vivo V50 Review: THE mid-range for 2025 Q1

After diving deep into the powerhouse vivo X series, known for its cutting-edge telephoto capabilities, it’s time to shift gears and explore a more personal, everyday smartphone. Today, we’re putting the spotlight on the vivo V50, a device that promises to redefine your portrait photography experience.

This isn’t just another mid-range contender; vivo has partnered with Zeiss, the legendary lens manufacturer behind some of the world’s most iconic optics, to co-engineer the V50’s camera system.

While the V50 is undeniably designed with portrait enthusiasts in mind, we’re going to push its boundaries and explore its potential for capturing the vibrant energy of urban landscapes. Stay tuned as we delve into the details of this compelling smartphone and see if it truly lives up to the hype.

vivo V50 Overview

Our initial impression of the vivo V50 is that this is a well refined craftsmanship. This device immediately stands out with its seamlessly curved display, where the screen gracefully blends into the casing, creating a continuous, visually stunning edge.

The color, a deep, maroon red dubbed “Ancora Red,” is a testament to vivo’s attention to detail. This shade, subtly inspired by Gucci’s iconic dark cherry red, exudes a tasteful blend of power and sophistication, lending the V50 a truly luxurious aesthetic.

Turning to the rear, the camera setup is housed within a distinctive dual-circle module. This “dual ring camera module,” as vivo calls it, encases the two Zeiss co-engineered lenses, with the halo flash positioned directly below. The design’s inspiration from luxury watches is evident in the meticulously cut diamond pattern surrounding the lenses, adding a touch of intricate detail. 

Durability is also a key feature of the vivo V50. With IP68 and IP69 ratings, this smartphone is built to withstand the rigors of daily use, offering robust protection against dust and water. It can even survive short periods of submersion, catering to users with a penchant for aquatic adventures. 

Display

The vivo V50 boasts a stunning 6.77-inch AMOLED display, delivering a crisp resolution of 2392 x 1080 pixels and a buttery-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. This combination ensures vibrant visuals and fluid animations, making every interaction a pleasure. With a local peak brightness of 4500 nits and support for the P3 wide color gamut, the V50 can reproduce a staggering 1.07 billion colors, resulting in rich, lifelike images. 

For movie enthusiasts, the inclusion of HDR10+ support enhances the viewing experience, bringing out the subtle details and dynamic range in compatible content. Furthermore, the vivo V50 holds an SGS Low Blue Light certification, a crucial feature for those who spend extended periods on their smartphones. This certification signifies that the display effectively filters out harmful blue light emissions, promoting better circadian rhythm control and reducing eye strain. 

Protecting this impressive display is a proprietary tempered glass cover. While it may not bear the Gorilla Glass moniker, it has earned an SGS Five-Star overall unit drop resistance rating. This rating is backed by rigorous testing, including an astonishing 42,000 drop tests and 1,000 sit tests. The latter, in particular, highlights the display’s robust durability, suggesting that enduring pressure from being sat upon might inflict more damage than a typical drop. The vivo V50 display, therefore, not only delivers exceptional visual quality but also offers peace of mind with its impressive resilience.

Audio

While we typically address audio capabilities in the overview, the vivo V50 warrants a dedicated segment. It features a stereo speaker setup, with speakers positioned at the top and bottom of the device. However, their asymmetrical placement raises concerns about the accuracy of spatial audio reproduction. Furthermore, the speakers are side-firing, rather than front-facing, which can detract from the immersive experience as the sound is directed away from the user. 

Despite the visually impressive display, the audio department feels somewhat lacking. The vivo V50 does not carry the common Hi-Res Audio or Dolby Atmos certifications. Instead, vivo incorporates its own “Audio Super Resolution” technology, which aims to enhance audio dynamics. While this feature provides a slight boost to the sound, it doesn’t quite reach the level of clarity and depth offered by established audio standards. 

In my opinion, the audio performance of the vivo V50 represents a missed opportunity. Given the phone’s exceptional display and emphasis on multimedia consumption, a more robust audio system would have significantly elevated the overall user experience. It’s a shame that a device with such visual prowess is not accompanied by equally impressive audio fidelity.

vivo V50 Performance

Under the hood, the vivo V50 is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor, guaranteeing robust performance that ranks among the best in its market segment. This chipset is paired with 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM. While the choice of LPDDR4X, instead of the faster LPDDR5, is a minor drawback that could potentially impact overall performance, the device still delivers a smooth and responsive user experience.

To quantify its performance, we subjected the vivo V50 to a series of benchmarks. In 3DMark Steel Nomad Light, it achieved a score of 484, and in the Unlimited edition, it scored 493. On 3DMark Wild Life Extreme, the score was 1472, and on the Unlimited edition, the score was 1467.

