iQOO Neo 9 Pro arrives in India on this date; threat to Nothing Phone 2?

iQOO is set to launch the Neo 9 Pro in India in the coming month. The company has sent out media invites for the February 22 launch event in India. Originally released in China with the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 SoC, the Indian version is confirmed to run on Qualcomm’s 2023 flagship Snapdragon 8 gen 2 SoC.

The Neo 9 Pro, positioned as iQOO’s premium sub-40K smartphone, is seemingly the most striking-looking value-flagship handset we have seen in a while. In addition to the dual-tone red and white variant with a leather finish, iQOO might also unveil a slightly less premium-looking but affordable version of the handset in two different color options. It is mere speculation and more information will be unveiled closer to the official launch date.

iQOO Neo 9 Specifications and Features

iQOO Neo 9 Pro boasts a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a class-leading 144Hz refresh rate. The screen offers a respectable 1400 nits peak brightness and supports DC Dimming and HDR10+.

The smartphone comes equipped with a Vapor Chamber to help enhance the gaming performance. Combined with the flagship processor, and a fast-response screen, the combination shall ensure a smooth gaming performance.

Moving on, the handset is confirmed to arrive in India in a 12GB RAM/256GB variant, but we also anticipate a 16GB variant with LPDDR5X RAM and up to 1TB UFS 4.0 storage, catering to users seeking high-performance and ample storage capacity.

For mobile photography, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro boasts a dual-lens rear camera setup featuring two 50MP sensors, a 50MP Sony IMX920 primary sensor with optical image stabilization (OIS) and phase detection, and a 50MP Samsung S5KJN1 (ISOCELL CMOS) ultra-wide sensor capable of offering an admirable 119-degree field-of-view. The handset supports 4K 60fps and 8K 30fps video recording.

Running on the Android 14-based Funtouch OS 14, the Neo 9 Pro is backed by a 5,160mAh battery with 120W wired fast charging support. Priced at CNY 2,999 (approximately Rs. 35,000) for the 12GB RAM + 256GB variant in China, the device is expected to be competitively priced below Rs. 40,000 in India and will be available on Amazon.in.

As the Neo 9 Pro enters the Indian market, it seems to pose a tough fight for the widely popular Nothing Phone 2. While Nothing Phone 2 is undoubtedly a solid offering with its unique transparent design and intuitive UI, the iQOO Neo 9 undercuts the handset with its premium dual-tone leather finish and well-rounded hardware.

It will be interesting to how the iQOO Neo 9 Pro affects the sales figures of the Nothing Phone 2 and other value flagship devices in the Indian market.