The iQOO 13 is mostly intended towards gamers. It competes with gadgets such as the Realme GT 7 Pro and other forthcoming challengers. In this in-depth review, we’ll look at how the iQOO 13 performs in real-world circumstances, determine whether it provides a fully-rounded experience, and help you decide if it’s appropriate for you. So saddle up and prepare for a thorough dive into the iQOO 13.
Price and Availability
The iQOO 13 starts at ₹54,999 for the 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage variant. It’s available in two different colors—Legend (White) and Nardo Grey. You can purchase the device via Amazon, iQOO Store, vivo offline stores and other retailers.
- 12/256 GB: ₹54,999
- 16/512 GB: ₹59,999
iQOO offers a ₹3,000 bank discount on HDFC/ICICI cards or an exchange bonus of ₹3,000 (₹5,000 for vivo/iQOO devices). Pre-booking benefits include a free iQOO TWS 1e and a 12-month warranty extension.
iQOO 13 Review: Specifications
Here are the specifications for the iQOO 13:
- Display: 6.82-inch BOE Q10 flat OLED, 2,592 Hz PWM dimming, 3168 x 1440 resolution, 510 PPI, 800 Nits (typical), 1,800 Nits (non-HDR), 4,500 Nits peak brightness, 1~144 Hz refresh rate, 130 Hz/2000 Hz instant/300 Hz gaming touch sampling, Schott Xensation Alpha
- SoC: Snapdragon 8 Elite (2x 4.32 GHz Oryon Phoenix L, 6x 3.53 GHz Oryon Phoenix M, Adreno 830 GPU, 3nm) + SuperComputing Chip Q2
- RAM: 16 GB LPDDR5X Ultra RAM 9.6 Gbps
- Storage: 256/512 GB UFS 4.1
- Cameras:
- Main: 50 MP Sony IMX921, 1/1.56-inch, f/1.88, OIS, 23mm, PDAF, Laser AF, 8K30, 4K30 & 4K60
- Ultra-wide: 50 MP Samsung ISOCELL JN5, 1/2.76-inch, f/2.0, 15mm, 120°, AF, 4K30 & 4K60
- Telephoto: 50 MP Sony IMX816, 1/2.93-inch, f/1.85, 50mm, 2x optical
- Front: 32 MP GalaxyCore GC32E1_PD2408, 1/3.15-inch, f/2.45, 28mm, FF, 4K30 & 4K60
- Audio: Stereo speakers, SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, LDAC, LHDC 5.0
- Battery and charging: 6,000 mAh dual-cell, 120W Flash Charge, PD Support
- IP rating: IP68/IP69
- Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, 360-degree NFC
- Biometrics: Under display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, 2D face unlock
- Weight and thickness: 213g, 8.13mm (Legend); 207g, 7.99mm (Nardo Grey)
- Build: Glass back and metal frame
- Additional Features: Monster Halo Light
Pros
- Exceptional performance
- 6,000 mAh battery
- 144 Hz 2K LTPO OLED display
- Super fast charging with PD support
- 4 OS + 5 security updates
- Great gaming performance with good thermals
- Ultrasonic fingerprint scanner
- Excellent speakers
Cons
- Pre-installed apps can’t be disabled
- 2x zoom lens is underwhelming
- Shaky selfie videos
- Screen-off drain is too high
iQOO 13 Review: Box contents
- Quick Start Guide
- USB Cable
- Charger
- Eject Tool
- Phone Case
- Protective Film (applied)
- Warranty Card
iQOO 13 Review: Design
The iQOO 13’s design is relatively similar to its predecessor, the iQOO 12, but with a few major differences that set it apart. Beginning with the similarities, the display is fully flat, and the camera module keeps its squarish, squircle shape on the upper left.
The Legend colour version, with its tricolour enamel glass, looks amazing and gives me a luxury sense. For those who prefer a more simple look, the Nardo Grey variation is also available in black.
One of the most noticeable features is the Monster Halo Light that surrounds the camera module. However, this lamp is more than simply decorative; it is also practical. It may light up when you receive alerts, listen to music, receive an incoming call, have a low battery, or even charge the phone.
It may also be activated during select games, with Genshin Impact being one of the few that supports it. The lighting reacts to in-game events, such as the Element Burst in Genshin Impact, creating a distinct RGB-like look.
