The X80 and the X80 Pro are the latest additions to vivo’s camera-centric flagship X series. While both phones wear the ZEISS badge, there are key differences between the two: processor, GPU, and rear cameras, among others. Of course, they’re also priced accordingly.
We got to review the vivo X80, which packs a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC, a triple camera setup, and a battery with support for 80W fast charging. Here’s what we think about it:
Design and construction
The vivo X80 5G is a fairly large phone at 164.95 x 75.23 x 8.30mm and is quite hefty at 206 grams. That said, it’s easy to grip thanks to the thin body and curved screen. It feels incredibly solid and well-built, plus the back cover made of Fluorite AG Glass is pleasant to the touch and is quite good at repelling fingerprint smudges.
Speaking of the back panel, we like that the Cosmic Black colorway actually looks, well, cosmic: it looks like the night sky speckled with stars.
Also at the back is the large camera module, which dominates the entire top third of the phone. Housed in it are the 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, and 12MP depth cameras, as well as the LED flash.
On the side are the clicky power and volume keys. The placement is just right; even smaller hands should be able to reach them.
At the bottom, you have a loudspeaker, USB-C port, primary microphone, and SIM card tray.
Meanwhile, on the top edge are the secondary microphone and the “professional photography” branding.
On the front is a 6.78-inch AMOLED display, which is the same size as that of the X80 Pro’s. However, the X80 has a lower FHD+ resolution (2400 x 1080) compared with the X80 Pro’s WQHD+ (3200 x 1440). A punch-hole camera sits on the top-center of the screen. The optical fingerprint scanner is also placed under the display.
The optical fingerprint scanner is also placed under the display.
Display and speakers
The X80’s screen is AMOLED, so it’s no surprise that it’s got outstanding brightness and contrast as well as punchy colors. Viewing the screen under direct sunlight is no problem either.
It also boasts of a 120Hz refresh rate, which means videos and screen navigation appear very smooth.
Complementing the display are the stereo speakers. You can keep the volume at about 75 to 80% and the audio will still sound clear. As with most flagships today, the vivo X80 doesn’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack. You can either use the Type-C USB earphones included in the box or opt for a pair of wireless earphones.
Camera
The main star, of course, are the ZEISS-powered cameras. All three shooters come with ZEISS T* lens coating, which helps reduce ghosting and lens flare.
The vivo X80 takes excellent photos under various lighting conditions. Photos come out crisp and detailed with good dynamic range and color accuracy.
One of the things we like is the addition of the ZEISS Natural Color, which tones down the colors to give you a more natural-looking shot.
Here are some photos we took with the vivo X80 5G:
Close-up and macro shots also appear crisp and the phone manages a nice natural bokeh effect for the background. If you opt to use the Portrait mode, you’d also be please with the good edge detection. You can even play around with a few portrait styles from ZEISS, including cinematic, sonar, biotar, distagon, and plannar style bokeh.
Performance and battery life
The phone’s MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC and 12GB RAM prove more than sufficient for daily use. There’s no waiting for apps to load, and switching between apps is a breeze. If you are a heavy user/multitasker, then this phone should be able to keep up.
The X80 has a 4500mAh battery, which is smaller than those on other premium flagship phones. Thankfully, with moderate use and with Wi-Fi on the whole time, it can last a day and you only need to plug it in at bedtime. Plus the supplied 80W fast charger can juice up the device in about 40 to 45 minutes. Alas, this phone doesn’t support wireless charging.
Speed says
The vivo X80 5G offers reliable performance, good battery life with fast charging, solid build, and fantastic cameras with a plethora of creative camera modes. While we wish it had fewer bloatware and the vivo X80 Pro’s IP68 rating and wireless charging feature, we feel the P45,999 price tag is more than justified.
-x-250px(H)-copy (1).png)
