Review of Vivo X50 - a smartphone for 45 thousand rubles, which no one will remember

Specifications

Platform	Android 10, Funtouch 10.5 firmware
Display	6, 56 inches, 2,376 x 1,080 pixels, AMOLED, 90 Hz, 398 PPI, Always on Display
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 730, Adreno 618 video accelerator
Memory	RAM - 8 GB, ROM - 128 GB
Cameras	Primary: 48 MP, 1/2 ″, f / 1, 6, PDAF, OIS; 8 MP, 1/4 ″, f / 2, 2, 16 mm (wide angle); 13 MP, 1/2, 8 ″, f / 2, 5, 50 mm (2x zoom), PDAF; 5 MP (for macro photography) Front: 32 MP, 1/2, 8 ″, f / 2, 5, 26 mm
Connection	2 × nanoSIM, Wi-Fi 5, GPS, GLONASS, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC, GSM / GPRS / EDGE / LTE
Battery	4 200 mAh, fast charging (33 W)
Dimensions (edit)	159.5 × 75.4 × 7.6 mm
The weight	173 g

Design and ergonomics

Vivo X50 has a polished aluminum side frame and a frosted glass back. This combination of materials creates an interesting contrast, although otherwise we are faced with a typical smartphone of 2020. The novelty is available in black and blue versions.

Since the back glass is frosted, it does not collect fingerprints. The edges of the back are curved, but the screen was left flat - both positively affected the usability. The smartphone is comfortable to hold in the hand, there are no false presses on the sides of the screen.

The dimensions are also acceptable, although using the smartphone with one hand is difficult. The polished metal and glass are rather slippery; a silicone case was prudently added to the kit.

The front camera is located in a small hole in the corner of the screen and almost does not attract attention. Also, an optical fingerprint sensor is installed under the display, which is responsible for biometric input. There is also a face recognition function, however, in the dark, it is not able to see the owner.

The quality of materials and workmanship is unquestionably flagship, but the lack of certified moisture protection is frustrating. However, the slot for two nanoSIM cards is protected by a rubber seal, which means that the manufacturer has protected the internal components from water at least at a minimal level: if you get into the rain with your smartphone, it shouldn't end sadly.

Screen

87% of the front panel is an AMOLED display with a diagonal of 6.56 inches. Matrix resolution - Full HD +, pixel density - 398 PPI. The clarity of the picture is sufficient, if you do not bring the smartphone close to your eyes. Otherwise, you will notice the graininess caused by the checkerboard pattern of the subpixels.

The screen gives out a bright and vivid picture, while not sinning with excessive saturation. And it also covers 100% of the DCI ‑ P3 color space, which in theory allows you to reproduce any content in the form that its authors sought.

A peak brightness of 1,300 nits is enough to adequately support HDR10 +. We must not forget about the traditional plus of AMOLED-displays - the maximum level of contrast. You can fully enjoy it by turning on the dark mode of the system.

In the settings, you can also adjust the color rendition to suit your tastes, turn on the UV filter and PWM flicker suppression. Finally, the screen runs at a 90Hz refresh rate, which increases smoothness and responsiveness.

Software and performance

Vivo X50 runs Android 10 with proprietary shell Funtouch OS. The latest version of the interface is pleasing to the eye, especially in terms of icons: you can immediately find the desired label by color. The rest of the shell is in the spirit of Android, the system logic has not changed either.

The interface functions very quickly, and the refresh rate of the screen of 90 Hz only emphasizes the speed and smoothness of the animation. The hardware platform is Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 with Adreno 618 graphics accelerator. The volume of RAM is 8 GB, and the built-in storage is 128 GB.

This hardware is enough for games, World of Tanks: Blitz produces 40-50 FPS at maximum settings. Nevertheless, there are more powerful models among competitors, for example, OPPO Reno3 Pro based on Snapdragon 765G.

Sound and vibration

Vivo X50 is equipped with a single multimedia speaker at the bottom. With a horizontal grip, it is easy to cover it with the palm of your hand, the quality is also not impressive. The same Reno3 Pro has stereo sound, realized by connecting a spoken speaker in a pair to the main one. What prevented Vivo from implementing the same scheme is a mystery.

There is no audio jack here either. The set includes headphones with a 3.5 mm jack and a USB-C adapter. The headset is made in the “a la EarPods” format and sounds about the same: the main emphasis is on the middle frequencies, there is practically no bass.

The new vibration motor is typical for Android smartphones and cannot produce a wide range of tactile responses. The recoil is always linear and differs only in strength and duration. However, the vibration is strong, clear and does not cause irritation.

Camera

There are four cameras on the back of the Vivo X50. The standard module received a 1/2-inch Sony IMX598 48 megapixel sensor, optics with aperture f / 1, 6 and optical stabilization. It is complemented by an 8-megapixel "shirik", a 13-megapixel telephoto lens and a 5-megapixel macro camera. The front resolution is 32 megapixels.

In daylight, the shots are excellent, the smartphone manages to balance the saturation and naturalness of the midtones. The sharpness is also pleasing, although sometimes the processing seems too noticeable. With Auto HDR, the dynamic range is sufficient in all scenes.

Standard camera

2x zoom

Wide-angle camera

Macro camera

Night mode

Selfie

The 2x optical zoom will amaze no one, as well as the 8-megapixel "width". They cope with their tasks, but nothing more. But the 5 megapixel macro camera pleasantly surprised us with its quality. Usually, such "eyes" give out a terrible "mess", here you can get pictures that are not ashamed to publish on social networks.

When there is a lack of light, optical stabilization and a wide aperture, as well as night mode, help. In the latter, the smartphone takes a series of shots at different shutter speeds, and then combines them into the final frame with less noise. The result is decent, although the Huawei P40 is still a long way from the market leader.

The video is recorded in 4K resolution with a frame rate of 60 FPS. Optical stabilization smooths out shaking.

Autonomy

A 4,200 mAh battery is responsible for powering all components. Thanks to the AMOLED screen, the energy efficient chip and the optimization done, the smartphone can easily withstand a day of active use.

With regular web surfing, watching YouTube, streaming music via Bluetooth, and late night camera shooting, 30% battery power remains. For half an hour of playing World of Tanks: Blitz, the battery is 7% empty. The included 33 W adapter replenishes the battery in an hour.

Outcomes

The Vivo X50 is definitely suffering from an identity crisis. It seems that everything in it is not bad, but a smartphone for 45 thousand should at least somehow stand out from the mass of glass bars. At the same time, its characteristics do not reach the competitor in the face of OPPO Reno3 Pro. So the new product is unlikely to succeed in gaining popularity.