The iQOO Neo9 Pro (review), launched earlier this year with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, has made headlines for its camera capabilities and gaming performance. However, I was surprised while testing its capabilities with Genshin Impact under relatively warm conditions.
iQOO Neo9 Pro tested with Genshin Impact
For those unfamiliar, Genshin Impact is an open-world game often used as a benchmark to compare the raw performance capabilities of flagship smartphones. So running this game in the highest setting should be a heavy workload for the iQOO Neo9 Pro.
On a hot day with ambient temperatures around 35°C, the device’s internal temperature rose to 44-45°C, which isn’t too shocking for such a demanding game. But here’s where things got interesting: when I switched to power-saving mode, the phone completely froze. It seemed to limit its power consumption to the point of shutting down all activity to cool itself down.
Switching to “Balanced Mode” and “Monster Mode” yielded better results, with the phone maintaining around 45fps and 60fps, respectively. Not bad, but still far from flawless. Even at a more manageable 30°C ambient temperature, the phone struggled to keep frame rates consistent, dropping frames to stay under 40°C.
Flagship chipsets vs. real-world performance
Many users believe that phones equipped with one of the recent flagship chipsets, like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, can handle anything thrown at them without breaking a sweat. In practice, while these phones are powerful, they are still limited by how effectively they can dissipate heat.
For example, when I attached a thermoelectric cooler to the iQOO Neo9 Pro, it managed to perform flawlessly, even in the most demanding conditions. However, once I removed the cooler, the phone began struggling within 10 minutes of heavy gaming.
Does It Overheat?
Technically, no. The phone never exceeded 45°C internally, meaning the back glass and display stayed cool enough to avoid uncomfortable heating. However, the consistent frame drops in games like Genshin Impact, in warm environments, lead to a perception that the phone is underperforming.
What to expect?
The Neo9 Pro handles lighter games like BGMI and Call of Duty: Mobile just fine. But for more demanding titles, effective heat dissipation becomes essential. To avoid performance drops, it’s best to avoid using a protective case while gaming, especially when charging, and to game in a cool environment.
Despite the phone’s 4nm chip offering improved efficiency, it can still generate more heat than the structure can handle during intense gaming sessions. If you live in a hot climate, you’ll need to keep your expectations low for heavy games like Genshin Impact when ambient temperatures exceed 30°C.
That said, this phone is recommended for anyone with the budget who is familiar with, or willing to accept, the imperfections of Funtouch OS. I’ve previously shared a few easy steps to improve the overall UI experience on this phone, which should be helpful for those considering the device.
