iQOO Z10x Evaluation: A Huge Battery Funds Smartphone

The premiumisation of the funds smartphone, which began a number of years in the past (and continues at present), meant that everybody would have bought a sub-Rs. 15,000 gadget have been then prepared to spend upwards of Rs. 20,000, offered the gadget justified its price ticket. It may accomplish this by providing an honest set of cameras with good efficiency, quicker charging, higher shows and extra. And so you might purchase a top quality smartphone just like the Realme 9 Professional+ that checked all of the bins on the decrease finish of the mid-range.

The ‘5G Tax’ (the price of including 5G connectivity to a smartphone) additionally pressured the value-for-money funds phase to show into bare-bones units, which obtained you fewer cameras (in comparison with their 4G counterparts), fundamental plastic designs and common battery life. These smartphones solely existed to ship 5G connectivity for these on tight budgets and nothing extra. However after years of delivering the identical telephones with the identical technique, issues are lastly beginning to change.

There are a number of units, such because the Poco M7 Professional and the CMF Cellphone 1, that supply extra than simply fundamental 5G connectivity underneath Rs. 15,000. After releasing a fundamental 5G-enabled Z9x final yr, iQOO’s Z10x lastly seems to be steering issues in the fitting course. iQOO’s newest Z10x provides much more options to the combo, however does it reduce any corners to get there?

iQOO Z10x Design: What’s with that digital camera?

• Dimensions – 165.7 x 76.3 x 8.09mm
• Weight – 204 grams
• Sturdiness – IP64

Whereas the iQOO Z9x went with a fairly fundamental design, the iQOO Z10x a minimum of makes some sincere makes an attempt to interrupt the mould. It nonetheless makes use of polycarbonate plastic for its rear panel and mid-frame, however the total match and end are loads higher this time.

The mid-frame has flat sides with bevelled edges, whereas the rear panel has curved edges round, making the cellphone comfy to carry. That is necessary as a result of this can be a big-battery smartphone that feels a bit heavy at 204 grams. Whereas I am not a fan of the lavender color of the Ultramarine end, I do like that iQOO has made makes an attempt to provide it a delicate wave-like sample, which is seen at sure angles. It makes this fundamental funds smartphone really feel a bit particular. I am additionally completely happy to see that this polycarbonate rear panel doesn’t collect smudges or entice mud attributable to its frosted look and texture.

iQOO’s Z10x has polycarbonate mid-frame and rear panel

 

As identified in my first impressions, the digital camera module seems to be like there’s loads happening, and it is filled with options. Including to this picture is its chunky look. It protrudes fairly a bit, making the cellphone wobble loads when positioned on a flat floor.

Quickly after the unboxing, I used to be a bit shocked to find that it had only one user-accessible digital camera on the again. The second is a 2-megapixel depth sensor for the Portrait mode, whereas the third camera-like cavity is an infrared blaster.

Inserting the infrared blaster within the digital camera module makes little sense. The IR blaster is often positioned on the highest fringe of the cellphone in order that it is pointing in the fitting course when utilizing the built-in app. Anybody trying to make use of the distant management function to regulate an equipment will clearly be sitting upright and holding the cellphone close to waist stage.

The infrared (IR) blaster is oddly positioned in the back of the cellphone

 

As a result of this IR blaster is positioned on the again, you must maintain the cellphone up in a single hand (making certain it is pointed on the proper equipment) after which use your different hand to function the Good Distant app, making it a two-handed affair. The positioning of the IR blaster is clearly a beauty transfer to make the digital camera seem subtle and interesting (like a triple digital camera setup).

One other new addition to the digital camera module is the Dynamic mild, which has been borrowed from Vivo’s Y collection. The Dynamic mild mainly capabilities as a notification LED, alerting customers about incoming calls, messages, music, and even the battery’s charging state. You may select between three preset colors, however you can not customise and select a shade from a color picker. General, I did discover the Dynamic mild function helpful. When charging the cellphone you possibly can solely inform when the cellphone is charging (blinking inexperienced), absolutely charged (regular color of your selection) and low battery (pink), which is beneficial offered you at all times maintain your cellphone face down. Oddly, the settings for this function are weirdly buried within the Settings > Shortcuts and Accessibility > Dynamic mild part of the Settings app.

