Vivo V5s: Selfie & Storage – The Unbiased Review

Over the years, Vivo has become a synonym for the word ‘Selfie’. And, we are not surprised after using their smartphones. The Vivo V5s, the latest wonder in the world of selfies has got everything going for it. In fact, all the devices being churned out of the Vivo stable are making this world a better place, one selfie at a time.

I mean weren’t you sick of those horrifying selfies people were putting before Vivo came along?

But, now thanks to smartphones like Vivo V5, V5s and V5 Plus our selfies come out great. All these smartphones have features that enhance your selfie game –

• 20MP Sony IMX376 front camera sensor (Dual Camera Sensor on the V5Plus)
• Front Moonlight Glow
• Group Selfie mode
• Face Beauty
• Voice Capture
• Palm Capture
• Gender Detection
• Mirrored Selfie

Thanks to these selfie features the selfies become impeccable –

The #PerfectDuo is also set for #VivoDiaries with a #PerfectSelfie

A post shared by Nikhil Chawla (@nikhilchawla) on Jan 20, 2017 at 12:20am PST

Here’s my #PerfectSelfie  with the gorgeous @egupta 😍

A post shared by  Neha Grover  (@nehagrover) on Jan 26, 2017 at 11:15am PST

Magical Dual Camera Sensor on the V5 Plus

Yes, 20 freaking Megapixels on a front camera does this kind of magic. Well, you are most welcome to try capturing similar shots on your existing smartphones but let me warn you the results will be dismal.

I’ve been using the Vivo V5s since its launch and I’m so used to those perfect selfies that I can’t settle for anything else. Now, let’s look at the specs of the device and move to the review part –

IN THE BOX

• Vivo V5s handset
• Earphones
• Charger
• Silicone Cover
• USB Cable
• User Manual and Warranty

The Vivo V5s comes with earphones, a power adapter, a Micro-USB cable, a SIM ejector pin, a transparent case and the usual documentation. The screen protector is already fitted on the phone.

DESIGN AND DISPLAY

• Fingerprint Scanner
• 7.55mm and 154g
• Micro-USB port
• 5.5-inch HD with 267ppi

The Vivo V5s is designed exactly like its predecessor. So much so that you can’t tell the difference easily. Before you get all judgemental and start giving design gyaan. Let me remind you that Apple hasn’t changed their smartphone design for the past 3 years. The iPhone 6 and 6s were identical and the latest iPhone 7 comes with minute changes but a lot of courage, you know what I mean!

Like we mentioned earlier, the new Vivo V5s closely follows the design cues of the Vivo V5 and the Vivo V5 Plus. The faux-metal finish at the back feels solid, though the metal body on the V5 Plus is a better option. As the V series from Vivo is for style conscious people who love taking selfies, we think all the devices in the V series should come with a metal body.

On the front is the 5.5-inch HD (720×1280 pixels) IPS display with 2.5D curved-edge Gorilla Glass for protection. Even though the display is not Full HD, the screen is bright, crisp and good for watching videos and playing games.

Just below the display is the fingerprint scanner which works fast. Above the display are the selfie camera, selfie flash, earpiece grille and the usual sensors. The device is 7.55mm and weighs 154 grammes.

The right side of the device has the Power Button and the Volume rocker. The hybrid dual-SIM tray can be accessed from the left. All the ports like Micro-USB port, 3.5mm audio socket and the speaker grille are on the bottom of the device.

On the rear is the Primary (Secondary for Selfie lovers and if we go by the megapixel count) Camera, next to it is the flash and then the Vivo logo in the middle of the back.

The Vivo V5s comes in two colour options – Matte Black and Crown Gold.

[FAG id=20448]

HARDWARE

• Octa-core MediaTek MT6750 SoC
• 4GB RAM
• 64GB of internal memory expandable up to 256GB
• 3000 mAh battery

Like most Vivo devices, the Vivo V5s comes with a MediaTek SoC and a dedicated AK4375 audio DAC. This tried and tested MT6750 is coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage which is further expandable to 256GB via MicroSD card.

