iQOO has launched the Z11i in China, the latest phone in its mid-range Z11 series. The device targets budget-conscious buyers who want a large battery and decent everyday performance without spending a lot. It runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chip and ships with Android 16 out of the box, which is still relatively rare at this price point.
As Gadgets360 reported, the phone is available in three storage configurations and three color options, and is already on sale through Vivo’s online store in China. There’s no word yet on whether it will reach India or other markets.
The iQOO Z11i sits in a crowded segment where brands like Realme, Redmi, and Infinix compete hard on specs-per-dollar. A 6,500mAh battery is a strong selling point here, since most competitors in this range top out at around 5,000mAh to 5,500mAh. iQOO claims the battery can last up to 25.3 days on standby or up to 21 hours of talk time on a single charge. The catch is that charging is limited to 15W over USB-C, which means filling that large battery will take a while.
Here’s a quick look at what the Z11i offers:
- 6.74-inch HD+ (720 x 1,600 pixels) LCD display with 120Hz refresh rate
- Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chip built on a 4nm process
- Up to 8GB LPDDR4x RAM and up to 256GB UFS 3.1 storage
- 13-megapixel rear camera with f/2.2 aperture and 10x digital zoom
- 5-megapixel front camera inside a water drop notch
- 6,500mAh battery with 15W wired charging
- IP65 dust and water resistance rating
- SGS 5-Star drop and shock resistance certification
- Android 16 with Vivo’s OriginOS 6
The Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 is a solid chip for this price range. It handles day-to-day tasks well and supports 5G connectivity. The inclusion of an Adreno 613 GPU means casual gaming is possible, though don’t expect high-end performance in graphically demanding titles. The phone also has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and face unlock, which are standard at this tier.
On the camera side, a single 13-megapixel shooter is modest even by budget standards. Many phones at a similar price now offer dual or triple camera setups, though extra lenses at this level are often low-quality depth or macro sensors that add little real value. Video recording tops out at 1080p.
Connectivity options are reasonably complete. The phone supports 5G, 4G LTE, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, and multiple satellite navigation systems including GPS, BeiDou, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS. There’s also an IR blaster, which remains a useful feature for controlling TVs and other home appliances.
The display is one area where the Z11i makes compromises. A 720p resolution on a 6.74-inch screen results in a pixel density that is noticeably lower than what mid-range phones from Xiaomi or Samsung offer at comparable prices. The 83 percent NTSC color coverage also suggests colors won’t be particularly vivid. That said, the 120Hz refresh rate helps scrolling feel smooth, which matters for everyday use.
Pricing in China breaks down as follows:
- 6GB RAM + 128GB storage: CNY 1,299 (roughly Rs. 18,000)
- 8GB RAM + 128GB storage: CNY 1,499 (roughly Rs. 21,000)
- 8GB RAM + 256GB storage: CNY 1,699 (roughly Rs. 24,000)
The phone weighs 209g and measures 167.40 x 77.10 x 8.39mm, which is fairly standard for a device with a battery this size. It comes in Desert Gold, Mo Ying, and Qingfeng color options. Whether iQOO plans an India launch hasn’t been confirmed, but the brand has been active in the Indian market with previous Z-series phones, so an announcement there is possible.