Most manufacturers are beginning to roll out their flagships earlier this 12 months; the Discover X8 Professional is now out there globally, the Vivo X200 is about to make its debut shortly, and different telephones aren’t far behind. Vivo sub-brand iQOO can also be getting in on the motion, launching the iQOO 13 a month early.
The iQOO 13 retains an identical design as its predecessor, but it surely comes with a much bigger 6.82-inch panel — the identical dimension because the OnePlus 13, by the way — and also you get all-new cameras on the again alongside the newest Qualcomm {hardware}, and an enormous 6,150mAh battery with silicon-carbon tech.
Clearly, iQOO is making a behavior out of delivering important upgrades on a yearly foundation, and whereas I used the iQOO 12 extensively all through the course of 2024, the iQOO 13 is significantly higher in key areas. Fortunately, what hasn’t modified is the model’s value-focused positioning — the iQOO 13 is essentially the most inexpensive telephone powered by Qualcomm’s new silicon, and that alone makes it worthy of consideration.
iQOO 13: Pricing and availability
The iQOO 13 was unveiled in China on October 30, and the telephone made its international debut on November 28. It’s now out there in Indonesia, and might be making its technique to India on December 3. The worldwide variant is accessible in 12GB/256GB and 16GB/512GB editions, and each fashions characteristic LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage.
I will have particulars of Indian pricing shortly, however in Indonesia, the iQOO 13 prices 9,999,000 IDR ($630) for the 12GB/256GB model, and 11,999,000 IDR ($757) for the 16GB/512GB version.
iQOO 13: Design
The iQOO 13 is nearly indistinguishable to its predecessor when it comes to the design. Each telephones share the identical total aesthetic, and also you even get the identical digicam island, albeit with a couple of minor variations. The most important change on the again is that the LED flash module now sits throughout the digicam island, making a cleaner total look.
Aside from that, the iQOO branding and the model’s tagline — Fascination Meets Innovation — alongside the BMW M livery is now positioned on the left. Exterior of those two adjustments, the design is equivalent. The digicam island is marginally greater on the iQOO 13, however you may solely discover that if you happen to’re utilizing it alongside the iQOO 12.
I do not thoughts that iQOO retained the identical design this time; the iQOO 13 seems simply as elegant as its predecessor, and the white shade variant (it is known as Legend) is placing. Whereas the telephone nonetheless has flat sides, it has refined bevels the place it meets the again, and that makes utilizing the telephone way more comfy. It is a small factor, however you simply discover the distinction when switching between the iQOO 12 and 13.
The perimeters are made out of aluminum, and the shiny coat is not to my liking. Fortunately, the glass again has a matte texture that feels nice, and it would not decide up smudges. The telephone itself is a smidgen wider than the iQOO 12, and that is as a result of it has a bigger 6.82-inch panel. Contemplating the rise in dimension, it is good to see iQOO retaining related dimensions.
However essentially the most spectacular achievement is that the telephone is 0.4mm thinner whereas nonetheless that includes an enormous 6,150mAh battery — 1,150mAh greater than the iQOO 12. It’s 10g heavier, and whilst you discover the added heft, it is not unwieldy, and it is nonetheless 8g lighter than the Pixel 9 Professional XL whereas providing you with a a lot greater battery.
The ability and quantity buttons are on the precise, and also you get the USB-C port and SIM card tray on the backside. The iQOO 13 has stereo sound, and also you get a devoted channel up prime that makes a substantial distinction. The IR blaster can also be situated on the prime, and it holds up simply in addition to different Vivo and iQOO telephones I used.
Apparently, iQOO went with an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor this time round, and in contrast to the module on Samsung telephones, it’s really usable and quick. It is utilizing a Goodix sensor — like Vivo telephones — and I did not see any points with authentication. Notably, it’s positioned good to entry one-handed, in contrast to a number of units I examined this 12 months (taking a look at you, Discover X8 Professional).
