iQOO Z9s Performance Drops: Vivo’s sub-brand, iQOO, launched the Z9s phone in India in August 2024, claiming no-lag performance and a good balance in battery, charging, and camera specs.
I have tested this phone as a primary gaming device, and you won’t believe the performance issues we’ve encountered after 6 months.
There is a minor reaction delay on multi-touch during gaming. The gaming elements react with a millisecond delay when I pressed multiple buttons or gaming elements frequently in BGMI because clicking on multiple elements/buttons is normal during battleground games as I am a 4-finger clow player.
We noticed this in my first impression, but we ignored it because the balanced performance offered at this price range was still best for Indian users.
I would suggest that if you are planning to buy this phone primarily for competitive gaming, you should reconsider. It’s better to go for its Pro model, which performs better in gaming.
iQOO Z9s Performance After Last Update
The latest update we received, “PD2406GF_EX_A_15.1.1.1.11W30”, caused the device to experience sudden overheating. From performing regular video calls to playing BGMI, PUBG, and COD Mobile, my fingers felt overheated from the phone.
Before this update, everything was fine—no overheating or extra battery drain issues—but after the update, I noticed minor changes in charging speed and spikes in battery drain. Here is the battery test Screenshort in AccuBattery App.
You can clerly see that the phone heated to 40.1-degree during charging.
Even after 6 months of use, the battery health dropped to 97%. While this is within the norm, we dont expect a multinational brand to maintain battery health like this.
Additionally, after the Android 15 update, we began experiencing frame drops during gaming. Initially, we ignored the issue for long-term testing, but it has now become noticeable. FPS frequently drops to around 45–47 during intense clutch moments in gameplay.
While gaming and watching videos, battery drain is balanced. However, when we leave the phone idle, the battery drains as if the phone is still in use. I’ve checked multiple times—there are no background apps running, yet the battery continues to drain.
The Good Side of the Update
Apart from these issues, we’ve also noticed some improvements in the system. For instance, I initially observed that fast charging wasn’t supported, even after multiple attempts; however, after the update, this issue was resolved, and we haven’t faced it since.
After the update, we saw improvements in graphic smoothness and system stability.
Who Should Buy This Phone and Why?
If your needs align with this phone’s performance, then go ahead and buy it. Otherwise, it may not be the right choice. Some users are looking for a camera phone, while others prioritize performance. Here are some reasons why you should consider buying this phone:
- Best Performing Curve Display: If you’re looking for a phone at an affordable price but also want an AMOLED curved display with a 120Hz refresh rate, then this could be one of the best option for you.
- Long-Lasting Battery: The iQOO Z9s offers a seriously good battery backup with fast charging support, and most importantly, it costs around ₹20,000 in India.
- Good Camera: The iQOO Z9s features a balanced camera setup on both the front and rear. The rear camera has a 50MP + 2MP lens, while the front features a 16MP shooter. Both can record FHD+ videos and capture good-quality photos.
- Mid and Light Gaming: This phone is not highly recommended for heavy games like PUBG or COD Mobile, but if you play lighter games such as Free Fire, The Survivors, and other similar titles, you can go with this phone even for competitive gameplay.
- No-Lag Performance: As iQOO claimed, the Z9s offers zero-lag performance. This holds for everyday tasks, light games, movies, and running multiple apps. However, there are other issues like touch delay and multi-touch not functioning properly.
iQOO Z9s Price in India
The Vivo iQOO Z9s price starts at ₹22,999 for the base model (8GB RAM/128GB Storage), ₹24,999 for the 8GB RAM/256GB Storage variant, and ₹27,999 for the 12GB RAM/256GB Storage model.
The price of the iQOO Z9s (8GB RAM/128GB Storage) often fluctuates during festival seasons and can drop to around ₹17,000 in India. The chart above shows its price history.
People Also Asks (FAQs)
Is iQOO Z9s Good Gaming Phone?
Yes, iQOO Z9s Performance is very balanced claiming 60FPS gameplay in BGMI and COD Mobiles. However, it is not reccomended for the Tournament events, but you can play a hard-core classic games with minor frame drops during clutch-moments.
How much iQOO Z9s Battery Last When Play Game?
I personally tested it, and you won’t believe how good it is. I charged my phone to 100% and played BGMI continuously, and after 6 hours and 37 minutes, the battery was still at 10%. The iQOO Z9s Battery performance is best at this range. You can play non-stop games, watch vidoes for a longer period.
Is iQOO Z9s a Good Camera Phone?
Yes, the iQOO Z9s come with a dual-rear camera setup including 50Mp primary and 2Mp secondry sensors captures good quality pictures and also 60FPS video at FHD+ resolution. However it can also recored the 4K video at 30FPS. For the Selfies, there is a 16Mp camera on front allows 30FPS, FHD+ resolution video shooting. We can captured here some non-edited picutres, you can see—
Is iQOO Z9s Overheating?
Not every time, but sometimes I noticed the phone overheating, reaching up to 41°C. This mostly happens during long gaming sessions. Once, it also overheated right after a software update while I was on a video conference.
Final Thoughts
The iQOO Z9s is a lower mid-range phone that offers good performance while maintaining a balance with other features. If you’re not a competitive gamer, this can be a great option as a personal multi-purpose smartphone.
