iQOO Neo 10 vs iQOO Neo 10R: What are the differences?

The launch of the iQOO Neo 10 in India bolstered the company’s smartphone portfolio in the country, with the brand offering yet another mid-range performance champ to gamers and power users alike. The iQOO Neo 10 just landed on Indian shores, while the Neo 10R made its debut in the country back in March.

These ‘flagship’ killers have a similar price tag attached to them, which begs the question – which one provides a better bang for your buck in terms of specifications? Also, are there any suitable alternatives that you should be considering before you spend your hard-earned money on one of these phones? Let’s dive in.

iQOO Neo 10 vs iQOO Neo 10R: Build and design

Both the iQOO Neo 10 and Neo 10R boast a very similar design language, giving off the impression that they are part of the same portfolio of phones. Both houses a ‘squircle’ camera module on the rear panel, however, the flash on the Neo 10 is located inside the camera module, while the flash sits on the outside of the Neo 10R.

At 206g, the iQOO Neo 10 is slightly heavier and about 0.1mm bulkier than its ‘R’ series counterpart. Both come with an IP65 rating, protecting them against dust and water damage. Additionally, both phones also have a plastic frame, so the look and feel are extremely similar.

ALSO READ: iQOO Neo 10 launched in India with a promise of pro-level performance

Where they differ is colours – the iQOO Neo 10 is available in Inferno Red and Titanium Chrome, while the Neo 10R comes in MoonKnight Titanium and Raging Blue options.

iQOO Neo 10 vs iQOO Neo 10R: Display

Once again, with the display, the similarities don’t cease. Both models house a 6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED screen with a smooth 144Hz refresh rate. Both displays support 10-bit colour and HDR10+ viewing as well.

The Neo 10 has a higher peak brightness, rated at a whopping 5,500 nits compared to the 4,500 nits on the 10R. You also get a higher PWM dimming of 4,320Hz, making low light doom scrolling a lot easier on your eyes.

However, one area where the Neo 10R surprisingly pulls ahead is touch sampling rate. It comes with a faster 480Hz touch sampling rate, which one-ups the 360Hz touch sampling rate on the newer iQOO Neo 10.

iQOO Neo 10 vs iQOO Neo 10R: Performance and software

Coming to the Neo 10 series’ biggest USP – its raw performance. There’s no competition here; the Neo 10 has the next-gen Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 which makes the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 on the Neo 10R look pale in comparison. This is because the 8s Gen 4 has a higher peak clock speed and a faster GPU. The Neo 10 also tops at 16GB + 512GB RAM and internal storage, while the Neo 10R only offers up to 12GB + 256GB.

In terms of software though, it’s a tie as both phones come with FuntouchOS 15 based on Android 15 out of the box, with the promise of three major Android updates, and four years of security patches.

iQOO Neo 10 vs iQOO Neo 10R: Cameras

Again, the scales are evenly balanced here. Both phones feature the same 50MP primary camera with OIS and a wide enough f/1.8 aperture. Alongside, you get an 8MP ultrawide shooter on both the Neo 10 and Neo 10R. Both phones also support 4K at up to 60 fps video using their rear shooters.

ALSO READ: iQOO Neo 10R with 144Hz display, Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 launched in India

In terms of selfies, once again, you get a 32MP lens on both phones. However, the Neo 10R has 4K video recording on the front too, unlike the Neo 10, which only supports 1080p.

iQOO Neo 10 vs iQOO Neo 10R: Battery

The new iQOO Neo 10 comes with a larger 7,000mAh silicon carbon battery, while the Neo 10R houses a 6,400mAh cell with the same silicon carbon tech. The Neo 10R has 80W fast charging, which does pale in comparison to the 120W fast charging on the newly-launched iQOO Neo 10.

The iQOO Neo 10 can charge from zero to 100 per cent in merely 36 minutes, while the Neo 10R takes 55 minutes for a full charge.

Unboxed Take: Which one should you buy?

Both phones are excellent value propositions, with the iQOO Neo 10R starting at Rs 26,999 for the 8GB + 128GB variant, and the Neo 10 starting at Rs 31,999 for the same storage configuration. However, at Rs 4,000 more, you are getting a faster processor, a bigger battery, higher display brightness levels, and faster charging on the iQOO Neo 10.

The Neo 10R, on the other hand, is a good deal if you’re not looking for the best-in-class performance but want similar specs and features at a slight discount. Other options in the same price bracket include the Vivo V50e 5G for better cameras, and the OnePlus Nord 4 for a cleaner software experience.

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