The iQOO Z11, alongside its more affordable Z11x sibling, made its debut in Malaysia last month as the brand’s latest additions to the mid-range smartphone market. While both devices from the vivo sub-brand share a similar design language and target audience, the standard model positions itself as the more capable option of the pair.
At first glance, the Z11 does not immediately strike me as a device that would challenge expectations. On paper, it appears to be another upper mid-range smartphone trying to balance performance, battery life, and affordability. Yet after spending some time with it, there were several areas where the phone managed to pleasantly surprise me.
What Am I Looking At?
Aesthetically, the iQOO Z11 continues the vivo sub-brand’s trend of delivering devices that look and feel more premium than their price tags might suggest. It does not attempt to reinvent smartphone design, but there is enough attention paid to the finer details to prevent it from looking generic.
The overall silhouette feels immediately familiar. In fact, many people will probably associate its flat-edged frame and clean rear panel design with a certain smartphone lineup from a company whose logo happens to be a bitten fruit. Whether intentional or not, the resemblance certainly gives the Z11 a more premium first impression than many of its direct rivals.
While iQOO does not explicitly specify the materials used throughout the chassis, the phone feels reassuringly sturdy in hand. There is a noticeable heft to it, although some of that can undoubtedly be attributed to the massive 9,020mAh battery packed inside. Thankfully, the weight never feels excessive, and the device remains comfortable enough for prolonged use.
The rear panel features a brushed metallic finish with a matte texture that is available in either Glacier Blue or Cosmic Black. Under favourable lighting conditions, the finish reflects light quite elegantly and gives the device a more premium appearance. Under duller environments, however, the design loses some of its visual flair and can appear somewhat plain.
Still, while it may not be the most striking smartphone in its segment, the Z11 looks and feels like a device that costs more than it actually does, and that is rarely a bad thing.
What’s Good About It?
The iQOO Z11 largely embraces a “what you see is what you get” philosophy, and in many ways that works to its advantage. There are no flashy gimmicks or headline-grabbing features here, but the fundamentals are executed rather well.
Its 6.83-inch AMOLED display serves as one of the phone’s strongest selling points. With a 1.5K resolution, vibrant colours, and excellent contrast levels, the panel performs admirably whether you are browsing social media, watching videos, editing photos, or simply navigating the interface. The generous 144Hz refresh rate also contributes significantly to the overall experience, making animations and scrolling feel exceptionally smooth.
The under-display fingerprint scanner is equally reliable. Authentication is quick and consistent, though as with any biometric system, enrolling multiple fingerprint profiles remains the best way to ensure dependable performance across different usage scenarios.
Audio performance is not bad either. The stereo speaker setup delivers adequate volume and clarity for videos, gaming, and casual music listening. Of course, just don’t expect it to outperform traditional audio devices.
Performance, however, is where the Z11 becomes somewhat puzzling. Benchmark results were surprisingly underwhelming, particularly in graphics-focused workloads such as 3DMark. Based on those numbers alone, one could easily assume the phone struggles under demanding conditions. In practice, though, the actual user experience tells a very different story.
Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset, the Z11 handles everyday tasks effortlessly. App launches are quick, multitasking remains fluid, and navigating between applications rarely results in noticeable slowdowns.
Gaming performance is similarly respectable. During testing with Arknights: Endfield and Where Winds Meet, the phone consistently maintained frame rates above 50fps on medium settings with frame rate restrictions removed. There were occasional dips during particularly demanding scenes, but nothing severe enough to impact overall playability.
Users seeking additional performance can activate iQOO’s Monster Mode, which pushes the hardware more aggressively. The difference is noticeable, especially during gaming sessions, although the trade-off comes in the form of increased heat output and faster battery consumption.
Fortunately, thermal management is one area where the Z11 performs surprisingly well. Outside of benchmark testing, temperatures remained largely under control even during extended gaming sessions. The cooling system appears capable enough to prevent significant thermal throttling under normal circumstances.