The wave-like sample on the Ultramarine end is seen solely at sure angles

 

The iQOO Z10x, identical to the iQOO Z9x, will get an IP64 score for mud and water resistance. This score offers full safety towards mud and sand however is simply splash-proof in relation to water. Nonetheless, iQOO’s guarantee doesn’t cowl harm brought on by liquid ingress, so it is clever to be a bit cautious. The iQOO Z10x is MIL-STD-810H licensed, that means that this gadget can perform usually in excessive climates and temperatures.

iQOO Z10x Show: Will get the job carried out

• Show measurement – 6.72-inch, 2,408 x 1,080 pixels, full-HD+
• Show kind – LCD, 60-90-120Hz
• Show safety – Panda glass

Similar to its predecessor, the protecting show glass on the iQOO Z10x will get smudged simply. The show’s colors seem saturated when utilizing the default Customary color mode, however seem extra pure with the ‘Skilled’ preset. It will get sufficiently shiny when used outdoor, each when shopping via apps or viewing video content material. Nonetheless, being an LCD, it doesn’t supply the deepest blacks like some AMOLED shows (accessible on competing smartphones) can. You may nonetheless get pleasure from your streaming exhibits at full-HD decision in customary definition, because the cellphone helps Widevine L1 playback specification.

The iQOO Z10x’s show has noticeably thick borders, particularly on the backside

 

Discovering an At all times-on-display (AOD) function within the personalisation setting was a little bit of a shock. It’s because the function will devour plenty of energy on an LCD panel, which, in contrast to an AMOLED panel, can’t shut off its unused pixels however has to maintain its complete backlight on. Fortunately, iQOO’s software program solely permits the AOD function to come back alive when a brand new notification arrives or upon waking up the gadget.

iQOO Z10x Software program: Customary stuff

• Android model – 15
• Software program – Funtouch OS 15
• Software program dedication – 2 years software program, 3 years safety

Funtouch OS has been round for some time and desires no particular introduction. With Funtouch OS 15, Vivo added a bunch of recent AI instruments among the many many new customisation options which have been lacking in previous variations. The brand new AI instruments are sensible however not precisely succesful in relation to picture enhancing.

The cellphone does include some bloatware and third-party apps, however the latter will be uninstalled if not required. Unusually, there, I obtained only a few spammy notifications through the assessment interval. These have been primarily from the Browser app, which can push notifications even if in case you have by no means opened the app. Avoiding opening the V-Appstore (or ignoring it altogether) can be a great way to keep away from getting pointless notifications from it.

iQOO’s Funtouch OS 15 brings some AI instruments to Android 15

 

iQOO and Vivo’s first rate monitor file with delivering updates primarily applies to its premium and mid-range units. Funds units do take further time to obtain their updates and, so customers is perhaps left wanting for extra, as promised updates arrive a bit later than anticipated. With this in thoughts, iQOO providing simply two years of OS updates is worrisome for individuals who maintain on to their units for a few years. The nice factor is that the cellphone already ships with Android 15, so with two years of updates, there’s a good likelihood it is going to get upgraded to Android 16 and perhaps Android 17.

iQOO Z10x Efficiency: Nearly as good because it will get

• Processor – MediaTek Dimensity 7300, 2.5GHz, 4nm
• RAM – 6/8GB (LPDDR4X)
• Storage – 128/256GB (UFS 3.1)

Funtouch OS 15 runs easily on mid-range and premium units, it is not the case with a funds smartphone just like the Z10x. With the display’s refresh fee set to Auto, I seen fairly a number of hiccups once in a while, the place the cellphone stuttered whereas scrolling via feeds or lagged a bit when launching apps. There seems to be a scarcity of software program optimisation, as, at occasions, it felt just like the {hardware} was struggling to maintain up with the software program’s gestures. It is 2025, and whereas all of that is acceptable on entry-level units with barebones {hardware}, iQOO wants to shine the Z10x’s software program, as I’m reviewing the 8GB RAM variant.

The iQOO Z10x’s show is a smudgy mess

 

The stereo audio system present a really treble-heavy sound, nevertheless it’s simply not loud sufficient. The cellphone has an Audio Booster mode which bumps up the amount to 400 %, nevertheless it solely sounds worse (learn tinny) when you cross one hundred pc. One is certainly higher off connecting a pair of wired earphones. However iQOO selected to take away the three.5mm headphone jack this yr. So, TWS it’s!

The cellphone has no noticeable heating points even when utilizing the digital camera app. iQOO appears to have made good use of the graphite sheets as this cellphone doesn’t pack any vapour chamber cooling system (given its value level).

As for uncooked efficiency, the iQOO Z10x carried out nicely in comparison with its rivals on this phase, as is seen within the desk under.

