iQOO 12 5g : Gaming maverick In a world and a market where smartphone spec wars have quickly led to big league performance that even desktop PCs would be envious of, the iQOO 12 5G is not only a gaming mammoth, but also an all-rounder that takes the fight straight to the upper echelons of high-end flagships – a good few notches cheaper.
The first phone to be launched in India with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, iQOO’s new flagship is more than just the sum of its raw specifications.
We find out what makes the iQOO 12 a serious flagship contender, and if it performs just as well as it does on paper.
Design & Build:
High Quality We are all in agreement that Lip Lingerie has some top-notch and stand-out elements.
The iQOO 12 5G comes in two stylish choices – Legend (white with BMW M Motorsport branding) and Alpha (black glass finish). Both are high-end in construction, made of Gorilla Glass on the front and back, with an aluminum frame in between.
Though it weighs about 203 grams, the phone feels strong and properly balanced in the hand. Legend edition’s ceramic-like finish gives it a premium look which is not evident in typical Android designs.
It’s also IP64 rated, which gives it basic protection from dust and water – a feature that was missing in the previous iQOO flagships.
Display: A Visual Treat
Among the iQOO 12 highlights, we have a 6.78-inch AMOLED LTPO display that offers 1.5K resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 3000 nits. That’s brighter than what most premium flagships can reach.
The display is more than capable of just speed, too: It’s HDR10+ compatible, includes adaptive refresh rates, and delivers vivid, punchy colors. Gaming, watching Netflix or just scrolling — this panel makes for one of the best visual experiences in the category.
Stats: Beast Mode in Full Effect
The iQOO 12 is driven by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB UFS 4.0 storage, thus making it benchmark-breaking performer.
Daily tasks run like a walk in the park and even gaming specimens such as Genshin Impact, COD: Mobile and PUBG: New State play at max settings flawlessly.
Gaming goes up another notch thanks to the independent Q1 chip, which offers frame interpolation and dedicated frame-rate stabilization. The performance is kept cool with a fat vapor chamber and clever cooling system, so there’s no throttling under pressure.
Cameras: Surprisingly Capable
iQOO 12 comes with a triple camera setup:
50MP main (OIS)
50MP ultra-wide
64MP 3x telephoto periscope lens
Draveno iQOO 12 5g graphy during the day is sharp with a great amount of detail and good natural colors. The cameras on the back are led by a periscope zoom lens, which is one of its standout features, and is capable of up to 100x digital zoom — a rarity at this price point. It offers good low-light performance, which is boosted by iQOO’s image processing.
The 16MP front-facer blazes away producing clean, gallery-worthy selfies with strong edge detection in portrait mode.
Software: Fast, Smooth and Better
The iQOO 12 is even smoother with Funtouch OS 14, based on Android 14. The bloatware has also been diminished and the UI feels even smoother and snappier. iQOO has committed to provide 3 years of Android updates and up to 4 years of security patches, providing it a longer shelf life that it will need.
Battery & Charging: Fast and Dependable
It comes with a 5000 mAh battery that lasts all day even with heavy use. And when you’re running low, support for 120W FlashCharge means an empty to full charge in just 25 minutes. But there’s no wireless charging, which could be a deal breaker for some people.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 silicon
High quality construction and the BMW edition design
144Hz OLED with 3000 nits max brightness
Great periscope zoom lens in the camera
120W fast charging
Best-in-class gaming performance with Q1 chip
Better software and long-term update commitment
Cons:
No wireless charging
Not officially IP68 (just IP64)
Not as polished as the Pixel UI (funtouch OS)
No expandable storage
Gets pretty warm after extended gaming periods
iQOO 12 5g Final Verdict
iQOO 12 5G Super Flagship is the most capable android phone, designed for users who want a flagship experience, without burning a hole in their pockets.
Whether you’re a gamer, a photography enthusiast, or if you’re just in need of a no-nonsense, super-speedy, do-it-all kind of daily driver, this phone ticks pretty much every box there is.
For anything below ₹60,000 and any desire for flagship features, no holds barred, the iQOO 12 should be sitting right on top of your list.