While some users may find it interesting, I personally believe it seems a little tacky and would have liked the more plain design of the iQOO 12. However, design preferences are inherently subjective.
The iQOO 13 is 8.13mm thick, and the camera module is 30% thinner than the iQOO 12. This is due to the transition from a 3x periscope lens to a smaller 2x telephoto lens.
The Legend variation, in example, employs so-called enamel glass, which produces a more polished, matte surface. It weighs 213 grammes, which is somewhat heavier but not difficult to handle because to the flat sides and soft corners that improve grip.
The iQOO 13 is durable, with IP68 and IP69 certifications for water and dust protection. This suggests it can withstand water sprays from all directions, although we haven’t tried it yet.
The antenna bands are well-placed and do not interfere with gaming or grip. No matter how you hold the phone, there will be no signal dropouts due to obstructed antennas.
The power button and volume rocker are located on the right side, making them easily accessible. The left side is clean, while the top houses the auxiliary speaker and microphone. The sides are aluminium.
The SIM tray (which can hold two nano SIM cards) is at the bottom, along with the primary speaker and a Type-C 3.2 Gen 1 connector. Thanks to the speedier port, you can now broadcast the device to an external screen in 2K at 60FPS and transfer data more quickly.
iQOO 13 Review: Display
The iQOO 13 has a 6.82-inch BOE Q10 flat OLED display with small bezels, although a little chin at the bottom disturbs the symmetry significantly. The pixel resolution is 3168 x 1440 (2K), resulting in a crisp 510 PPI, which is much greater than the 1.5K display on the iQOO 12.
The upgrading to 2K resolution results in more detailed pictures when gaming and watching videos. The display is crisp, colourful, and very bright. The auto brightness option works quite well owing to the 360-degree ambient sensor.
Speaking of which, this display can hold its own. Outdoors, it’s bright enough at 800 nits, and non-HDR material may reach 1800 nits—plenty for those sunny days. The max brightness (HDR) is 4500 nits. Indoors, it gets rather dim, so no complaints there, especially with the extra dim mode.
The LTPO display has an adaptable refresh rate of 1 to 144 Hz, which I found to perform nicely. Unlike the realme GT 7 Pro, which only operates in highly bright situations, the iQOO 13 does not have this problem.
I also appreciate how it has a 130 Hz usual auto-sampling rate, 300 Hz while gaming, and 2000 Hz rapid sampling. However, I couldn’t just set the phone to 2000 Hz. Even with touch sampling set to High, I could only record at 300 Hz.
The iQOO 13’s display is also TÜV Rheinland Full Care Display certified, and it has OLED Circular Polarisation Technology, which lowers eye strain and blinking frequency. This technology also allows the display to keep its brightness in direct sunlight.
There’s also Adaptive Ambient Colour Temperature, Anti-Fatigue Brightness Adjustment 2.0, and 2592 Hz PWM dimming (a higher number indicates less screen flicker). The latter two have a significant influence on your health, thus it’s encouraging to see iQOO include these functions.
iQOO 13 Review: Speakers
The iQOO 13 features two stereo speakers, one at the top and one at the bottom. iQOO refers to it as the Symmetric Drum Master Speaker. Overall, the sound is well-balanced and has a wide frequency range.
The bass is there, not overbearing, but plenty to make gaming, movies, and videos pleasurable. The speakers are programmed to function with certain audio effects for popular games such as Call of Duty, BGMI, Free Fire, and others.
There are also specialised audio engines and algorithms at work here. These improve certain auditory aspects such as vocals, footfall, and bass, depending on the situation. Supported games include Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, and Asphalt 9, which provide an immersive audio experience suited to the gameplay.
The iQOO 13 has a 1016H ultrawide vibration motor. It generates accurate tactile feedback that is perfectly synchronised with movements such as touching the fingerprint scanner, swiping from the side, utilising Circle to Search, and more. The 4D game vibrations are present, but they appear gimmicky to me.
The iQOO 13 has amazing speakers and haptics, and you will not be disappointed with either. Whether you are gaming or simply using the phone for ordinary duties, these will delight you.
iQOO 13 Review: Software
The iQOO 13 runs Funtouch OS 15, which is based on Android 15, and has a variety of new features, design modifications, and performance improvements. Starting with customisation, the OS has new custom and live wallpapers that seamlessly transition from the Always-On Display (AOD) to the home screen.
