iQOO Neo6 (China) vs Xiaomi 12X: A Head-to-Head Performance and Value Showdown

The iQOO Neo6 (China) and Xiaomi 12X represent distinct approaches to the mid-range flagship space. The iQOO prioritizes raw processing power with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, while the Xiaomi 12X focuses on a refined experience built around the efficient Snapdragon 870. This comparison dissects their key differences to determine which device delivers the best value for your needs.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For users prioritizing peak performance and rapid charging, the iQOO Neo6 (China) is the clear winner. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 offers a substantial performance uplift. However, the Xiaomi 12X provides a more balanced experience with excellent efficiency and a respectable 67W charging solution, making it ideal for everyday users.

PHONES
Phone Names vivo iQOO Neo6 (China) Xiaomi 12X
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 411, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66 - International
5G bands1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA - International
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5GGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1x 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - China
Launch
Announced2022, April 132021, December 28
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, April 20Available. Released 2021, December 31
Body
Dimensions163 x 76.2 x 8.5 mm or 8.9 mm152.7 x 69.9 x 8.2 mm (6.01 x 2.75 x 0.32 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight194 / 197.2 g (6.84 oz)176 g (6.21 oz)
Display
Protection-Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~398 ppi density)1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~419 ppi density)
Size6.62 inches, 105.8 cm2 (~85.2% screen-to-body ratio)6.28 inches, 95.2 cm2 (~89.2% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeAMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1300 nits (peak)AMOLED, 68B colors, 120Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 1100 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4x1.80 GHz Kryo 585)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)Qualcomm SM8250-AC Snapdragon 870 5G (7 nm)
GPUAdreno 730Adreno 650
OSAndroid 12, OriginOS OceanAndroid 11, MIUI 13
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM
 UFS 3.1UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesLED flash, HDR, panoramaDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR, panorama
Single16 MP, f/2.0, (wide)32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm
Triple64 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 16mm (ultrawide) Auxiliary lens50 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.4, 12mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm 5 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (telephoto macro), AF
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/120/240/960fps, gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR, panorama
Single16 MP, f/2.0, (wide)32 MP, f/2.5, 26mm (wide), 0.7µm
Video1080p@30fps1080p@30/60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker YesYes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit/192kHz audio24-bit/192kHz audio Tuned by Harman Kardon
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive5.1 / 5.2, A2DP, LE
Infrared port-Yes
NFCYesYes (market/region dependent)
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSSGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC (L5)
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0, OTGUSB Type-C 2.0, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi 6 (market dependent), dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass
Battery
Charging80W wired, 20-80% in 19 min67W wired, PD3.0, QC4, 100% in 39 min
Type4700 mAhLi-Po 4500 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlack, Blue, OrangeGray, Blue, Purple
ModelsV2196A2112123AC, 2112123AG
PriceAbout 400 EURAbout 180 EUR
SAR EU-0.59 W/kg (head)     1.00 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 105h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -25.6 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 598003 (v8), 690298 (v9) GeekBench: 3168 (v5.1) GFXBench: 47fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

vivo iQOO Neo6 (China)

  • Significantly faster processor with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
  • Ultra-fast 80W wired charging
  • Potential for higher refresh rate display (unconfirmed)

  • Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 can run hot and throttle under sustained load
  • Battery capacity and display details are unknown

Xiaomi 12X

  • Efficient Snapdragon 870 processor
  • Excellent battery life (105h endurance rating)
  • Compact and ergonomic design

  • Slower charging speed (39 minutes to 100%)
  • Less powerful processor compared to the iQOO Neo6

Display Comparison

Both devices feature displays with an 'Infinite' contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. However, detailed display specs like peak brightness and refresh rate are missing for the iQOO Neo6. The Xiaomi 12X, being a flagship-focused device, likely benefits from superior color accuracy and calibration. The iQOO Neo6’s potential for higher refresh rates (common in gaming phones) could be a differentiator, but remains unconfirmed. The Xiaomi 12X’s compact size is a key advantage for users preferring one-handed operation.

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer photo and video capabilities, but specific details are lacking. The iQOO Neo6’s camera system is likely geared towards delivering vibrant, social media-ready images, typical of vivo’s image processing. The Xiaomi 12X, as a former flagship, likely features a more balanced and natural image processing style. Without sensor size or aperture information, it’s difficult to assess low-light performance. The absence of details suggests neither phone prioritizes a groundbreaking camera experience, focusing instead on overall value.

Performance

The iQOO Neo6’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4nm) is a significant leap over the Xiaomi 12X’s Snapdragon 870 (7nm). The 8 Gen 1’s Cortex-X2 prime core, clocked at 3.00 GHz, provides a substantial performance advantage in CPU-intensive tasks. While the 870’s Kryo 585 cores are still capable, they are architecturally older and less efficient. The 4nm process node of the 8 Gen 1 also contributes to better thermal efficiency, potentially mitigating throttling during sustained workloads. However, the 8 Gen 1 is known to run hotter, so the iQOO Neo6’s cooling solution will be critical. The Xiaomi 12X benefits from a mature chipset with well-optimized drivers.

Battery Life

The Xiaomi 12X boasts an endurance rating of 105 hours, indicating solid battery life. The iQOO Neo6’s battery capacity is unknown, but its 80W wired charging is a major advantage, achieving a 20-80% charge in just 19 minutes. The Xiaomi 12X’s 67W charging, while supporting PD3.0 and QC4, takes 39 minutes for a full charge. The iQOO Neo6’s faster charging is crucial for users who frequently need to top up their battery quickly, offsetting any potential capacity disadvantage.

Buying Guide

Buy the vivo iQOO Neo6 (China) if you are a power user, mobile gamer, or frequently engage in demanding tasks like video editing and need the fastest possible processing speeds. Buy the Xiaomi 12X if you value a more refined, efficient experience with a focus on battery life and a compact form factor, and don't require the absolute highest performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Will the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the iQOO Neo6 overheat during prolonged gaming sessions?
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is known to generate significant heat under sustained load. The iQOO Neo6’s thermal management system will be crucial. Expect some throttling during extended gaming, but the 80W charging allows for quick recovery between sessions.
❓ Is the Snapdragon 870 in the Xiaomi 12X still capable of handling demanding games?
Absolutely. The Snapdragon 870 remains a very capable chipset, even in 2024. It can handle most modern games at high settings with stable frame rates, though it won't match the peak performance of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.
❓ Does the Xiaomi 12X support high refresh rate gaming?
The Xiaomi 12X's display supports a 120Hz refresh rate, enabling smoother gameplay in supported titles. However, the Snapdragon 870 may not consistently deliver frame rates exceeding 60fps in the most demanding games.
❓ Is the iQOO Neo6 (China) officially available outside of China, and what are the implications for software updates?
The iQOO Neo6 was primarily released for the Chinese market. Availability outside of China is limited and often relies on grey market imports. This can lead to software update inconsistencies and potential language barriers.