One other space the place the iQOO 13 has a substantial benefit is ingress safety; the gadget has IP68/IP69 mud and water resistance as normal, and that is on par with the finest Android telephones. On the entire, the iQOO 13 is among the better-looking units round, and whereas you aren’t getting a brand-new design, the gadget remains to be trendy.
iQOO 13: Show
Though the design itself hasn’t modified, an space the place the iQOO 13 has a substantial improve is the display screen. You now get a much bigger 6.82-inch AMOLED panel, and the refresh fee is elevated to 144Hz, however that is in choose use instances — more often than not, it is right down to the usual 120Hz. The panel is noticeably brighter than final 12 months — going as much as 1800 nits in HBM mode — and whereas it would not fairly match the Pixel 9 Professional XL on this regard, there are zero points utilizing it below harsh daylight.
What’s nice about this technology is that the bezels are even thinner, and that’s simply noticeable when viewing the iQOO 13 subsequent to its predecessor. The razor-thin bezels make gaming and streaming content material that rather more immersive, and on that notice, I did not see any points with HDR content material in Netflix or YouTube.
There’s stereo sound as nicely, and it will get loud and detailed sufficient that I did not see any points in common use. Colour vibrancy is respectable out of the field, though the hues on my unit tended to skew a bit cooler. Fortunately, you get the flexibility to manually regulate shade heat, and swap to Vivid or Skilled modes. You even get the flexibility to dynamically regulate colours based mostly on ambient mild.
The panel has QHD decision this time (3168 x 1440), and the elevated pixel density makes a distinction in day by day use — you get two further traces of textual content whereas shopping. One other trait I like is the suite of eye safety options iQOO is rolling out with this technology; the iQOO 13 has 2592Hz PWM dimming in any respect brightness ranges, making it an excellent alternative if you happen to’re delicate to DC dimming. It additionally has one thing known as anti-fatigue brightness adjustment, which mainly tweaks brightness ranges over time to scale back pressure.
There’s additionally a round polarized tech, which claims to scale back dry eyes and fatigue by reducing the glare coming from the panel. As is the case with all telephones on this class, you get LTPO as normal, and the panel is ready to go right down to 1Hz when viewing pictures or in always-on mode. On that topic, you get always-on types much like most Vivo telephones working Funtouch OS, however there are a couple of distinctive to iQOO.
iQOO 13: Efficiency and battery
Clearly, a giant promoting level of the iQOO 13 is that it comes with the newest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite. Though most telephones powered by the silicon price upwards of $1,000, the iQOO 13 has the excellence of being essentially the most inexpensive of the lot, coming in on the equal of $630.
With out burying the lede an excessive amount of, what I can let you know proper now’s that the iQOO 13 is a efficiency beast. It blazes by means of day by day use instances with out breaking a sweat, and it handles demanding video games simply as nicely. I did not see any points with overheating, and whereas the telephone is on the conservative aspect with thermals, it would not throttle anyplace as early as its predecessor.
| Class | OPPO Discover X8 Professional | iQOO 13 |
|---|---|---|
| PCMark Work 3.0 (Total) | 16435 | 16043 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 (Internet Looking) | 19410 | 16307 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 (Video Modifying) | 6834 | 6899 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 (Writing) | 14464 | 20445 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 (Picture Modifying) | 31693 | 39044 |
| Geekbench 6 (single-core) | 2747 | 2954 |
| Geekbench 6 (multi-core) | 8404 | 6650 |
| Geekbench AI (Quantized Rating) | 1946 | 3915 |
| 3DMark Wild Life Excessive (rating) | 6176 | 4514 |
| 3DMark Wild Life Excessive (FPS) | 36.985 | 27.025 |
| 3DMark Photo voltaic Bay (rating) | 9308 | 7287 |
| 3DMark Photo voltaic Bay (FPS) | 35.395 | 27.695 |
The iQOO 13 scored considerably greater than the Dimensity 9400-based Discover X8 Professional in Geekbench 6’s single and multi-core exams, and it was twice as quick in Geekbench AI. Whereas it would not fairly measure up in 3DMark exams, it managed a greater stability rating of 75.9% within the demanding Metal Nomad Gentle stress take a look at, and did not transcend 42 levels Celsius. Â
Whereas most video games are nonetheless locked to 60fps, there are choose titles that go as much as 90fps and past. Apparently, iQOO makes use of a customized Q2 chip to upscale video games and increase framerates, and it does an excellent job on this regard. What I like essentially the most is that it reduces jitter by sustaining a gentle framerate, with the characteristic much like what NVIDIA and AMD supply with G-Sync and FreeSync.