The AOD has improved, with bigger images and two new styles in the “Beauty of Humanity” area. While these changes are helpful, the AOD’s notification display is still restricted to only three applications, which seems out of date.
The inability to use custom typefaces or adopt a neater, more professional design is a major disadvantage for me. Widget space is badly designed, and the absence of support for third-party icon packs leaves the experience feeling unfinished. The new “Exquisite” icon set is a step forward, but far from complete.
AI Features
AI Photo Enhance improves image quality and colour, while Instant Text in the Albums app extracts text from photos. Instant Cutout isolates a topic from its surroundings, which works effectively in most circumstances.
Another handy tool is Circle Ti Search, which allows you to hold down the navigation bar, circle an object on the screen, and then search immediately. There is also AI Screen Translation now, although it requires numerous steps to activate from the sidebar and cannot be moved there simply. We also have Google Gemini here.
Real-Time AI Call Translation and transcribing during calls. Supports over 80 languages, with the option of storing nine offline. The Live Transcribe function properly transcribes voice to text on screen. The notes app also has an AI assistant that allows you to reformat, summarise, and extract to-do lists from your writing.
Multitasking and Day-to-Day Usage
Multitasking has improved dramatically. The floating window functionality allows numerous tiny split-screen programs to be active at the same time, and they may be dragged, dropped, and minimised to the side. It is comparable to Apple’s Stage Manager. Day-to-day use of the iQOO 13 is smooth and quick.
However, bloatware is still a concern. Pre-installed programs, such as the browser and vAppstore, cannot be disabled. Jovi Home may also be found at the top of the control centre.
Despite these shortcomings, Funtouch OS 15 runs nicely and has been steady for me so far. iQOO has guaranteed four years of Android upgrades and five years of security fixes for the iQOO 13.
Funtouch OS 15 has progressed over time, however there is still opportunity for further development. It’s reliable and useful, but iQOO has to improve its personalisation, design, and feature flexibility to compete effectively in the premium sector.
iQOO 13 Review: Fingerprint and Face ID
The iQOO 13 includes an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner that is conveniently located under the display. To unlock, simply place your thumb on the screen briefly, and it will operate flawlessly. What is the best part? The display does not need to light up in order to work. It employs ultrasonic vibrations to scan your fingerprint. It also works with moist fingertips.
In terms of face unlock, the phone provides 2D facial recognition, although it is not particularly impressive. I would recommend that you utilise the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner for more security.
iQOO 13 Review: Performance
The iQOO 13 delivers exceptional performance thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which has a 3 nm technology and clock rates of 2x 4.32 GHz and 6x 3.53 GHz cores. This is paired with 12 GB/16 GB LPDDR5X Ultra RAM (9.7 Gbps) and up to 512 GB UFS 4.1 storage.
The SuperComputing Q2 processor adds a layer of optimisation, notably for gaming, which includes frame interpolation and super resolution in some games. The 7000 mm² VC cooling system is 17% bigger than previously, ensuring consistent performance.
Synthetic Benchmarks
To evaluate the performance of the iQOO 13, we conducted a few benchmarks in both normal and Monster modes, and the results are as follows:
| Benchmark | Regular Mode | Monster Mode |
| AnTuTu v10 | 27,23,687 | 27,37,451 |
| AnTuTu v10 (Storage) | Score: 195,629 | N/A |
| Read: 3927 Mbps | ||
| Write: 3015 Mbps | ||
| Storage (CPDT) | Sequential Read: 1.41 Gbps | N/A |
| Sequential Write: 976 Mbps | ||
| Geekbench 6 (CPU) | Single-Core: 2988 | Single-Core: 3010 |
| Multi-Core: 9167 | Multi-Core: 9205 | |
| Geekbench 6 (GPU) | OpenCL: 18,212 | OpenCL: 18,032 |
| Vulkan: 24,857 | Vulkan: 25,054 | |
| 3DMark Wildlife Extreme | Score: 5854 | Score: 6125 |
| Avg FPS: 35.06 | Avg FPS: 36.68 | |
| 3DMark Wildlife Extreme Stress Test | Best Loop: 5580 | Best Loop: 4446 |
| Lowest Loop: 3345 | Lowest Loop: 3335 | |
| Stability: 60% | Stability: 75% | |
| CPU Throttling | Throttled to 74% | Throttled to 72% |
| Avg GIPS: 265,689 | Avg GIPS: 322,706 |
Gaming
| Game | Settings | Avg FPS | Max Temperature (°C) | Avg Power Draw Per Minute (Watts) |
| BGMI | Smooth + Extreme + 90 FPS | 88.7 | 36.6 | 1.54 |
| Genshin Impact | Highest settings | 59.9 | 37.3 | 4.18 |
| Asphalt 9 Legends | Highest settings | 60 | 37.6 | 2.57 |
| Wuthering Waves | Highest settings | 58.4 | 37.9 | 4.22 |
| Honkai: Star Rail | Highest settings | 59.1 | 38.6 | 3.67 |
As you can undoubtedly guess from the data, the iQOO 13 provided a superb gaming experience, with temperatures remaining below 40°C during all testing. I believe Monster mode is only essential for more heavy operations such as emulation, not for normal gaming.
