iQOO 16 Features a Top-Tier Display and Powerful Processor

The flagship iQOO 16 smartphone was unveiled in China. The device combines advanced gaming features with high-end technical specifications.

The iQOO 16 features a flat 6.85-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a resolution of 3168 x 1440 pixels (510 ppi), a 19.8:9 aspect ratio, an adaptive refresh rate of up to 165 Hz, and a touch sampling rate of 500 Hz. The panel was developed jointly with Samsung Display and is the first among Android smartphones to use M16 organic material combined with 2K LEAD 2.0 technology. According to iQOO, it consumes 31% less power than a comparably sized display with a resolution of 1.5K.

The display is rated for brightness of up to 2,800 nits across the entire panel and local brightness of up to 10,000 nits, as well as precise factory calibration of every subpixel. It supports DC Dimming, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision. An AR anti-reflective coating is also included. The 165 Hz mode has been optimized for more than 50 popular games and 100 everyday apps. Q-flex technology is used to reduce touch input latency.

The smartphone is one of the first to feature the new 2 nm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 processor, paired with the company's proprietary Q4 gaming coprocessor. An Adreno 850 accelerator handles graphics processing. The device scores 5.574 million points in AnTuTu. Cooling is provided by an 8,500 mm² vapor chamber and three layers of thermally conductive graphite with a combined area of 29,453 mm². The new Monster Engine optimizes resource allocation. It comes with 12 or 16 GB of LPDDR5X Ultra RAM and between 256 GB and 1 TB of UFS 4.1 storage.

The rear camera has three 50 MP sensors: a main camera (OmniVision OV50Q, 1/1.3″, f/1.68, OIS, CIPA 5.5), an ultrawide camera (GalaxyCore GC50F0, 1/2.8″, f/2.05, autofocus for macro photography), and a periscope camera (Sony LYT-600, 1/1.95″, f/2.65, W-shaped optics, 3x optical zoom, OIS, CIPA 5.0). It can record 8K video and create Live Photos in 4K. The front camera has a resolution of 32 MP (1/3.1″, f/2.2).

The iQOO 16 has an 8,400 mAh silicon-carbon battery and supports 100 W fast wired charging and 40 W wireless charging. It also supports 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, GPS, and features an IR blaster, two nano-SIM slots, a USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C port, Master Drum Pro stereo speakers, two linear vibration motors, and IP68/IP69 protection. An ultrasonic 3D fingerprint scanner is built into the display. The smartphone runs Android 17 with the proprietary OriginOS 7 interface. The system can display up to five apps simultaneously and includes expanded AI features for creating personalized widgets, reminders, and other tools. Dimensions and weight: 163.75 x 76.9 x 8.55, 229.8 g.

Another important advantage of the iQOO 16 is its price, which is a record low among comparable devices powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 processor. Prices are: 12/256 GB — $894, 12/512 GB — $1,013, 16/512 GB — $1,117, and 16 GB/1 TB — $1,266. The device is available in three colors: gray (Chasing Light), white (Legend), and black (Racing Track). The silver and white models have glass back covers, while the black model has a fiberglass back cover. Sales have already begun in China. No information about an international release is currently available.