We are in April 2023 and so far there are two mid-range devices that we feel are very satisfactory, namely Vivo V27 and Redmi Note 12 Pro+. But after using the iQOO Z7s for almost a week, we feel it has the potential to be the best value mid-range device to date. Why do we say that? Read the full iQOO Z7 review below.
SPECIFICATIONS
iQOO Z7
6.64″ IPS LCD screen,
1080 x 2388 , 120Hz, HDR10
Snapdragon 782G processor (6nm)
1 X 2.7 GHz Cortex-A78 chip
3 X 2.4 GHz Cortex-A78
4 X 1.8 GHz Cortex-A55
Adreno 642L Graphics Chip
RAM 8/12 GB LPDDR4X
Internal Storage 128/256 GB UFS 2.2
Primary Camera 64MP, f/1.8, OIS (Wide Angle)
2MP, f/2.4 (Depth)
Selfie Camera 16 MP f/2.5
5000 mAh battery
120W wired charging
SIM/Telephony Dual SIM nano / 5G
NFC Yes
Audio Jack Yes
Waterproof None
Scan System Side finger scanner
Sale Price RM 1299 (8/128GB)
RM 1499 (12/256GB)
SCREEN
The 6.64″ FHD+ screen is from the IPS LCD family but supports a high 120Hz refresh rate. Somewhat surprisingly it also comes with the HDR10 standard. Scrolling seems smooth and there are no stuck issues. Fingerprint detection on the screen is also very satisfactory. The bezel is moderately thick especially the upper chin pad. The screen is of the flat type which we quite like as the content does not overflow to the sides of the screen.
The chin section is the thickest reminding us of devices from 3-4 years ago. The screen is bright enough but as usual LCD screens don't have the more vivid color display that OLED screens do. common issues like being hard to see in bright sunlight also plague the Z7's screen. The screen refresh rate is also not dynamic which makes us a little worried about the level of daily battery life.
FINGERPRINT SCANNER
Due to the use of an IPS LCD screen, the fingerprint scanner is placed on the right side built into the power button. The power button protrudes from the body without a groove to make it easier for the scanner to detect. The unlocking process is fast on the Z7 but sometimes inconsistent. Especially if the temperature is cold. Scanning will be interrupted forcing us to enter the passcode.
DESIGN
The design is ordinary with a frame surrounding the body of the device. The power button along with the fingerprint scanner and audio controls are placed on the right side. Meanwhile, a 3.5m audio jack is placed on top. At the bottom there is a speaker grille, USB-C charging port and SIM tray. The tray supports two nano-sized SIMs and it is of the type that needs to be poked to be removed from the body of the device.
The back panel on the Tropical Blue unit we reviewed has a gradient color. It is made of a polycarbonate material that has a rather rough texture. Still comfortable in the hand grip but not slippery or dirt-trapping. iQOO provides a transparent silicone frame that ensures the back panel will not get dirty.
On the back there is also a moderately large camera bump. It is big but not tall. Good news because it makes the device still easy to place on the table. A large square-shaped glass dominates the hump of this camera.
The body of the device is quite large but still comfortable to use with one hand. The downsides are the lack of micro SD card support and no waterproof standards like the Samsung Galaxy A54. This may be done by iQOO to reduce the cost of the device. However, the absence of a micro SD card slot is disappointing as the Z7 is only offered with 128GB and 256GB storage. This storage size is not that big if the owner wants to use the device for more than three years.
USAGE AND SOFTWARE
The Funtouch OS 13 operating system is used with it being based on Android 13. With the use of the latest operating system, many of the latest features of Android 13 can be used. An example is that the theme of the device changes according to the screen background used. During the review period of about a week, we did not have any serious issues with the use of the device. The Snapdragon 782G chip is indeed quite powerful and is aided by a memory of 12GB of RAM on the review unit we used.
Only occasionally did we notice the animation was a little off. With 12GB of RAM, many applications can be launched simultaneously on this device. If this memory still feels insufficient, the Extended RAM feature adds up to 8GB more RAM. You can turn this feature off if not needed. Unlike on Xiaomi and Samung devices, Extended RAM can only be activated with 8GB of RAM without any ability to change its size manually by the owner.
No issue to install majority of apps like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Prime Video and TikTok. It's strange that Netflix is the only one that can't be downloaded via the Play Store, probably because of the new chip used. Launching the application is also fast because of the UFS type. The experience of using Funtouch OS is very similar to the original Android so there are not so many additional features included. A little basic but this launcher doesn't feel heavy to use.
Here are some interesting features that come with iQOO Z7.
Variable screen refresh rate – Change the screen refresh rate to 60Hz, 90Hz, 120Hz or dynamically according to application needs.
Mini Screen Mode – The screen is reduced to facilitate one-handed use.
Extended RAM – 8GB of virtual memory can be added by taking storage space.
