Adamya Sharma / Android Authority
TL;DR
- vivo’s sub-brand IQOO has launched the IQOO 13 outside China.
- The phone boasts an array of powerful specs backed by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip.
- It also features a standout “Monster Halo” light strip around the back camera for displaying various alerts.
Another Snapdragon 8 Elite phone has just stepped out of China, and it comes with some crazy specs on paper. With a 6.82-inch 144Hz LTPO AMOLED display, a 6,000mAh battery, IP68 and IP69 ratings, 120W fast wired charging, and up to 16GB RAM, the IQOO 13 is an over-promising Android flagship.
Apart from its strong focus on performance, the IQOO 13 brings a standout light strip around the back camera housing (seen below). IQOO calls it the “Monster Halo” and no, it’s not a ring light. Instead, the company took “inspiration” from Nothing. The light is designed to display notifications, calls, charging status, and music playback alerts that can be customized by users. You can set up to 12 colors and six styles of breathing for different apps and functions.
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority
The rear camera setup consists of a 50MP IMX921 primary camera, a 50MP 2x IMX816 telephoto sensor, and a 50MP ultrawide shooter. Up front is a 32MP selfie snapper.
IQOO offers the Funtouch OS 15 skin atop Android 15, and promises four years of OS upgrades and five years of security patches. That’s not the best update policy in the industry, but it’s still a respectable pledge.
At a starting price of Rs 54,990 (~$649) for the 12GB/256GB model in India, the IQOO 13 is one of the more affordable flagships out there and goes up against the likes of the REDMAGIC 10 Pro. The phone will be available in a BMW-inspired Legend White colorway and a Nardo Gray hue that’s inspired by the Italian race track of the same name. Unfortunately, the device isn’t available in the US as IQOO and vivo don’t sell phones in the region.
IQOO 13: Hot or not?
8 votes
