The vivo iQOO Neo5 S and Xiaomi Poco F3 GT represent compelling options in the mid-range gaming phone segment. Both prioritize performance and fast charging, but they achieve this through different approaches – Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 5G versus MediaTek’s Dimensity 1200. This comparison dissects their strengths and weaknesses to determine which device offers the best experience for demanding users.
🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Xiaomi Poco F3 GT emerges as the slightly better value. While the iQOO Neo5 S boasts the Snapdragon 888, the Poco F3 GT’s Dimensity 1200, coupled with its optimized cooling and 67W charging, delivers a consistently strong gaming experience without significant thermal throttling, and charges fully in a reasonable timeframe.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 3, 5, 8, 40, 41 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 77, 78 SA/NSA |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| | CDMA2000 1x | - |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2021, December 20 | 2021, July 23 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, December 25 | Available. Released 2021, July 26 |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5) |
| Dimensions | 163.2 x 76.4 x 8.4 mm (6.43 x 3.01 x 0.33 in) | 161.9 x 76.9 x 8.3 mm (6.37 x 3.03 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 196 g (6.91 oz) | 205 g (7.23 oz) |
| | - | Physical pop-up gaming triggers
IP53, dust and splash resistant |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~398 ppi density) | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.62 inches, 105.8 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.67 inches, 107.4 cm2 (~86.3% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak) | AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 500 nits (typ) |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-A78 & 3x2.6 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Mediatek Dimensity 1200 (6 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Mali-G77 MC9 |
| OS | Android 11, OriginOS Ocean | Android 11, upgradable to Android 12, MIUI 13 for POCO |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | No | No |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| | UFS 3.1 | UFS 3.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Dual | 48 MP, f/1.8, 25mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS
13 MP, f/2.2, 16mm, 120˚ (ultrawide)
2 MP (macro) | - |
| Features | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide) | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.06" 1.0µm |
| Triple | - | 64 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.7µm, PDAF
8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide)
2 MP (macro) |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@960fps, HDR |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide) | 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.06" 1.0µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, HDR |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| | 24-bit/192kHz audio | 24-bit/192kHz audio
Tuned by JBL |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.1, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | - | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 66W wired, 70% in 18 min | 67W wired, PD3.0, QC3, 100% in 42 min |
| Type | 4500 mAh | Li-Po 5065 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Orange, Blue, Black | Predator Black, Gunmetal Silver |
| Models | - | MZB09C6IN, M2104K10I |
| Price | About 380 EUR | About 300 EUR |
| SAR | - | 0.81 W/kg (head) 0.48 W/kg (body) |
vivo iQOO Neo5 S
- Potentially higher peak CPU performance with Snapdragon 888
- Fast initial charging speed (70% in 18 mins)
- Benefit from vivo's camera software expertise
- Snapdragon 888 prone to thermal throttling
- Full charge time not specified, potentially slower than Poco
- May require more aggressive thermal management
Xiaomi Poco F3 GT
- More efficient Dimensity 1200 chipset for sustained performance
- 67W charging with PD3.0/QC3 for wider compatibility
- Full charge in 42 minutes
- Slightly lower peak CPU performance compared to Snapdragon 888
- Camera performance may not be a primary strength
- Xiaomi's MIUI software can be polarizing
Display Comparison
Neither device boasts a standout display, focusing instead on refresh rate for gaming. While specific display specs (resolution, peak brightness, color gamut) aren't provided, both likely feature 120Hz AMOLED panels common in this price bracket. The Poco F3 GT’s display is likely tuned for color vibrancy, typical of Xiaomi’s approach, while the iQOO Neo5 S may lean towards more accurate color reproduction. The absence of LTPO technology on either suggests a less adaptive refresh rate, potentially impacting battery life during static content viewing.
Camera Comparison
Without detailed camera specs, a direct comparison is difficult. Both phones likely feature a multi-camera setup with a primary sensor, ultrawide, and potentially a macro lens. Given the gaming focus, image processing is likely tuned for vibrant colors and social media sharing. The iQOO Neo5 S, being a vivo sub-brand, may benefit from vivo’s established camera algorithms. The Poco F3 GT’s camera performance will likely be good, but not a primary selling point. The presence of OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) on either device is unknown, but would be a significant advantage for video recording and low-light photography.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The iQOO Neo5 S’s Snapdragon 888 (5nm) features a Cortex-X1 prime core clocked at 2.84GHz, promising peak performance. However, the 5nm process, while efficient, is known to generate heat under sustained load. The Poco F3 GT’s Dimensity 1200 (6nm) utilizes a tri-cluster configuration with three Cortex-A78 cores at 2.6GHz. The 6nm process generally offers better thermal efficiency, meaning the Poco F3 GT is less likely to throttle during prolonged gaming. While the Snapdragon 888 has a theoretical single-core advantage, the Dimensity 1200’s sustained performance is likely superior. Both devices likely utilize LPDDR5 RAM, but the speed (e.g., LPDDR5X) isn’t specified.
Battery Life
The iQOO Neo5 S supports 66W wired charging, reaching 70% in 18 minutes. The Poco F3 GT offers 67W wired charging with PD3.0 and QC3 support, completing a full charge in 42 minutes. While the iQOO Neo5 S charges faster initially, the Poco F3 GT’s full charge time is more reasonable. Battery capacity isn’t specified for either device, but both likely fall in the 4500-5000mAh range. The Dimensity 1200’s superior efficiency may translate to slightly better battery life on the Poco F3 GT, despite potentially similar capacity.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo iQOO Neo5 S if you prioritize raw CPU power and are comfortable potentially managing thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions. Its Snapdragon 888 offers a theoretical performance edge in bursty workloads. Buy the Xiaomi Poco F3 GT if you value sustained performance, efficient cooling, and faster full-charge times. It’s the better choice for marathon gaming sessions and users who want a consistently smooth experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Will the Snapdragon 888 in the iQOO Neo5 S overheat during extended PUBG sessions?
The Snapdragon 888 is known to generate significant heat under sustained load. While the iQOO Neo5 S likely incorporates thermal management solutions, you may experience throttling – a reduction in performance – during long gaming sessions. The Poco F3 GT’s Dimensity 1200 is less prone to this issue due to its more efficient 6nm process.
❓ Does the Poco F3 GT's 67W charging support bypass charging, allowing me to use the phone while it's charging?
While the context data doesn't explicitly state bypass charging support, Xiaomi often includes this feature in their fast-charging implementations. Bypass charging allows power to directly flow to the phone, reducing heat buildup and battery degradation while gaming during charging. Check independent reviews for confirmation.
❓ Is the difference between the Snapdragon 888 and Dimensity 1200 noticeable in everyday tasks?
For typical daily use – browsing, social media, video streaming – the difference between the two chipsets will be minimal. Both are powerful enough to handle these tasks with ease. The performance gap becomes more apparent in demanding applications like graphically intensive games and video editing.
❓ Which phone is better for users who frequently record videos?
Without knowing if either phone has OIS, it's difficult to say definitively. However, the iQOO Neo5 S may have a slight advantage due to vivo's camera software, which often prioritizes video stabilization and quality. Check independent reviews for video samples from both devices.
