iQOO Z11i launched in China as the cheapest iQOO Z11 series’ phone
iQOO has expanded its Z11 series in China with the launch of the iQOO Z11i, the most affordable model in the lineup. It joins the existing iQOO Z11x, Z11 and Z11 Turbo, bringing a large battery, a 120Hz display and a Snapdragon chipset to the entry-level segment.
The new phone also stands out by reviving a design that’s becoming increasingly rare in 2026: the waterdrop notch. While most smartphones in this price range have moved to punch-hole displays, iQOO has opted for a more traditional look to keep costs in check.
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iQOO Z11i specifications and features
The iQOO Z11i sports a 6.74-inch HD+ LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate, up to 1,200 nits peak brightness, DC dimming, a paper-like reading mode and TUV Rheinland low blue light certification. Powering the phone is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset, paired with up to 8GB LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage. Users can also expand storage via a microSD card, a feature that became uncommon but is now gaining traction again due to the ongoing memory crisis.
The biggest highlight is the 6,500mAh battery, which supports 15W wired charging and reverse wired charging. While the charging speed is modest compared to rivals offering 33W or even 45W fast charging in the budget segment, the large battery should comfortably deliver all-day or even multi-day usage for light users.
For photography, the phone features a 13MP rear camera with autofocus and a 5MP front camera. Other notable features include Android 16-based OriginOS 6, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, USB Type-C, an IR blaster, Bluetooth 5.1, IP65 dust and water resistance, SGS five-star drop resistance certification and a hybrid dual-SIM slot.
What’s notable is that due to the high costs hitting OEMs because of the shortage of DRAM and NAND chips, manufacturers are going back to basics with smartphones. Features like a single rear camera and microSD card slot are making comebacks to optimise costs and let buyers pick and choose what is important to them and what’s not.
Price, availability
The iQOO Z11i starts at CNY 1,299 (around Rs 18,200) for the 6GB + 128GB variant, while the 8GB + 128GB and 8GB + 256GB models are priced at CNY 1,499 (around Rs 21,000) and CNY 1,699 (around Rs 23,800) respectively. It is available in Ink Shadow, Qingfeng and Desert Gold colours in China.
Within the Z11 family, the Z11i serves as the entry point, while the standard iQOO Z11 targets users looking for exceptional battery life with its 9,020mAh battery and 165Hz AMOLED display. Meanwhile, the iQOO Z11 Turbo caters to gamers with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, a 200MP camera and a 7,600mAh battery.
Buyers looking for long battery life, expandable storage and everyday performance may find the Z11i appealing. However, those who value faster charging, Full HD displays or better cameras should also compare it with alternatives from Redmi, Realme and POCO before making a decision.
The India availability for the iQOO Z11i also remains doubtful considering only the iQOO Z11x from the series has made it to the country till now. iQOO may bring more models, but they may arrive later or with different specifications, so nothing can be said with certainty for now.
