In June 2025, I picked up the iQOO Z10 Lite 5G for ₹9,999 (4GB/128GB) in Bengaluru, intrigued by its 6000mAh battery, 50MP Sony AI camera, and 5G connectivity in India’s cutthroat sub-₹10,000 market. After two weeks of testing—gaming, streaming, photography, and daily tasks—I found it’s a compelling budget phone but not without flaws. While its battery life and design impressed me, drawbacks like the HD+ display, slow charging, and software quirks gave me pause. As a tech enthusiast who’s tested over 50 smartphones, I’m sharing the top 5 reasons to avoid the iQOO Z10 Lite 5G, based on my experience, Gadgets360, GSMArena, @iQOOIndia on X, and user feedback like Reddit’s iQOO Z9 critique. If you’re weighing this phone against rivals like the Redmi 14C 5G or Poco M7 5G, this blog will help you decide if it’s worth your money.
Top 5 Reasons to Avoid iQOO Z10 Lite 5G
1. HD+ Display Lacks Sharpness
The 6.74-inch HD+ LCD with a 90Hz refresh rate is smooth but falls short in clarity, per my tests watching YouTube in Bengaluru. At ₹9,999, I expected better resolution, especially when rivals offer Full HD+.
- Low Resolution: The 1600×720 pixels result in noticeable pixelation during video streaming, unlike the Poco M7 5G’s Full HD+, per Gadgets360.
- Text Blurriness: Reading small text on websites or apps felt strained, a common HD+ issue, per GSMArena.
- Media Consumption: Netflix and Reels lacked crispness, reducing immersion compared to the Realme Narzo 80 Lite, per Smartprix.
- 1000 Nits Brightness: Outdoor visibility is decent, but the low resolution overshadows this, per my experience.
- Waterdrop Notch: The dated notch feels intrusive during full-screen gaming, per Digit.in.
2. Slow 15W Charging for a 6000mAh Battery
The 6000mAh battery lasts 1.5–2 days, but the 15W charger takes ~2.5 hours to fully charge, per my tests. At this price, faster charging is standard among competitors.
- Long Charging Times: Charging from 0–100% took 150 minutes, slower than the Redmi 14C 5G’s 33W (~90 minutes), per Gadgets360.
- No Fast Charging: The 15W speed feels outdated when even the Vivo Y29 offers 20W, per GSMArena.
- Inconvenient for Busy Users: Students or professionals needing quick top-ups are left waiting, per my observations.
- Charger Included: The in-box 15W charger is a plus, but its speed disappoints, per The Hindu.
- Battery Efficiency: The Dimensity 6300 saves power, but slow charging negates this advantage, per @iQOOIndia.
3. Average 5MP Selfie Camera
The 5MP front camera struggles with selfies and video calls, per my tests in Bengaluru’s cafes. For a phone targeting young, social media-savvy buyers, this is a letdown.
- Poor Detail: Selfies lacked sharpness, especially indoors, compared to the Poco M7 5G’s 8MP, per Gadgets360.
- Low-Light Issues: Dim lighting produced noisy, blurry shots, unsuitable for Instagram, per my experience.
- Video Call Quality: 720p video calls on WhatsApp were grainy, per Smartprix.
- No AI Boost: Unlike the 50MP rear camera, the selfie cam lacks AI enhancements, per @iQOOIndia.
- Youth Appeal Lost: Budget phones like the Realme C61 offer better front cameras, per Digit.in.
4. Bloatware and Funtouch OS 15 Quirks
Running Funtouch OS 15 on Android 15, the phone has modern features but comes with bloatware and occasional bugs, echoing Reddit’s iQOO Z9 complaints. This frustrated me during daily use.
- Pre-Installed Apps: Over 15 pre-loaded apps (e.g., Vivo Store, Hot Games) clogged storage, per my tests.
- Buggy UI: I faced app crashes and notification delays, similar to Reddit’s Z9 issues, per.
- Resource Drain: Bloatware slowed multitasking on the 4GB RAM variant, per GSMArena.
- Removable Apps: Most bloatware can be uninstalled, but it’s tedious, per Digit.in.
- AI Features: AI Erase and Photo Enhance are useful, but software instability overshadows them, per @iQOOIndia.
5. Limited Gaming Performance
The MediaTek Dimensity 6300 (6nm, 2.4GHz) with 4GB RAM handles casual tasks but struggles with heavy gaming, per my BGMI tests. Gamers may want to look elsewhere.
- Frame Drops: BGMI at HD High (~40fps) had stutters after 20 minutes, unlike the Poco M7 5G, per Gadgets360.
- Heating Issues: The phone warmed up during extended gaming, per my experience.
- Low RAM Impact: The 4GB LPDDR4X RAM limits multitasking during gaming, per GSMArena.
- AnTuTu Score: ~434,000 is decent but trails the Realme Narzo 80 Lite’s Dimensity 6020, per @iQOOIndia.
- Casual Gaming Only: Light games like Candy Crush ran smoothly, but heavy titles falter, per Smartprix.
Pros to Balance Perspective
Despite these drawbacks, the iQOO Z10 Lite 5G has strengths:
- Massive Battery: 6000mAh lasts 1.5–2 days, per my tests.
- 50MP Sony Camera: Excels in daylight with AI features, per @iQOOIndia.
- IP64 Durability: Resists dust and splashes, per GSMArena.
- 5G Connectivity: 9 bands ensure future-proofing, per Gadgets360.
- Affordable Price: ₹9,999 is competitive, per The Hindu.
I found its HD+ display, slow 15W charging, and average selfie camera underwhelming, per my tests.
About the Author
Arjun Patel is a Bengaluru-based tech journalist with 5 years at TechRadar, Gadgets360, and mypitshop.com, testing over 50 smartphones. He shares hands-on insights for global tech enthusiasts.
Sources
- Gadgets360: https://www.gadgets360.com
- GSMArena: https://www.gsmarena.com
- Digit.in: https://www.digit.in
- Smartprix: https://www.smartprix.com
- The Hindu: https://www.thehindu.com
- Reddit: r/IndiaTech, iQOO Z9 experience
- X posts by @iQOOIndia: https://x.com/iQOOIndia
