IQOO Neo 7 Racing Edition Out with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1

IQOO initially launched the original Neo 7 in October which featured the Dimensity 9000 chipset. After a few months, the company also let out another Neo7 member in the name of IQOO Neo7 SE. Now comes the latest addition to the Neo7 family. This model is called IQOO Neo 7 Racing Edition.

The new edition comes with a whole different chipset. While all other Neo7 models that was released this year uses Dimensity. The IQOO Neo 7 Racing Edition uses the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. Apart from the fact that it comes with a different chipset and a different price, everything else is almost the same as the original Neo7.

Specs Of The IQOO Neo 7 Racing Edition

The IQOO Neo 7 Racing Edition combines the Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 chipset, 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage for a price of CNY 2,800 ($400/€380/₹33,000). That's not all, you can also get a 12GB/256GB for CNY 3,000, 16GB/256GB for CNY 3,300. Then, you also have the very high end version called the fully loaded version with a price tag of CNY3,600.

It features a 6.78-inch FHD+ (20:9) display with support for HDR10+. It is also a flat panel display with 120Hz refresh rate. IQOO did not make mention of any form of glass protection on this one. The front display also houses a 16MP selfie camera.

On the rear side, you get a triple camera setup with 50MP main sensor. It is a new ISOCELL GN5 sensor which replaces the Sony IMX766V sensor. Just like the Neo7, this main camera also has Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). The Neo 7 SE however came with a smaller main sensor and lacked the ultra wide sensor.

The other two camera sensors on the Racing Edition include an 8MP ultra wide sensor and 2MP Macro lens.

The device comes with a two-cell battery setup of 5,000mAh. It also has support for Vivo's 120W SuperFast charging. According to IQOO, this device can charge from 0 to 50 in just 8 minutes. The bad news is that, you don't get a wireless charging on this phone.

The IQOO Neo 7 Racing Edition Has A Gaming Performance

The IQOO Neo 7 Racing Edition may not be a full gaming phone but has enough power to bare that name as well. Apart from the already powerful Snapdragon GPU, the device also comes with an additional chip. This chip can generalize additional frames while minimizing power consumption.

In the Racing Edition, you also get double X-axis motors that give better haptic feedback when gaming. The device also comes with a larger vapor chamber to allow the phone boot at cool temperature at all times.

There is one reason why you cannot really call this phone a gaming phone. That has to do with the looks. Gaming phones usually look different from our everyday phones. They normally announce themselves just by their looks.

But the IQOO Neo 7 Racing Edition seems to cut across both phones. It has the looks of a normal smartphone and has the power and feel of a gaming phone.

Availability of The IQOO Neo 7 Racing Edition

Pre-order is already ongoing. You can make your pre-order in three different color options; orange, blue and black today. The first pre-order units will ship out in China on the 5th of January 2023. The phone runs Android 13 out of the box. This is customized with OriginOS 3.0 skin on top.

OriginOS however is China exclusive. Global users will have the FuntouchOS 13 skin instead. This does not necessarily mean that we have any information with regards to a global release. The company has not made any statement concerning that yet.

Currently, it is China exclusive. If the device hits the Indian market, that would give hope for global users. But India still has the old Neo6. There is no sign of Neo7 at all. If there will be a global release for the Neo7 Racing Edition, it will only be reasonable for the standard edition to lead the way before the more expensive models follow.