iQOO Z7 5G Review: Impressive 120W charging, decent gaming performance, and a surprisingly good camera
We got our hands on the iQOO Z7 5G, and we’re thinking maybe you should too.
Okay, so first things first – you probably have some question marks over your head about this brand. Questions like, ‘Is this a new brand?’ ‘Is it expensive?’ ‘How do you pronounce it anyway?’
In brief, yes iQOO (pronounced “eye-koo”, FYI) is a relatively new brand. It is actually a sub-brand of the more established vivo brand, and was founded only in 2019 in China.
iQOO hasn’t flooded the Malaysian market just yet, and have been pretty reserved in their product launches here so far. There’s only three iQOO models available in the country right now – the mid-range Z7 Series consisting of the Z7x 5G and Z7 5G, as well as their single flagship offering, the iQOO 11.
Of these three, we had the benefit of taking the iQOO Z7 5G for a spin.
The Z7 retails at RM1,499 in Malaysia, which pits it against the mid-range segment.
We tested the device based on a few premises, namely general usage, gaming performance, battery and charging capabilities, as well as photography and videography.
After a few good weeks, here’s what we thought about the iQOO Z7 5G.
What’s in the box?
Thankfully, the iQOO Z7 5G comes packed with a 120W charging brick and a USB cable. This removes the need of forking out additional cash for a charging adapter (as some brands now requires you to do).
Mind you, this is a 120W charging adapter, so the ones you have lying about in the house won’t cut it either.
You’ll also have the SIM ejector, protective film, and a transparent phone case all packed neatly inside.
Battery and Fast Charging
Key Specs: 5,000mAh battery, 120W FlashCharge
One of the ultimate features of the iQOO Z7 5G is its 120W FlashCharge, which iQOO claims is able to juice up 100% in 26 minutes.
Based on our experience, this is absolutely correct.
From a completely depleted 0%, the Z7 reached 50% in just 13 minutes; by 30 minutes, it was already at 100%. Keep in mind this is a 5,000mAh battery, which makes it all the more impressive.
120W fast charging isn’t rare, but it still isn’t common either. Here’s how the Z7 compares to its other mid-segment competitors:
| Model | Battery Capacity | Charging Speed | Price |
| Samsung Galaxy A34 | 5,000mAh | 25W | RM1,599 |
| OPPO A98 5G | 5,000mAh | 67W | RM1,399 |
| POCO F5 | 5,000mAh | 67W | RM1,699 |
| vivo V27 5G | 4,600mAh | 66W | RM1,799 |
| Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G | 5,000mAh | 120W | RM1,599 |
| iQOO Z7 5G | 5,000mAh | 120W | RM1,499 |
In terms of charging, the only phone giving the Z7 a run for its money seems to be the Redmi Note 12 Pro+, which is just about a fraction more costly.
During the charge, temperatures on the Z7 itself stays cool, going up to warm at most. However, the charging brick does heat up a little, so it’s probably wise to avoid charging around areas with direct sunlight.
Performance (General usage and Gaming)
Key Specs: Snapdragon 782 processor, up to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, 1080p LCD screen, 120Hz refresh rate, dual stereo speakers
General Usage
All in all, the iQOO Z7 makes for a pretty decent device performance wise. You have the option to choose between two memory variants: an 8GB/128GB, or the 12GB/256GB, which we got hold of.
You can select between three refresh rates: 60Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz, with the latter providing a much smoother experience. Alternatively, there’s also a Smart Switch which adjust refresh rates automatically ‘according to the actual usage,’ a.k.a adaptive refresh rates.
High-usage apps such as Chrome, Shopee, Lazada and YouTube runs smoothly. On that, we must say the dual stereo speakers hold up as well. You’ll find these at both ends of the phone, delivering crisp audio.
One downside though, is that the iQOO Z7 comes with a lot of pre-loaded apps which eats into storage. As such, you might want to take some time disabling or uninstalling the ones unnecessary to your usage.
Gaming Performance
The Z7 is marketed as a gaming device in many aspects, with iQOO touching on refresh rates, cooling systems, and sensory features.
On the gaming front, the Z7 performs without an issue. Now just a disclaimer, we did NOT test it long-term on graphically heavy, open world games such as Genshin Impact.
We did, however, went a few rounds on PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends where we didn’t encounter any significant lag or delays. Both games played on the highest graphical settings too.
In fact, we felt the full range of the refresh rates coming into play here, with the Z7 achieving the buttery smooth performance you’d expect from a 120Hz display.
One feature which we felt helped in gaming performance is the option to activate what iQOO calls Monster Mode. This puts the Z7 in a high-performance setting in order to get the best out of the processor when you’re dealing with high graphics.
You can think about it as the opposite of Power Saving Mode, where instead of toning down settings to extend battery life, everything is ramped up into overdrive in order to deliver the best possible performance, at the expanse of high battery usage.
Photography and Videography
Key Specs: 64MP OIS Camera, Super Night Mode
Gaming performance and charging power aside, the iQOO Z7 5G performs just as decently on the camera front.
You’ll have a dual camera setup at the rear: a 64MP camera supported with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), as well as a 2MP macro camera.
Here are a few sample images for preview:
Daylight Performance
Overall, we were pleased with what we saw. The focus on the Z7 proved to be very good and managed to capture sharp details in the scenery. Colours were a little washed out though, as the skies in real life had a deeper hue to it.
Nevertheless, it isn’t too major that we’d completely brush aside the value of the camera.
All the shots we took had clarity, and the 64MP camera certainly held its weight in value. Even more so when it came to Portrait shots and Night mode as you’ll see below.
The picture above was taken using Portrait mode. The subject (admittedly not the most exciting) is sharp, and the bokeh effect is terrific. The depth on portrait mode is commendable and definitely worthy enough for casual social media postings.
Night Performance
Pitting it against the night sky, we found that Night Mode on the iQOO Z7 was very, very good.
Photos are bright, and details are retained without too much noise. It even managed to preserve the warm glow of the lighted jetty at the far right of the photo, while also capturing all the hues in the dimly-lit evening skies.
A rather huge feat, as oftentimes cameras tend to blow up exposure to compensate for dark areas, hence leaving certain sections glary and indistinguishable.
It wasn’t the case here, and we were pretty impressed with what we saw as a whole.
The same can be said for the picture above. Although there is a slight distortion occurring from the lightbulb, it is for the most part kept to a minimum.
Even then, you can still clearly make out the red and pink colours of the boat foregrounded against the night backdrop.
Additionally, what we found extremely useful was the built-in level metre which ensured we kept our horizons straight when shooting landscapes.
Videography
Video recording on the Z7 is just as impressive with its 4K UHD at 30fps capabilities. You can even switch to 60fps, though that’s only available at HD (720p) and FHD (1080p).
To spur on your creativity, the Z7 has a Micro Movie mode, which are essentially a set of templates and video filters at your disposal. Not groundbreaking, but worth mentioning if you’re looking to breakaway from the mainstream ones you find on TikTok or IG Reels.
Verdict: A bang-for-your-buck device well worth considering
When searching for long-term devices such as smartphones, it’s easy to neglect new players such as iQOO. To this, we say, give the new guy a chance.
The iQOO Z7 has proven its worth in all the right areas. It functions well above the ‘mehhh’ standard and we think you’ll agree too. With a lightning-quick 120W charging, a Snapdragon processor for performance, and a more than capable camera to boot, the iQOO Z7 5G is one device you shouldn’t overlook.
Impressed? So were we! Remember to browse PriceShop to get the best prices for your next device in Malaysia!
