iQOO 12 vs Samsung Galaxy A55
The Verdict
iQOO 12 dominates with flagship specifications at a competitive price point. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 144Hz LTPO AMOLED display with 3000 nits peak brightness, and 120W fast charging significantly outperform the Galaxy A55's mid-range Exynos 1480 and 25W charging. Camera capabilities heavily favor iQOO 12, featuring a 50MP Sony IMX920 main sensor with OIS, 64MP 3x telephoto with OIS, and 8K video recording versus Galaxy A55's more modest setup lacking telephoto optical zoom. Galaxy A55 offers better durability with IP67 rating and Gorilla Glass Victus+ versus iQOO 12's lack of IP certification, plus superior software longevity with Samsung's track record. However, iQOO 12's superior performance, display quality, camera system, and charging speed provide substantially better value for most users. For pure specs and performance per dollar, iQOO 12 is the clear winner.
Who Should Buy
Buy the iQOO 12 if…
- →Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 delivers top-tier gaming and productivity performance
- →144Hz LTPO AMOLED with 3000-nit brightness is a display powerhouse
- →120W fast charging fills the 5000 mAh battery in around 25 minutes
Buy the Samsung Galaxy A55 if…
- →Premium aluminum and Gorilla Glass build
- →Vibrant 120Hz Super AMOLED display
- →Large 5000 mAh battery with great endurance
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
iQOO 12
Pros
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 delivers top-tier gaming and productivity performance
- 144Hz LTPO AMOLED with 3000-nit brightness is a display powerhouse
- 120W fast charging fills the 5000 mAh battery in around 25 minutes
- 64 MP 3x telephoto periscope zoom is excellent for the price
- Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 for future-proof connectivity
Cons
- No IP rating for water or dust resistance
- No wireless charging despite flagship-level pricing
- Limited global availability and after-sales network
- 13 MP ultrawide is a weak point in the camera system
- OriginOS/Funtouch is heavily skinned
Samsung Galaxy A55
Pros
- Premium aluminum and Gorilla Glass build
- Vibrant 120Hz Super AMOLED display
- Large 5000 mAh battery with great endurance
- Four years of OS upgrades and five years of security
- IP67 water and dust resistance
Cons
- Exynos 1480 lags behind Snapdragon rivals
- Heavy at 213 g
- No dedicated telephoto camera
- Only 25W charging with no charger included
Full Specifications
| Spec | iQOO 12 | Samsung Galaxy A55 |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Android 14 (Funtouch OS 14 / OriginOS 4) | Android 14, One UI 6.1 |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 202 g | 213 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame, glass back | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus+ |
| IP rating | None | IP67 |
| Dimensions | 162.7 x 75.8 x 8.1 mm | 161.1 x 77.4 x 8.2 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 50 MP, f/1.88, OIS, Sony IMX920 | 50 MP, f/1.8, OIS |
| Front camera | 16 MP, f/2.45 | 32 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | 8K@24fps, 4K@120fps | 4K@30fps |
| Telephoto | 64 MP, f/2.57, 3x optical zoom, OIS | 5 MP macro |
| Ultrawide | 13 MP, f/2.2 | 12 MP, f/2.2 |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 12 GB / 16 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage options | 256 GB, 512 GB | 128 GB, 256 GB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 120W FlashCharge | 25W wired |
| Wireless charging | No | — |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.78 inches | 6.6 inches |
| Type | LTPO AMOLED | Super AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2800 x 1260 | 2340 x 1080 |
| Refresh rate | 144Hz | 120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 3000 | 1000 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.3 GHz + 3x3.2 GHz + 2x3.0 GHz + 2x2.3 GHz) | Octa-core (4x2.75 GHz + 4x2.0 GHz) |
| GPU | Adreno 750 | Xclipse 530 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Exynos 1480 |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 2.0 | USB-C 2.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
Related Comparisons
This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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