iQOO Z7 Pro: iQOO has been making a name for itself in the last few years by offering performance-oriented smartphones at competitive prices. It is a balance of performance, design and value with the launch of the iQOO Z7 Pro.
For what it does (and. Admission to this company of fiercely competing polymers is the Z7 Pro, found in the mid tier, presenting features usually found in higher priced machines – and offering users the ability to get fast, stylish and as hip as their budget allows.
With the smartphone market being a complete minefield right now, the iQOO Z7 Pro does manage to stand out courtesy of a mix of hardware and design finesse. It’s aimed at gamers as well as average users seeking a lag-free experience with the day-long battery life.
Design and Display
The first thing you’ll notice about the Z7 Pro is its beautiful, rounded-edge AMOLED screen. The 6.78-inch FHD+ display sports a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support, and it offers punchy colors, deep blacks and buttery smooth scrolling.
The curved sides lend to its high-end feel, something you just don’t get at this price level, and the thin bezels certainly don’t do anything to hamper the immersion.
It has a sleek matte finish on the back that feels smooth to the touch and resists fingerprints while also providing a sophisticated appearance. The phone is slim and light despite the big screen, weighing in at under 180g.
The in-display fingerprint scanner is fast, and there’s a general feel of quality in the hand.
Performance and Software
The iQOO Z7 Pro is fuelled by the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 processor, a 4nm chipset, which does impress an average user for a mid-ranger.
Combined with up to 8GB of RAM and UFS 2.2 storage, the phone is fast and responsive across a variety of common tasks — from multitasking and app switching to gaming and video editing.
No matter if you are scrolling on Facebook and Twitter, or gaming on Call of Duty Mobile and Asphalt 9, Z7 Pro will ensure that you have stable frames and an almost haltingly smooth system.
Thermals are well controlled and under moderate load, the phone doesn’t over heat.
Software-wise, the Z7 Pro is based on Funtouch OS atop of Android 13. Its UI leaves nothing to be desired, but it ships with a few preinstalled apps.
Practically all of them are removable, though, so if you like more of an uncluttered experience, that might be a little bit annoying.
Camera Capabilities
The iQOO Z7 Pro is fitted with a 64MP primary camera along with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) and a 2MP depth sensor. Daylight photos are sharp, natural in color tone and captures an acceptable dynamic range.
The OIS subsides blur in dim light, but night shots do have some noise and softness in fine detail.
At the front, there is a 16-megapixel camera placed in a tiny punch-hole cutout. It can take well-balanced selfies and it’s fine for video calls and uploading to social media.
It handles portrait mode and skin tones well, although occasionally edge detection can struggle in busy backgrounds.
Battery and Charging
The iQOO Z7 Pro is backed by a 4600mAh battery and it is meant to last a day with normal usage. Whether streaming videos, using navigation or playing games, the phone has no problem managing that load.
The phone is backed by 66W fast charging which can charge the phone to 50% in 20 minutes. With less than 45 minutes required to achieve a full charge, this is the best feature for people who are always on the move.
Pros:
Beautiful curved-edge AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate
Powerful performance on the Dimensity 7200 processor
Design: Slim and lightweight with a premium look.
66W quick charging support has a good battery life
Good image quality with OIS on the primary camera
Cons:
No stereo speakers and the sound isn’t particularly loud either
The best example is the lack of microSD card slot for storage expansion
There’s a small amount of bloatware from the software side of things
No ultra-wide or macro sensor
Plastic frame could feel less premium to some interests
iQOO Z7 Pro Final Thoughts
The iQOO Z7 Pro is a perfect mix of style and substance. As great as they may be, the OnePlus 7T is a much stronger competitor than its processor relative OnePlus 6T, boasting a stunning curved AMOLED display, a powerful processor, fast charging and a well-tuned camera, all without the price tag of other killer smartphones in the mid-range bracket.
If you want something that feels flagship without a flagship price tag, the Z7 Pro is an enticing proposition.
It’s not a great one, but that doesn’t mattermuch: As long as it does the essentials things right, and this one does (if just barely), then it’s one of the more appealing choices in the segment.