As one of its main draws, the battery life of the Z11 is indeed a highlight. The enormous 9,020mAh battery allows the phone to comfortably last multiple days under typical usage patterns. Throughout my testing, which included constant internet connectivity, social media usage, photography, and occasional gaming, the phone consistently delivered impressive endurance.
The camera system also deserves some credit despite its relatively simple hardware configuration. The lone 50MP main sensor performs admirably in favourable lighting conditions, producing detailed images with pleasing dynamic range. Looking at the results, I could not help but notice traces of vivo’s imaging expertise making their way into the final output.
Portrait mode is particularly impressive. Edge detection is generally accurate, while the depth effect often looks more natural than what one would expect from a phone in this category.
What’s The Catch?
For all its strengths, the iQOO Z11 is not without shortcomings. The most surprising issue concerns battery efficiency. While real-world endurance proved excellent throughout my testing, the phone delivered unexpectedly modest results during our continuous video streaming test. Despite its enormous 9,020mAh battery, the device lasted slightly over 19 hours before shutting down.
That figure is not poor by any means, but it falls short of what such a massive battery would suggest. The discrepancy points towards a potential optimisation issue rather than a hardware limitation, which means it could potentially be addressed through future software updates.
Speaking of software, the Z11 runs OriginOS 6.0 based on Android 16. As with most heavily customised Android skins, the interface brings its own visual identity and additional features. However, beyond its distinct appearance, there is little here that fundamentally changes the smartphone experience.
My bigger concern remains the amount of bloatware. While many can be removed, the sheer volume of bloatware included out of the box feels unnecessary and continues to be one of the more frustrating aspects of many third-party Android implementations.
Imaging-wise, apart from the 50MP main camera and accompanying depth sensor, there is little else to work with. There is no ultra-wide camera, no telephoto lens, and consequently no meaningful optical zoom capability.
Low-light photography is similarly inconsistent. Some nighttime shots can look surprisingly good, with respectable detail retention and decent exposure. Others, however, suffer from aggressive noise reduction that removes fine details in the process.
Digital zoom beyond 2x is also best avoided. Once you begin pushing beyond the sensor’s comfortable range, image quality deteriorates quickly and photos start looking noticeably softer.
I am also not particularly fond of the default colour profile. Images tend to appear overly saturated, resulting in colours that occasionally look less natural than they should. Switching to the Natural profile improves matters considerably and produces results that I found more pleasing overall.
More Sample Images
Competition
POCO X8 Pro
The POCO X8 Pro arguably remains one of the strongest performance-focused options within this price bracket. Powered by a more capable chipset and backed by a versatile camera system that includes an ultra-wide shooter, the phone offers a more balanced overall package for users who prioritise raw performance and gaming.
Nothing Phone (4a) Pro
Meanwhile, the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro takes a very different approach. Rather than focusing purely on specifications, Nothing continues to differentiate itself through its distinctive transparent-inspired design language and cleaner software experience. The Phone (4a) Pro also delivers a more versatile camera setup and a less cluttered user interface, making it appealing for users who value aesthetics and software polish.
Should I Buy It?
Rather than being another affordable flagship killer in the traditional iQOO mould, the Z11 feels more like a well-rounded mid-range smartphone that focuses on getting the essentials right. Its Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chipset delivers dependable performance, the display is excellent, and the enormous battery capacity gives it a practical advantage over many rivals. The compromises are equally apparent, however, particularly in the camera department where the absence of additional lenses limits its versatility.
Still, for a device positioned within the RM1,800 to RM2,200 price range, the Z11 offers a compelling package. Compared to its closest competitors, the Z11 makes the strongest case for itself among users who prioritise battery life, gaming performance, and day-to-day reliability. Its camera system may not challenge flagship devices, but the influence of vivo’s imaging expertise helps the main sensor produce detailed and enjoyable photos in the right conditions.
If your expectations align with what the phone sets out to achieve, the iQOO Z11 is an easy recommendation. It may not excel in every category, but it performs well where it matters most.
