One brand for us that has consistently pushed flagship models and re-defined them is iQOO. Vivo’s sub-brand has carved a name for itself by delivering performance-driven smartphones at competitive prices. The previously launched iQOO 12 garnered a lot of praise last year, and keeping the momentum going, the brand is back with its latest flagship — iQOO 13. It’s among the first phones in India and, for me, the second to feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, Qualcomm’s top-tier processor, along with a host of upgrades, including a brighter display, bigger battery, and a refreshed design. Starting at ₹54,999, the iQOO 13 competes against the Realme GT 7 Pro.

Design

The iQOO 13’s design strikes a perfect balance between elegance and functionality. Measuring 8.1mm in thickness and weighing around 213 g, it is a sizable phone, yet the chamfered sides and curved aluminium frame make it comfortable to hold. The matte finish glass back looks premium, especially in the Legend variant which we got to review. It shows off iQOO’s subtle partnership with BMW M Motorsport.

iQOO 13’s design  | Photo Credit: Haider Ali Khan

The attention to detail is excellent. You get an RGB LED strip around the camera module, called ‘Monster Halo’, which works as a notification light or enhances your gaming experience. While not overly bright, it’s a cool addition. The IP68/IP69 rating ensures the phone is protected against dust and water, adding durability to its premium design. Another highlight is the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner embedded within the screen which is faster and accurate.

The button placement is ergonomic, with the power and volume buttons on the right. The bottom houses the USB Type-C port, SIM tray, microphone, and loudspeaker, while the top frame includes the second loudspeaker, another mic, and an IR blaster. Overall, the iQOO 13 nails the flagship phone aesthetic.

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Display

The iQOO 13 features a 6.82-inch Q10 AMOLED display with a 2K resolution and a 144 Hz refresh rate. It’s a significant upgrade, particularly in terms of brightness, with 4,500 nits peak brightness and 1,800 nits HBM. This makes outdoor visibility excellent, even under direct sunlight. The display also boasts a 300 Hz touch sampling rate, ensuring quick touch responses, which is ideal for gamers.

The bezels are slim and uniform, and the panel supports 10-bit colours, HDR10, and Widevine L1, making it perfect for streaming and multimedia. You can switch between Full HD and QHD resolution or toggle the refresh rate between Smart Switch (Auto), Standard (60Hz), and High (144Hz).

OS

Running on Funtouch OS 15, based on Android 15, the iQOO 13 delivers a mostly clean software experience. iQOO promises 4 years of OS updates and 5 years of security patches, making this a long-term investment. While there are a few pre-installed apps, they can be uninstalled easily, and overall bloatware is minimal.

The phone features AI tools like AI Erase and AI Enhancement in the Gallery app, which let you remove objects and reduce image blur. These tools worked well in our testing. You also get Google’s Circle to Search and Dynamic Light controls for the LED strip at the back. However, more AI features are expected to roll out in future updates, which is something to look forward to.

Processor

The iQOO 13 is all about raw performance. It features the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, paired with 16 GB LPDDR5x RAM and 512 GB UFS 4.1 storage. This processor is blazing fast, handling every task you throw at it with ease. Animations, app loading, and multitasking feel smooth and snappy.

For gamers, the iQOO 13 is a dream come true. We played demanding titles like BGMI, COD, Asphalt and Genshin Impact at the highest graphics settings without any hiccups. Even after hours of intense gaming, the phone didn’t slow down, thanks to the 7,000mm² vapor chamber cooling that keeps thermals under control. Yes, the frame gets slightly warm, but it’s nothing alarming.

The dual stereo speakers offer loud and clear audio with decent bass, further enhancing the gaming and multimedia experience. Connectivity features like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC worked seamlessly during our testing. Overall, the iQOO 13 sets a new benchmark for Android performance.

In terms of benchmarks, the iQOO 13 takes a close lead against the Realme GT 7 Pro. The iQOO 13 achieves a Single-core score of 3104, a Multi-core score of 9802, and a GPU score of 18,654, whereas the Realme GT 7 Pro scores 3016 in single-core, 8945 in multi-core, and 18,240 for the GPU.

Camera

The iQOO 13 features a triple-camera setup comprising a 50 MP primary sensor (Sony IMX921) with f/1.88 aperture and OIS, a 50 MP telephoto lens (Sony IMX816) with 2x optical zoom, and a 50 MP ultra-wide sensor (Samsung JN1) with an f/2.0 aperture. On the front, there’s a 32 MP selfie camera that produces sharp and detailed results. While the absence of a periscope lens is noticeable compared to the iQOO 12, the overall camera system offers versatile and reliable performance.

The primary 50 MP sensor excels in daylight, capturing sharp, vibrant, and well-detailed photos with excellent dynamic range and natural colors. It handles highlights and shadows well and locks focus quickly, ensuring sharp results. In low light, the Night Mode boosts exposure and detail while reducing noise, delivering clear and balanced shots even in challenging conditions.

iQOO 13 camera sample | Photo Credit: Haider Ali Khan

The 50 MP telephoto lens provides 2x optical zoom with impressive detail and colour consistency. Portrait shots stand out with accurate edge detection and a pleasing bokeh effect, making images look professional. While the 2x zoom is sharp, software cropping up to 4x zoom remains usable, albeit with slight detail loss.

iQOO 13 camera sample | Photo Credit: Haider Ali Khan

The 50 MP ultra-wide lens captures expansive landscapes with minimal edge distortion and consistent colour reproduction. Close-up shots from this lens also perform surprisingly well, retaining fine details and textures. While night shots from ultra-wide and telephoto lenses can soften details, Night Mode improves clarity significantly.

iQOO 13 camera sample | Photo Credit: Haider Ali Khan

The 32 MP front camera delivers sharp, natural selfies with good skin tones and dynamic range in daylight. Portrait selfies impress with clean edge detection and smooth bokeh. Even in low light, it maintains decent results with slight softness.

For videos, the iQOO 13 supports up to 8K at 30fps, offering sharp, stable, and detailed footage. The 4K video excels with colour accuracy and dynamic range, while ultra-stabilisation at 1080p ensures smooth recording. Overall, the iQOO 13 offers a well-rounded camera experience suitable for varied use cases.

Battery

The new iQOO 13 ships with a 6,000 mAh battery. With such battery power, the phone lasts a day comfortably. Charging is incredibly fast, thanks to the 120 W FlashCharge. The phone goes from 1% to 100% in just 42-45 minutes. On some occasions, the device gets slightly warm during charging, however optimised charging settings help preserve battery health. Surprisingly, there’s no wireless charging support, which is a minor downside for a flagship.

Verdict

The iQOO 13 is a performance powerhouse that punches well above its weight. With the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, a stunning 144 Hz 2K AMOLED display, excellent battery life, and super-fast charging, it stands out as one of the best-performing phones in its segment. While the camera performance takes a small step back due to the lack of a periscope lens, and wireless charging is still missing, the model excels in almost every other aspect. If raw performance, gaming, and a fantastic display are your priorities, the iQOO 13 is an easy recommendation.