The 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 you can get in 2024? The brand has once again managed to repeat this feat and has launched the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 out of the box at an affordable price, at least for the hardware. iQOO has evolved as a brand and is seen as a force to be reckoned with with a clear focus on tough performing products.

The iQOO 12 is a continuation in the same direction and at Rs 52,999 you can definitely give it the ‘flagship killer’ tag. But the price alone is not enough to qualify this status and we decided to test the device to see what it is really capable of bringing to the buyers.

raw power guarantee

The iQOO 12 uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 along with 16GB of RAM, which we got with our unit along with 512GB of storage. Having the new chipset under the hood makes the device capable of performing at the highest levels that can be obtained by paying big bucks these days. It’s still early days in the market but you can see the improvement in performance made by the 8th Gen 3 which gives us hope for 2024 with other brands launching 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 runs through all of them, and the tank still manages to be effective at its levels without overheating. enough to maintain. Vapor chamber system.

much needed design polish

The iQOO 11 was also a performance-focused device but the design seemed stagnant which fortunately has changed with its successor. The new design language matches gains in other departments. The glass panel at the back and the aluminum frame give it a sturdy grip and still provide the premiumness that people want in this range. The square camera module adds distinction to this phone, giving it a unique touch from last year’s iQOO 11. The layout is a bit bumpy but it’s not a deal breaker. The other bonus about the iQOO 12 is that you get it with an IP64 rating which is a welcome addition.

camera upgrade clear

The iQOO 12 also welcomes a new and refreshed camera setup that 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 improvement. The primary camera does a good job of clicking photos in all conditions but the 64MP sensor makes the best impact in giving you macro photos and the quality is crystal clear when you use it for shooting. Having said that, colors do look washed out with the ultra-wide sensor and we think this can be fixed using a software update.

Software could use more refinement

The iQOO 12 is definitely a step forward for the brand and has even seen some changes on the software side of the device. However, there is still a lot of bloatware on your device that can be removed but some default apps remain annoying with notifications. Yes, you can disable them all, but when you’re talking about a flagship-grade device, these problems 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.

reliable artist

The iQOO 12 has the latest hardware but the brand is equally conscious of giving you the best chance of using the device. So, you get a 5000mAh battery that doesn’t make the phone too bulky and supports 120W charging speed out of the box and its use with an adapter in the box. The overall battery life is quite impressive and you can get it to last for more than a day on normal usage. We put the device through heavy loads for long periods of time with gaming, web browsing, listening to podcasts and we still had more than 30 percent left in the tank. Having a fast-charging battery means you can go from 0 to 100 in less than 20 minutes.

The iQOO 12 is a performance-packed, brilliant and reliable device that definitely scores high in our opinion. When you combine the price with the overall package, there’s very little to complain about with the device. You get reliable cameras, excellent raw performance, great battery life, and Android 14. However, the cameras could definitely use some tweaks to their processing for better performance and bloatware is still an issue but you can remove most of them.