itel S25 UltravsiQOO Z9s
SETTLEDUpdated September 8, 2026
iQOO Z9s wins
Verdict
iQOO Z9s wins 2 of 5 categories — our overall pick
iQOO Z9s is the overall winner, 2 / 5 — price is its standout. It costs USD 239 — USD 80 more than the itel S25 Ultra. Pay the premium if price is your priority.
- Too close to call between iQOO Z9s and itel S25 Ultra.
- iQOO Z9s takes Display — led by peak brightness (1,800 nits).
- Too close to call between iQOO Z9s and itel S25 Ultra.
- iQOO Z9s takes Battery — led by charging speed (44 W).
- Too close to call between itel S25 Ultra and iQOO Z9s.
Scores follow our published methodology · v2026.09
In plain English
Choose itel S25 Ultra if you want…
- Choose itel S25 Ultra if you want more room for photos and apps — 256 GB vs 128 GB.
- Choose itel S25 Ultra if you want a sharper screen — 393 ppi vs 388 ppi.
- Choose itel S25 Ultra if you want sharper selfies — 32 MP vs 16 MP.
Choose iQOO Z9s if you want…
- Choose iQOO Z9s if you want a faster phone for apps and games — 700,000 pts vs 320,000 pts.
- Choose iQOO Z9s if you want a screen you can read in sunlight — 1,800 nits vs 550 nits.
- Choose iQOO Z9s if you want a better camera — 92 pts vs 72 pts.
- Choose iQOO Z9s if you want longer battery life — 5,500 mAh vs 5,000 mAh.
- Choose iQOO Z9s if you want faster charging — 44 W vs 18 W.
At a glance
- itel S25 Ultra
- iQOO Z9s
Click a label to jump to that section ↓
Best price now
The cheap alternative
Full record
Every spec, side by side — winners get a check and a proportional bar. Ties share the badge.
Performance score
Approximate benchmark score of the chipset — higher is faster for apps, games and AI.
Chipset
The processor inside — shown for reference, never decides a winner.
RAM
More RAM keeps more apps alive in the background.
Storage
Base onboard storage for photos, apps and media.
Screen size
Diagonal screen size — bigger is better for media, smaller is easier to hold.
Pixel density
Sharpness of the screen — above ~400 ppi looks crisp.
Refresh rate
How smooth scrolling and motion feel. 120 Hz is the modern standard.
Peak brightness
Peak brightness in sunlight — higher stays readable outdoors.
Main camera
Resolution of the primary rear camera — photo quality is judged by the Camera quality score, not megapixels.
Selfie camera
Resolution of the front camera.
Telephoto
A dedicated zoom lens for distant subjects without quality loss.
Video score
Composite video rating — stabilisation, 4K/8K support and colour.
Camera score
Composite camera quality from independent testing — how good the photos actually are.
Battery
Battery capacity — higher generally lasts longer.
Charging speed
Wired charging speed — higher refills faster.
Wireless charging
Whether the phone charges wirelessly.
Price
Typical MSRP in US dollars — lower is better value.
Which one should you buy?
itel S25 Ultra
Choose itel S25 Ultra if price matters most. It costs USD 159, the lowest price in this group.
iQOO Z9s
Choose iQOO Z9s if price matters most — it wins the most categories overall. It costs USD 239.
Pros & cons
itel S25 Ultra
- Curved AMOLED 120 Hz
- Big 6.78-inch screen
- 256 GB storage
- Unisoc chip is slow
- 18 W charging
- Average camera
iQOO Z9s
- 120 Hz AMOLED
- Dimensity 7300
- 5,500 mAh battery
- No ultrawide
- Plastic frame
- No telephoto