The Vivo iQOO is for gamers on a budget

We tried out Vivo's gaming smartphone

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With touch sensors on the side, you get a console-like gaming experience. (Picture: Abacus)

Chris Chang

Published: 7:29pm, 15 Mar 2019Updated: 8:59am, 20 Sep 2019

This article originally appeared on ABACUS

I’m generally not a huge fan of gaming smartphones. Part of it is the price: They usually don’t come cheap. Another reason is the looks: Some people may like sharp edges, backlit logos, or speaker grilles on the front -- but they just aren’t my thing.

The Vivo iQOO has a unique back design. (Picture: Abacus)

The Vivo iQOO is different. Yes, it’s a handset designed with gamers in mind, and it’s got plenty of powerful specs to match. It’s Vivo’s first smartphone to include the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor. It also has a big 6.4-inch display, a vapor cooling system, and as much as 12GB RAM plus 256GB storage.

But on the outside, the iQOO doesn’t scream “gaming phone!” In fact, it looks a little like Xiaomi’s new Mi 9. Both have a dewdrop notch on the front, an in-screen fingerprint scanner, and a triple camera on the back. But the iQOO has a sturdier build. It’s also thicker than the Mi 9, something that I prefer because it gives a better grip. Another thing I like: The iQOO has a 3.5mm headphone jack -- a feature missing on the Mi 9.

Xiaomi Mi 9 (left) and Vivo iQOO (right). (Picture: Abacus)

I also really like the LED strip on the back. It lights up when you get notifications on the phone and during charging, which is pretty neat.