In terms of phones around Rs 20,000, which is better, the iQOO Z9s or the CMF Phone 1?

By Balvinder Singh – Published On: August 21, 2024

India saw the launch of the iQOO Z9s series, which includes the iQOO Z9s Pro and the standard iQOO Z9s. These gadgets have certain AI features connected to cameras and an impressive hardware setup behind the hood. The regular variant is priced under Rs 20,000 and is in the same market segment as the previously released CMF Phone 1. In order to determine which gadget is worth the asking price, we will compare the iQOO Z9s with the CMF Phone 1 in this post.

iQOO Z9s vs CMF Phone 1: Specs at the glance

iQOO Z9s vs CMF Phone 1: Price in India

iQOO Z9s vs CMF Phone 1: Design

The iQOO Z9s boasts a 3D curved display and a plastic body. There are two hues of the rear panel, each with a unique finish. While the Titanium Matte has a matte surface in brown, the Onyx Green has a glossy finish with patterns like marble in a green colorway. Although the gadget has an IP64 classification that protects it from dust and spills of water, we do not advise using it in the rain.

The plastic body of the CMF Phone 1 is unique in that you can change the back panel or mount accessories to it. The interchangeable back panel comes in a few different color options, and you can add a lanyard, a kickstand, or a card holder as accessories. Nevertheless, the gadget is just IP52 protected, meaning it can’t survive anything but dust and splashes of water.

iQOO Z9s vs CMF Phone 1: Display

With each phone, a different kind of display is provided. The CMF Phone 1 (review) features a flat display with symmetric bezels, whereas the iQOO Z9s has a 3D curved display that is prone to accidental touches. The CMF Phone 1 lacks a protective layer on top, whereas the iQOO Z9s comes with Schott Alpha glass protection against scratches.

Additionally, the CMF Phone 1 has LTPS technology, which optimizes battery usage by varying the refresh rate based on the content displayed on the screen. Aside from this, the FHD+ quality, refresh rate, and screen size of both phones provide a comparable viewing experience.

iQOO Z9s vs CMF Phone 1: Performance

Both phones draw power from the same MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC paired with Mali-G615 MP6 GPU. However, the CMF Phone 1 maxes out at 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, while the iQOO Z9s ships with up to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. These differences in RAM and storage options will be noticeable while multitasking or saving more data on the phone.

As far as the performance in general, you can expect similar results from both devices. In our testing, the CMF Phone 1 scored 6,42,187 points on AnTuTu, and on Geekbench, it secured 1,015 points in the single-core test and 2,867 points in the multi-core test.

iQOO Z9s vs CMF Phone 1: Cameras

Similar camera setups are included with both phones out of the box: a 16 MP selfie camera, a 50 MP primary camera, and a 2 MP auxiliary camera. Even the Sony IMX882 sensor they both employ is the same. But when it comes to OIS support, the iQOO Z9s has an advantage over the CMF Phone 1’s EIS support.

You can give the subject more depth and give the background of the picture a hazy look by using the secondary 2MP sensor. Additionally, both devices come with a few AI functions connected to cameras. However, the iQOO Z9s also has AI picture editing tools like AI picture Enhance, which sharpens fuzzy photographs, and AI Erase, which eliminates undesired items from images.

iQOO Z9s vs CMF Phone 1: Battery and charging

The numbers are on the iQOO Z9s in the battery sector. Compared to the CMF Phone 1, which has a 5,000mAh cell and 33W charging support, the iQOO Z9s features a larger 5,500mAh battery capacity and faster 44W charging capability.

Although we haven’t tested the iQOO Z9s’ battery backup or charging speed, the CMF Phone 1 produced impressive results. The smartphone took 63 minutes to fully charge from 20% to 100% after a duration of 15 hours and 11 minutes.

iQOO Z9s vs CMF Phone 1: Software

Both devices come pre-installed with the most recent version of Android and are eligible for three years of security fixes in addition to two years of major OS releases. But the CMF Phone 1 runs Android 14-based Nothing OS, which provides you a choice between Android’s Material UI and NothingOS themes, while the iQOO Z9s boots on Funtouch OS, which is based on Android 14.

Additionally, the CMF Phone 1 has ChatGPT integration, whereas the iQOO Z9s just has functions linked to photography and doesn’t offer any extra AI tools.

Verdict

Under the hood, both smartphones have impressive features. The choice between the two, though, can depend on individual requirements and preferences. The iQOO Z9s is a better option than the other if you’re looking for improved IP protection, camera steadiness, photo editing features, a larger battery with faster charging, and display protection.

But compared to the iQOO Z9s, the CMF Phone 1 is more affordable, has a better display, more UI customization choices, and sophisticated AI functions. Other than that, the specs of both phones are the same, therefore they provide comparable experience and performance. The CMF Phone provides essentially the same features at a far lesser cost, whilst the iQOO Z9s is slightly more expensive.

Key Specs

CMF Phone 1

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