The iQOO 11’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip is only one of its many innovations
Smartphone manufacturer iQOO might not ring a bell for you, but it’s definitely an up-and-coming brand you should pay attention to. Originally launched as Vivo’s gaming/enthusiast-focused sub-brand, iQOO has long made a name for itself as a company that is among the first to add some brand-new components to its phones. That’s no different with the iQOO 11 that launched today, one of the first Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones—and that’s only one of many innovations inside this handset.
Looking back at older Vivo or iQOO phones, the iQOO 11 stays right in line with the design that was already established. The phone is available in an understated dark gray colorway and a bright white variant with the company’s signature triple-colored stripe on the right side of the back, symbolizing its marketing partnership with BMW Motorsport. A big camera bump filling almost the complete top left third of the phone offers space for a triple-camera setup. On the front, the screen is only interrupted by a selfie camera in the top middle.
When you take a step back, you’ll notice the iQOO 11 is remarkably similar to the Vivo X90, which wasjust recently launched in China. The difference here right now is that the iQOO 11 will be available internationally very soon, starting with South Asian markets first. While this might not help you in the US, it still means that it’s going to be one of the first phones to launch with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 outside of China.
The iQOO 11 is a showcase of a phone with the latest and greatest technology, but you likely won’t be able to get your hands on it.
The iQOO 11 is not only one of the first devices to come with the new flagship Qualcomm processor, though. It also ships with Vivo’s new V2 co-processor that’s supposed to support the Snapdragon when dealing with images, machine-learning, and other specialized tasks. TheiQOO 9 ProandVivo X80 Pro, which were equipped with the V2’s predecessors, already managed to impress us with their photo capabilities in our reviews.
The phone also comes with Samsung’s new E6 AMOLED screen, which allows for a refresh rate of up to 144Hz and a resolution of 3200x1440. On top of that, the company is among the first to add UFS 4.0 storage, which is ever-so-slightly faster than UFS 3.1, giving you some nice future-proofing. This is accompanied by up to 16GB of speedy LPDDR5X RAM. While not something unheard of, it’s also notable that the phone can charge its 5,000mah battery at 120W, which means you can fully top it up within less than half an hour—speeds that many of us in Western markets can only dream about.
On the software side, the iQOO 11 ships with Vivo’s flavor of Android 13, Funtouch OS 13, which means it’s one of the first companies to launch a phone with the latest Android version.
The rest of the setup might not be as stunning, but it’s not weak, either. The company boasts that it offers some of the best haptic experience with a linear motor that’s particularly great for gaming, but will likely also lead to a nice typing experience. There is also a liquid vapor chamber cooling system on board to keep temperatures in check. On the top and bottom, stereo speakers are available.
Looking closer at the cameras, iQOO offers a 50MP GN5 primary, paired with a 13MP telephoto zoom and an 8MP ultrawide. Thanks to the V2 chip, the system is claimed to provide an instant shutter experience, a good night photography and videography experience, and advanced portrait effects.
There was a regression compared to previous models, though. The iQOO 11 comes with an optical fingerprint scanner rather than a sonic one in its display, which could mean it offers a slightly slower unlocking experience.
The iQOO 11 is available in Indonesia and Malaysia starting today and will come to Thailand on December 15, 2022. In India, it will launch on January 13. The company hasn’t shared details on pricing just yet.
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