The Vivo V27 Pro has an impressive set of specifications on paper, led by a MediaTek Dimensity 8200 processor and a 50MP front-facing camera. But how it holds up in real-world scenarios is something we’ll look at in this review.
Where most smartphone companies do humanity no favors with their ever-confusing and ever-lengthening naming conventions, Vivo has a fairly grounded approach to it. The company has a neatly organized line of smartphones with alphabets that actually give you a clue to the phone’s specifications. The V series, for example, is all about the “perfect selfie experience,” and while browsing the company’s product catalog, I’ve seen many phones with high-resolution front-facing cameras.
The Vivo V27 Pro is part of this lineup, as its name suggests, so it’s no surprise that it sports a 50MP front-facing camera. But what sets the phone apart from its peers is that it’s possibly the first V-series phone with a flagship chip. Exactly what this means for the average user is something I will explore with this review.
What is good in Vivo V27 Pro
Design and display
The Vivo V27 Pro has a 6.78-inch display, which is slightly larger than the “industry standard” 6.7-inch display. It might not seem like much on paper, but I could immediately tell the difference coming from the 6.7-inch Oppo Reno 8T 5G I reviewed earlier.
People may not always like curved displays because screen protectors are more difficult to fit properly and because they are prone to accidental touches. But I’m for them. In addition to the wow factor, they are really useful – the Vivo V27 Pro is very manageable despite its size thanks to its smaller width.
Of course, it would be unforgivable if Vivo cheapened the display quality to make room (financially speaking) for the curves. The brand is aware of this and has supplied the device with an excellent 120Hz panel with poppy colors and great readability in the sun. The default configuration should be fine, but the saturation can be increased using the “Bright” option of the screen colors.
Flipping the back to grip… The Vivo V27 Pro has a textured fingerprint-resistant back that’s less slippery than regular glass. The phone is also quite light at 182g, which means no wrist pain during prolonged use. The color-changing back adds a nice, sleek touch, although it does require exposure to bright sunlight to boot.
Performance
The MediaTek Dimensity 8200 chipset sits a notch below the flagship Dimensity 9000, but is still considered a flagship. Games like PUBG: New State and Call of Duty Mobile were playable at maximum settings and I didn’t experience any frame drops or heating issues. Vivo’s V series isn’t about gaming, but it’s fair to say that this phone could be billed as a gaming phone.
Everyday use is a joy and the phone doesn’t stutter or stutter at all. FuntouchOS is as well optimized as Android skins can get, and apps launch quickly and scroll perfectly.
Software
Vivo is a subsidiary of BBK Electronics, and BBK phones have recently grown to adopt the stock Android skin. But between Oppo’s ColorOS, OnePlus’s OxygenOS, and Vivo’s FuntouchOS, I can safely say that the last one is the closest to the experience you’ll get on the Google Pixels, which I’m a fan of. The icons are round by default and the quick settings panel has a very original Android 11 look. You’ll love how everything is laid out if vanilla Android is your cup of tea.
Cameras
The cameras are perhaps my favorite aspect of this device. Now, I’m not a professional photographer, so I prefer a device that controls the steering wheel, which is something that the Vivo V27 Pro does. For example, switching to the front camera automatically turns on Portrait mode. At first I was skeptical about this behavior but all doubts were dispelled as soon as I clicked my first photo. 50MP selfies are highly detailed regardless of lighting conditions, and portrait blur is flawless regardless of the background.
The rear cameras are equally impressive. Smartphone cameras have gotten to the point where daylight shots are worth Instagram on almost any device. The 50MP primary rear camera captures sharp images in bright light conditions, so no complaints there.
Almost every sample included in this article was taken with Natural colors turned on, and true to its word, this mode churns out images surprisingly close to what the eye sees.