iQOO 12 5G Problems: What You Should Know Before Buying It – Review

The iQOO 12 5G recently entered the market in November 2023, featuring the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. Not only does it have a powerful processor, but the company also focuses on the display, which is a 6.78-inch 144Hz LTPO display. Additionally, this new handset has a triple rear camera system with a 50MP main sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 64MP periscope telephoto sensor, along with a 16MP front-facing camera.

Considering the initial price of ₹52,999 (in India), the iQOO 12 5G appears to be a high-end smartphone and a great option for gamers. However, just because a phone offers such valuable features doesn’t mean you should blindly purchase it. Instead, you should be aware of the potential problems that people face in real life. Taking user needs into account, we will now discuss the issues that arise with the iQOO 12 5G.

iQOO 12 5G: Hidden Issues You Need to Know Before Buying

When we reviewed the phone, we found numerous positive aspects, such as the display advancement, the processor’s speed, and the camera specifications, among others. However, since the phone was released a month ago, many users who purchased it have reported real-life problems. In other words, they have encountered some minor issues with the phone that you should be aware of if you are planning to buy it. Below, we will mention these issues based on different parameters.

Design and build

Starting with the positive aspect, the iQOO 12 5G has a sleek and modern design, especially the glossy porcelain enamel glass back that catches the light and turns heads. It is available in either a bold tri-colour BMW M Motorsport stripe or a minimalist Alpha colourway. However, this attractive design has also brought about some problems that people are facing in real life. These problems are as follows:

• The glossy finish can make the phone difficult to grip, increasing the risk of drops and accidents.
• Such a design is more prone to scratches and scuffs, especially without a case.
• Because of the glossy finish, the phone readily attracts fingerprints and smudges, requiring frequent cleaning.
• Some users have expressed the opinion that the phone’s durability is compromised due to this design.

Performance

There is no doubt that the iQOO 12 5G is a true beast, packed with raw power to handle the most demanding tasks. It is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, which is currently the king of mobile CPUs. It provides ultra-responsive visuals, supports 120W charging, and offers 5G connectivity. However, despite having such power, there are a few downsides that users have observed, as listed below:

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• Although the phone has a 6K VC Four-Zone Cooling system to manage heat, some users have experienced thermal throttling during intense gaming sessions.
• While the phone has a 5000mAh battery, some users have reported fluctuations in battery life, with some experiencing faster drain than expected.
• Even though the iQOO 5G has decent software support, a few occasional stutters, glitches, and bugs have been reported on this new release.

Battery life

The iQOO 12 5G has a reputed 5000mAh battery life that promises long-lasting endurance for even the most hungry users. And talking about charging response, the phone supports 120W, which can charge your phone from 0% to 100% in just 15 minutes. Additionally, it has some focused charging modes that suit every user’s needs. However, some users have faced difficulties that are listed below:

• Users are of the view that frequent use of 120W charging can potentially shorten the battery’s lifespan over time.
• Some users claimed that the phone experienced higher-than-expected battery drain when it was not in active use.
• While playing games or charging, the phone can get warm, potentially impacting battery performance.

Camera Quality

The iQOO 12 5G has a versatile camera setup equipped with a triple camera system that comprises 50 MP (main sensor), 50 MP (ultrawide sensor), and 64 MP (periscope telephoto sensor). Not only that, the phone has multiple features such as gimbal stabilisation, AI scene recognition, night mode, portrait mode, and so on. Meanwhile, that camera setup caters to both casual and enthusiast photographers. But here are some difficulties that people find with the camera:

• Some people complain that photos appear overly processed, with artificial sharpening and smoothing.
• The colours in photos and videos can sometimes appear oversaturated or inaccurate.
• Autofocus issues have been reported in certain scenarios, like low-light conditions.
• Although video quality is decent, some users wish for higher frame rate options for smoother slow-motion footage.

Software and the User Interface

As you are well aware from the phone specs, the iQOO 12 5G runs on iQOO UI 13, which is based on Android 13. It is built with a focus on providing accessibility through clean design, rich customisation options, gaming-centric features, and pre-installed apps that can be uninstalled. However, people have found a few issues with the software and UI mentioned below:

• Some users have observed the presence of pre-installed apps that they find unnecessary and intrusive.
• The iQOO 12 5G has minor bugs and glitches like app crashes or UI lag.
• It seems that the rollout of software updates can sometimes be slow or inconsistent across regions.
• Some users think that software optimisation needs to be sharpened, especially for the battery drain issue.

User reviews and feedback

At this moment, you have read all the great and major shortcomings of the newly released iQOO 12 5G. But this can’t give you a straight answer. For this, we gather up things and find that the phone has numerous good things like blazing-fast performance, a smooth responsive display, fast charging, a versatile camera system, and a sleek design.

But of course, it has a few downsides, such as battery draining, software glitches, overheating, bloatware, and limited customisation options. As of now, this is the phone’s status, and hopefully, all shortcomings will be resolved by a software update.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, while the iQOO 12 5G boasts impressive features, potential issues with design, performance, battery life, camera, software, and connectivity should be considered. Prospective buyers should weigh these factors against their priorities, seeking user feedback for a well-informed decision. Awareness of potential challenges will enable users to make a more informed choice based on their individual preferences and requirements.

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