Yesterday marked a momentous occasion in IQOO's journey, as the powerhouse IQOO NEO 10R was unveiled at a grand launch event. As a dedicated IQOO Ranger who had to miss the physical event due to work commitments, I made sure to catch every minute of this electrifying launch online. The event perfectly embodied IQOO's philosophy of "I Quest On and On" while celebrating their remarkable 5-year journey in India with several exciting announcements and an impressive device reveal.

5 Years of Questing in India: A Celebration of Community

The launch event kicked off with a heartfelt welcome by our beloved CEO Nipun Marya Sir and a celebration of IQOO's 5th anniversary in India, highlighting the incredible journey IQOO has had since its inception. In a touching tribute to the community that has supported IQOO throughout these years, team IQOO created a special anniversary logo featuring the names of 400 of their most committed community members. And I am so grateful to the whole team for featuring my name on this. This gesture truly reflects how much IQOO values its community of over 2 million+ "questers" who have been the backbone of the brand’s success in India.

The commitment to community was further emphasized with the acknowledgment of the tireless work by the 15 moderators and 16 city rangers who have been instrumental in bringing IQOO experiences across cities in India. For aspiring community members, there's good news, as IQOO announced they will soon be onboarding a second batch of city rangers, opening up new opportunities for passionate IQOO enthusiasts to join the ranger community.

Five Power-Packed Announcements for the Anniversary

To commemorate the brand’s 5-year milestone, IQOO unveiled five major announcements that had the entire community buzzing with excitement.

1. 5 power packed smartphones to arrive soon –

Shankar and the squad are cooking up a storm!  Plans to launch five powerful smartphones over the next five months were revealed. So, get ready for a lineup that’ll redefine speed, design and innovation.

2. CGO 2.0 is back –

The highly popular Chief Gaming Officer (CGO) campaign is making a comeback as CGO 2.0, offering gaming enthusiasts a chance to become IQOO's official gaming representative.

3. International Fan Meet –

This announcement brought cheers as IQOO confirmed the return of their International Fan Meet, with hints pointing toward exotic locations.

4. Campus All -Star Cup 2.0 –

College gamers, this one’s for you! as you have something special to look forward to with the Campus All-Star Cup returning on a much grander scale than before.

5. While the fifth announcement remained a mystery, it was teased as potentially the biggest of all, leaving the community in eager anticipation.

IQOO NEO 10R: #PowerToPlay

The star of the show was undoubtedly the IQOO NEO 10R, positioned as the ultimate gaming companion that gives users the "power to play" without limitations. The device underwent an impressive 24-hour gaming marathon test that concluded just before the event, showcasing its extraordinary stability and performance capabilities under extended gaming sessions.

Revolutionary Design with Dual-Tone Aesthetics

Building on the success of the previous dual-tone design philosophy that resonated strongly with Indian consumers, IQOO has taken the aesthetics of the NEO 10R to the next level. The device comes in two stunning colourways inspired by distinct visual elements. The "Raging Blue" draws inspiration from iconic anime characters with intense power surges, symbolizing strength and energy with a premium camera module borrowed from the IQOO 13. The second option, "Moonknight Titanium," captures the mesmerizing textures of a moon reflection combined with sleek titanium shades for a sophisticated premium look.

Flagship Performance Without Compromise

At the heart of the NEO 10R lies the flagship-level Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, delivering extraordinary performance with a benchmark score exceeding 1.7 million, making it the fastest smartphone in its segment. The processor's big core architecture ensures unmatched power across all eight cores, complemented by flagship-level memory combinations of LPDDR 5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage.

One of the most impressive engineering feats in the NEO 10R is the 6K vapor chamber cooling system, making its debut in the Neo series. This advanced cooling solution helps maintain stable frame rates during intense gaming sessions, addressing a key concern among serious gamers. The device's gaming prowess was validated through rigorous testing conducted in partnership with Digit, where the NEO 10R maintained an average of 87 FPS during a 5-hour BGMI session at 90 FPS settings, outperforming all competitors in its segment.

Groundbreaking Battery Technology in an Ultra-Slim Form

Perhaps the most revolutionary aspect of the NEO 10R is its battery innovation. For the first time in Android history, IQOO has managed to pack a massive 6400 mAh battery into a device while maintaining an incredibly slim profile of just 7.98mm, making it India's slimmest phone with such a large battery capacity. This engineering marvel was achieved through several innovative technologies, including graphite layer restructuring, metal plate reshaping, and new electrolyte technology.

The practical benefit for users is exceptional: the ability to play games like BGMI for up to six hours continuously without worrying about battery life. Additionally, the NEO 10R incorporates the flagship bypass charging feature from the IQOO 13, allowing users to play while charging without impacting the battery's longevity.

Immersive Display and Advanced Camera System

The NEO 10R doesn't just excel in performance and battery life; it delivers an exceptional visual experience with its 144Hz display featuring 1.5K resolution. The display supports multiple gaming scenarios while incorporating eye protection technologies like 3840Hz PWM dimming and DC dimming to reduce eye strain during night usage. With a peak brightness of 4500 nits and the ability to display over one million colours with exceptional colour accuracy (standard correction of just 0.52), the NEO 10R ensures vivid and true-to-life visuals.

For photography enthusiasts, the NEO 10R sports a 50MP Sony OIS portrait camera with both OIS and EIS for steady shots and videos. The camera system leverages Vivo's advanced imaging algorithms to deliver stunning portraits in both 1X and 2X modes, along with impressive low-light performance. The front camera is a capable 32MP shooter that can record in 4K, making it ideal for content creators and vloggers.

FunTouch OS 15 with Cutting-Edge AI Features

On the software front, the NEO 10R comes with FunTouch OS 15 based on Android 15 out of the box, with the promise of 3 years of Android updates and 4 years of security updates. IQOO has integrated several AI-powered features into the software experience, including AI Erase for removing unwanted objects from photos, Super Document for capturing perfect shots of documents and notes, and Image Cut Out for creating stickers and memes. Additional AI capabilities include Circle to Search, Google Gemini assistant, AI translation, and more.

Pricing, Availability, and Pre-booking Offers

The IQOO NEO 10R is positioned competitively across three variants: Effective price after bank discount of 8GB+128GB at ₹24,999, 8GB+256GB at ₹26,999, and 12GB+256GB at ₹28,999. Pre-booking began yesterday (March 11) at 5 PM, with exclusive offers, including a 12-month extended warranty and instant phone setup service at just ₹99. Customers who pre-book can purchase their devices starting March 18, while general availability begins on March 19 through Amazon.in and IQOO.com.

A Milestone Launch for a Community-Focused Brand

The IQOO NEO 10R launch event was more than just a product reveal; it was a celebration of community, innovation, and the relentless quest for excellence that has defined IQOO's journey in India over the past five years. As an IQOO Ranger, I'm incredibly proud to be part of this vibrant community and excited about what lies ahead for us in 2025.

With five major smartphones launching in the coming months and numerous community activities planned throughout the year, 2025 truly promises to be IQOO's biggest year yet. After the IQOO 13, the NEO 10R sets the stage with its groundbreaking performance, battery innovation, and commitment to delivering the ultimate gaming experience at a competitive price point. I can't wait to see how the community embraces it. The quest continues, and it's only getting more exciting!