Vivo V50 Review: Fancy Design Backed by Big Battery Life

Vivo, a model identified primarily for its mid-premium phase smartphones, is seeing increasing competition with each passing 12 months. Whereas it was troublesome to search out options equivalent to digicam and battery life on this phase just a few years in the past, the competitors has now caught up. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 14 Pro+ (which was earlier part of its price range sequence of units) is now delivering good value priced from Rs. 30,999. And the identical applies to manufacturers like Poco and Realme, which have gotten more and more aggressive with pricing. With Vivo now totally conscious of the competitors, inching nearer with each passing 12 months, it has now give you what we consider is a tolerable successor for its mid-range V40 sequence. The Vivo V50 has loads of upgrades over the earlier fashions, and for as soon as, a few of these really make sense.

Vivo V50 Design: Quad-curved show performed proper

• Dimensions – 163.29 x 76.72 x 7.57mm
• Weight – 199g
• Sturdiness – IP68 + IP69

Not like its predecessors, the Vivo V50 has a slim, rounded design that appears and feels premium. The cellphone is available in three finishes—Titanium Gray, Starry Night time and Rose Crimson. The glass rear panel of the Rose Crimson unit we obtained has a clean matte end. It is good to see that the odd keyhole-shaped digicam module doesn’t stand out as a lot as a result of it, too, has been given the matte-finish remedy. Vivo’s Aura ring gentle has grown greater in diameter, offering higher protection than the earlier implementation.

The Vivo V50 has a clean, satin-like end for its rear panel however packs a stable IP69 score for mud and water resistance

The rounded pebble-like design could be very snug to carry, and the chrome-finished polycarbonate body (additionally the chassis), other than serving to cut back weight, additionally makes the cellphone simpler to grip. The cellphone nonetheless has a heft to it at 199 grams, however that you must understand that it packs in a 6,000mAh battery.

Not like most smartphones we’ve seen within the premium phase, Vivo certainly bought the micro quad-curved show proper with its V50. With most micro-quad-curved show panels, the deal is to make the content material seem a bit immersive with out the content material sliding too far into the curved sides and therefore showing distorted. The upside of utilizing this tech is that even the show border seems thinner if performed proper. On most premium smartphones (normally by Chinese language producers), micro-quad-curved panels are usually accompanied by mid-frames with flat sides, which breaks the stream of the design by pairing rounded and flat surfaces.

The Vivo V50 has well-rounded, quad-curved panels and a curved mid-frame, which lend it a really snug grip and hand really feel.

Vivo managed to drag this off effectively. Because of its distinctive mixture of a quad-curved rear panel, a curved mid-frame, and a quad-curved show, it has a seamless feel and look. It jogs my memory of the older all-metal iPhone fashions, such because the iPhone 6, which additionally had a flat back and front however rounded sides.

My solely nitpick concerning the Vivo V50’s design can be the marginally sharp cutout for the USB port and speaker grilles on the backside.

This splendid design is backed up by a stable IP68 and IP69 score for mud and water resistance, which means you possibly can take this cellphone for a swim in freshwater. Nevertheless, do understand that Vivo’s guarantee (similar to most producers) doesn’t cowl harm attributable to liquid ingress.

Vivo V50 Show: Appears nice, and works nice!

• Show dimension – 6.77-inch, 2,392 × 1,080 pixels, FHD+ (387 PPI)
• Show sort – AMOLED, 6-90-120Hz
• Show safety – Schott

Appears apart, the show has skinny borders throughout, and the curved edges additionally imply extra reflections when viewing the show outside, which may get distracting. Out of doors legibility, because of the claimed 4,500 nits of peak brightness, was not an issue, and the identical might be stated concerning the show’s colors, which appeared pure in all varieties of lighting situations. The show additionally helps HDR10 content material, and it appeared as anticipated.

Apparent downgrades apart, I additionally observed that the quad-curved panel launched this 12 months does lose just a few pixels. The Vivo V40’s curved-edge show had a decision of two,800 × 1,260 pixels, whereas the brand new mannequin gives a barely decrease 2,392 × 1,080 pixels. The variations in sharpness shall be minor, so it is going to be onerous to inform the distinction.