These benchmark results indicate that the vivo V50 performs admirably as a mid-range smartphone. While it may not reach the peak performance levels of flagship devices, it is more than capable of handling all modern tasks and games with ease. Whether you’re browsing the web, streaming videos, or engaging in demanding gaming sessions, the vivo V50 delivers a fluid and reliable experience. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, combined with the ample RAM, ensures that the device can keep up with your everyday needs.

Battery

The vivo V50 is equipped with a substantial 6000mAh battery, placing it among the top performers in its class. This generous capacity ensures that users can confidently navigate their daily routines without constant anxiety about running out of power. To complement this impressive battery, vivo has incorporated 90W FlashCharge technology, enabling rapid recharging. 

In our tests, the bundled flash charger delivered remarkable results, taking the vivo V50 from 25% to a full charge in approximately 40 minutes. This swift charging capability is a game-changer for users who are constantly on the go.

To assess real-world battery performance, we subjected the vivo V50 to our Work 3.0 battery life benchmark. The device impressively lasted for 11 hours and 24 minutes before reaching the 20% battery threshold. This result demonstrates the phone’s ability to provide all-day endurance, even under demanding usage scenarios. The combination of a large capacity battery and fast charging makes the vivo V50 a reliable companion for users who prioritize long-lasting power.

vivo V50 Camera

The vivo V50 distinguishes itself with a dual rear camera setup, both featuring 50MP sensors and co-engineered in collaboration with Zeiss. This partnership brings the renowned optical expertise of Zeiss to the forefront, promising exceptional image quality.

The primary wide-angle camera boasts a 50MP sensor coupled with a 6-element lens at f/1.8 aperture. It is stabilized by OIS, further enhanced by vivo’s CIPA 4.0 DSLR-Level Stabilization system, ensuring sharp and steady shots even in challenging conditions.

While the 84° field of view would typically translate to a 23mm lens, vivo and Zeiss have integrated “Zeiss Multifocal Portrait” technology. This innovative feature provides pre-set master profiles for 23mm, 35mm, and 50mm focal lengths. Beyond optimized zoom ranges, these profiles also incorporate the distinctive look of notable Zeiss lenses. Specifically, the Distagon series, known for its high performance, the B-Speed lens, a mid-70s favorite with a unique bokeh, and the Biotar series, a staple in Zeiss cinematography, are all emulated. This allows for a great range of portrait shots, all with that classic Zeiss look.

The secondary camera also features a 50MP sensor, paired with a 5-element f/2.0 lens, offering an ultra-wide 119.4° field of view, equivalent to a 10mm lens. This wide perspective allows users to capture expansive landscapes and group shots with ease. The vivo V50 camera system, therefore, is a powerful tool for portrait and landscape photography, combining high-resolution sensors with the legendary optics of Zeiss.

vivo V50 User experience

The vivo V50 delivers a generally smooth and enjoyable user experience. The FunTouch OS, while highly polished and well-laid out, does present a minor hurdle upon initial setup. While this is a flagship device, I was greeted with a noticeable amount of pre-installed bloatware. After a bit of cleanup, the OS performs admirably, but the initial impression of premium quality is somewhat tarnished by the presence of games like Block Puzzle and Horrible Granny 3.

Gaming on the vivo V50 is a delight. Diablo Immortal, even at maximum settings, runs flawlessly, demonstrating the device’s capable performance. The combination of a powerful processor and ample RAM ensures a lag-free and immersive gaming experience.

The camera system proves to be versatile, capturing excellent images in various scenarios. Combined with the vibrant and detailed display, the vivo V50 is a great device for consuming multimedia content. However, the audio performance, while not terrible, is the most noticeable drawback. It’s not that the audio is poor, but it falls short of the overall excellence of the device. The side firing speakers and lack of higher end audio codecs are noticeable when compared to the visual fidelity of the device.

vivo V50 Conclusion: A Stellar Mid-Range Contender

In conclusion, the vivo V50 delivers a compelling blend of premium features and performance at a very reasonable starting price of RM 1899. From its stunning Zeiss co-engineered camera system, capable of capturing exceptional portraits and landscapes, to its vibrant AMOLED display and robust battery life, the V50 offers a well-rounded smartphone experience.

While the initial bloatware and slightly underwhelming audio performance are minor drawbacks, they don’t detract significantly from the overall value proposition. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 ensures smooth performance for everyday tasks and demanding games alike. For those seeking a feature-rich smartphone without breaking the bank, the vivo V50 is a worthy contender, and for that, we at HelloExpress.net are pleased to award it with our Silver Award.

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