iQOO Neo 9 Pro: Will it be the new value champion in India?

The iQOO Neo 9 Pro will soon be officially launched in the Indian upper mid-range smartphone price segment, making it a promising contender with flagship-like features at a relatively affordable price tag. Speaking of which, if the rumours of the sub-Rs 40,000 price point turn out to be true, can this phone be the next value champion in its segment? Let's dissect the expected price and features to see if the Neo 9 Pro could be a real disruptor in its segment.

iQOO Neo 9 Pro: Expected price

While the official pricing is yet to be announced, rumours suggest the iQOO Neo 9 Pro could land around Rs 35,000 to Rs 40,000. This will position it directly against established players like the OnePlus Nord 3, and the Redmi Note 13 Pro+. Who knows, if the phone is really good, it may even undercut the OnePlus 12R which currently retails in India at a starting price of Rs 39,999.

iQOO Neo 9 Pro: Key features

The iQOO Neo 9 will be unveiled in the Indian market on February 22. However, the pre-booking page is already live on the Amazon India website. So, we do have an idea of the key highlights of the upcoming beast.

— Powerful processor: The iQOO Neo 9 Pro will be powered by the tried and tested — Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, promising top-of-the-line performance for both daily tasks and demanding games.

— Smooth display: The iQOO Neo 9 Pro boasts a 6.78-inch AMOLED display, with a 1.5K resolution, a 144Hz refresh rate and 3,000 nits peak brightness, making it a significant upgrade over the Neo 7 Pro's display. Additionally, the phone is also equipped with the Q1 display chip for an enhanced viewing and gaming experience.

— Big battery and fast charging: What hasn't changed from the Neo 7 Pro is the battery and charging. So, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro still boasts a 5,160mAh battery with support for 120W fast charging (charger included in the box!), which is still a major perk, offering near-instant battery top-ups, ideal for power users.

— Ideal cameras: Skipping the useless 2MP macro rear camera, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro keeps things simple at the back, rocking a 50MP primary rear camera, which is the IMX920 sensor. This is paired with an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera.

— Fiery design: Lastly, expect the iQOO Neo 9 Pro to come out in two shades. The first could be in a black finish, while the second one is a vibrant dual-tone design in red and white hues, featuring a faux-leather finish.

iQOO Neo 9 Pro: Summing up

Keeping in mind the aforementioned expected price and the loaded features, we'd still say, it is too early right now to definitively declare the iQOO Neo 9 Pro the value champion. However, it certainly has the potential to be a strong contender. The combination of the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, a smooth 144Hz AMOLED display, and 120W fast charging, and also considering the price point this phone is rumoured to launch at — it definitely has all the ingredients to be an attractive option for performance-focused users. Long story short, if iQOO manages to price the Neo 9 Pro aggressively and deliver a well-rounded experience, the device could very well shake up the Indian smartphone market and claim the value champion title.