Vivo might be one of the largest smartphone brands you’ve never heard of. That may soon change, however, with the company’s ongoing push into new international markets beyond its native China.
At this early stage in its global expansion, many of the company’s phones are still only launching in Asia, though a growing number are getting European launches too. However, even for European buyers that doesn’t detract from the excellent hardware Vivo has dropped inside these devices.
There’s also the company’s iQoo sub-brand to consider, which offers remixed takes on its parent brand’s devices that strike an even more competitive price/performance balance, with a slight gaming focus.
A quick note on software: Vivo has two operating systems in use at the moment. Origin OS is limited to the firm’s latest phones and is currently only available on Chinese models. Funtouch OS is found on the global launches, though will eventually be replaced by Origin. The few phones with official European versions also run Funtouch, but a stripped back version that’s closer to a stock Android experience – and much better for it.
1. Vivo X80 Pro
- (Maybe) the best camera around
- Fast wired & wireless charging
- IP68-water resistance
- Great battery life
Cons
- Awkward-looking camera design
- No Gorilla Glass
- Funtouch OS
Best Prices Today: $969 at Ali Express
The X80 Pro is Vivo’s latest flagship, and benefits from a wide release that includes much of Asia and Europe – though neither the UK or US.
What’s curious is that this is very similar to the older X70 Pro+, below, but is available in more countries and for a little less.
The big upgrades are to the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, and a larger battery with faster charging, and those alone make this a worthy upgrade.
The camera hasn’t been tweaked much, but has minor upgrades to the main image sensor and image processor – enough to make this Vivo’s best camera, and by extension one of the absolute best in any phone. Vivo has also moved its trademark gimbal tech from the ultrawide to the 2x zoom lens, which is really the only move we don’t like.
Read our full Vivo X80 Pro review
2. Vivo X70 Pro+
- Jaw-dropping quad camera
- IP68 rating
- Wireless charging
Cons
- Odd design
- Funtouch OS
As mentioned above, the X70 Pro+ is incredibly similar to the above X80 Pro, but with an older chip and worse battery and charging. It’s still an exceptional flagship however, and well worth buying if you can find it discounted.
Specs are still top across the board: Snapdragon 888+ chip, up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage, a 120Hz WQHD+ AMOLED display, and 55W fast charging.
Really it’s all about the camera though, which is inarguably still one of the best in any phone right now. The four rear lenses are all fantastic (and all have OIS to boot), but the standout is the ultrawide, which thanks to gimbal stabilisation remain superior to that in the more recent model.
Read our full Vivo X70 Pro+ review
3. Vivo X70 Pro
Pros
- Great camera
- Slim & lightweight
Cons
- Average chipset
- Funtouch OS
- No wireless charging
The X70 Pro is an only slightly stripped back alternative to the Pro+, but still plenty powerful (and also unavailable outside Asia).
You won’t get the wireless charging or IP rating, and the display is smaller and lower in resolution. It’s also capped at the Dimensity 1200 chipset, though it is a custom version for Vivo.
What you’ll still get is a fantastic quad rear camera, with most of the same specs as the Pro+ model. You also get an improved design, with a slimmer body, lighter weight, and no odd reflective ceramic window next to the camera.
Read our full Vivo X70 Pro review
4. Vivo X60 Pro
- Striking design
- Excellent triple camera
- Clean software option
Cons
- Expensive
- No wireless charging
The X60 Pro is still the most recent X-series phone to launch in the UK, but it’s good enough that we’re not complaining.
This is one of the thinnest, lightest flagship phones of the year, and features a flawless frosted glass finish.
The 6.56in 120Hz AMOLED display is gorgeous, and the Snapdragon 870 processor is more than enough for most, albeit not quite the best around.
The real strength, other than the design, is the Zeiss-branded triple camera: a gimbal-stabilised main lens, ultrawide, and 2x zoom portrait lens. They’re enough to make this one of the best camera phones around this year.
The only real downsides here are the lack of wireless charging and waterproofing – but if you won’t miss them then the X60 Pro is a great choice, and hands-down Vivo’s best in the West.
Read our full Vivo X60 Pro review
5. Vivo iQoo 9 Pro Legend
Pros
- Fast performance
- 120Hz display
- Ultra-fast charging
Cons
- Funtouch OS
- Poor selfie camera
- No IP rating
The iQoo 9 Pro Legend is the latest in Vivo’s gaming range, though it doesn’t look like most other gaming phones with its BMW-inspired racing stripe.
The 9 Pro Legend offers a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 with up to 12GB of RAM, backed up by a 4700mAh battery with incredible 120W wired charging, and 50W wireless.
