iQOO Neo7 SE Review: Competent Mid-range Gaming Phone

March 12, 2024, 11:21 AM
by Shahriar Rabab

UNB News
Publish- March 12, 2024, 11:21 AM
Shahriar Rabab
Update- March 12, 2024, 11:44 AM

iQOO Neo7 SE Review: Competent Mid-range Gaming Phone

vivo iQOO Neo7 SE

vivo’s subsidiary company iQOO has had a reputation for producing value-for-money phones since 2019. In this wave, iQOO launched another gaming-centric device Neo7 SE. Recently, the phone had its global launch which brought it in the spotlight. Let’s have a look at where it can be the right gaming phone for you.

Key Specs of Vivo iQOO Neo7 SE

Design and Build Quality

There’s an obvious caveat of having a plastic build all around on a budget-friendly to lower mid-range phone. The Neo7 SE is also no different. The plastic frame and back have a mix of matte and glossy frosted finish which gives it a glass-like look.

The Neo7 SE comes in at around 164.8 mm by 76.9 mm by 8.6 mm with 193 g weight. It’s a relatively lightweight build with a considerably large footprint. The camera housing on the back is reminiscent of the Neo7 with the iconic squared cut. The front features a near-uniform punch-hole display with a slight bottom chin.

Ports and buttons are identical to the Neo6 SE. Users will be missing out on the 3.5 mm headphone jack and the extendable card storage on the Neo7 SE.

Overall the design and the build quality are okay for its price. It matches the expectation for a sub 35K BDT smartphone.

The Display

The display on the Neo7 SE is a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with a 12 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and 1300 nits of peak brightness. The panel has 1080 by 2400 pixels with a 20:9 aspect ratio and 388 PPI. The slight bottom chin accounts for an 87.6% screen-to-body ratio.

The Neo6 SE also had a similar spec albeit with a higher pixel density thanks to the smaller screen size. Competitions in this price point like the Redmi K60E bring higher resolution with nearly the same features.

But as for the performance, the Neo7 SE holds its ground. The sharp brightness provides great contrast both indoors and outdoors. The viewing angles were great and the high refresh rate worked smoothly in day-to-day use. For the price, it’s hard to beat what Neo7 SE brings to the table.

iQOO Neo7 SE

The Camera

There’s a triple camera sensor on the Neo7 SE similar to its predecessor. However, the 8 MP ultrawide on the Neo6 SE has been replaced with a generic 2 MP f/2.4 macro shooter.

The main camera is the same 64 MP f/1.8 wide angle with PDAF and OIS. There’s an additional 2 MP f/2.4 depth sensor on the Neo7 SE.

The main camera performs well in daylight with a little saturation on the warmer side. Pictures had good details and dynamic range in bright lights and outdoors. It's nothing game-changing, but rather something that a user would expect from a mid-range smartphone. Pictures taken at night were also able to maintain the contrast. However, the images were notably softer with visible grains.

The front camera on the Neo7 SE is a 16 MP selfie shooter. It picks up good details but iQOO has some inbuilt beauty features which may look artificial at times.

The videography on the rear sensor is rated at 4K and 1080P at 30 fps. The videos came out decently thanks to the OIS. The selfie shooter can capture footage at 1080P at 30 fps.

Processor and Performance

The processor on the Neo7 SE is the Mediatek Dimensity 8200 based on 4 Nm architecture. On paper, the Dimensity 8200 4nm can be thought of as an equivalent to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The octa-core processor has a 1x3.1 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x3.0 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55 chip design with Mali-G610 MC6 GPU. In addition to the processor, iQOO has also bumped up the RAM and internal storage to LPDDR5 and UFS 3.1 respectively.

The RAM capacity ranges from 8 to 16 GB. Starting from 128 GB the internal storage capacity can reach up to 512 GB.

All of these together work to seamlessly improve the performance of the Neo7 SE. Antutu V10 rates it at 949.42. In testing, the high refresh rate combined with the powerful processor made for a smooth gaming experience. PUBG, Asphalt 9, and Genshin Impact ran on the Neo7 SE without any frame drops at max settings. The only issue was that the device would heat up after 30 to 40 minutes of continued gaming.

Software

The Neo7 SE is running on OriginOS 3 based on Android 13. The global release will come with Funtouch OS onboard. iQOO has been considerate of the aesthetics and usability of its OS. Funtouch has generally been clean with minimal bloatware. Whatever comes pre-installed can be easily uninstalled after the setup.

iQOO Neo7 SE

The OS experience on the Neo7 SE is further alleviated by the fast processor and high refresh rate display. All things considered, the Neo7 SE brings a lucrative package in terms of OS.

Battery and Charge Time

The battery on the Neo7 SE is around 5000 mAh. iQOO has included a 120W fast charger on board which can take the device from 1% to 60% in 10 minutes.

Pros and Cons of iQOO Neo7 SE

Pros:

- Good display
- Solid performance
- Great battery life with 120W charging
- Stereo speakers.

Cons:

- Average camera
- Recycled design.

Price of iQOO Neo7 SE in Bangladesh

The official price of iQOO Neo7 SE differs according to the storage option. There’s a total of five options ranging from 8/128 GB, 8/256 GB, 12/256 GB, 12/512 GB and 16/256 GB option.

The 12/256 GB variant is now unofficially available in Bangladesh for around BDT 37000. However, the price may vary depending on the sellers.

Verdict

iQOO Neo7 SE brings a lot in a mid-range package. Compared with the other pricey gaming phones in the market, Neo7 SE has acquired the affordable gaming smartphone tag. The smartphone incorporates an excellent display combined with a powerful processor and a great battery. The only drawback is the apparent downgrade of the camera.

Other than that, the vivo iQOO Neo7 SE is perfect for those looking for a powerful daily driver or looking to get into gaming in the mid-range category.