iQOO Z10 Review: Mid-Range Beauty With A Beast Battery

iQOO Z10 Review: The iQOO Z10 comes with what the brand claims is the largest battery in the segment - a massive 7300 mAh one. Combine that with some very decent specs that deliver a rock-solid performance, and the phone emerges as one of the best options for consumers looking for a daily driver in the range of Rs 20,000 - Rs 25,000. iQOO Z10 Review: Quick PointersWhat we love:The best battery life out there Smooth performance Good selfie and main camera Sleek design IP65 rating and military grade durabilityWhat we don't:Ordinary secondary "bokeh" camera Cluttered interfaceNo stereo speakers Slim And Stylishly Sleek, Despite That Massive BatteryiQOO has hyped the massive 7300 mAh battery of the iQOO Z10, claiming that it is the first phone to offer a battery of that size in India. While a phone coming with a battery of that size is indeed impressive, the fact that it comes within a phone that is normal sized and not at all heavy is every bit as impressive too. At first glance, the iQOO Z10 looks like a very smart-looking phone, with a large, spherical camera unit on the back, and a quad curved display, slightly curved sides and a curved back too. The back and frame are carbonate, but not noticeably so (the back was often mistaken for glass and the sides look metallic), and the display comes with double shield protection. The phone also carries an IP65 rating, which means it can survive sweat and splashes, and is also MIL-STD-810H Certified, which gives it military grade durability. At 163.4 mm in height, the iQOO Z10 is a tall phone, but it is very slim at about 7.9 mm (the Pixel 9 is 8.5 mm!) and at 199 grams, is relatively light for its size. We got the Stellar Black variant and its subtly glittering back and curved display, exuded premiumness without hinting at the massive battery that lay within it. Classic Mid-Segment Spec SheetThe 7300 mAh battery might be the star of the iQOO Z10 spec show, but the other specs are not exactly pushovers. The quad curve AMOLED display has a resolution of 2392 x 1080, a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a very impressive peak brightness of 5000 nits. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor, which is seen on the more expensive Nothing Phone (3a) Pro and the Redmi Note 14 Pro+. This comes paired with RAM and storage variants of 8 GB/ 128 GB, 8 GB/ 256 GB and 12 GB/ 256 GB, although of the slightly aged LPDDR4X and UFS 2.2 variety. The large camera unit on the back seems to house at least three cameras, but actually has only two - a 50 megapixel Sony IMX882 main sensor with OIS and a 2 megapixel 'bokeh' camera. Rather impressively, the front camera is a 32 megapixel one with support for 4K video, something that is relatively rare at this price. The phone runs on Android 15 with Funtouch OS 15 on top, and comes with a number of AI features like Circle to Search, AI Note Assist, AI Erase and AI Photo Enhance. The absence of stereo speakers, however, is a bit of a surprise. Finally, there is that massive 7300 mAh battery, which fits into that slim frame because it comes with what iQOO terms "BlueVolt 3rd-Gen Silicon Anode Technology." It charges pretty fast too at 90W and there's a 90W charger in the box. The absence of a usable secondary camera and stereo speakers are misses, but all said and done, the iQoo Z10's spec sheet ticks most mid-segment boxes. A Never-Ending BatteryImagine running YouTube for almost an hour over 5G on your phone, and seeing the battery decrease by barely 3-4 per cent? Or having an intense gaming session and seeing your phone's battery dip by about 7-8 per cent? Well, that is what happens on the iQoo Z10. We have been using the phone for almost ten days now and must have charged it a mere 5-6 times. iQOO has highlighted the battery of the Z10 as its biggest USP. And with good reason. The 7300 mAh battery on the phone is not only the largest in numerical terms that we have seen in a mid-segment phone, but also delivers a performance that puts the iQOO Z10 pretty much in a zone of its own. The phone is the first mid-segment device we have used that can easily last two days of normal to heavy use. Now, while we have seen phones in the sub-Rs 10,000 segment last that long, they are generally lower specced and charge rather slowly. That is not the case with the iQOO Z10, which not only brings some respectable hardware to the mid-segment table, but also comes with 90W charging and a 90W charger in the box.That charges the phone up to 50 per cent in half an hour (and 50 per cent of this massive battery will easily see you through a day) and delivers a full charge in about 75-80 minutes. That pretty much makes this the battery boss of the segment, if not of the entire market at the time of writing. A Pretty Solid Mid-Segment Performer Its battery is in a league of its own, but the rest of the iQOO Z10 is very solidly mid-segment. The display is a very good one for watching shows and content, and although the absence of stereo speakers does hit you, the single speaker produces reasonably high volumes. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chip is not designed for high-end gaming, but will handle casual titles easily and will even let you play titles like Call of Duty and Asphalt with lowered graphics settings (although Genshin Impact does stutter a little). Funtouch OS runs smoothly on the phone, and although some might find the slightly cluttered interface a little irritating, we found it handy once we got the hang of its features and got rid of some bloatware. The phone will handle day-to-day tasks smoothly and even delivers a decent AI experience, although not at the level of what you would get from the likes of the better-specced OnePlus Nord 4. The iQoo Z10 does a very good job in photography too, thanks to a very good Sony IMX882 main sensor and a surprisingly good 32 megapixel selfie snapper. Both delivered snaps with rich, slightly oversaturated colours and good detail. Even low-light images were good for the price segment, although some had a slightly reddish tint to them. Some of the images seem a little too processed, and selfies look a little 'beautified', but we do not see too many people complaining, unless they really start inspecting images in super close detail. Portrait snaps are very good for the price point, although we could not see the sense of the very token 2 megapixel 'boekh' camera - an ultrawide or even some sort of telephoto would have been a much better option at this price. Video quality from both the main and selfie cameras is very good, surprisingly so in the case of the selfie camera. In terms of overall performance, the iQOO Z10 is a phone that you can use a lot, and thanks to that battery, keep using a lot for a lot of time!iQOO Z10 Review: Final VerdictThe iQOO Z10 starts at Rs 21,999 for its 8 GB/ 128 GB variant, with a 8 GB/ 256 GB variant available for Rs 23,999 and a 12 GB/ 256 GB one going for Rs 25,999. At those prices, the iQOO Z10 emerges as one of the best phones you can get for about Rs 22,000. It looks good, does almost everything reasonably well and has astounding battery life without being in the least bulky. The battery, however, is the biggest USP of the phone and perhaps the best reason for buying it. Take the battery out of the equation, however, and the competition gets tougher with the likes of the Nothing Phone (3a) offering a similar processor and better cameras and the Poco F6 coming with a much more powerful processor. Another contender is the recently released Motorola Edge 60 Fusion, which comes in eye-catching colours, has better cameras and a faster processor. Bring that 7300 mAh battery into play, however, and every other phone fades away. The iQOO Z10 is the Marathon champ of the mid-segment. Of all segments, actually.

