iQOO has officially launched the iQOO Pad Ultra in China, introducing a compact Android tablet focused heavily on gaming performance. The new tablet starts at 5,999 yuan and is scheduled to go on sale on October 5.
Rather than competing primarily as a productivity tablet, the iQOO Pad Ultra is designed around mobile gaming. It combines an 8.8-inch 165Hz OLED display, a next-generation Qualcomm flagship chipset, a dedicated gaming processor, an active cooling system, advanced touch controls, and several gaming-focused software features.
iQOO Pad Ultra: Compact Size, Flagship Performance
The iQOO Pad Ultra is positioned as a performance-oriented small-screen tablet. Its biggest hardware highlight is the sixth-generation Snapdragon 8 Supreme Edition, which iQOO describes as the first tablet platform to use this chip.
The processor is manufactured using a 2nm process and is paired with LPDDR5X memory and UFS 4.1 storage. iQOO has also integrated its new-generation Monster Super Core Engine, which includes a proprietary scheduler designed to optimize system resource allocation and improve sustained performance.
This combination is intended to keep the tablet responsive during demanding games while reducing performance fluctuations caused by prolonged workloads.
Five-Layer Active Cooling System
High-end mobile hardware can generate significant heat during extended gaming sessions, which is why advanced tablet cooling systems have become increasingly important for gaming-focused devices.
The tablet features a five-layer active cooling system with a large 30 × 30mm fan capable of moving up to 0.94 CFM of air. According to iQOO, its airflow is approximately three times greater than that of the iQOO 15 Ultra.
The cooling system uses dual-direction air intakes to improve airflow through the chassis. Active cooling is supplemented by a dual-layer VC vapor chamber positioned directly around the SoC.
The tablet also takes advantage of the flagship processor’s Offset PoP packaging design to improve heat management around the main heat source. In total, iQOO says the tablet’s thermal materials cover approximately 23,253mm².
A combination of the VC system and the metal rear cover provides additional passive heat dissipation. The goal is straightforward: maintain more consistent performance when the tablet is running demanding games for long periods.
8.8-Inch 165Hz OLED Gaming Display
The iQOO Pad Ultra features an 8.8-inch OLED display with a 2304 × 1440 resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate.
The screen uses extremely narrow 2.65mm bezels on all four sides, helping the tablet achieve a claimed 93.3% screen-to-body ratio.
Brightness is another major part of the display specification. The panel can reach 1,600 nits of global excitation brightness, while local peak brightness can reach 4,500 nits. This should make game content easier to see in bright outdoor environments.
iQOO has also included more than ten eye-care technologies, including Game Eye Protection 3.0, hardware and software low-blue-light management, and a paper-like reading mode.
Dedicated Q4 Gaming Chip
In addition to its main Snapdragon processor, the iQOO Pad Ultra includes the company’s proprietary Q4 gaming chip, described by iQOO as a dedicated “tablet graphics card.”
Compared with the previous generation, the Q4 chip delivers a claimed 15% increase in performance, a 19% improvement in cache speed, and a 19% increase in AI computing power.
The tablet also uses iQOO’s QNSS Super Rendering Engine to enhance textures in real time. A localized dark-area enhancement feature can brighten difficult-to-see sections of a game, potentially making characters, items, and indoor areas easier to identify.
For players who like to capture gameplay, an 8K game camera provides real-time adjustment options for creating higher-resolution screenshots.
2K Super Resolution, 165FPS Frame Generation and Ray Tracing
Gaming is clearly the central focus of the iQOO Pad Ultra.
iQOO says the tablet is the industry’s first device capable of simultaneously using 2K original-resolution super resolution, 165-frame frame generation, and full-scene ray tracing.
The company says the tablet supports 2K and 165FPS super-resolution/frame-generation combinations in more than six popular games. It also supports 2K super resolution in 13 games, native super resolution and frame generation in 11 games, and 165FPS frame generation across more than 100 games.
These technologies are designed to make supported games look sharper while improving perceived smoothness without requiring every title to render all frames natively.
Dual X-Axis Linear Motors for More Detailed Feedback
iQOO has also focused on physical feedback.