The iQOO 13 offers live streaming at ultra-high loads while using bypass charging to retain performance. The Supercomputing Q2 processor also helps to reduce network instability while keeping a high FPS. In games such as Genshin Impact, the frame interpolation option allows you to play at up to 144 frames per second. Additionally, you may improve the quality.
Furthermore, the iQOO 13 has demonstrated remarkable real-world performance, with programs launching quickly and remaining in RAM for extended periods of time. I have had no difficulties with the iQOO 13’s performance.
iQOO 13 Review: Cameras
The iQOO 13 has an intriguing camera arrangement. Here are the specs:
- Main: 50 MP Sony IMX921, 1/1.56-inch, f/1.88, OIS, 23mm, PDAF, Laser AF, 8K30, 4K30 & 4K60
- Ultra-wide: 50 MP Samsung ISOCELL JN5, 1/2.76-inch, f/2.0, 15mm, 120°, AF, 4K30 & 4K60
- Telephoto: 50 MP Sony IMX816, 1/2.93-inch, f/1.85, 50mm, 2x optical
- Front: 32 MP GalaxyCore GC32E1_PD2408, 1/3.15-inch, f/2.45, 28mm, FF, 4K30 & 4K60
The main 50 MP camera works well in daytime, generating somewhat saturated photos. The default Vivid profile brightens colours, but the Natural texture filter can help tone them down.
Photos include a lot of clarity, little noise, and a good dynamic range, albeit it may struggle in some settings. Low-light photographs are also acceptable, although they have oversaturated colours.
The iQOO 13’s Snapshot mode is effective for slow-moving images, but it can cause blur when the subject moves too rapidly or when the light is poor. Regardless, it’s a handy tool that produces good images overall. It only employs the 2x lens when there is sufficient light. Burst photos require refinement because they are frequently hazy.
Unfortunately, if you are in low light, there is no option to stop the auto night mode, which is a nuisance when I want to catch fast moving things without sacrificing image quality. Similarly, there is no control over the exposure period to achieve even better results. Hopefully, iQOO will solve this shortly.
Macro Mode
The iQOO 13 does away with tele-macro and instead employs an ultra-wide lens for macro pictures. You may snap close-ups by simply going closer to the subject, and the phone will instantly switch to the ultra-wide lens. There is a separate macro option that performs the same thing, but you cannot zoom in.
The primary lens can also take close-up images (not as near, but more detailed). However, the macro performance should have been better, especially given the price, and the photographs are not as crisp as desired. Furthermore, because you must approach the subject, the phone frequently blocks the light.
Telephoto
The iQOO 13 has a 2x optical zoom lens without OIS. The sensor is also smaller than the 3x lens on the iQOO 12, which has OIS. This lens struggles with moving subjects and performs best when the subject remains stationary.
Although it takes great photos in daytime, the colour constancy of the primary lens is variable. In low light, the phone often uses a 2x digital crop from the primary lens, resulting in softer images.
Ultra-Wide
The iQOO 13’s ultrawide lens is a welcome surprise. It has a bigger sensor than the telephoto and features autofocus. The dynamic range is superb, and the details are sharp. Indoors, it may not impress as much, but it works well in daylight. However, the saturation may be toned down little.
Portrait Mode
The iQOO 13’s Portrait mode provides a variety of focal lengths (24mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 40mm), as well as the ability to alter blur and beauty effects. The portrait images are typically fine, although there are some difficulties with skin tones, particularly in HDR. The lack of OIS makes the 50mm and 100mm portraits weaker in low light.