iQOO Z10 Review: The iQOO Z10 comes with what the brand claims is the largest battery in the segment - a massive 7300 mAh one. Combine that with some very decent specs that deliver a rock-solid performance, and the phone emerges as one of the best options for consumers looking for a daily driver in the range of Rs 20,000 - Rs 25,000. iQOO Z10 Review: Quick Pointers What we love: The best battery life out there Smooth performance Good selfie and main camera Sleek design IP65 rating and military grade durability What we don't: Ordinary secondary "bokeh" camera Cluttered interface No stereo speakers Slim And Stylishly Sleek, Despite That Massive Battery iQOO has hyped the massive 7300 mAh battery of the iQOO Z10, claiming that it is the first phone to offer a battery of that size in India.

While a phone coming with a battery of that size is indeed impressive, the fact that it comes within a phone that is normal sized and not at all heavy is every bit as impressive too. At first glance, the iQOO Z10 looks like a very smart-looking phone, with a large, spherical camera unit on the back, and a quad curved display, slightly curved sides and a curved back too. The back and frame are carbonate, but not noticeably so (the back was often mistaken for glass and the sides look metallic), and the display comes with double shield protection.

The phone also carries an IP65 rating, which means it can survive sweat and splashes, and is also MIL-STD-810H Certified, which gives it military grade durability. At 163.4 mm in height, the iQOO Z10 is a tall phone, but it is very slim at about 7.

9 mm (the Pixel 9 is 8.5 mm!) and at 199 grams, is relatively light for its size. We got the Stellar Black variant and its subtly glittering back and curved display, exuded premiumness without hinting at the massive battery that lay within it.

Classic Mid-Segment Spec Sheet The 7300 mAh battery might be the star of the iQOO Z10 spec show, but the other specs are not exactly pushovers. The quad curve AMOLED display has a resolution of 2392 x 1080, a refresh rate of 120 Hz and a very impressive peak brightness of 5000 nits. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 processor, which is seen on the more expensive Nothing Phone (3a) Pro and the Redmi Note 14 Pro+.

This comes paired with RAM and storage variants of 8 GB/ 128 GB, 8 GB/ 256 GB and 12 GB/ 256 GB, although of the slightly aged LPDDR4X and UFS 2.2 variety. The large camera unit on the back seems to house at least three cameras, but actually has only two - a 50 megapixel Sony IMX882 main sensor with OIS and a 2 megapixel 'bokeh' camera.