App hiding – Hides applications from being displayed on the device.
Ultra Game Mode – A special mode for gaming with various features to reduce distractions during the first session.
Simple Mode – The interface is easier for children and the elderly to use.
BENCH MARK
What performance does the Snapdragon 782G boast? The answer is yes. In the main benchmark tests 3D Mark, Geekbench 6 and 3D Mark it scored higher than Exynos 1380 (Samsung Galaxy A54), Dimensity 1080 (Redmi Note 12 Pro+), and Snapdragon 778G (Poco X5 Pro 5G).
Geekbench 6
iQOO Z7 – 1125/3001
Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G – 960 / 2288
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G – 755/2663
Poco X5 Pro 5G – 781 / 2892
Antutu 3D
iQOO Z7 – 588,831
Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G – 463,849
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G – 502,442
Poco X5 Pro 5G – 529,942
3D Mark Wild Life Extreme
iQOO Z7 – 808
Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G – None
Samsung Galaxy A54 5G – 798
Poco X5 Pro 5G – None
Popular games like Free Fire, PUBG Mobile and COD Mobile can be run at the highest graphics settings and high frame rates. Almost as smooth as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 flagship chip. Only the launch feels a little slower than the S23 Ultra flagship class device because the storage is not of the much faster UFS 4.0 type. Overall there are no major complaints about the performance of the Z7 with the Snapdragon 782G. Stable and powerful, but the device feels a little warm after a long game session. If performance is what you are looking for, the Z7 does not disappoint.
TELEPHONY And GPS
5G LTE network can be enjoyed on iQOO Z7. Phone calls via VoLTE and VoWiFi feature are also possible and if your telecom company supports it. The voice calls made are clear with no issues of them dropping out. As a smartphone, the Z7 performs quite well. The GPS performance is also satisfactory with the location being detected quickly and not lost easily even when moving between tall buildings in Kuala Lumpur.
CAMERA
The main camera is just a 64MP wide-angle lens paired with a 2MP depth lens. Very basic camera configuration but at least the wide angle lens has OIS. It feels a little odd that there's no ultra-wide-angle lens support that comes standard on mid-range devices. As usual the camera app is easy to understand with night mode, portrait mode, panorama and Super Moon.
The picture quality using the main camera is not disappointing. Clear, sharp, bright and fairly accurate color reproduction just a little warmer than the real situation. No noise issues or slow camera. If the AI system is activated, each image takes a few seconds to post-process.
Only portrait mode photos we feel are less robust because the blurred part in the background looks fake. The separation of objects from the background is also not 100% accurate. Finally the night mode is also good. The image still looks sharp, bright and not blurry. This is the advantage of the main camera with OIS. The taken night mode will look satisfactory.
Below are zoom samples at 1x, 2x, 5x and 10x settings. With OIS the pictures taken are still sharp even if taken without using a tripod. Zoom quality is only satisfactory up to 5x only. This lacks the digital zoom system on the Z7. But for other situations that don't require high zoom, we feel the Z7's camera is on par with other devices in the same class.
BATTERY
Battery life is excellent with SOT of 8-9 hours consistently achievable every day. At the end of the day before going to bed there is still around 20-30% battery left if the device is used moderately. Typically battery performance will drop by up to 30% on heavier usage. Even if the battery runs out, there is no need to worry because the 120W charging can recharge the 5000 mAh battery in just 40 minutes.
AUDIO
The stereo speakers used are loud and clear. It's a bit surprising that a stereo speaker is included because at this sale price, usually only mono speakers are provided. An interesting addition is that the audio jack can also be used. We said earlier that the speakers are loud but at the highest settings they start to sound a little broken.
The volume level is good with it being loud enough when needed but not damaging the eardrums if set to the highest level. There isn't any special audio system like Dolby Atmos but this is normal for an affordable device.
IN THE BOX
Here is what is received in the box with purchase.
1x iQOO Z7.
1x 120W Charger
1x Silicone frame.
1x USB-C to USB-C charging cable.
1x Manual.
1x SIM Pin.
CONCLUSION
The iQOO Z7 is the king of mid-range devices because it has a powerful processor, a large enough RAM size, a satisfactory camera and a long-lasting battery with very fast charging. At a selling price starting at RM1299, it's very affordable for its excellent specifications in its class.
The only downsides are that there is no micro SD card support, the camera does not have an additional lens and the screen bezel is quite large compared to competitors. But we feel that for most users the advantages of the iQOO Z7 outweigh the disadvantages making it one of our recommended devices for 2023.
Pro
The 120Hz screen makes the use look smooth.
Comfortable design in hand
Pretty good processor performance.
Stereo speakers and audio jack.
Long-lasting battery with 120W fast charging.
Cons
The screen is still just an LCD.
No micro SD card slot support
Asymmetric thick screen bezels.
No ultra wide angle camera.