Introduction and Specifications
The iQOO 13 is one of the first Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered smartphones on the market, but that’s not its biggest selling point. This handset is one of the most affordable solutions running on Qualcomm’s latest and greatest.
The device has already launched in China, and is now making progress outside the country. Apart from the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, the iQOO 13 has impressive hardware – an LTPO OLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate, a powerful set of three 50MP cameras on the back, a large 6,000 mAh battery (6,150 mAh in regions outside India), 120W fast charging. and an ultrasonic fingerprint reader.
Vivo iQOO 13 specs at a glance:
- Body: 163.4×76.7×8.0 mm, 207 g; Glass front (Shot Generation Alpha), aluminum frame, glass back; IP68/IP69 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 minutes), RGB LED light on the back.
- Display: 6.82″ LTPO AMOLED, 1B color, 144Hz, HDR10+, 1800 nits (HBM), 6500 nits (peak), 1440x3168px resolution, 19.8:9 aspect ratio, 510ppi.
- Chipset: Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm): octa-core (2×4.32 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6×3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M); Adreno 830.
- Memory: 256GB 12GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM; UFS 4.0 or UFS 4.1.
- OS/Software: Up to Android 15, 4 major Android upgrades, Funtouch 15 (International), OriginOS 5 (China).
- rear camera: wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm, 1/1.56″, PDAF, OIS; telephoto: 50 MP, f/1.9, 46mm, 1/2.93″, PDAF, OIS, 2x optical zoom; ultra wide angle: 50 MP, f/2.0, 1/2.76″, AF.
- Front Camera: 32 MP, f/2.5, (wide).
- video capture: rear camera: 8K@30fps, 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, Gyro-EIS; front camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps.
- Battery: 6150mAh (International), 6,000 (India); 120W wired, PPS, 100% in 30 minutes (advertised).
- Connectivity: 5G; dual SIM; Wi-Fi 7; BT 5.4, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, LHDC5; NFC; Infrared port.
- various: Fingerprint reader (under the display, ultrasonic); Stereo speaker.
The IQOO 13 isn’t just about performance. This makes for a great smartphone at a very competitive price. Vivo’s more budget-friendly sub-brand doesn’t compromise on build quality. The iQOO 13 ticks almost all the flagship checkboxes, including longer software support.
Still, the iQOO 13 isn’t the only Snapdragon 8 Elite option on the market, so let’s take a deeper look at whether the 13 is worth the hype.
Too bad the handset’s availability is limited to a few markets, mostly Asian.
Unboxing the iQOO 13
It’s refreshing to see that the iQOO 13 comes with a complete package – a USB-C to USB-C cable and a 120W-capable charger for charging and data transfer.
There is also a transparent silicone case for added protection.
