Performance is one of the key areas when customers want to buy a smartphone under Rs 40,000. We have already seen what the price of the smartphone is. iQOO Neo 9 Pro ,Review), which uses last year's Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, could feature. However, the same segment is now occupied by Realme's new performance-focused Realme GT 6T ,Review), which features Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 SoC. It also comes at a relatively more affordable price.
Based on Qualcomm's name, the Snapdragon 8 Gen-series holds more value. However, can a new player with a refreshed processor in this segment give it tough competition? Here's a performance comparison between the Realme GT 6T and the iQOO Neo 9 Pro
Realme GT 6T vs iQOO Neo 9 Pro specifications
| smart fone | Realme GT 6T | iQOO Neo 9 Pro |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7+ Generation 3 SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC |
| GPU | Adreno 732 GPU | Adreno 740 GPU |
| storage | Up to 12GB of LPDDR5x RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage | Up to 12GB of LPDDR5x RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage |
Geekbench
Before we begin, readers should note that we are comparing the top storage variants of the iQOO Neo 9 Pro (12GB LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB UFS 4.0 storage) and the Realme GT 6T (12GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB UFS 4.0 storage). If you opt for the latter base variant, the phone offers the USF 3.1 storage standard.
In Geekbench's single and multi-core tests, which essentially evaluate the performance of a chipset under heavy load, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro was ahead despite using last year's Snapdragon SoC (image below). The scores show that the iQOO Neo 9 Pro can handle basic (app launching, browsing) and heavy (editing, gaming) tasks more efficiently than the Realme GT 6T. It is important to note that the scores achieved by both the smartphones are highly respectable in this segment.
the winner: iQOO Neo 9 Pro
Antutu
Even in the AnTuTu benchmark, which evaluates CPU and GPU performance, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro achieved higher scores. In fact, it remains the most powerful smartphone in the segment based on AnTuTu scores. Again, the Realme GT 6T performed much better than some of its direct rivals, but falls behind the iQOO Neo 9 Pro.
Interestingly, the Realme GT 6T scored 3.35 lakh points in AnTuTu's “memory” test, while the iQOO Neo 9 Pro scored 3.06 lakh points. This suggests that some basic files may load faster on the Realme GT 6T. In a dedicated read-and-write test via the CPDT app, it was mostly a draw between the two phones, possibly because they use the same memory standard.
CPU Throttle
In CPU throttle through the Burnout app, the Realme GT 6T showed better stability at its peak performance (image below). While this might suggest that the Realme GT 6T is more power efficient, the difference between the two isn't very significant based on this result.
the winner: Realme GT 6T
Gambling
While the benchmarks are in the favor of the iQOO Neo 9 Pro, things might be different in real life. Or do they?
Since the focus is on performance, both smartphones can easily play demanding titles. In our gaming test, we tested both phones for 30 minutes by running BGMI, Call of Duty and Real Racing. On average, both smartphones consumed more or less the same battery.
However, after 30 minutes of playing BGMI, the internal temperature of the Realme GT 6T increased by around 5 degrees Celsius and that of the iQOO Neo 9 Pro increased by around 6 degrees Celsius. Notably, both smartphones exhibited similar changes in internal temperature after 30 minutes of Call of Duty playtime. The overall gaming experience on both smartphones was more or less the same, although the iQOO Neo 9 Pro offered consistently higher frame rates.
the winner: iQOO Neo 9 Pro
Decision
Based on the data and gaming experience, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro has proven its superiority in the segment under Rs 40,000. However, before making a final decision, there are a few things to keep in mind.
- For example, the Realme GT 6T can deliver a better display experience in harsh sunlight. You can check out our Instagram reel against the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra here.
- Moreover, the Realme GT 6T is promised to receive major Android OS updates for up to four years. Both the smartphones come with a number of pre-loaded apps, which can clutter the software experience.
- As mentioned, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro is the better performer, but the Realme GT 6T is more affordable (base variant). It is worth noting that its top variant with 512GB storage is priced at Rs 39,999, which is just Rs 1,000 more than the top option of the iQOO Neo Pro with 256GB storage.
