iQOO has globally launched its latest flagship smartphone, the iQOO 16, featuring a 2K 165Hz display, next-generation processor and a suite of gaming-focused technologies.
The device is among the first smartphones to be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Mobile Platform and is the first smartphone globally to feature Samsung Display’s 2K 165Hz Samsung Everest Display, jointly developed by iQOO and Samsung Display.
The iQOO 16 is built around the company’s “3+2 Gaming Technology Framework”, which combines graphics, controls and performance tuning with cross-device gaming and game livestreaming.
The 6-inch display uses Samsung’s M16 emissive material and 2K LEAD 2.0 technology, offering a 165Hz refresh rate and a global peak brightness of up to 2,800 nits.
iQOO said the display consumes 31% less power than a 1.5K screen of the same size, while supporting 165Hz refresh rates across more than 100 applications and more than 50 games.
The company has also introduced Q-flex control technology, which integrates directly into the game-rendering pipeline to reduce touch latency and improve responsiveness.
For gaming performance, the iQOO 16 features the company’s Q4 esports chip, which iQOO said delivers 15% higher performance, 19% faster cache speeds and 19% greater AI computing power compared with its predecessor.
The chip supports full-scene ray tracing, game super resolution and frame interpolation, while the phone also features an 8K Game Camera for capturing high-resolution screenshots while retaining gaming effects.
The smartphone is powered by a 2nm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 chipset, paired with LPDDR5X Ultra Pro memory and UFS 4.1 storage.
An 8.5K Ice Dome VC liquid cooling system is designed to maintain performance during demanding gaming sessions, while the Monster Core Engine manages system resources at kernel level to improve frame-rate stability and power efficiency.
iQOO said the device supports 165Hz gaming in more than 100 titles, while super resolution and frame interpolation are available for selected popular mobile games.
The company has also partnered with Unreal Engine to integrate technologies from Unreal Engine 5, including Lumen and Nanite, into its mobile gaming hardware and software development.
Beyond mobile gaming, the iQOO 16 features a PC game emulator supporting nearly 100 PC titles.
It also offers a large-screen gaming mode when the phone is connected to an external display, while livestreamers can access high-frame-rate output, original-quality encoding and dedicated tools for game broadcasts.
The phone’s imaging system comprises a 50MP main camera with a 1/1.3-inch sensor, CIPA 5.5 professional stabilisation and vivo’s Ultra-Light HDR technology.
It is accompanied by a 50MP Sony periscope telephoto camera and a 50MP ultra-wide camera.
For photography and video, the device supports features including Bright Portrait Rim Light, Bright Tone Diffused Light and 4K Live.
The iQOO 16 runs OriginOS 7 and is equipped with an 8,400mAh Blue Ocean battery, supporting 100W wired FlashCharge and 40W wireless charging.
Other features include Esports Network System 3.0, N79 band support, a 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, dual-axis motor technology, symmetrical dual speakers and IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance.
The smartphone will be available in three colours — Chasing Light, Legend and Racing Track — with four memory and storage configurations: 12GB+256GB, 12GB+512GB, 16GB+512GB and 16GB+1TB.
The iQOO 16 is expected to make its debut in Malaysia in November 2026.