The cameras aren’t Vivo’s best, but they’re not bad – the 50Mp main camera is a winner, and Vivo’s excellent Night mode software shines here thanks to the gimbal stabilisation included too.
For the price, this has a lot of power – though note that this is one of Vivo’s phones that hasn’t had a global launch, but you can buy it from China or India.
Read our full Vivo iQoo 9 Pro Legend review
6. Vivo T1 5G
- Nice design
- Superb performance
- Great battery life
Cons
- Cheap build quality
- Pointless macro camera
- Disappointing display
The Vivo T1 5G is an impressive budget offering from Vivo that’s available in India and China – though sadly hasn’t reached Europe.
With a Snapdragon 695 5G chipset this is an impressively smooth phone, and performance is one of its clear strengths, along with phenomenal battery life. It also looks the part, though with lots of plastic and no water-proofing, there are limits here.
The main camera is strong, despite lacklustre secondary shooters. Perhaps the main disappointment is the LCD display, which supports a smooth 120Hz refresh rate but has slightly washed out colours.
Still, for those who value performance and battery life, this isn’t just Vivo’s best budget phone, but one of the best full stop.
Read our full Vivo T1 5G review
7. iQoo Neo 6
- Great screen
- 80W charging
- Superb performance
Cons
- India and China only
- Only 2 years of Android updates
- Poor second and third camera lenses
The iQoo Neo 6 is an impressive mid-range gaming option from Vivo.
The Snapdragon 870 chipset is still a powerhouse, and it drives an excellent AMOLED display. 80W wired charging is also among the fastest you’ll find at this price, and thanks to Vivo’s imaging expertise even the 64Mp main camera impresses – a rarity in gaming hardware.
There are more powerful gaming phones out there, but few that deliver this much power at this price while balancing it with strong features elsewhere – not to mention an attractive design that won’t put off more casual gamers.
Read our full iQoo Neo 6 review
8. Vivo V21
- Slim design
- Excellent OIS selfie camera
- Clean software option
Cons
- Average rear cameras
- Middling specs
- Older hardware
The V21 is the latest phone we’ve reviews in Vivo’s selfie-focussed V-series – it’s since been followed up by the V23 and V23 Pro, but they actually have some drawbacks that mean we prefer the V21.
The V21 is a real winner though. It’s the first phone to offer optical image stabilisation (OIS) on the selfie camera, which means you’ll get crisper selfies, more stable vlogs, and improved lowlight performance. It’s also a beautiful, slim, and light phone, and if you’re in Europe you’ll be able to buy it running Vivo’s simpler European software.
The only real downsides are that the great selfie shooter is let down by a good-but-not-great rear camera, and the chipset powering the phone is a bit budget – good enough for day-to-day use, but not enough for gaming or power users.
Read our full Vivo V21 5G review
9. Vivo X60 Pro+
- Great camera
- Top specs
- Attractive design
Cons
- No wireless charging
- Funtouch OS
The leather-coated X60 Pro+ was Vivo’s most powerful phone until the X70 Pro+ came along, though unfortunately it’s only available in China and India – so buyers elsewhere will have to import.
This is a photography flagship, boasting a camera spec that wouldn’t be out of place in an Ultra-class phone from other brands: a 50Mp main lens, 48Mp gimbal-stabilised ultrawide, 32Mp 2x zoom, and 8Mp 5x periscope. The X70 Pro+ has since pipped it, but not by much – this camera is still stunning.
You get all of that for a lot less than you might elsewhere, but only because Vivo has skipped luxuries like wireless charging, an IP rating, or stereo speakers – though internal specs are top notch, with the Snapdragon 888 at its heart.
Bear in mind that while the Chinese version of the phone runs Vivo’s new Origin OS, the Indian model instead runs the company’s older Funtouch OS software.
Read our full Vivo X60 Pro+ review
10. Vivo V23 Pro
- Strong main selfie camera
- Strong specs
- Colour-changing design
Cons
- Weak second selfie camera
- Average rear camera
- Funtouch OS
The Vivo V23 Pro is an odd follow-up to the V21 (no, there wasn’t ever a V22, and no, we don’t know why either) that ditches its key feature.
Instead of an OIS selfie camera, here you’ll find two non-OIS cameras on the phone’s front. The 50Mp main selfie camera is great in good light, but without optical stabilisation it lags behind the V21 at night – and the lower resolution ultra-wide is merely OK.
Fast charging, a powerful processor, and a slick colour-changing design help sell the Vivo V23 Pro, which is a pretty well-rounded phone overall – but given the choice, we’d still take the older V21.
Read our full Vivo V23 Pro review
0 comments:
Post a Comment