Vivo V50 Review: Fancy Design Backed by Big Battery Life

Vivo, a model recognized primarily for its mid-premium section smartphones, is seeing growing competitors with each passing yr. While it was troublesome to seek out options reminiscent of a great digicam and battery life on this section a number of years in the past, the competitors has now caught up. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 14 Pro+ (which was earlier part of its price range collection of gadgets) is now delivering good worth 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 absolutely conscious of the competitors, inching nearer with each passing yr, it has now provide you with what we imagine is a tolerable successor for its mid-range V40 collection. The Vivo V50 has loads of upgrades over the earlier fashions, and for as soon as, a few of these truly make sense.

Vivo V50 Design: Quad-curved show finished proper

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

Unlike its predecessors, the Vivo V50 has a slim, rounded design that appears and feels premium. The telephone is available in three finishes—Titanium Grey, Starry Night and Rose Red. The glass rear panel of the Rose Red unit we obtained has a clean matte end. It’s 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 mild has grown larger 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 may be very snug to carry, and the chrome-finished polycarbonate body (additionally the chassis), aside from serving to scale back weight, additionally makes the telephone simpler to grip. The telephone nonetheless has a heft to it at 199 grams, however you want to needless to say it packs in a 6,000mAh battery.

Unlike most smartphones we now have seen within the premium section, 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 finished proper. On most premium smartphones (normally by Chinese producers), micro-quad-curved panels are sometimes accompanied by mid-frames with flat sides, which breaks the circulation 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 tug this off effectively. Thanks to its distinctive mixture of a quad-curved rear panel, a curved mid-frame, and a quad-curved show, it has a seamless appear and feel. 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 in regards to the Vivo V50’s design could 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, that means you can take this telephone for a swim in freshwater. However, do needless to say Vivo’s guarantee (identical to most producers) doesn’t cowl harm induced by liquid ingress.

Vivo V50 Display: Looks nice, and works nice!

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

Looks apart, the show has skinny borders throughout, and the curved edges additionally imply extra reflections when viewing the show outside, which may get distracting. Outdoor legibility, because of the claimed 4,500 nits of peak brightness, was not an issue, and the identical might be mentioned in regards to the show’s colors, which appeared pure in all sorts of lighting circumstances. The show additionally helps HDR10 content material, and it appeared as anticipated.

Obvious downgrades apart, I additionally observed that the quad-curved panel launched this yr does lose a number of pixels. The Vivo V40’s curved-edge show had a decision of two,800 × 1,260 pixels, whereas the brand new mannequin presents a barely decrease 2,392 × 1,080 pixels. The variations in sharpness will probably be minor, so will probably be arduous to inform the distinction.

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

 

The show is of the adaptive selection and switches between 60, 90, and 120Hz relying on the applying or content material being seen. During the testing interval, I observed random cases 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 telephone. These have been fairly random, and the telephone would kind itself out in about 5-10 seconds. However, after a latest bug repair and safety replace, I didn’t face the abovementioned problem.

Vivo V50 Software: AI add-ons

• Software model – Android 15
• Software – Funtouch OS 15
• Software 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 cellular working system stays sometimes Vivo, with a concentrate on customising the minutest of particulars that different producers normally do not hassle with. The OS with Android 15 is now much more steady and smoother (apart from the random hiccups I skilled) and comes with some minor visible enhancements like icon and theme customisation.

The most important chunk of Funtouch OS 15’s add-ons comes with new AI instruments. On the V50, I experimented with the AI Erase software within the picture editor however discovered the outcomes unsatisfactory, because the software struggled to carry out even essentially the most fundamental picture edits efficiently (or as much as expectations). Next, I attempted out the AI Call Translator software, 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 an enormous plus.

 

Vivo V50 Performance: Gets the job finished

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

Quick product refresh cycles are a factor with most Chinese smartphone manufacturers, particularly within the price range and mid-range smartphone segments. Vivo is not 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’s normal 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 previously two generations of the V collection. While I’d count on it to be tried and examined and dependable, I did discover its efficiency a bit lacklustre whereas taking part in FPS video games like Call of Duty Mobile, the place the telephone simply couldn’t keep a clean or regular body charge. Even on the highest settings, Asphalt Legends: Unite carried out easily. The show was nearly tolerable when it comes to sensitivity, so if you’re into cellular gaming, this is not the telephone for you.

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

 

In phrases of benchmarks, the Vivo V50 doesn’t fare effectively when stacked towards the competitors, as better-performing smartphones with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoCs can be found at and round this worth 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 evident despite the fact 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 combined bag

• Primary 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 pictures to broaden)

 

The ultrawide digicam snaps 12-megapixel binned pictures, and the outcomes are common at greatest. 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 mild, there’s diminished dynamic vary, that means there are little to no particulars seen within the shadows. Noise is underneath management, however identical to the daylight captures, it comes at the price of horribly diminished resolved element.

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

 

The identical digicam can be accountable for macro photographs and might be accessed by the Super 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 pictures lack resolved particulars. In quick, they seem wonderful till you zoom in and verify for element, the place you’re greeted by an oversharpened mess. The main 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 concentrate on.

Vivo V50 daylight digicam samples. Top: 1X (main digicam), Middle: 2X (digital zoom), Bottom: 2X (digital zoom) (faucet pictures to broaden)

 

The main digicam, too, does a median job when snapping photographs underneath daylight. The dynamic vary and colors are wonderful, however the captures are low on resolved element and sharpness. Shooting at 2X digital zoom sees higher and sharper output, leading to usable photographs when snapped in daylight. However, in low mild or underneath synthetic mild, the resolved element is a bit of decrease, resulting in photographs that seem flat. This additionally applies to the Portrait mode.

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

 

The most important digicam’s low-light pictures are surprisingly good. They come out sharp and clear, packing good element and dynamic vary. This might be right down to the digicam’s Night mode imaging algorithms, which additionally take a little bit of time to course of as soon as a picture has been captured, making you watch for a number of seconds till you possibly can seize the subsequent shot.

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

 

Videos recorded at 1080p at 30fps come out a bit gentle however have good color and stabilisation. 4K 30fps movies are additionally effectively stabilised however solely handle a marginal enchancment when it comes to element. Videos captured from the selfie digicam have blown-out backgrounds when taking pictures in vivid outside environments, so it is best prevented.

In low mild, 1080p video recordings seem a bit too gentle and lack each element and dynamic vary. 4K footage manages higher element together with good stabilisation. Things are removed from excellent, 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
• Wireless charging – NA

The Vivo V50’s battery simply lasted me effectively over a day with informal use and combined connectivity, which incorporates staying related to 5G and Wi-Fi networks. Indeed, battery life isn’t a problem with this telephone, whether or not you’re a informal consumer who simply scrolls by social media apps or an influence consumer 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 someway has a 6,000mAh battery stuffed inside.

 

In our normal battery video loop check, the telephone 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 % cost in half-hour and 81 % in a single hour, finishing the charging simply 5 minutes later.

Vivo V50 Verdict

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

We have no one however Vivo accountable for this conundrum. Those who personal a Vivo V20 can now lastly improve to the V50, which presents an enormous leap in general 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 effective alternative for the common shopper. But if efficiency issues, then you’re higher off with gadgets like Realme’s GT 6 (Review), which is priced a wee bit greater, and even the Poco F6 (Review) that is priced lots decrease than the V50. Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 14 Pro+ (Review) can be a stable contender (at a a lot lower cost), because it presents higher battery life than the Vivo V50.