The iQOO Neo9 Pro is a rare combination of performance and imaging capability. On the other hand, the Neo 10 Pro won’t launch globally, and the Neo 10R lacks one of the most important features of the Neo9 Pro—the MEMC chip. I see it’s now available on Amazon for 31999, which is around the same price the Neo 10R will come with.
So, is it still a better choice than the Neo 10R (or any other phone in the price range) in 2025? Aside from a great camera and performance, the battery life is also better than what the number suggests, and it charges four percent every minute! But yes, this phone has a catch, and it could become annoying! I have been using it for over 6 months, and here’s my experience with it.
I dreamt of a phone for years that can run the game in high setting, and do it without struggling. It has become a reality since I got this phone.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 may seem a bit outdated in 2025, but its very similar to the 8s Gen 3 in performance. In fact it even surpasses the 8s Gen 3 in some cases. And the SuperComputing chip inside this beast generates intermediate frames with AI and offers up to 144 fps output in supported games.
Genshin Impact itself is capped at 60, and this phone plays it at 144 (given that the ambient temperature is below 35°C).
The imaging capabilities make the Neo 9 Pro stand out
Images are sharp, and they don’t appear noisy as you zoom in. They are properly saturated and do not look overprocessed. Edge detection in portrait is good, and night mode is one of the best (as long as you’re not comparing it with thousand-dollar-plus flagships).
I wanted both the camera and performance to be great, and it has impressed me. This phone has to be a rare option in this regard. The only thing is that it lacks a telephoto. I guess this is where you say, “no phone is perfect”.
It also doesn’t have the fancy AI features, such as the ability to remove reflections on a glass window, or the current standard of AI-powered object remover, which, of course, would widen the targeted audience a bit more. But still, it’s a great piece of tech for all it offers.
Build and design
SO there are two different finishes: a two-tone vegan leather and a glass variant. I love the soft-touch feel of this textured back glass. Although the middle frame is flat, the Neo 9 Pro feels more comfortable than the latest iPhone or Galaxy models.
The glass back blends slightly into the side, which makes it comfortable to grip. It’s one of those elements that appear subtle but are quite meaningful. I also love how this phone looks with the separated camera islands, the Neo branding, flash, and something on top (don’t ask me what that is). But I like the appearance.
Moving on to the front, here’s an optical fingerprint scanner, which is quite reliable. I don’t remember having to try a second time in the last 28 days. It’s a 1.5k AMOLED, which is bright enough for direct sunlight, and there’s no glaring good or bad about it.
Here’s the catch: the UI
So, it runs on Funtouch OS, which I am only slowly getting used to after using it daily for 6 months. It neither suffers from bugs nor it offers you intrusive uninstallable bloatware (there are some, like iQOO Store and Game Center, but after turning of the notifications, I forgot they existed).
The real issue is the UX, which isn’t likely going to change. You may frequently have to tap more than once on the app search bar or find it difficult to tap at the right place as you don’t even see where to tap. If you want to learn more about it, check the detailed video from the top right corner.
I am getting used to with it (I mean I’m getting used to not using the small window as often, as on my previous phone). But I also assume many have already gone through the experiences, as it’s not a Neo 9 Pro-exclusive thing, and it was apparently a lot worse in the past.
So for those who can say “Funtouch OS doesn’t bother me anymore,” the iQOO Neo 9 Pro is one of the best phones in the 30 to 40k range, still in 2025, exactly a year after its release.