I am utilizing the 16GB/512GB mannequin of the iQOO 13, and I did not run into any points with the storage or reminiscence. Multitasking is dealt with effortlessly, and the software program is secure and optimized to make the most of the silicon. You get your complete suite of AptX codecs, and there is Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, and dual-band GPS.
The vibration motor has been overhauled, and it delivers a lot better suggestions this time round. You possibly can regulate the depth of the suggestions, and whereas the Discover X8 Professional and Vivo X100 Extremely nonetheless have an edge on this space, there’s a noticeable distinction over the iQOO 12.
The iQOO 13 comes with an enormous 6,150mAh battery, though the Indian variant has a barely smaller 6,000mAh battery. The elevated battery dimension together with the effectivity beneficial properties of Qualcomm’s newest silicon means you get an enormous uptick in battery life, and I bought not less than two days of use between costs. Even with heavy use, I did not should cost the iQOO 13 throughout the two-day window; it is among the finest units I used on this regard.
The rise in battery dimension is attributed to the swap to a silicon-carbon anode. Going this route permits manufacturers to extend battery density, and that is why most Chinese language-branded telephones in 2025 have heady beneficial properties on this space. The limitation is that there is a single cell, however because the iQOO 13 makes use of Vivo’s 120W charging tech, it takes simply 34 minutes to completely cost the gadget.
It went as much as the 50% mark in simply 14 minutes, taking one other 20 minutes to get the remainder of the best way. Truthfully, if you happen to want two-day battery life and the most effective charging tech presently out there, the iQOO 13 is difficult to beat.
iQOO 13: Cameras
The iQOO 13 will get a trio of 50MP cameras on the again, together with a 50MP Sony IMX921 with 1/1.56-inch sensor and OIS, 50MP Samsung JN1 wide-angle lens with autofocus, and a 50MP Sony IMX816 telephoto with 2x optical zoom and OIS. If that sounds acquainted, it is as a result of the cameras are equivalent to the Vivo V40 Professional — and the V30 Professional. The entrance digicam is completely different, and it is utilizing a 32MP module.
The digicam interface itself is equivalent to final 12 months; you get the capturing modes in a grid on the backside, and you’ll simply swap between the varied lenses. The telephone has a Humanistic avenue mode that enhances the distinction and provides a heavy vignette to the pictures, leading to pictures that look very completely different to what you get from the common modes.
On the subject of movies, all of the lenses on the again can shoot 4K60, and that is good to see. There’s respectable stabilization, and whereas the resultant footage is not fairly on the identical degree as different flagships I used, it’s higher than the iQOO 12.
Picture 1 of 13
The iQOO 13 takes incredible photographs in daylight situations, producing pictures with nice dynamic vary and shade accuracy. Identical to the V40 Professional, foliage would not have the most effective definition, however outdoors of that, I haven’t got any points with the digicam as such. The telephone does simply as nicely in low-light pictures, and whereas you aren’t getting fairly the identical shade vibrancy because the Vivo X100 Extremely, X100 Professional, Discover X8 Professional, or different flagships, it delivers usable photographs.
The wide-angle lens additionally does an excellent job in its personal proper, as does the 2x lens. Clearly, having a 3x zoom lens could be ultimate, however you miss out on that, and whereas I bought usable pictures at as much as 5x, it is not the identical as having a devoted optical zoom lens with a higher zoom issue. The auxiliary lenses do not fairly measure up at low-light, and that is the place you see the most important distinction to the likes of the X100 Professional.
