rear body which has a very similar camera frame. Made big, only of course without the ZEISS camera logo.
Likewise with the rear body which is made to look like frosted glass, has curves on the left and right which also make it feel thinner. Slippery? Yes, but not as slippery as the Vivo V27 5G , and still keeps it free from fingerprints. In my opinion, these two factors make the iQOO Z7x 5G look stylish and quite premium.
For a large battery, the thickness of the iQOO Z7x 5G is still quite well maintained in the 9mm range. Meanwhile, its weight, which reaches 205 grams, makes it feel sturdy – also like holding a flagship. If the Tropical Blue color option doesn’t appeal to you, the iQOO Z7x 5G Metallic Gray option is no less interesting.
In terms of design, I think the iQOO Z7x 5G looks more stylish than most 6000 mAh smartphones, especially in its price class. What looks less premium is on the front, especially when the screen is on.
Screen
In terms of specifications on paper, the iQOO Z7x 5G screen does feel inferior compared to the offerings from POCO. Both have a large 6.6-inch screen with full HD + resolution and a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz, the panel used is IPS type, aka not Super AMOLED yet.
Visually, the screen can provide quite good saturation, while the contrast is quite mediocre—there are still several smartphones with IPS panels in their class that have higher contrast or darker blacks. Well, at least the claimed color accuracy is 100% DCI-P3, so it’s accurate for content creators.
There’s no problem with sensitivity, the bezel has a standard thickness, with a punch-hole camera on top which is quite small. At best, regarding the screen, the vibration motor of the iQOO Z7x 5G is still not comfortable for typing. It’s too calm, but when the vibration is raised, it still lacks precision.
Camera
Don’t be fooled by the rear camera frame. Even though it looks stylish and seems to indicate that this is a smartphone with a superior camera, the answer is no. The two iQOO Z7x 5G camera sensors on the back consist of a 50MP f/1.8 main sensor and an additional 2MP depth sensor only.
Yes, unfortunately the ultra-wide is absent, unlike the POCO X5 5G which is still there. Then how about the quality? If you compare the main camera sensors together, the capture of the iQOO Z7x 5G images feels more satisfying. Especially in the dynamic range which is better able to neutralize exposure and low-light conditions.
The statement above applies when compared to POCO, yes. Meanwhile, when compared to other smartphones in its class, it’s not the best, especially the low-light which is still quite noisy and not that bright. Skin tones also sometimes get too warm, while the white color on masks/clothes is generally made a little brighter, typical of Vivo’s photo algorithm.
You can access complete photos from the iQOO Z7x 5G camera in the following album.
For the video recording itself, the iQOO Z7x 5G camera can produce videos up to a maximum resolution of 1080p. Can be up to 60fps, but EIS will be absent. At 30fps, there aren’t many vibrations that can be dampened, aka it still looks a little shaken. In night conditions, the attenuation of shocks from the EIS will make the footage a bit blurry.
The selfie camera is also not optimal for vlogging, because the face looks pale with a relatively narrow dynamic range, and without EIS. A little unfortunate, because the mode itself is quite complete. Starting from Dual View for recording from two sides of the camera at once, to Movie which can edit footage automatically.
Feature
iQOO Z7x 5G already uses Android 13, with the Funtouch OS 13 interface which is also exactly the same as Vivo’s. Overall, the interface looks quite close to stock Android, it doesn’t feel like there are a lot of customizations from iQOO, although there are still some.
This includes Jovi Home and several additional transition effect options that can be adjusted via the Settings menu. The promise from iQOO, at least the iQOO Z7x 5G will get two OS version updates, as well as three years of security updates. What about multimedia support features? The good news, there is still a 3.5mm audio jack on this smartphone.
The iQOO Z7x 5G speaker itself is still mono, located on the lower right of the device body. Even though it’s loud (with a volume option of 150%), in my opinion it’s still not the best, because it tends to be treble dominant. Oh yes, of course, this is the most affordable iQOO smartphone, which is equipped with NFC to check and top up e-money balances and more.
Because the screen type is still IPS, the iQOO Z7x 5G fingerprint sensor is built together with the power button. Although the size is relatively small, it can run quite accurately and instantly. If you are lazy to use your fingers, you can combine it with face unlock which is also quite reliable even in a room.
performance
Just like POCO’s offering, the kitchen runway, aka the performance of the iQOO Z7x 5G, is supported by a very common chipset in the mid-range class, namely Snapdragon 695 5G from Qualcomm. That way, there shouldn’t be anything so special in the performance sector. Is that so?
iQOO combines this chip with 8GB LPDDR4x RAM which can be expanded up to 16GB via the Extended RAM feature, taking advantage of the internal storage capacity of 128/256GB UFS 2.2. During two weeks of use, I felt that the Snapdragon 695 on the iQOO Z7x 5G felt a little more rushed and smoother. Stuttering when using a 120Hz refresh rate is less frequent than when holding a POCO or OPPO smartphone with the same chipset.
