iQOO has launched the iQOO 16 in China with a new design, a larger battery, and a 2nm Snapdragon chipset. The flagship features a 6.85-inch 2K 165Hz OLED display, a 50MP triple rear camera setup, and an 8,400mAh battery with 100W wired and 40W wireless charging.
The iQOO 16 starts at ¥5,999 for the 12GB + 256GB variant, up ¥1,800 from the iQOO 15’s launch price of ¥4,199. That’s roughly a 43% increase in one generation. The phone is now on sale across China, with a national subsidy bringing the base model’s price down to ¥5,499.
iQOO 16 Price in China and Availability
The iQOO 16 comes in four configurations:
- 12GB + 256GB: ¥5,999 (¥5,499 with the national subsidy)
- 12GB + 512GB: ¥6,799
- 16GB + 512GB: ¥7,499
- 16GB + 1TB: ¥8,499
The national subsidy applies only to the base variant. iQOO has started sales across all channels in China.
iQOO 16 Specifications
- Display: 6.85-inch 2K Samsung M16 LTPO LEAD OLED, 165Hz refresh rate, 10,000 nits local peak brightness, 2,800 nits HBM, AR anti-reflective film, 3,300Hz PWM dimming, 5,000Hz instantaneous TSR
- Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 (2nm)
- Gaming chip: iQOO Q4
- Cooling: 8,500mm² vapor chamber
- RAM and storage: 12GB/16GB LPDDR5X Ultra/Ultra Pro, 256GB/512GB/1TB UFS 4.1
- Rear cameras: 50MP OV50Q main (1/1.3-inch sensor, f/1.68, OIS, CIPA 5.5), 50MP GC50F0 ultra-wide (1/2.75-inch sensor, f/2.05), 50MP Sony IMX882 3x periscope telephoto (1/1.95-inch sensor, 73mm focal length, f/2.65, OIS, CIPA 5.0, up to 100x digital zoom)
- Front camera: 32MP GC32E1 (1/3.1-inch sensor, f/2.2)
- Battery: 8,400mAh, 100W wired charging, 40W wireless charging, Bypass Charging 2.0
- Software: Android 17 with OriginOS 7
- Audio: Symmetrical stereo speakers, AAC 091640 vibration motor
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, IR blaster, USB 3.2 Gen 1, Wi-Fi enhancement chip
- Protection and security: IP69/IP68 ratings, 3D ultrasonic fingerprint scanner
ALSO READ: iPhone 18 Pro Review: Incredible Battery, Familiar Camera
Display and Performance
The iQOO 16 features a 6.85-inch 2K Samsung M16 LTPO LEAD OLED display with a 165Hz refresh rate. According to iQOO, it’s the first Android phone to use Samsung’s new M16 panel.
The display supports up to 10,000 nits of local peak brightness, while high-brightness mode reaches 2,800 nits. It also supports 3,300Hz PWM dimming, 5,000Hz instantaneous TSR, and an anti-reflective film to reduce reflections.
Under the hood, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 uses a 2nm process and a 2+3+3 CPU configuration, with clock speeds reaching up to 5GHz. iQOO has paired it with the dedicated Q4 gaming chip, which handles ray tracing and supports 2K resolution with 165fps super-resolution frame interpolation.
The Q4 chip also supports an 8K game camera feature through an OTA update. An 8,500mm² vapor chamber handles cooling during demanding workloads.
RAM and Storage
The iQOO 16 comes with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. The 12GB and 16GB configurations use LPDDR5X Ultra memory rated at 9,600Mbps, while the 16GB + 1TB variant gets LPDDR5X Ultra Pro memory rated at 10,667Mbps. All variants use UFS 4.1 storage.
Battery and Charging
The iQOO 16 packs an 8,400mAh battery, up from the 7,000mAh cell in the iQOO 15. That’s a 1,400mAh increase over its predecessor.
Charging speeds remain at 100W wired and 40W wireless. The phone also supports Bypass Charging 2.0, which lets it draw power directly while plugged in during supported use cases.
Cameras
The iQOO 16 features a triple rear camera setup, with all three cameras using 50MP sensors.
The main camera uses a 50MP OV50Q sensor measuring 1/1.3 inches, with an f/1.68 aperture and optical image stabilization. It also carries a CIPA 5.5 stabilization rating.
The ultra-wide camera uses a 50MP GC50F0 sensor measuring 1/2.75 inches, paired with an f/2.05 aperture.
For zoom, the phone gets a 50MP Sony IMX882 periscope telephoto camera with a 1/1.95-inch sensor, a 73mm focal length, and an f/2.65 aperture. It supports 3x optical zoom, optical image stabilization, a CIPA 5.0 rating, and up to 100x digital zoom.
On the front, the phone has a 32MP GC32E1 selfie camera with a 1/3.1-inch sensor and an f/2.2 aperture.
Design and Colors
The iQOO 16 gets a redesigned camera island and comes in three color options: Track, Legend, and Chasing Light.
The Chasing Light variant features an angular geometric pattern on the back. The phone’s thickness and weight vary by color, with Track being the thinnest and lightest option.
Other Features
The iQOO 16 runs Android 17 with OriginOS 7. It also features symmetrical stereo speakers, an AAC 091640 vibration motor, and a 3D ultrasonic fingerprint scanner.
For connectivity, the phone supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC, an IR blaster, and USB 3.2 Gen 1. iQOO has also included a dedicated Wi-Fi enhancement chip. The phone carries IP69 and IP68 ratings for dust and water resistance.
The Memory Shortage Is Now a Price Problem
The iQOO 16’s starting price of ¥5,999 is ¥1,800 higher than the iQOO 15’s launch price of ¥4,199, a roughly 43% increase. The base configuration still comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, so buyers are paying considerably more for the same memory capacity.
The higher price comes as memory shortages continue to affect the smartphone industry. The larger battery and faster display are notable hardware changes, while the base RAM and storage remain unchanged.
India Launch and Expected Price
iQOO has confirmed that the iQOO 16 will launch globally, so an India launch is expected. The company hasn’t announced an India launch date or local pricing yet.
For reference, the iQOO 15 launched in China at ¥4,199 and arrived in India at ₹72,999. With the iQOO 16 starting at ¥5,999, the base variant could land around ₹1.2 lakh in India as per rumors.
You can follow Smartprix on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Google News. Visit smartprix.com for the latest tech and auto news, reviews, and guides.