The Vivo V50’s quad-curved show produces some pointless reflections when considered outside

The show is of the adaptive selection and switches between 60, 90, and 120Hz relying on the applying or content material being considered. Through the testing interval, I observed random situations the place the refresh charge of the show would drop to one thing effectively under 30Hz, resulting in some supremely slowed-down, sluggish animations when utilizing the cellphone. These have been fairly random, and the cellphone would type itself out in about 5-10 seconds. Nevertheless, after a current bug repair and safety replace, I didn’t face the abovementioned subject.

Vivo V50 Software program: AI add-ons

• Software program model – Android 15
• Software program – Funtouch OS 15
• Software program dedication – X years of software program, X years of safety updates

Funtouch OS has now moved on to Android 15, making it Funtouch OS 15. The cell working system stays usually Vivo, with a give attention to customising the minutest of particulars that different producers normally do not trouble with. The OS with Android 15 is now much more steady and smoother (aside from the random hiccups I skilled) and comes with some minor visible enhancements like icon and theme customisation.

The principle chunk of Funtouch OS 15’s add-ons comes with new AI instruments. On the V50, I experimented with the AI Erase device within the picture editor however discovered the outcomes unsatisfactory, because the device struggled to carry out even probably the most fundamental picture edits efficiently (or as much as expectations). Subsequent, I attempted out the AI Name Translator device, and it surprisingly labored effectively each for Hindi and Marathi callers, offered the caller spoke fluently.

Vivo’s Funtouch OS 15 has some new AI-infused options however these do not work as anticipated. Customisation options (pictured) are a giant plus.

Vivo V50 Efficiency: Will get the job performed

• Processor – Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3
• RAM – 12GB (LPDDR4X)
• Storage – 256GB (UFS 2.2)

Fast product refresh cycles are a factor with most Chinese language smartphone manufacturers, particularly within the price range and mid-range smartphone segments. Vivo isn’t any stranger to such product launch cycles, and so we noticed the Vivo V30 and the Vivo V40 getting launched simply 5 months aside! With such fast launch cycles, it is common for manufacturers to retain design parts together with digicam {hardware} whereas upgrading the processor and battery/charging efficiency.

And so we find yourself with Vivo’s processor of alternative, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, which has been used prior to now two generations of the V sequence. Whereas I would anticipate it to be tried and examined and dependable, I did discover its efficiency a bit lacklustre whereas taking part in FPS video games like Name of Obligation Cell, the place the cellphone simply couldn’t preserve a clean or regular body charge. Even on the highest settings, Asphalt Legends: Unite carried out easily. The show was nearly tolerable by way of sensitivity, so in case you are into cell gaming, this is not the cellphone for you.

The Vivo V50 will get two rear-facing cameras accompanied by a bigger ring gentle than the V40

By way of benchmarks, the Vivo V50 doesn’t fare effectively when stacked in opposition to the competitors, as better-performing smartphones with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoCs can be found at and round this value level.

The stereo audio system can get very loud at full quantity, however the sound lacks any bass by any means. The ensuing audio is obvious regardless that it doesn’t sound full and wealthy. Haptic vibrations are removed from crisp. Given the smartphone’s price ticket, I anticipated higher.

Vivo V50 Cameras: A blended bag

• Main digicam – 50-megapixel, f/1.8, AF, OIS
• Ultrawide digicam – 50-megapixel, f/2.0, AF
• Selfie digicam – 50-megapixel, f/2.0, AF

Vivo V50 ultrawide digicam samples (faucet photographs to broaden)

The ultrawide digicam snaps 12-megapixel binned photographs, and the outcomes are common at finest. There’s noticeable lens barrel distortion across the edges of the picture and loads of purple fringing within the brighter areas. The colors are alright, however there’s some oversharpening and aggressive noise discount, which produces flat, oil-painting-like textures even in daylight. In low gentle, there’s lowered dynamic vary, which means there are little to no particulars seen within the shadows. Noise is beneath management, however similar to the daylight captures, it comes at the price of horribly lowered resolved element.