The body is also relatively rarely hot, even though I use it without a case, it rarely feels warm to the palms. To improve performance even further, the iQOO Z7x 5G features the Monster Mode option, which can be activated via a notification shortcut or the battery menu. In benchmarks, not much different from the normal performance mode.
Apart from the chipset which is known to save power, the iQOO Z7x 5G is also equipped with a 5-layer cooling system. It is claimed to be able to lower the CPU’s internal temperature by up to 10 degrees Celsius. Overall, this smartphone is suitable for playing games (although some game titles can’t be played with a right-aligned visual), paired with a very satisfying battery.
Battery
ts stylish design doesn’t actually limit iQOO from presenting the largest battery capacity in its class. Yes, the iQOO Z7x 5G battery has a capacity of 6,000 mAh, which is bigger than its older brother, which was released at the same time. Combined with an efficient chipset, I can use this smartphone for at least 2.5 – 3 days with normal use.
When used more intensely with more camera access or used as a mobile hotspot, the usage duration drops to 2 days. Yes, really economical. It doesn’t stop there, Vivo also presents 80W FlashCharge technology, which is superior to its competitors. Claims from Vivo itself can charge 50% in 25 minutes.
In my experience, charging the iQOO Z7x 5G for 10 minutes can increase the capacity by up to 25%. Meanwhile, to reach 100%, it takes about 75 minutes. It might feel the same as 25W fast charging, but keep in mind, this smartphone’s battery capacity is much larger. A really fun combination.
And unlike a number of other vendors who have removed the charger adapter, consumers have received an 80W adapter in the iQOO Z7x 5G sales package. So you can immediately enjoy the fastest charging speed without having to spend extra.
Conclusion
For a smartphone with a price tag of US$200, you, of course, have to sacrifice a number of features in order to get the coveted superior features. iQOO Z7x 5G comes as a smartphone with superior performance, carrying a battery with a monster capacity, but also appearing in a stylish design. Very interesting combination.
The camera quality tends to be mediocre, there is no ultra-wide sensor, the speakers are still mono, and unfortunately the screen panel is not yet AMOLED. In the same price segment, a number of these points include reasonable drawbacks. If You don’t have a problem with these points, the iQOO Z7x 5G could be the best choice right now.
iQOO Z7x 5G Specifications
General
| Device Type | Smartphones |
| Model / Series | iQOO Z7x 5G |
| Released | 03 April, 2023 |
| Status | Available |
| Price | USD $220 (8GB/128GB), USD $247 (8GB/256GB) |
Platform
| Chipsets | Qualcomm SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G (6 nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz Kryo 660 Gold & 6×1.7 GHz Kryo 660 Silver) |
| GPU | Adreno 619 |
| RAM (Memory) | 8GB (+8GB “extended”) LPDDR4x |
| Storage | 128/256GB UFS 2.2 |
| External Storage | microSD (hybrid slot) |
| Operating System | Android 13 |
| User Interface | funtouch OS 13 |
Design
| Dimensions | 164.6 x 75.8 x 9.1 mm |
| Weight | 205 grams |
| Design Features | Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame Colors: Metallic Gray, Tropical Blue |
| Battery | Non-removable Li-Po 6000 mAh battery Fast wired charging 80W, 50% in 25 min |
Display
| Screen Type | LTPO4 AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 1B colors |
| Size and Resolution | 6.64″ IPS, 1080 x 2388 pixels (~395 ppi density) |
| Touch Screen | Yes |
| Features | 120Hz refresh rate, 100% DCI-P3, Eye Protection, |
Network
| Network Frequency | LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 5(850), 8(900), 40(2300) 5G |
| Sim | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) |
| Data Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A, 5G |
Camera
| Multi Camera | Yes (Rear) |
| Rear | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), PDAF; 2 MP, f/2.4, (depth) |
| Front | 8MP, f/2.0 |
| Flash | dual LED flash |
| Video | 1080p@30/60fps, EIS |
| Camera Features | HDR, panorama, night mode, Dual View Video, Pro mode, |
Connectivity
| Wi-fi | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| GPS | GPS (L1), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c), GALILEO (E1), QZSS (L1) |
| HDMI | No |
| NFC | |
| Infrared | No |
Smartphone Features
| Multimedia Features | Mono speaker, 150% volume |
| FM Radio | Yes |
| Web Browser | HTML 5 |
| Messaging | SMS, MMS, Online |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
