iQOO Z9s review: Ticks all the boxes, leaves an impressive impact

The budget smartphone segment is getting crowded with each passing day. However, iQOO always tries to drop good phones in the same without creating a lot of clutter. And the brand has done the same with the launch of iQOO Z9s. I recently got the device for review and I can say that I am impressed considering what it has to offer at a price of around Rs 20,000. Also Read: Looking For the Best Camera Smartphones Under Rs 20,000? Check Out Top Picks in June 2025 With Price in India and Features

As soon as you take out the device from the box, it gives you a premium feel, a sleek phone, with a zero-flash design, and an oval-shaped camera island with a flash ring and a flashlight as well. And the curved display is nothing less than a surprise package. The smartphone’s 8GB RAM variant with 128GB internal storage is available in the market for Rs 19,999. The 8GB RAM variant with 256GB storage is priced at Rs 21,999. I reviewed the 12GB RAM variant with 256GB internal storage available for Rs 23,999 in the Indian market. Also Read: Looking For a Gaming Phone Under Rs 20,000? Check Out Top Picks in May 2025 With Price in India and Features

iQOO Z9s 5G Review: Specifications and features

iQOO Z9s 5G review: Design

The design of iQOO Z9s is something that will delight you as soon as you open the box. At the back, it has a pill-shaped camera island consisting of two sensors and an aura light. Right next to the island, we can see the flash of the device. The iQOO branding can be seen at the bottom middle area of the phone. And the back panel offers a glassy sand finish. All in all, the phone looks beautiful from the back. The SIM tray, USB Type-C port, and speaker grille are placed at the bottom spine. The power button and volume buttons are placed at the right spin. On the front, there is a punch-hole display for the placement of the front sensor. Now, the phone is not free from fingerprints and smudges so my advice will be to use a back cover for the same. Apart from that, the phone has zero issues in the design section, to be honest. It weighs around 182 grams and feels very light in hand. The thickness of the device is somewhat 7.49mm which is again lesser than a lot of devices available in the same price range.

iQOO Z9s 5G review: Display

iQOO Z9s comes with a 6.77-inch FHD+ AMOLED display coupled with 120Hz refresh rate. The 1800 nits of peak brightness offered in the device make sure that you don’t have any issues while using it in direct sunlight. The viewing angles of the device are really better than what I have seen in multiple available at a slightly higher price point. The bezels are thin and the display is curved, that’s more than enough for a budget device. I played a couple of games and even watched YouTube videos, the experience in terms of display was highly satisfying.

iQOO Z9s 5G review: Performance

iQOO Z9s is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 processor. And I don’t even know where to start. Instead of going to basic review traditions like checking the benchmarks here and there, I prefer using the phone more and more. And I did the same with iQOO Z9s. First things first, I downloaded Asphalt Legends Unite and played the game for a while. I don’t even remember the last budget phone that got zero heating issues while running a heavy game like Asphalt for straight up 15 to 20 minutes.

After that, I opened multiple applications at once like YouTube, Asphalt, and 50 Chrome tabs. The phone showed no signs of lag and that was really impressive for a device at this price range. However, a little bit of heating, not that considerable, could be witnessed while running multiple heavy applications simultaneously on the device. Talking about the in-display fingerprint sensor and face recognition, both of them delivered quick responses which was great.

That being said, the only downside, according to me, was that the device ships with almost 51 pre-installed apps and most of them are useless. They just make the app drawer look stuffed and serve zero purpose. Apart from that, the device includes FunTouch OS 14 based on the Android 14 operating system. It also offers features like Hidden Photos, Mini Window, and Split Screen, that can be useful for some users.

iQOO Z9s 5G review: Camera

iQOO Z9s sports a dual rear camera setup consisting of a 50MP Sony IMX882 sensor and a 2MP secondary sensor. Now, the rear camera setup was easily able to capture stunning shots in the daylight and even a little low light. While the detailing of the images was average level the device outclasses all its competitors in terms of color reproduction. And while clicking portraits, you can leave all the work on the sensors as they work wonderfully. One thing that I liked the most about the sensors is the color accuracy. When talking about low-light scenarios, the phone will not disappoint you there either. Pick any phone in the same price range and click the night shots with it, you will see what I am trying to convey here. As for the 16Mp front sensor of the device, it does its job elegantly, you can rely on it to get great selfies both day and night. The detailing of the images in the night could be a little different from what you get to see in the daytime, rest of it remains impressive.

iQOO Z9s 5G review: Battery

The iQOO Z9s packs a 5,500mAh battery with 44W fast charging support. At the time of testing, the battery drain was moderate. For example, if you are playing a game like BGMI, or Asphalt Legends Unite, then the battery will drain at a speed of 10% per hour which is ideal. On regular usage, if you are using it for a day, with a few hours of gaming, listening to music, surfing the internet, and making a few calls, the battery lasts for a decent amount of hours. As for the charging speed, the device reached from zero to 100 in around 1 hour and 13 minutes at the time of testing.

iQOO Z9s 5G review: Verdict

The iQOO Z9s is perfect for people who are looking for a device near the price bracket of Rs 20,000 that can do everything whether it is photography, gaming, or performing well at the time of multitasking. The design of the device is fresh, the performance is at par with high-price alternatives, what else one can look for in a budget device? And AMOLED display just adds more sparkle to the phone. However, if you are looking for a professional camera prowess, then I think you need to loosen your pocket a bit more and go for a device in the mid-range price segment.