The Vivo iQOO is for gamers on a budget

We tried out Vivo's gaming smartphone

2-MIN READ2-MIN

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

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.

The Vivo iQOO is for gamers on a budget

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}We tried out Vivo's gaming smartphone

We tried out Vivo's gaming smartphone