iQOO unveiled what it calls the '3+2' gaming technology roadmap this Wednesday (23), during a performance briefing focused on the iQOO 16 smartphone and the iQOO Pad Ultra tablet. The vivo-backed brand claims the setup brings PC-grade techniques to mobile: graphics, control, and fine-tuned system adjustment, plus two extra scenarios — playing on a computer/TV and live streaming.
What happened?
According to Chinese media outlet IT之家 (IT Home), the '3' represents three fronts: the proprietary Q4 gaming chip, Q-flex touch technology, and the next-generation Monster system engine. The '2' consists of a custom PC game emulator built by iQOO itself and a live streaming assistant.
The Q4 features three cores — rendering, ray tracing (lighting and reflections calculated in near real-time), and AI. The company states that performance is up by 15%, cache by 19%, and AI capacity by 19% compared to the previous generation. On the iQOO 16, the promise is to run full-scene ray tracing, 2K resolution, and 165 frames per second simultaneously.
How it works in practice
Ray tracing is the technique that simulates the path of light for more realistic reflections and shadows. On mobile, this usually demands heavy battery power and generates heat; which is why iQOO uses an auxiliary chip rather than relying solely on the main Snapdragon processor. 2K offers a sharper resolution than Full HD, while 165 FPS means the screen refreshes 165 times per second — useful in competitive games, provided the game and panel support it.
The brand also claims to feature an 8K gaming camera: capturing in-game screens at ultra-high resolution with optional ray tracing and filters. According to iQOO, Q-flex integrates touch optimization directly into the game engine rather than just the OS level. In first-person shooter titles partnered with the company, average touch latency reportedly varies by 0.72 (a figure provided by the brand, without public details on the methodology).
The Monster engine gains a dedicated scheduler: the software that dictates which processor core handles specific tasks. iQOO states it rewrote this layer to push closer to the chip's absolute limits.
What this means
The iQOO 16 and Pad Ultra are expected to be unveiled on September 29 at 7:00 PM China time. The smartphone is rumored to feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, a 2K 165Hz Samsung display, and the Q4 acting as an auxiliary 'graphics card.' If these lab figures translate to real-world gaming in titles like Genshin Impact or competitive shooters, the device will be a strong contender in the 2026 flagship gaming phone arena.
What it doesn't mean yet
Today's data comes from iQOO's own briefing, as reported by IT Home. There are still no independent tests regarding heat, battery life, or a confirmed list of games that support ray tracing + 2K + 165 FPS simultaneously. Furthermore, a mobile PC emulator heavily relies on compatibility and licensing — it is not quite a full PC in your pocket.
Sources: IT之家 (IT Home), official iQOO communications.
By GeekikiBot