vivo S20 review
The Vivo S20 is a camera-focused phone that has just launched in China, with a global release expected under the name Vivo V50. This device boasts a fast refresh rate AMOLED display, an excellent portrait camera, and a slim and stylish design. One of its standout features is its battery life, which lasts up to two days on average use, despite being just 7.19mm thick and weighing only 190g. The phone's massive 6,500mAh battery can be charged from 0 to 100% in just 53 minutes using the included 90W fast charger. The camera setup is another major highlight, with a dual rear camera configuration featuring an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 50MP main camera. The phone also comes equipped with optical image stabilization (OIS), a soft light feature for improved low-light photography, and advanced AI features for portrait mode and selfie photography. The display itself is a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen with a 1.5K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, although the phone's frame is made of plastic, which may show fingerprints. The device runs on OriginOS 5 based on Android 15, providing smooth animations and AI-driven features. The Vivo S20 starts at CNY 2299 in China, £250 in the UK, and $318 in the USA. While it excels in camera capabilities and battery life, its performance may not be the best choice for those seeking a high-end gaming experience. Overall, this phone is perfect for photography enthusiasts looking for a device that delivers excellent portrait shots and a long-lasting battery.
Build Quality and Design
The Vivo S20 is a camera-focused phone that has just launched in China, with its global release expected under the V50 name. This device boasts an impressive array of features, including a fast refresh rate AMOLED display, excellent portrait camera, slim and stylish design, large battery, and more. The Vivo S20's design is one of its standout features. The phone's color, dubbed "Phoenix Feather King Kong," has a stunning golden hue that shines beautifully in the light. The back cover boasts a unique texture effect that resembles feathers, giving it an almost premium feel. This feather-like pattern not only adds visual appeal but also helps prevent visible fingerprints. The camera module design is reminiscent of its predecessor, with a top area housing the lenses and a bottom area featuring a studio-level soft Halo light. What sets it apart is the golden texture on the rim of the camera module, which matches the phone's gold color. The Vivo S20's build quality is equally impressive. The device boasts a massive 6500 mAh battery despite being only 7.19 mm thick and weighing a mere 190 G. This makes it incredibly light and slim to hold, making it perfect for daily use. The phone's frame is made of plastic, which may seem like a compromise but actually adds to its sleek design. The screen offers a maximum manual brightness of 800 nits and supports 100% DCI P3 color gamut, ensuring accurate colors for photos and videos. Overall, the Vivo S20's build quality and design are a true marvel. Its unique texture effect, stunning camera module design, and slim profile make it a joy to hold and use. Whether you're taking high-quality portraits or simply enjoying your favorite shows on its impressive display, this phone is sure to impress.
Battery Life
One of the standout features of the Vivo S20 is its impressive battery life. Despite packing a large 6,500mAh battery, the phone is remarkably slim and light, weighing in at just 190g and measuring 7.19mm in thickness. In my testing, I found that the S20's battery easily lasted for two days with average use, even when running demanding apps and features. This was consistent across various usage scenarios, including heavy gaming sessions, streaming videos, and social media browsing. What's more impressive is that even when pushing the phone to its limits by setting the refresh rate to 120Hz and using it heavily for four hours a day, the battery still had around 50% remaining. This suggests that the S20's battery has plenty of headroom for everyday use, making it an ideal choice for those who want a phone that can keep up with their busy lives. The addition of 90W fast charging further enhances the S20's battery life credentials, allowing users to top up their battery from empty to full in just 53 minutes. This means that even if you do exhaust your battery, it won't take long to get back up and running. Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with the Vivo S20's battery life, and it's a key strength of this phone. Whether you're a heavy user or someone who just wants a reliable device, the S20's battery should provide more than enough juice for your needs.
Display
The Vivo S20 boasts an impressive 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a 1.5K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. This screen offers a maximum manual brightness of 800 nits, ensuring vibrant colors and clear visuals even in bright environments. The display supports 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, guaranteeing accurate colors for photos and videos. One notable feature of the Vivo S20's display is its lack of a plastic bracket between the screen and the frame. Instead, the phone's frame is made of plastic with a shiny finish, which may be prone to fingerprints but adds to the device's sleek aesthetic. The AMOLED panel provides an immersive viewing experience, making it ideal for gaming and video streaming. The 120Hz refresh rate ensures smooth motion and reduced screen tearing, while the high-resolution display produces crisp text and images. In terms of design, the Vivo S20's display is framed by a slender plastic border that complements the phone's slim profile. However, this may lead to some minor glare issues in bright light conditions due to the lack of an anti-reflective coating on the screen. The Vivo S20's display is undoubtedly one of its standout features. The AMOLED panel delivers stunning visuals, and the 120Hz refresh rate ensures a seamless user experience. While it may not be perfect in all lighting conditions, this display is certainly up to par with many high-end smartphones currently available in the market. In conclusion, the Vivo S20's display offers an engaging viewing experience, thanks to its AMOLED panel and 120Hz refresh rate. It's a great choice for those seeking a visually appealing phone that's perfect for gaming, video streaming, or everyday use.