The Pad Ultra uses a dual-motor vibration system with two high-performance X-axis linear motors. Its asynchronous vibration architecture can produce different feedback patterns based on character movements and skill directions.
The system supports several game genres, including FPS, MOBA, open-world, and racing games.
Audio has received similar attention. The new-generation Super Audio system includes a voice-enhancement algorithm and a small-signal enhancement algorithm designed to make dialogue, footsteps, gunfire, and other important sounds more noticeable.
A proprietary spatial-audio algorithm is designed to improve sound positioning, while Qualcomm’s voice bubble technology is intended to improve voice-chat pickup and privacy during gaming.
Together, the touch, vibration, and audio systems are intended to create a more immersive gaming experience, particularly for competitive titles.
Cross-Device Gaming and PC Game Support
Another notable feature is the iQOO Pad Ultra’s new cross-device gaming space.
The tablet supports a PC game emulator and can connect directly to a Steam account, allowing users to play certain PC, console, and arcade games locally. It also supports PC game streaming and cloud gaming for users who want to access larger titles without installing them directly on the tablet.
iQOO has also developed a dedicated large-screen gaming mode for the tablet. An optional gaming dual-sided case can further expand the available control and cross-platform gaming configurations.
More Gaming Tools Built Into OriginOS
The gaming software experience has also been upgraded.
The updated Game Box can keep important system information visible during gameplay, including CPU and GPU usage, battery level, and network speed. Notifications can also be displayed more clearly without forcing players to leave the game.
An updated screen-off assistant supports automatic background operation and scheduled screen locking, which is useful for games or applications that involve frequent idle periods.
The tablet also includes AI-powered match replay analysis. It can analyze turning points, overall match rhythm, and individual player performance to provide a more detailed review after a game.
9,020mAh Battery With 66W Charging
Despite its compact form factor, the iQOO Pad Ultra packs a 9,020mAh battery.
The tablet supports 66W fast charging and uses four power-saving technologies to extend battery life during everyday use and gaming.
For connectivity, iQOO has introduced a floating metal DECO antenna design along with a dedicated Wi-Fi enhancement chip. The company says this combination is designed to maintain a more stable wireless connection in areas where network conditions are weaker.
iQOO Pad Ultra Specifications at a Glance
The iQOO Pad Ultra combines a relatively compact 8.8-inch form factor with hardware normally associated with larger flagship gaming devices. Its key specifications include:
- Display: 8.8-inch OLED, 2304 × 1440, 165Hz
- Peak brightness: Up to 4,500 nits locally
- Processor: Sixth-generation Snapdragon 8 Supreme Edition
- Memory: LPDDR5X
- Storage: UFS 4.1
- Gaming chip: iQOO Q4
- Cooling: Five-layer active cooling system with 30 × 30mm fan
- Fan airflow: Up to 0.94 CFM
- Battery: 9,020mAh
- Charging: 66W fast charging
- Gaming features: 2K super resolution, 165FPS frame generation and full-scene ray tracing
- Vibration: Dual X-axis linear motors
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi enhancement technology
- Launch price: 5,999 yuan
- First sale: October 5, 2026
iQOO Pad Ultra: A Tablet Built Around Gaming
iQOO Pad Ultra takes a different approach from conventional compact Android tablets. Instead of focusing mainly on portability, office work, or media consumption, iQOO has built the device around sustained gaming performance.
The combination of an 8.8-inch 165Hz OLED panel, flagship Snapdragon hardware, Q4 gaming chip, active cooling, high-capacity battery, advanced vibration system, and frame-generation technologies gives the Pad Ultra a specification sheet aimed squarely at mobile gamers.
Its relatively small display could also make it easier to hold during extended gaming sessions than a much larger tablet. At the same time, the 9,020mAh battery and dedicated cooling system are designed to address two common challenges for high-performance gaming devices: battery endurance and sustained heat.
With a starting price of 5,999 yuan and sales beginning October 5, the iQOO Pad Ultra enters the market as a compact Android tablet with an unusually strong emphasis on gaming performance and thermal management.