I had a Vivo phone once upon a time. I bought it after my water-damaged Gionee M5 spontaneously gave up on me months after it took a dip in a bucket of water. I think it was the Vivo Y11 (2014)—it was a temporary phone, bought used and very cheap, and it certainly didn’t give me the best impression of Vivo as a smartphone brand.
However, I’m older now, and I fully recognize Vivo as a solid smartphone manufacturer (I’ve had my eye firmly on that X200 Pro). The newly released Vivo V50 shows the company’s quality, and with this model, Vivo really wants you to pay attention to its cameras—yet the rest of the phone is still killer.
Vivo’s V50 Brings a Big Battery, Fast Charging, and a Portrait-Focused Camera
The Vivo V50 is unapologetically a midrange smartphone in terms of its pricing. However, the spec sheet is rather impressive, and it has a design that will stand out from the crowd. Plus, cameras in phones matter a lot, and with a Zeiss collab, the Chinese OEM doesn’t neglect that. Let’s dive into what makes the phone special.
The Design
Whether you deem the Vivo V50 to be a good-looking smartphone or not is a matter of preference. However, the one thing that can’t be denied is that it looks different from the rest (and a little different from its predecessor). The device doesn’t follow the new trend of “flat”, with the screen, frame, and back panel still retaining some curvature.
The most eye-catching aspect of its design is the camera module, with a circular area in the upper-left corner holding the dual camera setup and Zeiss branding, but underneath that is a section that almost extends into an oval. That part contains the circular ring flash.
The phone has IP68/IP69 certification and is available in Starry Blue, Ancora Red, Mist Purple, and Satin Black colorways. Starry Blue’s finish is definitely going to be a popular pick.
The Screen
The Vivo V50 has a very solid display for a mid-range smartphone. It is a 6.77-inch AMOLED panel with FHD+ resolution and a 120Hz max refresh rate. It also comes with HDR10+ certification and a peak brightness of 4,500 nits—though that’s only going to be noticed in HDR content.
The screen is quad-curved, though the actual display doesn’t curve. Instead, the glass simply seems to curve into the frame of the phone once you reach the bezels.
The Internal Hardware
The V50 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, which is a solid choice for a phone of its tier. It is available in up to a 12/512GB storage configuration, though you’ll be making do with UFS 2.2 storage.
However, one notable exception on this phone’s spec sheet is NFC. For many people, it will simply be a dealbreaker without that, so it is important that that’s clear.
The Battery and Charging
In the battery department, Vivo’s mid-range has made the journey over to silicon-carbon tech, which explains how the OEM was able to fit a 6,000mAh battery inside. Paired with lightning-fast 90W fast charging, you should have your phone juiced up real quick.
The Cameras
The cameras are what a lot of people are around for, and for good reason. Vivo doesn’t feel pressured to add a third camera, instead offering a dual 50MP setup, with a wide and an ultrawide with Zeiss tech in there. On the front, the selfie camera is also 50MP and doesn’t lose out on the Zeiss sweetness.
However, Vivo really wants you to use this phone for portraits. Zeiss Multifocal Portrait makes it possible to take pictures using either 23mm, 35mm, or 50mm focal lengths. There are a bunch of software enhancements too, like Zeiss Style Bokeh and AI Aura Light Portrait 2.0, which it claims can provide “studio-quality, multi-angle lighting”.
The Pricing and Availability
The Vivo V50 is currently available in six Asian markets, including India, Taiwan, and the Philippines, though there’s a possibility that its scope will widen with time. In India, the phone will start at INR 34,999, which is roughly ~$403. That’s not too bad for what you get. The device will be openly available starting from February 25th.
