The iQOO Neo 7 5G was only recently unveiled in India with a sub-30K price tag. However, it isn’t the only smartphone under Rs 30,000 to make its debut in the country this year. The other one being Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus.
So let’s pit iQOO’s latest mid-ranger against the top dog in the legendary Redmi Note series to find out which is India’s best smartphone under Rs 30,000 in 2023.
iQOO Neo 7 vs Redmi Note 12 Pro+
| Model | iQOO Neo 7 5G | Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus |
| Chip | MediaTek Dimensity 8200 SoC | MediaTek Dimensity 1080 SoC |
| Display | 6.78-inch AMOLED Display, 120Hz, HDR10+ | 6.67-inch AMOLED Display, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision |
| RAM | 8GB/12GB LPDDR5 | 8GB/12GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 | 128GB/256GB UFS 2.2 |
| Rear Cameras | 64 MP Camera with OIS, 2 MP Depth Camera, 2 MP Macro Camera | 200 MP Main Camera with OIS, 8 MP Ultrawide Camera, 2 MP Macro Camera |
| Front Camera | 16 MP | 16 MP |
| Battery | 5,000 mAh, 120W Charging Support | 4,980 mAh, 120W Charging support |
| Fingerprint | In-Display | Side-Mounted |
| Starting Price | Rs 29,999 | Rs 29,999 |
In terms of their design, not much has changed for the iQOO Neo 7, sporting a traditional smartphone design, similar to that of its predecessor. The Redmi Note 12 Pro+, on the other hand, has a flatter, box shaped design as opposed to the rounded design on the Neo 7. In terms of build, the Note 12 Pro Plus’ feel more premium, down to that glass back as opposed to a plastic back on the Neo 7 5G. However, the more premium feel comes at the cost of weight, with the Note 12 Pro+ weighing around 15 grams more. While design is subjective, I’d default to the Redmi Note 12 Pro+.
Display
Moving on to the display on both phones, and things are even for the most part. Both phones offer class leading screens but the Note 12 Pro Plus also gets Dolby Vision support. However, the iQOO Neo 7 5G’s panel features a 1200Hz Instant Touch sampling rate, which will be more advantageous to gamers. Additionally, the display on the Neo 7 also has a higher peak brightness and contrast ratio than the screen on the Note 12 Pro+. On the other hand, the Note 12 Pro+ supports 1920Hz high-frequency PWM diming, which aims to reduce eye fatigue.
Performance
For performance, both phones use MediaTek chips, although the Dimensity 8200 SoC on the Neo 7 5G delivers a massive boost in performance over the Dimensity 1080 chip on the Note 12 Pro+. While the Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus’ MediaTek Dimensity 1080 SoC is more than sufficient to handle multitasking and most games without any hassle, the iQOO Neo 7 will allow you to max out the settings on most tittles with a major increase in CPU and GPU performance. Additionally, the iQOO Neo 7 also features faster RAM and storage standards.
Cameras
We are yet to test the cameras on the iQOO Neo 7, so we’ll compare the camera specs on both devices. On paper, the main 200 MP Samsung HPX sensor shooter on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ does appear to have an advantage here. However, we cannot discount the better ISP on the iQOO Neo 7. But Xiaomi definitely edges it in terms of hardware. Another advantage for the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is the addition of the 8 MP ultrawide, which is lacking on the Neo 7. So far as specifications are concerned, the Note 12 Pro+ appears to have the clear advantage on the camera front.
Battery & Software
When it comes to battery life and charging support, both phones are evenly matched on paper with little separating the two devices. In terms of software, we’d prefer the customisations that come with MIUI over FunTouch OS. And while both phones offer two major OS updates, the Neo 7 runs on Android 13 out of the box, while the Note 12 Pro+ ships with Android 12. On paper, this will give iQOO a leg up in terms of software support.
Should you buy Redmi Note 12 Pro+ or iQOO Neo 7 5G?
The iQOO Neo 7 and Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus go back and forth trading blows across the board. We couldn’t declare a clear winner. However, if you are a mobile gamer, then the iQOO Neo 7 is a pretty clear choice. It is a segment leading performer with a display to match. The iQOO Neo 7 5G clearly offers the best price-to-performance ratio in the segment. The Neo 7 5G also comes out on top in terms of software support, offering one year more than the Note 12 Pro Plus.
But if you are looking for a more well-rounded phone that doesn’t solely focus on performance, then the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ is wroth considering. In terms of both its design and cameras, the Note 12 Pro Plus does come out on top. The MediaTek Dimensity 1080 SoC will provide more than enough mileage for everyday tasks and gaming, it just pales in comparison to the Dimensity 8200 chip.
Also Read: Poco X5 Pro, Realme 10 Pro Plus, or Redmi Note 12 Pro: Which is the best smartphone under Rs 25,000?
OnePlus 11 vs iQOO 11: Which is the best smartphone under Rs 60,000 in 2023?
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