iQoo announced the release of the “iQoo Z9 Lite 5G” in India on July 15th. The iQoo Z9 Lite 5G looks decent and its specifications seems impressive as per price, but how does it perform in during gaming? Welcome to GadgetsNex, a website that provides gaming performance reviews of mobile phones by analyzing technical data and real-world usage after testing for a few days.
iQoo Z9 Lite : Price and Overview
iQoo Z9 Lite comes with decent budget-level specifications under the Rs 10,000 range in India, and it can be bought below Rs 10000.
Deep Hardware Review for Gaming Performance
Network, Wifi, and Bluetooth
During our game test, the strong network coverage and VoNR capabilities of the iQoo Z9 Lite significantly boosted gaming performance by ensuring uninterrupted connectivity.
Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-Fi 6 work great with no issues. Bluetooth supports AAC connection, providing excellent bass and sound quality. And good to see our favorite 3.5mm headphone jack.
iQoo Z9 Lite : Display Review
| Specs | iQoo Z9 Lite 5G |
|---|---|
| Size | 6.56 inches |
| Type | FHD+ Display |
| Refresh Rate | 90Hz |
| Resolution | 720 x 1612 pixels (lower) |
| PPI | 269 ppi (poor) |
| Protection | No |
| Peak Brightness | 850 nits (HBM) |
| IP Rating | IP 64 |
Z9 Lite has a 90Hz IPS LCD display with 840 nits high brightness mode (HBM) for better visibility outdoors.
Although this is not the high brightness but getting 840 nits at this price is best.
iQoo Z9 Lite 5G: Graphics GPU and Touch Sampling Rate
A mobile phone requires good graphic hardware for better support, and the iQoo Z9 Lite is equipped with a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, which is not ideal for high graphic gaming as it provides lower frame rates but you can play low graphic games smoothly.
The 240Hz touch sampling rate which is good, flagship mobile phone also has this much touch sampling rate.
Weight
- The iQoo Z9 Lite weighs 185g, which is manageable.
- When I played for an hour, I didn’t feel any pain in my hand, easy to use.
- In terms of weight, it has a good grip and feel, enhancing your gaming experience for long periods.
iQoo Z9 Lite : Processor Performance Review
| Specifications | iQoo Z9 Lite 5G |
|---|---|
| Processor | Mediatek Dimensity 6300 (6nm) |
| RAM Type | LPDDR4X |
| Storage Type | eMMC 5.1 |
| GPU | Mali-G57 MC2 |
| Antutu Scores | 4,04,345 |
| CPU Throttling | 75% of peak |
| Single Core | 732 |
| Multi Core | 1795 |
Z9 Lite has Antutu score is 403,626. For BGMI smooth gaming we need at least above 7 lakh score.
Honestly this processor is not for heavy gaming but it can handle it at lower settings. I haven’t seen any lag during daily uses. It can handle all social network Instagram Facebook YouTube etc.
RAM – LPDDR4X
The iQoo Z9 Lite has LPDDR4X RAM (available under 30k range phone), which is best for this price. Higher RAM type consumes less energy and offers more power-saving capabilities, providing smooth multitasking and app switching.
Storage – eMMC 5.1
eMMC 5.1 storage, which is somewhat disappointing, as some brands offer UFS 2.2 at this price. But surprisingly it perform decent.
File transfers, copy-paste actions, downloading, and taking files from other devices through nearby share work adequately on the iQoo Z9 Lite 5G. However, the 5G downloading speed does not perform up to the mark.
iQoo Z9 Lite 5G – Antutu and Geekbench Scores
- Antutu score: 403,626
- Geekbench Single core score: 1968
- Geekbench Multi-core score: 734
- CPU Throttling: 88% of peak performance
The above Geekbench benchmark results and Antutu scores indicate lower scores for high graphic and performance for a mobile phone under this price range.
Its real-world performance is satisfactory, allowing you to play Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) and PUBG Mobile at lower settings smoothly.
iQoo Z9 Lite 5G: BGMI Graphics Settings and Gameplay
| BGMI Graphics | iQoo Z9 Lite 5G |
|---|---|
| Smooth | Ultra |
| Balanced | High |
| HD | High |
| HDR | NA |
| Ultra HDR | NA |
| Extreme HDR | NA |
Graphic Settings
With this processor, iQoo Z9 Lite 5G has smooth + Ultra, balance + Ultra and HD + High, all settings are given above table.
Gyroscope also functions smoothly on time, further enhancing your BGMI experience.
240Hz touch sampling rate delivers a average response time, especially for in-bgmi gameplay.
Gameplay
- My iQoo Z9 Lite 5G delivered decent performance during a one-hour BGMI session with smooth + Ultra settings at 40fps.
- I experienced minimal lag and no significant heating issues. The phone maintained a consistent frame rate, delivering 37-40 FPS during TDM matches and 30-40 FPS throughout gameplay on various maps like Erangel, Sanhok, and Livik.
- At this price range it gives ultra setting many Samsung phones gives ultra above 15000, thats why I like its performance because it gives more than expectations.
COD and Free Fire Review
With the iQoo Z9 Lite 5G, Free Fire runs at 60 fps at lower graphic settings, giving smooth gameplay but throttles during longer sessions. COD supports 40fps gaming and provides a good gaming experience, but it gets warm during gaming.
Battery: 5000mAh
- The battery plays a major role for every gamer. It comes with a 5000mAh battery with a 15W charger, which is available in the box.
- The battery drain was 14% after an hour of play, and the phone remained cool even with the highest settings.
- You can play games non-stop for 6 hours and perform any heavy tasks. For normal day-to-day life with social apps, it can last one day easily.
- The 15W charger takes 2hr 40min to fully charge, which is disappointing. So, in the battery department, it performs well and but it take time to charge.
iQoo Z9 Lite 5G Pros & Cons
Here’s a quick breakdown of iQoo Z9 Lite 5G pros and cons to help you decide if it’s the right choice for you.
Pros
- Affordable Price: Rs 19,999
- Strong Connectivity: 5G bands network, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.4.
- High-Quality Display: 90Hz IPS LCD.
- Comfortable Weight: 185g for long gaming sessions.
- Energy-Efficient RAM: LPDDR4X for multitasking.
- Long Battery Life: 5000mAh.
Cons
- Processor Limits: Not ideal for heavy gaming.
- Slower Storage: eMMC 5.1 versus competitors’ UFS 3.1.
- Benchmark Scores: Decent but not top-tier.
- Frame Drops: Occasional dips to 35 FPS during intense gameplay.
- Charger – Charge time could be faster.
Overall, the iQoo Z9 Lite 5G offers strong value and good performance for its price, though it has limitations for heavy gaming and top-tier performance.
Conclusion
The iQoo Z9 Lite 5G is a solid low budget-range option for casual gamers who prioritize a balance between performance, battery life, and affordability.
However, if you’re a hardcore gamer who needs top graphics and frame rates, you might want to consider phones with more powerful hardware. For a budget under Rs 10,000, the iQoo Z9 Lite 5G is a well-rounded smartphone offering decent gaming performance and good value for money.
