Vivo iQOO Z9s and Z9s Pro smartphones review

Vivo iQOO Z9s and Z9s Pro Smartphones Review: Vivo iQOO Z9s and Z9s Pro are two new smartphone launches from Vivo in its iQOO Z series, which is reserved for budget phones. They were launched in August 2024 and started shipping last month. It is only available in India at the moment, but given Vivo’s launch history, the new smartphones should launch globally soon as well.

The iQOO Z series smartphones tend to offer better specs and features at a worthwhile price and that is why they are so popular among gamers on a budget. The smartphones are similar to other Vivo phones such as the Vivo S19 Pro and have some fantastic technologies in the industry such as 5G connectivity. Let’s start with a detailed review of the Vivo iQOO Z9s and Z9s Pro and see if these smartphones are worth buying.

Vivo iQOO Z9s and Z9s Pro smartphones review

Highlights

1. Both Vivo iQOO Z9s and Z9s Pro feature the same 6.77-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz high refresh rate support.
2. The iQOO Z9s is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 5G chipset, which is capable of clock speeds of 4×2.5 GHz. On the other hand, the iQOO Z9s Pro features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 5G chipset which is capable of clock speeds of 1×2.63 GHz.
3. Both smartphones come preloaded with Android 14 with Funtouch 14 UI for better customization support.
4. Both the Vivo iQOO Z9s and Z9s Pro feature a similar 50MP dual rear camera system. For the selfie camera, both smartphones also have a 16MP selfie sensor.
5. Both the iQOO Z9s and iQOO Z9s Pro have a long-lasting 5500mAh battery. The non-Pro smartphone has 44W fast charging and the Pro model has 80W fast charging support.

Design and exhibition

The design and overall look of the Vivo iQOO Z9s and Z9s Pro are different from each other. The Vivo iQOO Z9s has a full-body plastic build, which isn’t as premium as a glass build, but it looks pretty good, honestly. However, the Pro model has a vegan leather option on the back panel, which makes it a lot more premium. Not only does it feel good in the hand, but it also looks spectacular.

Both smartphones feature a curved design, which is more comfortable to touch. Both models have an IP54 rating for water and dust protection, and Schott Xensation glass for display protection. Also, due to the curved nature of the display, you will find a better field of view. Speaking of the display, both the Vivo iQOO Z9s and Z9s Pro feature the same 6.77-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with support for a high 120Hz refresh rate.

The display on both smartphones supports HDR10+ and up to 1 billion colours, so viewing content on this screen will be a pleasure. Additionally, both displays are capable of achieving high brightness under sunlight, so using the smartphone outdoors will not be a problem. The iQOO Z9s is available in Titanium Matte and Onyx Green colour options, while the iQOO Z9s Pro is available in Flamboyant Orange and Luxe Marble.

Memory and internal

The iQOO Z9s is equipped with the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 5G chipset, which is capable of reaching clock speeds of 4×2.5 GHz.. The iQOO Z9s Pro is powered by the Qualcomm SM7550-AB Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 5G chipset which is capable of reaching clock speeds of 1×2.63GHz. Both are incredible chipsets and have more than enough performance to run all your daily apps comfortably without any issues including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, and more.

Both chipsets are quite powerful and perform quite well, even in gaming. Speaking of gaming, both chipsets can run games like PUBG, CODm, Genshin Impact, Black Desert Mobile, and more at relatively decent frame rates. Both smartphones also have 5G connectivity, so you will be able to download at gigabit-level speeds and have lower latency in games.

You won’t find any overheating issues on either phone. As for RAM and storage, both smartphones can be purchased with up to 8GB/12GB of RAM and 128GB/256GB of UFS 2.2 internal storage. As far as software is concerned, the Vivo iQOO Z9s and Z9s Pro run on Android 14 with Funtouch 14 UI for a better, bloatware-free experience.

Camera

Both the Vivo iQOO Z9s and Z9s Pro feature a similar 50MP rear camera system. The 50MP main sensors on the two smartphones are the same and produce solid images with plenty of clarity, detail, and a natural color tone. It’s also optimized to capture more light, so images end up being brighter even in daylight.

The same performance is seen at night as well. You can turn on the night mode to improve the image quality and take great pictures. However, the secondary cameras of the two smartphones are different. The Vivo iQOO Z9s has a 2MP depth camera, which is pretty much useless. On the other hand, the Vivo iQOO Z9s Pro has an 8MP ultra-wide camera, which isn’t going to break any records, but the images coming out of this sensor are good enough to post on social media platforms.

On the front, both Vivo smartphones have the same 16MP sensor, which is capable of taking some decent selfies. These images have significantly better detail levels and overall illumination compared to other smartphones in the same price range. As for video recording, both the Vivo iQOO Z9s and Z9s Pro can record up to 4K videos at 60 FPS from the rear camera and up to 1080p at 30 FPS from the selfie camera.

Battery and others

Both the iQOO Z9s and iQOO Z9s Pro have the same 5500mAh Li-ion battery, which is a high-capacity battery that can provide 1-3 days of battery life depending on usage. With low to medium usage including a bit of calling, texting, social media, camera, and YouTube, it’s not impossible to achieve a 2-day battery life. However, with high usage including gaming, the battery will drain faster and may not last a full day.

As for charging, the iQOO Z9s has 44W wired fast charging, which can fully charge the phone in under 1 hour and 20 minutes. On the other hand, the iQOO Z9s Pro has 80W wired fast charging, which can fully charge the phone in around 50 minutes. Apart from that, both the smartphones have Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.5, an under-display fingerprint scanner, NFC, GPS, stereo speakers, and a USB Type-C port for charging. The iQOO Z9s is available for a starting price of $238 (Rs. 19,999 in India) approximately, while the iQOO Z9s Pro is available starting at $298 (Rs. 24,999 in India) approximately.

Pros and cons of Vivo iQOO Z9s Pro

Detailed specifications of Vivo iQOO Z9s Pro

Below you can see the Vivo iQOO Z9s Pro Smartphone Full Specifications.

Conclusion

The Vivo iQOO Z9s and Z9s Pro have managed to deliver on Vivo’s promise of offering great specs and features at a reasonable price. Both phones have everything you could ask for in a smartphone in this price range. It has a large display that is optimized to deliver great visuals, HDR, and increased brightness when used outdoors.

The chipsets are also pretty good and can run some of the more graphically demanding games decently. The main rear cameras on both phones are pretty good as well. The same goes for the battery and charging. Additionally, both of these phones have under-display fingerprint sensors. The Pro model gets the added benefits of better build materials, a secondary camera, and faster charging speeds for a slightly higher price.

Both are excellent smartphones considering the price they were launched at, but they are not without their drawbacks. The design looks good, but their build materials are cheaper. The secondary cameras on both smartphones are not great. A better alternative would be the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus, which costs around the same, but has faster internal storage and even faster charging speeds. However, the final decision is up to you, so it is best to choose a smartphone based on your requirements and needs.