The connectivity options on the Vivo V5s include 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi ac, and GPS/ A-GPS. Sensors include an accelerometer, an ambient light sensor, a digital compass, a proximity sensor, and a virtual gyroscope.

SOFTWARE

• Android 6.0 (Marshmallow)
• FunTouch OS 3.0 overlay

A lot of people point out that the device is still running on Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) but trust us, there is no way it will hamper your smartphone experience. We are not supporting Vivo, in fact, we have also requested in the past and will say it again that it’s time to roll out Android Nougat updates and launch new devices that have it pre-installed.

Vivo has constantly improved its proprietary OS overlay, FunTouch and that’s the reason that users won’t feel that they are not using the latest version of Android OS. Some enhancements over stock Android includes gestures and features like Smart Motion, that allows gestures to control various functions; One-handed Mode that shrinks the display to one corner of the screen for quick access; Smart Click, allows turning on the flashlight or launching the camera by just long-pressing a volume button.

And some more features like eye protection mode to filter out blue light, App Clone and Smart Split 2.0 are nifty. We have mentioned in our earlier reviews that both Hardware and Software of Vivo smartphones is heavily inspired by Apple’s iPhone and iOS.

Be it the icon set or the Control Centre, all looks and feels like iOS. The Control Centre or the quick settings panel that can be accessed by swiping upwards on the screen.

Vivo has its suite of apps pre-installed -> i Manager, i Music, V-Appstore, Vivo Cloud, and i Theme. And again there is bloatware on the device, third-party apps like WPS Office, UC Browser, and Amazon.

Also Read – Vivo V5s with 20mp front camera 64GB ROM launched for INR 18990 

CAMERA

• 13 MP rear camera with f2.2 aperture
• 20MP front camera with f/2.0 aperture and Moonlight Glow

And we are back to our favourite part of this device, it’s camera, Selfie camera to be specific. From Group selfie mode that lets you take panoramic shots to Face Beauty Mode 6.0 and the Moonlight Flash. It’s a selfie lover’s dream phone only trumped by the Vivo V5 Plus that offers incredible bokeh thanks to its dual front cameras.

Moving on to the 13-megapixel rear camera, it’s quick and captures good details. The phone comes with a lot of filters and settings including, Macro, Panorama and Professional modes. Here are some of the samples –

PERFORMANCE

In terms of performance, the V5s offers more than half the RAM available to users. Out of the 4GB RAM, 2.3-2.6GB RAM was always available. The device handles all operations like multi-tasking, gaming, word processing and recording 1080p videos easily. And it also offers great battery life thanks to its 3000mAh battery and OS level optimisations. And it takes less than 90 mins for V5s to charge fully from zero.

Though the phone supports 4G on both SIMs, only one works at a time. It is VoLTE enabled, and the call quality is good. The multimedia experience good thanks to DAC Audio and the vivid display but could have been better with a Full HD screen and in-ear headphones instead of the basic ones that come in the box.

We don’t believe in Benchmark Tests as they are just numbers and mostly rigged. But, if matters to you then here is how it performed –

• Antutu – 41,493
• Quadrant – 28,109
• GFX Bench – 21fps
• 3DMark Ice Storm Extreme – 5160 points

THE UNBIASED VERDICT

Vivo V5s – The S stands for Selfies, Storage and bringing out the Sexier you! As mentioned in the beginning, Vivo smartphones have changed the smartphone industry. No wonder, every smartphone maker has started giving importance to Selfies. But, who does it best matters and Vivo is surely the leader. So, if you want the best selfies then go ahead and buy the V5, V5s or the V5 Plus depending on what your requirements are. What could have been better is Android Nougat (7.x) pre-installed on the device sans the bloatware and a Full HD display.

We at The Unbiased Blog recommend the Vivo V5s to each and everyone who wants to Love Him’self(ie)’!