Selfies
The iQOO 13’s selfie camera, equipped with a 32 MP sensor, takes crisp, clear photographs with decent dynamic range. However, skin tones might occasionally seem too bright.
I loved the focal length here, which is 28mm. This means the face isn’t heavily deformed, but it also has a reduced range of view, making it less suitable for group selfies.
Video Performance
The iQOO 13’s video recording capabilities are adequate, however there are certain limitations. The primary camera takes video with good highlight control, although there is evident jitter while moving without extreme stabilisation enabled. In low light, the video quality is adequate, although noise levels should be improved.
Colour science tends to oversaturate greens and blues in particular indoor environments. I discovered that the camera was also using the primary lens for 2x movies, but the telephoto was not being used. The only way to use the telephoto for movies is to switch to Pro mode.
The primary camera can shoot 8K at 30fps or 4K at 30/60fps, while the ultra-wide and selfie cameras can shoot 4K at 30/60fps each. The selfie camera footage is shaky, and there is no electronic image stabilisation. When recording in 4K, there are noticeable exposure shifts.
iQOO 13 introduces the “NICE 2.0” or Neural Image Computational Imaging Engine to improve photos. The Vintage filter and the B&W filter create creative photos. The Humanistic Street Photography Mode offers a variety of lens lengths (24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 100mm) as well as presets. It restores the old camera sense.
The iQOO 13 also has a variety of creative camera capabilities, such as Slo-mo, Supermoon, Fish-eye effect, Live Photo, Tilt-shift, Horizon Correction, Astro Mode, and Long Exposure mode. These are wonderful features that enhance the camera experience.
iQOO 13 Review: Battery
The iQOO 13 has a 6,000 mAh silicon carbide (Si/C) battery. This battery technology, while not novel, is rapidly being embraced by manufacturers due to its ability to pack more power into a smaller form factor, allowing the gadget to keep a compact profile despite its huge battery capacity.
In terms of battery life, the iQOO 13 performs well during screen time, lasting 8-9 hours with moderate use and 6-6.5 hours with intensive use—excellent for a gadget of this calibre. However, screen-off drainage need major improvement.
During my testing, I saw a 15-30% battery reduction after 10 hours of screen-off time, which is not ideal. This is a problem that iQOO should address in future versions to improve overall battery management.
The gadget features 120W Flash Charge, which can charge it from 0% to 100% in around 35 minutes. It also supports the PD standard, which means you can use any compatible PD charger for rapid charging—though the provided charger is a Type-C PD charger that can also charge other devices.
Using a 65W PD charger, it took around 45-48 minutes to fully charge, which is still excellent. So, while the battery’s screen-on time is fantastic, the screen-off drain negates it. Hopefully, iQOO will solve this in a future release.
Conclusion of the Review: Is the iQOO 13 Worth Purchasing?
- Design and Build: 9/10
- Display: 9/10
- Software: 8/10
- Speakers & Haptics: 9.5/10
- Biometrics: 9/10
- Performance: 9/10
- Cameras: 7.5/10
- Battery Life & Charging: 8.5/10
At ₹55,000, the iQOO 13 is an attractive bundle for both gamers and performance fans. It has a strong Snapdragon 8 Elite CPU, an intriguing monster halo illumination, and a great design. It offers a premium experience with its superb thermals, quick 120W charging, vivid 2K 144 Hz display, outstanding audio quality, and ultrasonic fingerprint scanning.
Although the decrease from a 3x periscope to a 2x telephoto lens annoys me much, the primary camera functions nicely in the majority of situations. The phone makes up for this, though, with a speedier CPU, USB 3.2, a 2K display, an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, and other noteworthy upgrades, including the assurance of 4 + 5 OS updates.
There is only one option available at the moment, and that is the realme GT 7 Pro. With the exception of the 8 MP ultra-wide, 16 MP selfie, and USB 2.0, it has comparable specifications overall, a brighter screen, a 3x zoom lens, and maybe superior software. The one area where the realme GT 7 Pro’s cameras fell short of the iQOO 13’s in our tests was zoom.
It now relies on your desires. Would you rather get the iQOO 13 or pay more for the realme GT 7 Pro? I would advise you to explore for alternative options if you are someone who prioritises photography performance or just require a smartphone that is well-rounded. For those who seek excellent performance and everything else with respectable cameras, the iQOO 13 is fantastic.