Rather impressively, the front camera is a 32 megapixel one with support for 4K video, something that is relatively rare at this price. The phone runs on Android 15 with Funtouch OS 15 on top, and comes with a number of AI features like Circle to Search, AI Note Assist, AI Erase and AI Photo Enhance. The absence of stereo speakers, however, is a bit of a surprise.

Finally, there is that massive 7300 mAh battery, which fits into that slim frame because it comes with what iQOO terms "BlueVolt 3rd-Gen Silicon Anode Technology." It charges pretty fast too at 90W and there's a 90W charger in the box. The absence of a usable secondary camera and stereo speakers are misses, but all said and done, the iQoo Z10's spec sheet ticks most mid-segment boxes.

A Never-Ending Battery Imagine running YouTube for almost an hour over 5G on your phone, and seeing the battery decrease by barely 3-4 per cent? Or having an intense gaming session and seeing your phone's battery dip by about 7-8 per cent? Well, that is what happens on the iQoo Z10. We have been using the phone for almost ten days now and must have charged it a mere 5-6 times. iQOO has highlighted the battery of the Z10 as its biggest USP.

And with good reason. The 7300 mAh battery on the phone is not only the largest in numerical terms that we have seen in a mid-segment phone, but also delivers a performance that puts the iQOO Z10 pretty much in a zone of its own. The phone is the first mid-segment device we have used that can easily last two days of normal to heavy use.

Now, while we have seen phones in the sub-Rs 10,000 segment last that long, they are generally lower specced and charge rather slowly. That is not the case with the iQOO Z10, which not only brings some respectable hardware to the mid-segment table, but also comes with 90W charging and a 90W charger in the box. That charges the phone up to 50 per cent in half an hour (and 50 per cent of this massive battery will easily see you through a day) and delivers a full charge in about 75-80 minutes.

That pretty much makes this the battery boss of the segment, if not of the entire market at the time of writing. A Pretty Solid Mid-Segment Performer Its battery is in a league of its own, but the rest of the iQOO Z10 is very solidly mid-segment. The display is a very good one for watching shows and content, and although the absence of stereo speakers does hit you, the single speaker produces reasonably high volumes.

The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chip is not designed for high-end gaming, but will handle casual titles easily and will even let you play titles like Call of Duty and Asphalt with lowered graphics settings (although Genshin Impact does stutter a little). Funtouch OS runs smoothly on the phone, and although some might find the slightly cluttered interface a little irritating, we found it handy once we got the hang of its features and got rid of some bloatware. The phone will handle day-to-day tasks smoothly and even delivers a decent AI experience, although not at the level of what you would get from the likes of the better-specced OnePlus Nord 4.

The iQoo Z10 does a very good job in photography too, thanks to a very good Sony IMX882 main sensor and a surprisingly good 32 megapixel selfie snapper. Both delivered snaps with rich, slightly oversaturated colours and good detail. Even low-light images were good for the price segment, although some had a slightly reddish tint to them.

Some of the images seem a little too processed, and selfies look a little 'beautified', but we do not see too many people complaining, unless they really start inspecting images in super close detail. Portrait snaps are very good for the price point, although we could not see the sense of the very token 2 megapixel 'boekh' camera - an ultrawide or even some sort of telephoto would have been a much better option at this price. Video quality from both the main and selfie cameras is very good, surprisingly so in the case of the selfie camera.

In terms of overall performance, the iQOO Z10 is a phone that you can use a lot, and thanks to that battery, keep using a lot for a lot of time! iQOO Z10 Review: Final Verdict The iQOO Z10 starts at Rs 21,999 for its 8 GB/ 128 GB variant, with a 8 GB/ 256 GB variant available for Rs 23,999 and a 12 GB/ 256 GB one going for Rs 25,999. At those prices, the iQOO Z10 emerges as one of the best phones you can get for about Rs 22,000. It looks good, does almost everything reasonably well and has astounding battery life without being in the least bulky.

The battery, however, is the biggest USP of the phone and perhaps the best reason for buying it. Take the battery out of the equation, however, and the competition gets tougher with the likes of the Nothing Phone (3a) offering a similar processor and better cameras and the Poco F6 coming with a much more powerful processor. Another contender is the recently released Motorola Edge 60 Fusion, which comes in eye-catching colours, has better cameras and a faster processor.

Bring that 7300 mAh battery into play, however, and every other phone fades away. The iQOO Z10 is the Marathon champ of the mid-segment. Of all segments, actually.

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