In the end, the iQOO 13 posts a robust displaying, and whereas I put the telephone one tier under different flagships, it does a a lot better job than its predecessor, and it is among the finest on this class. Sure, you may get higher photographs out of the Vivo X100 Professional or the Discover X8 Professional, however you may additionally must shell out way more money.
iQOO 13: Software program
There is not a lot to speak about on the software program entrance. The iQOO 13 runs Vivo’s Funtouch OS 15 based mostly on Android 15 out of the field, and whereas it’s technically new, the UI is visually unchanged to final 12 months. You get the identical notification pane, related styling all through, and the identical customizability.
That mentioned, the interface is fluid, and notably, it would not really feel fairly as iOS-esque as ColorOS 15, and that is an ironic turnaround contemplating the software program’s roots. Anyway, what you’ll want to know is that the styling is not cumbersome, and also you get helpful extras, together with floating home windows, a wise sidebar, and simple multitasking.
Apparently, there’s an RGB LED ring across the rear digicam island dubbed Monster Halo, and it may be used for something from notification and name alerts to battery notifications, and an atmospheric mode that cycles lighting results. Look, I am all-in on RGB lighting, however I did not use this characteristic as a lot because it includes placing the telephone face-down on a desk, and I do not do this. However I will should admit that it is rather cool, and you’ll customise colours and results by going into the settings — it is known as Dynamic mild.
The one annoyance I bumped into is that Funtouch remains to be a bit aggressive with reminiscence administration, so you may want to enter the settings to disable optimization to get well timed push notifications. Exterior of that, I did not see many issues. As is the case with each telephone, you get a collection of AI-enabled options, and these principally contain picture enhancing — much like Magic Eraser on the Pixels.
There’s excellent news on the replace aspect of issues as nicely, with iQOO guaranteeing 4 Android OS updates alongside 5 years of safety updates to the iQOO 13. That is one platform replace greater than what the iQOO 12 will decide up, and it is good to see iQOO matching Vivo on this regard. The telephone picked up two software program updates with stability tweaks and the newest safety replace, and it is good to see iQOO’s telephones getting the identical degree of consideration as their Vivo siblings.
iQOO 13: The competitors
The 2025 launch cycle is about to warmth up, and the iQOO 13 goes up towards the OnePlus 13. That gadget additionally has an enormous battery and 6.82-inch AMOLED panel, and it ought to take higher photographs. It comes right down to what it prices in nations like India, however it’s unlikely to ship the identical worth because the iQOO 13.
Though the X100 Professional is significantly extra pricey, it has probably the greatest digicam packages of the 12 months. If that is a key consideration, I might advocate getting the X100 Professional as an alternative; in any other case, the iQOO 13 is the higher discount by a protracted shot.
iQOO 13: Must you purchase it?
You can purchase this if:
- You want the newest Qualcomm {hardware}
- You want the most effective battery life
- You desire a telephone for gaming
- You want a giant AMOLED panel that is eye-friendly
- You need good cameras
You should not purchase this if:
- You want the most effective telephoto lenses
- You need the most effective low-light photographs
In the end, the iQOO 13 reinforces the truth that you need not spend north of $1,000 to get flagship-tier high quality. The telephone has the newest Qualcomm {hardware}, a high-quality AMOLED show with helpful options, fluid software program, and it’ll decide up long-term software program updates.
The telephone does a superb job at gaming, and it is not onerous to see why — iQOO is clearly concentrating on a youthful viewers with the gadget, and the distinctive additions enable you get secure framerates with out worrying about overheating. On that notice, the battery life is the most effective of any gadget I used this 12 months, and you may solely must cost the telephone each two days on common.
There are respectable upgrades with the cameras as nicely, and whereas the iQOO 13 would not fairly measure as much as the Discover X8 Professional or Vivo X100 Extremely, it’s a lot better than its predecessor on this regard, and that is an achievement in and of itself. Total, if you happen to want the most effective {hardware} however do not need to shell out fairly as a lot money, the iQOO 13 is your best option.