 

 

Gaming efficiency is nice, protecting in thoughts different units accessible on this phase. After all, the cellphone struggles to keep up a gradual body fee, nevertheless it’s attainable to play Name of Obligation: Cell at Very Excessive graphics settings. Contact sampling is nearly ample. You may get pleasure from smoother gameplay at Low graphics and Extremely body fee, however the body fee hovers round 60 fps and nothing past.

iQOO Z10x Cameras: Usual, standard

• Main digital camera – 50-megapixel, f/1.8, AF
• Depth digital camera – 2-megapixel
• Selfie digital camera – 8-megapixel, f/2.05, FF

Since there is just one accessible digital camera on the again, it has to tackle the roles of a number of lenses and, subsequently, should be adaptable to varied conditions. Certainly, not a lot has modified by way of imaging in comparison with the iQOO Z9x, and it is because the iQOO Z10x additionally makes use of the identical {hardware} as its predecessor.

iQOO Z10x main digital camera samples (faucet photographs to develop)

 

In daylight, the first digital camera, at its default magnification, captures common pictures for a smartphone at this value level. The pictures will look high quality in your cellphone, however zoom in even a little bit bit, and the photographs begin to tear up. Dynamic vary is first rate, however there’s loads of noise seen, particularly within the shadows, even in daylight. Additionally, you will come throughout random patches with garbled particulars (unhealthy noise processing), as is seen from the pattern displaying a most important street above. Something that strikes will get blurred, and so the foliage and finer particulars are sometimes misplaced.

Below dim or low mild with road lighting, photographs seem delicate and have a water-colour impact with blurred particulars

 

Utilizing the 2X zoom (under) will not be beneficial, because the cellphone struggles to seize first rate photographs at its default capturing decision. The 10cm focussing vary did permit me to get shut sufficient for close-up photographs (above).

 

The selfie digital camera provides good edge detection, however the picture high quality is strictly common.

 

Selfies have common element and seem barely delicate, relying on the accessible mild. The digital camera additionally has hassle exposing the topic in very shiny environments, as will be seen within the first selfie pattern. In low mild, it is not value pulling out this cellphone for a selfie, even with the display flash turned on.

On condition that this can be a funds smartphone, my expectations with video recording weren’t very excessive. The rear digital camera type of proved this level by capturing very fundamental video high quality (you possibly can inform what’s occurring in a scene) with unhealthy dynamic vary (clipped shadows). The cellphone additionally struggles to maintain the body in focus whereas panning, and the EIS ends in a really cropped view. In low mild, the main points simply aren’t there. It is laborious to determine individuals even when capturing a brightly lit road from an in depth distance. The video recording additionally seems jerky when strolling as a result of the digital camera lacks OIS.

iQOO Z10x Battery: Spectacular!

• Battery capability – 6,500mAh
• Wired charging – 44W
• Charger within the field – Sure

In our PC Mark Work Battery take a look at, which runs a bunch of purposes on a loop until the cellphone’s battery drains to twenty %, the iQOO Z10x managed a decent 24 hours and 10 minutes. In our video loop take a look at, which performs an HD video on loop until the battery runs out, it managed a strong 37 hours and 46 minutes. Final yr’s iQOO Z9x lasted 22 hours and 35 minutes in the identical take a look at, which matches to point out that the upper capability battery does result in enhancements in battery life.

iQOO’s Z10x packs a high-capacity 6,500mAh battery

 

Through the testing interval, regardless of heavy utilization with the cellphone getting used repeatedly (social media apps, mail, messaging and so on., video streaming, 3D gaming), I solely managed to empty the cellphone’s battery to 40 %. So, it is secure to imagine that no matter your utilization, it ought to final you greater than a day of heavy use and about two days with informal utilization.

Charging is one space that has not obtained any upgrades. The charger is not precisely gradual, however when paired with a battery with such a excessive capability, charging takes some time. It is nonetheless tolerable, with the cellphone managing a 38 % cost in half-hour, 74 % in an hour and finishing the charging course of in 1 hour and 36 minutes.

iQOO Z10x Verdict

After spending time with the iQOO Z10x, it is clear that the model has not reduce any corners for its new Z collection smartphone. iQOO has tried to repair the failings of the earlier mannequin however got here up wanting the competitors in some areas. There’s a silver lining to iQOO’s efforts to face out (greater battery delivers higher standby), nevertheless it may have targeted its efforts on better-optimised software program and a greater set of cameras, even when it simply delivers the fundamentals.

Poco’s M7 Professional (Evaluation) could not supply the very best efficiency in its phase, nevertheless it will get you an AMOLED panel with deep blacks that many will respect and an OIS-stabilised digital camera that may get you sharper pictures. It is nonetheless the cellphone to beat on this phase, with costs ranging from as little as Rs. 13,700 for the bottom 6GB RAM variant. CMF’s Cellphone 1 (Evaluation), other than its Tremendous AMOLED show and barely higher cameras (in comparison with the Z10x), additionally provides one thing thrilling with its modular strategy for the DIY crowd at this value level.