iQOO Z10R 5G mobile review: Balanced experience under ₹20,000

Here's how the iQOO Z10R 5G fares in the sub- ₹20,000 price category, which is particularly tricky.

I have been testing the iQOO Z10R for over a week now and can confidently say that if you are looking for a balanced experience under ₹20,000 that also feels great in the hand, the iQOO Z10R could be a good option. It has balanced specifications, a great-looking display, and a decent set of cameras that do the job.

iQOO Z10R in the Aquamarine colourway. (Shaurya Sharma/HT)

Shaurya Sharma

At ₹19,499 for the base variant, I think this represents good value for anyone looking for a premium-feeling device in this price bracket. Yes, there are a few niggles and some of them are to do with the software and some with the hardware, but by and large, the experience remained positive. Here is my review of the iQOO Z10R.

Everyday performance is smooth but do not expect big things

The iQOO Z10R is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7400 chipset, which is an octa-core chipset clocked at 2.6 GHz. The variant I am testing has 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. In everyday tasks, I did not notice the phone slowing down. Indeed, apps opened reasonably quickly.

The phone kept apps in memory, which demonstrates good memory management. However, the phone did occasionally skip a few frames, especially while juggling multiple apps. This seems to be an optimisation issue that could be ironed out over time.

iQOO Z10R gets a 6.77" AMOLED panel which is great too look at. (Shaurya Sharma)

But overall, I do not think you can go wrong with the iQOO Z10R when it comes to performance. For the price, it offers the MediaTek Dimensity 7400 chipset, which provides decent performance. We also ran synthetic benchmarks, where the phone scored 1,035 points in the single-core test and 2,985 points in the multi-core test in Geekbench 6. These are decent numbers, but they are not particularly great compared to rivals like the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro-powered CMF Phone 2 Pro.

When it comes to gaming, again, expect decent but not top-end performance. However, one thing I will give the phone credit for is its thermal management. Even after long, sustained camera sessions and our short gaming session, the phone did not get too warm.

Design certainly stands out

The iQOO Z10R features a subtle gradient black finish which does stand out. I am testing the Aquamarine colour of the phone and I can say that the back does not look too flashy; it has just the right amount of flair. However, one area where the iQOO Z10R could have been better in terms of design is its glossy sides. They are fingerprint magnets. Here, I would have preferred matte sides, as they would have complemented the back better.

However, when it comes to the in-hand feel, the phone is comfortable. The weight distribution has been done well; it does not feel top-heavy despite having a large camera module at the top. The phone is curved on both the back and the front. It has a 4D curved screen with a slight curve at the edges, which gives the phone a more premium look.

iQOO Z10R feels light and comfortable in-hand. (Shaurya Sharma/HT)

However, one problem you will find with this screen is buying tempered glass screen protectors for it. You will have to opt for a UV-cured tempered glass protector, and that is not convenient at all. There is a pre-installed screen protector on the phone, but it does not offer enough protection.

Regarding durability, the phone has an IP68 and IP69 rating, which means you can use it worry-free in the rain. Even if your phone gets a little wet, there is nothing to worry about. It is great to see this at this price point.

Camera remains solid

Regarding the camera experience, for the price, it is hard to complain. Notably, there is no ultra-wide-angle lens and no telephoto lens; there is just a 50MP IMX882 primary camera alongside a 2MP depth sensor, so you are limited in terms of versatility. Talking about the overall image quality from this main sensor, it is decent for the most part and great for the price.

However, in tricky lighting situations, the phone can introduce a bit of grain. As you can see from the image samples, some pictures, even those clicked during the day, reflect some grain, especially in the shadows and darker parts of the image. However, this totally changes when the image has high contrast; the grain seems to disappear. It could be an optimisation issue.

But overall, if you were to ask me how the camera experience is, I would say it is great for the price you pay. The highlights are well controlled, the overall dynamic range is great, and the video performance is decent as well, capable of recording 4K at 30 fps.

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Image Sample - Portrait Mode

Image Sample - Low Light

Speakers and haptics leave more to be desired

Two things. Firstly, the device has stereo speakers, but they can become muffled quickly once you push the volume past the 70% mark, so they leave much to be desired. Secondly, the haptics of the phone are not particularly good. I understand that you cannot expect premium haptics for ₹20,000, but some rival phones offer stronger haptic feedback, even at this price. That is just nit-picking at this point, but this is the reality of the device.

Finally, while Funtouch OS 15 has certainly improved compared to previous versions, there are a few annoying bits you may come across. The first was the global search feature, which I had to disable manually. Then there are a few inconsistencies within the software, and it is not as polished as what you would find on OnePlus devices or even on OPPO's ColorOS.

Battery life and biometrics are great

The phone features a 5,700 mAh battery, which tops up quite quickly. It is safe to say that this is easily a two-day phone for most people. I could easily get it to last until the evening of the second day while using it as my primary device with my Jio 5G SIM card installed. Over two days, I clicked photo samples, made calls, tested benchmarks, and even then, it lasted for a long time.

If you are a heavy user, I think you can definitely push it for more than a day, and if you are a casual user, you can get two days of use from it. As for the biometrics, there is an optical fingerprint scanner embedded within the screen, which is mostly quick. However, it is positioned a little too low for my liking. Had it been an inch higher, it would have made unlocking the phone much easier.

iQOO Z10R Review: Verdict

So, how is the iQOO Z10R? For ₹19,500, and potentially lower by combining offers, this represents good value. However, there are a few niggles, including the Funtouch OS software and the speakers.

There are also a few minor things, such as the mushy side buttons, which do not feel great. Overall, for ₹19,500, this is a decent package that you can consider if you are looking for good performance, a decent camera experience, and great battery life. Furthermore, the design may appeal to many people; it looks great and feels great in the hand, too.