iQOO 15 Ultra: The First Phone to Master Ray Tracing and 120fps Simultaneously
IQOOFriday, 30 January 2026 at 06:32
If you thought the gaming phone segment was getting predictable, iQOO is about to slap some sense back into the industry. The brand just dropped some heavy teasers for the iQOO 15 Ultra, and it’s not just another spec bump. It is a full-blown hardware manifesto. Launching in China on February 4, this device is gunning for the title of the ultimate gaming machine.
Key Takeaways
- Dual-Chip Power: Combines the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 with a custom Q3 gaming chip.
- Visual Breakthrough: First phone to run 2K upscaling, 120fps, and Ray Tracing concurrently.
- Active Cooling: Features the "Ice Dome" system with a real internal fan and air vents.
- Endurance King: Packs a massive 7,400mAh battery with 100W dual-mode fast charging.
- Gamer-First Design: Includes programmable shoulder triggers and a flat Samsung display.
The Q3 Chip: A "Graphics Card" in Your Pocket
The headline act is the in-house Q3 gaming chip. Think of this as a dedicated GPU for your mobile games. iQOO claims an industry first here: the ability to run 2K native upscaling, 120fps frame interpolation, and full-scenario ray tracing all at the same time.
Usually, you have to pick one: do you want it to look pretty, run smoothly, or have realistic lighting? iQOO says, "Why not all three?" By offloading these intensive tasks from the main Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, the Q3 chip allows for console-level visuals without melting the motherboard. In my opinion, this is the most exciting architectural shift we’ve seen in years—true hardware-level synergy.
Keeping It Cool with "Ice Dome"
You can’t run that much power without things getting a little toasty. Enter the Ice Dome Air Cooling System. This isn't just a fancy name for a heat pipe; it's an active cooling solution featuring a built-in fan, a hidden air intake, and a curved airflow tunnel.
Compared to the standard vapor chambers in most flagships, this active setup is designed for the marathon gamer. It keeps the surface temperature manageable even during three-hour Genshin Impact sessions. When you pair this with those capacitive shoulder triggers (boasting a 600Hz sampling rate), you’re basically holding a portable console.
The "Mega" Specs
The rest of the sheet reads like a tech enthusiast’s wishlist:
- Display: A 6.85-inch 2K LTPO Samsung flat panel (perfect for zero accidental touches).
- Battery: A staggering 7,400mAh silicon-anode cell.
- Charging: 100W wired and—shockingly—100W wireless support.
My take
The iQOO 15 Ultra is pushing the limits of what a "smartphone" is supposed to be. While most brands are playing it safe with AI software tricks, iQOO is throwing raw, unadulterated hardware at the problem. If this hits the global market as successfully as it’s tracking in China, the competition is in serious trouble.
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