Following the success of the V11, the Vivo V15 Pro is the brand’s newest entry into the mid-range smartphone market. Armed with various improvements, and a number of firsts, this phone is the result of various innovations, ready to be experienced by those who demand absolute quality.
Looks Good, But Awkward Too
The Vivo V15 is a good looking device, well mostly. It uses what they call Spectrum Ripple Design, which basically mixes a ripple pattern with a gradient, which then reacts differently to light depending on the angle.
Now that is beautiful, except that it also gets ruined by the triple camera module, which protrudes so much, that it makes the phone look awkward when flat on the ground. Well, they probably had to fit in that 48MP sensor somewhere, so that’s sort of the price you have to pay.
Apart from that, the phone is an eye-candy, especially the 6.39″ Super AMOLED Ultra FullView display. Thanks to its elevating selfie camera, there’s no longer a need to put a notch, which then results to a better viewing experience without any hindrance.
Vivo has also chosen to stick with a microUSB port instead of going for a Type-C which the competition is shifting into. At least you still get dual engine fast charging.
Good for Gaming
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The Snapdragon 675 offers up to 20% better CPU performance and up to 40% more GPU performance versus the Snapdragon 660 AIE. And that much is actually evident when gaming.
Arena of Valor runs very well, on maxed out + High FPS mode settings, and PUBG can be played at HD + High Frame Rate mode. All without any major issues. If you enjoyed gaming on the V11, you’ll love this one. Stay tuned to our full review as we measure actual FPS and other paramaters.
Amazing Optics for a Mid-Range Phone… So Far
The photos I took with the V15 Pro seriously made me ask – “Is this really a mid-range phone?” because the V11 was in face, a really really good with stills. And this one surpasses it convincingly.
The new super wide-angle lens is a great addition to the phone’s arsenal, as it allows you to take in more subjects in one frame, and more scenery when shooting places. There’s of course, a slight fisheye effect on the sides, which is good in some cases, and not in some.
Vivo seems to have done quite a good job here in terms of pretty much every aspect, detail, sharpness and color accuracy. In our full review, we’ll be taking more samples, and check out that AI Super Night Mode.
As for selfies, the front camera also does a great job on selfies. It doesn’t apply any ridiculous over-processing, and straight out captures a good amount of detail.
Software
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Funtouch OS still performs fast and fluid, though its usual theme is starting to get pretty old. At least you still personalize a ton of settings for your phone, and not just your wallpaper and ringtone.
The new Game Mode 5.0 lets you prevent notifications from interfering with gameplay, and even has Esports Mode, optimizing the phone’s performance in general by closing apps, and smartly allocating resources. Face Unlock is now noticeable faster than before, even when using a motorized camera, and works well even in less than ideal lighting.
The in-display fingerprint scanner has also been improved, and now seems to be more accurate, unlike the one in the V11 which was a hit and miss.
The Verdict, So Far…
So far, we like how the Vivo V15 Pro performs as a daily driver. It’s as if they’ve made a checklist of what to improve from the V11, and ticked off every single one of them.
Oh, and the new features such as the elevating front camera and triple shooters at the back are no gimmicks. Both work well and deliver their promise of not just great looking photos, but also a better user experience.
There’s still a lot for us to do before we can score it though. Battery test, gaming test, and oh, that AI Super Night Mode that they claim can take marvelous night shots without a tripod.
Emman has been writing technical and feature articles since 2010. Prior to this, he became one of the instructors at Asia Pacific College in 2008, and eventually landed a job as Business Analyst and Technical Writer at Integrated Open Source Solutions for almost 3 years.
