If you need the highest performance or you are a gamer and you need a new phone, the newly-announced iQOO 3 is among the best options actually available. It is one of the first handsets meant for gamers and power users launched in this 2020, alongside the Realme X50 Pro 5G. But is it worth upgrading to this device? Or 2019 flagship phones are still able to offer more at affordable prices? That is the question we will try to answer through this comparison between iQOO 3, OnePlus 7T and Asus ROG Phone II: the first gaming-centric 2020 flagship against one of the best 2019 deals in the affordable flagships segment and the best gaming-centric device launched last year.
Vivo iQOO 3 vs OnePlus 7T vs Asus ROG Phone II
| OnePlus 7T | Asus ROG Phone II | Vivo iQOO 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 160.9 x 74.4 x 8.1 mm, 190 grams | 171 x 77.6 x 9.5 mm, 240 grams | 158.5 x 74.9 x 9.2 mm, 214.5 g |
| DISPLAY | 6.55 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), 402 ppi, 20:9 ratio, Fluid AMOLED | 6.59 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 391 ppi, 19.5:9 ratio, AMOLED | 6.44 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), Super AMOLED |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+, octa-core 2.96 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+, octa-core 2.96 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, octa-core 2.84 GHz |
| MEMORY | 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB | 12 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 512 GB – 12 GB RAM, 1 TB | 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 12 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – 12 GB RAM, 256 GB |
| SOFTWARE | Android 10, Oxygen OS | Android 9 Pie, ROG UI | Android 10, iQOO UI |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ad, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS |
| CAMERA | Triple 48 + 12 MP + 16 MP f/1.6 and f/2.2 and f/2.2 16 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Dual 48 + 13 MP f/1.8 and f/2.4 24 MP f/2.2 front camera |
Quad 48 + 13 + 13 + 2 MP, f/1.8 + f/2.5 + f/2.2 + f/2.4 16 MP f/2.5 front camera |
| BATTERY | 3800 mAh Fast charging 30W with Warp Charge 30T |
6000 mAh, Fast Charging 30W with Quick Charge 4.0 | 4400 mAh, fast charging 55W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Dual SIM slot | Dual SIM slot, support to external accessories, RGB light | Dual SIM slot, optional 5G |
Design
We are going to exclude the Asus ROG Phone II from the design comparison since it has a gaming-centric design. If you are a gamer and you want everyone to know it with an aggressive design including RGB lights, you know what to choose. Also, note that Asus ROG Phone II is compatible with interesting external accessories for gaming such as a desktop dock and more. But if you want a “normal” phone, then you should undoubtedly go for the iQOO 3 or the OnePlus 7T. Both come with premium materials (glass sandwich + aluminum frame): the first is slightly more compact, while the latter is thinner and it has narrower bezels around the display.
Display
The best display for gamers belongs to the Asus ROG Phone II. With a high 120 Hz refresh rate and a 240 Hz touch sampling rate, it is one of the smoothest and most reactive panels ever seen on a mobile phone. If you care more about having the best image quality while streaming content, then OnePlus 7T is an amazing option with its HDR10+ certification. But overall, we would pick the display of the Asus ROG Phone II. Unfortunately, Vivo iQOO 3 lacks a high refresh rate, but it still offers a great screen with a 180 Hz touch sampling rate and HDR10+.
Hardware/Software
The presence of Snapdragon 865 makes the iQOO 3 superior to its two rivals. The iQOO 3 is also the only phone of this trio to support 5G connectivity, but only in the most expensive configuration with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of native storage. Further, iQOO 3 is the only with the new UFS 3.1 internal storage, while OnePlus 7T and Asus ROG Phone II come with a slower UFS 3.0 storage. Android 10 is out of the box on the OnePlus 7T and iQOO 3, while Asus ROG Phone II had it through a software update. Asus ROG Phone II actually allows you to switch between a customized user interface and stock Android.
Camera
The presence of an amazing 48 MP sensor with a bright f/1.6 focal aperture and OIS makes OnePlus 7T the best camera phone of this comparison. The handset also sports a telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom and a 16 MP ultrawide sensor. Further, it has a great 16 MP front camera. Right after, we got the iQOO 3 with a 48 MP quad camera including a telephoto lens as well. But despite its four sensors, we believe OnePlus 7T will be more convincing. Asus ROG Phone II is all but a camera phone, it comes with just a dual camera, but this does not mean it is bad at taking photos. It has good autofocus and captures a high detail, but not at the same level as its rivals.
Battery
Asus ROG Phone II is the king of battery life and it is one of the flagships with the longest lasting battery, so it wins the battery comparison. It sports a huge 6000 mAh battery with the support to reverse charging. iQOO 3 has the fastest charging technology and still a great battery with a 4400 mAh capacity, while OnePlus 7T has just an average 3800 mAh unit. Until today, we did not see any last-generation flagship offering a superior battery life to the Asus ROG Phone II.
Price
In India, you can currently grab a unit of the ROG Phone II for about Rs. 37,999 in the base variant. OnePlus 7T costs about Rs. 34,090, while iQOO 3 is coming soon in India with a starting price of about Rs. 36,990. OnePlus 7T and Asus ROG Phone II can be found globally with street prices inferior to €500/$550, while iQOO 3 is not available in the global market. If cameras are not your priority and you do not care about 5G, we believe Asus ROG Phone II is still able to offer something more compared to its opponents. But OnePlus 7T comes with a really good camera and a very affordable price, while iQOO 3 has definitely the best hardware. The choice mostly depends on the kind of user you are, that is why we will not pick a definitive winner for this comparison.
Vivo iQOO 3 vs OnePlus 7T vs Asus ROG Phone II: PRO and CONS
OnePlus 7T
PROS
- Great display
- Best cameras
- Good street price
- Thinner
CONS
- Smaller battery
Asus ROG Phone II
PROS
- Best battery
- Reverse charging
- External accessories for gaming
- Highest refresh rate
CONS
- Inferior cameras
Vivo iQOO 3
PROS
- Best hardware
- Optional 5G
- Fastest charging
- Smaller dimensions
CONS
- Standard refresh rate
