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iQOO confirmed the launch date for the iQOO Neo 12 last week, as we reported at the time. The phone will launch in China on October 28 at 7 PM local time, with sales starting the same evening. For early buyers, though, reservations for the phone have been open through Vivo’s China store since October 10.
Earlier this month, most of the information about the Neo 12 came from leaks. iQOO has since confirmed several key specifications, including its processor, display, and cooling system. Some details, such as the cameras and price, remain unconfirmed, so here’s what we know ahead of the launch.
1. What iQOO has confirmed
The iQOO Neo 12 will run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, paired with iQOO’s Q3 gaming chip and an updated Monster Super Core Engine. This is the same Snapdragon flagship chip used in last year’s lineup, rather than the newer Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 found in the iQOO 16, which launched in China in late September.
The phone also gets an Ice Dome cooling system with a built-in active fan. Combined with the dedicated gaming chip, the setup is meant to keep performance stable during demanding games.
iQOO says supported titles can run at 2K resolution and 185fps, with super resolution and frame interpolation working simultaneously. This applies to supported games rather than every title. The Neo 12 also uses the same touch chip as the iQOO 16, with instant touch sampling of up to 5,000Hz and multi-touch sampling of up to 500Hz.
2. The display
The Neo 12 has a flat 2K display from Visionox with a refresh rate of up to 185Hz. According to iQOO’s Neo product manager, this is the highest refresh rate in the brand’s history. The Neo 11 reached 144Hz, while the iQOO 16 tops out at 165Hz.
iQOO developed the panel with Visionox and Tsinghua University. It uses fourth-generation pTSF light-emitting technology, which is intended to reduce power consumption. Other confirmed display features include peak brightness of up to 2,200 nits, XDR dynamic range enhancement, circular polarization, and a 1-nit sleep screen.
You can find more details in our report on the Neo 12’s front design and display teasers. The screen size is still unknown. An earlier leak from Digital Chat Station suggests a 6.83-inch flat panel, but iQOO has yet to confirm the measurement.
3. Design and colors
According to official teasers, the Neo 12 has a flat screen with thin, even bezels and a centered punch-hole selfie camera. Around the back, the phone has a large rounded-square camera island with two vertically arranged lenses, while a metal frame runs along the sides.
A live photo shared on Weibo shows a pale blue version with a circular mesh grille beside the camera island. It appears to be the fan’s air intake, while a row of slots along the right edge could serve as exhaust vents.
iQOO has confirmed three color options for the Chinese market. One of them has a textured finish that changes its appearance as the phone is tilted. The company developed it in collaboration with the China Academy of Art.
4. Battery and charging
The iQOO Neo 12 is expected to pack a 9,000mAh battery, while its 3C certification listing confirms support for 100W wired charging. iQOO has not yet detailed the battery itself, although one report describes it as a silicon-carbon cell.
If the 9,000mAh capacity is accurate, the Neo 12 will have a considerably larger battery than its predecessor. The iQOO Neo 11 has a 7,500mAh cell, while the iQOO 16 comes with an 8,400mAh battery.
5. What is still unconfirmed
The camera specifications are still a major unknown. According to reports, the phone has a 50MP main camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), an 8MP ultrawide camera, and a 16MP front camera.
However, some listings claim the phone will have a second 50MP rear sensor instead of the 8MP ultrawide. Neither configuration has been confirmed by iQOO, so the official specifications should settle the question. For comparison, the iQOO 16 has three 50MP rear cameras.
Other rumored features include an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor and IP68 and IP69 ratings, but iQOO has not confirmed either yet.
6. Price and availability
iQOO has not announced the iQOO Neo 12’s price or storage configurations. The iQOO Neo 11 launched at CNY 2,599 (about $387) for the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage variant. The iQOO 16, meanwhile, starts at CNY 5,999 (about $894), up from the iQOO 15’s launch price of CNY 4,199 (about $626). The increase has been attributed in part to memory shortages.
The Neo 12’s new display and built-in cooling fan could also affect its price, although there is no confirmed figure yet.
Moreover, the October 28 launch is confirmed only for China. iQOO has not announced an Indian or global release. A previous report suggests the phone could reach select markets as the iQOO 16R, while another claims the 16R is a separate device. The Neo 11 did not launch in India, so the Neo 12’s international availability remains uncertain.
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