Last month we evaluated the OnePlus 10T[1] and found it to be a solid Android smartphone with a reasonable $649 price. The iQOO 9T[2] was recently released for smartphone customers in India for ₹49,999.00 (approx USD$625), about the same price as the 10T. While I had limited connectivity and couldn't fully test its cellular performance, I was able to spend a few weeks with the Alpha black model. iQOO also offers one in the Legend color that has BMW Motorsport striping on the back.
The iQOO 9T is one of the few phones sporting the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor, superfast LPDDR5 RAM, and 120W FlashCharge.
These are primarily flagship specifications for a price hundreds less than most flagships. It is a big phone, but feels great in the hand with a metal frame and frosted rear glass panel.
Also: eSIM vs SIM: What's the difference?[3]
I've been using the 12/256GB model of the phone with my T-Mobile SIM card. LTE is well supported on five bands by T-Mobile with the n41 band providing 5G connectivity. It worked well enough for me to carry out communications and also was perfectly fine on Wi-Fi.
Specifications
| Processor | Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 Mobile Platform |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.78-inch, 2,400x1,080-pixel resolution |
| Operating system | Android 12 with Funtouch OS 12 |
| RAM | 8/12GB options |
| Storage | 128/256GB options |
| Cameras | 50MP main, 13MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto. 16MP front-facing camera. |
| Connectivity | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, NFC, FM radio |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, In-Display Fingerprint Sensor, Electronic Compass, Gyroscope, Proximity Sensor, Infrared |
| Battery | 4,700-mAh non-removable with 120W wired fast-charging |
| Dimensions | 165 x 77 x 8 mm and 206 grams |