Vivo V50 tremendous macro digicam pattern (faucet picture to broaden)

The identical digicam can be in control of macro photographs and might be accessed by way of the Tremendous Macro mode. And that is the place the ultrawide digicam makes itself a bit extra helpful. It does a good job of snapping macro photographs, letting you get actually near your topic, however the photographs lack resolved particulars. Briefly, they seem high quality till you zoom in and examine for element, the place you might be greeted by an oversharpened mess. The first digicam enables you to get about 10-15cm away from the topic, however its shallow depth of subject means the fall-off is a bit extreme, leaving a really small patch to give attention to.

Vivo V50 daylight digicam samples. Prime: 1X (main digicam), Center: 2X (digital zoom), Backside: 2X (digital zoom) (faucet photographs to broaden)

The first digicam, too, does a median job when snapping photographs beneath daylight. The dynamic vary and hues are high quality, however the captures are low on resolved element and sharpness. Capturing at 2X digital zoom sees higher and sharper output, leading to usable photographs when snapped in daylight. Nevertheless, in low gentle or beneath synthetic gentle, the resolved element is somewhat decrease, resulting in photographs that seem flat. This additionally applies to the Portrait mode.

Vivo V50 low-light digicam samples (faucet photographs to broaden)

The principle digicam’s low-light photographs are surprisingly good. They arrive out sharp and clear, packing good element and dynamic vary. That is in all probability right down to the digicam’s Night time mode imaging algorithms, which additionally take a little bit of time to course of as soon as a picture has been captured, making you anticipate just a few seconds till you’ll be able to seize the following shot.

Selfies in low gentle (pictured) come out very well, because of the Aura ring gentle. Daylight selfies are additionally sharp and pack in good element with good edge-detection (faucet picture to broaden)

Movies recorded at 1080p at 30fps come out a bit comfortable however have good color and stabilisation. 4K 30fps movies are additionally effectively stabilised however solely handle a marginal enchancment by way of element. Movies captured from the selfie digicam have blown-out backgrounds when taking pictures in vivid out of doors environments, so it is best averted.

In low gentle, 1080p video recordings seem a bit too comfortable and lack each element and dynamic vary. 4K footage manages higher element together with good stabilisation. Issues are removed from perfect, as there’s seen noise, and dynamic vary is not dealt with effectively, with blown-out highlights in vivid areas and lacking particulars within the darker patches when taking pictures street-lit scenes.

Vivo V50 Battery: Downright spectacular!

• Battery capability – 6,000mAh
• Wired charging – 90W
• Wi-fi charging – NA

The Vivo V50’s battery simply lasted me effectively over a day with informal use and blended connectivity, which incorporates staying related to 5G and Wi-Fi networks. Certainly, battery life isn’t a difficulty with this cellphone, whether or not you’re a informal person who simply scrolls by way of social media apps or an influence person who is continually on calls, switching between a number of apps, together with digicam utilization and gaming.

The Vivo V50 measures simply 7.5mm at its thinnest level however one way or the other has a 6,000mAh battery stuffed inside.

In our customary battery video loop check, the cellphone managed a stable rating of 29 hours and 12 minutes, which is spectacular even for a mid-ranger. Charging can be surprisingly quick (for a tool with a 6,000mAh battery), with the Vivo V50 managing a 56 p.c cost in half-hour and 81 p.c in a single hour, finishing the charging simply 5 minutes later.

Vivo V50 Verdict

Vivo’s abnormally fast product launch cycle for its V sequence makes it apparent that many might maintain off on upgrading to the brand new V50 regardless of its developments over the V40 launched final 12 months. Given final 12 months’s launch schedule, we are able to anticipate a Vivo V60 to be launched within the subsequent 5 months, effectively earlier than the 12 months ends. Even when the upgrades are minor, they’ll nonetheless matter as a result of we anticipate the pricing to remain the identical.

We have now no person however Vivo in charge for this conundrum. Those that personal a Vivo V20 can now lastly improve to the V50, which gives a giant soar in total efficiency. Vivo V30 upgrades additionally profit from improved battery life and a greater set of cameras.

If a smooth design and battery life matter most to you, then the Vivo V50 is an efficient alternative for the typical client. But when efficiency issues, then you might be higher off with units like Realme’s GT 6 (Review), which is priced a wee bit larger, and even the Poco F6 (Review) that is priced loads decrease than the V50. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 14 Pro+ (Review) can be a stable contender (at a a lot cheaper price), because it gives higher battery life than the Vivo V50.