iQOO has launched the Neo 10R in India, starting at Rs. 26,999. Meanwhile, last year’s Neo 9 Pro—a relatively more premium phone—is currently priced at Rs. 31,998 for the same configuration. I’ve already discussed the key benefits of choosing the Neo 9 Pro, but in summary, it offers an MEMC chip, a larger main sensor, and a glass back instead of plastic.
You may or may not take advantage of the extra compute that you’ll pay for
The Neo 10R’s Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is slightly less capable than the 8 Gen 2 of the Neo 9 Pro. But, do you actually need that little bit of extra power? Are you sure you will be able to difference the two by looking at the frame rate?
Well, of course, it depends on which games you’re into. I bought the Neo 9 Pro for Genshin Impact (one of the heaviest games on Android) and I love the 120fps – 144fps output. But what if you’re into BGMI? This game now has native 120fps support and many games do not take advantage of iQOO Supercomputing (MEMC) chip, which is one of the biggest selling points of the Neo 9 Pro.
The MEMC chip (which you’re going to pay for) may be of no use to you. And the main 8s Gen 3 chip of the Neo 10R is still more than capable for the game you’re playing. For instance, the Neo 10R handles BGMI in the highest setting without any issues.
And the Neo 10R also has a much bigger battery: 6,400 mAh, up from 5150 mAh of the Neo 9 Pro. Although the Neo 9 Pro has faster charging: 120W instead of 80W of the Neo 10R, the overall combination is still better on the new and less expensive model. So, is the Neo 10R the choice for everyone confused between the two right now? Well, the new phone is less premium and iQOO had to differentiate them.
Pick the Neo 9 Pro only if your game supports MEMC, or if you like the design
Alongside the absence of the MEMC chip, the display resolution is slightly lower – FHD+ down from 1.5K. But honestly, it’s one of those aspects that are much harder to notice, unless you compare side by side. Neo 10R’s display also hits a higher peak brightness – 4,500 nits up from 3000. The Neo 10R also comes with better ingress protection, which means it’s slightly more resistant to splashes of water.
The Neo 9 Pro does pack a larger main sensor, glass/vegan leather back instead of plastic, and the camera island design, well, that’s your preference.
Given you’re okay with plastic back and the new camera island design, you nay not even notice the performance difference, unless the game you’re playing supports the SuperComputing or MEMC chip. All in all, the difference in price is more noticeable than the difference in performance for most people. Even if you have the budget, check whether the game you’re into supports the MEMC feature—and you’re good to go.