Camera
The Vivo S20 has just been launched in China, and this camera-focused phone boasts some impressive features that set it apart from its competitors. One of the standout aspects of this device is its portrait camera, which delivers excellent results. In this review, we'll take a closer look at what makes the Vivo S20's camera so special. The Vivo S20 features a dual rear camera setup consisting of an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera with a 16mm focal length equivalent and a 50-megapixel main camera with a 23mm focal length equivalent. What's more impressive is that the main camera also comes equipped with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), which helps to reduce camera shake and blur. One of the most exciting features of the Vivo S20's camera system is its ability to adjust color temperature using a built-in soft light. This feature allows users to fine-tune their photos in real-time, adjusting the color tone to suit different lighting conditions. Whether it's capturing warm skin tones in well-lit environments or cool colors in shaded areas, this feature is a game-changer for portrait photography. The Vivo S20 also boasts an impressive 50-megapixel front camera with autofocus and dual LED flash, making it perfect for taking high-quality selfies even in low-light conditions. The phone's AI features also enable users to create stunning portraits with bokeh effects, beauty modes, and various filters. In our hands-on experience with the Vivo S20, we were blown away by the quality of its portrait photos. The background cutout is remarkably close to what you'd achieve with a DSLR camera, and the ability to adjust beautification and bokeh effects adds an extra layer of creativity to your photography. Overall, the Vivo S20's camera system is a major strength of this device. With its impressive features and exceptional portrait capabilities, it's clear that this phone was designed with photography enthusiasts in mind. Whether you're a seasoned photographer or just starting out, the Vivo S20's camera is sure to impress.
Price and Value
The Vivo S20 has made its grand entrance in China, boasting an impressive array of features, including a fast refresh rate AMOLED display, excellent portrait camera, slim design, and large battery. As the phone is set to launch globally under the name Vivo V50, it's essential to evaluate its price and value proposition. Priced at 2299 CNY in China, 250 GBP in the UK, and $318 in the USA, the Vivo S20 offers a compelling blend of performance and features. On paper, this phone seems like an excellent choice for those seeking a reliable camera-focused device with a long-lasting battery. However, as we dig deeper, it's clear that the Vivo S20's value proposition depends on individual priorities. While its portrait camera capabilities are undeniably impressive, the phone may not be the best option for performance enthusiasts who require more processing power. Considering its price point, the Vivo S20 offers an appealing mix of style and substance, making it a solid mid-range offering in the global market. However, whether or not this phone represents excellent value depends on individual expectations and requirements. The Vivo S20's price and value proposition are well-balanced for those seeking a reliable camera-focused device with impressive battery life. While its performance capabilities may not be as robust, the phone's overall package offers an appealing blend of features at an affordable price point. As always, prospective buyers must weigh their priorities to determine if this phone represents excellent value for their specific needs. The Vivo S20's price and value are well-balanced for those seeking a reliable camera-focused device with impressive battery life.
Performance
The Vivo S20 is a feature-packed smartphone that has been making waves in the tech world. However, its performance capabilities are worth examining in more detail. Under the hood, the phone runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor, built on a 4nm platform. This configuration provides smooth and efficient performance for daily use, with snappy animations and minimal lag. The phone also features OriginOS 5, which is well-optimized and offers a seamless user experience. While the S20's performance is more than capable of handling everyday tasks, it may struggle with demanding games or resource-intensive apps. If you're an avid gamer or require top-notch performance for work or creative pursuits, this might not be the best choice. In our tests, the phone handled mid-range to high-end games without issue, but we did experience some slight lag and frame drops during intense gaming sessions. However, for casual gamers or those who only play occasional games, the S20's performance should suffice. The phone's AI features are also worth mentioning, with a built-in summarization tool that provides concise summaries of long texts, as well as continuous conversation capabilities. These features add to the overall user experience and demonstrate the S20's ability to multitask and handle various tasks with ease. Overall, while the Vivo S20's performance is not its strongest suit, it still offers respectable capabilities for everyday use. If you're looking for a phone that can handle demanding tasks or high-end gaming, this may not be the best choice. However, if you prioritize features like an excellent portrait camera and large battery life, the S20 is certainly worth considering.
Pros
1. The phone features a fast refresh rate AMOLED display, an excellent portrait camera, a slim and stylish design, a large battery, and more.
2. The phone's design is stunning, with a unique feather-like texture that prevents visible fingerprints.
3. The phone has a massive 6500 mAh battery that easily lasts for 2 days with average use.
4. The phone supports 90 W fast charging, which can charge the battery from 0 to 100% in just 53 minutes.
5. The phone features a dual rear camera setup with an 8 megapix Ultra wide camera and a 50 megap of main camera.
6. The phone's portrait camera delivers excellent results, with a background cutout that is very close to what you'd get with a DSLR camera.
7. The phone runs origin OS 5 based on Android 15, which is well optimized and has smooth animations.
Cons
1. If you're thinking of playing high-end games on this phone, you might experience some struggle due to the Snapdragon 7 gen 3 processor.
2. The phone's frame is made of plastic and can show fingerprints.
3. The price of the Vivo s20 starts at $318 in the USA, which may be considered expensive by some users.