Vivo V25 Pro Review: A Step in the Right Direction, But Is It Enough?
Vivo’s V23 Pro, launched earlier this year, was a sleek and stylish smartphone with a unique color-changing back panel, but its performance was average, and its camera fell short of expectations. The V25 Pro, however, appears to be a more practical successor, addressing some of the shortcomings of its predecessor with upgrades to the processor, battery, and camera, while still maintaining its stylish design. But with the competitive landscape shifting significantly since the V23 Pro’s debut, does the V25 Pro offer enough to stand out in the crowd?
A More Practical Design, But Still Stylish
While the V23 Pro was known for its slender design, the V25 Pro has gained a bit of weight, with a larger battery and a thicker frame. This makes it more comparable to the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G in terms of overall size and weight. The polycarbonate frame with its chrome-like finish is still present, and the back panel is made of color-changing anti-glare glass, effectively repelling fingerprints. However, the color shift on the Sailing Blue variant is less dramatic than its predecessor, transitioning from a lighter to a darker shade of blue under UV light.
The phone boasts a 6.56-inch curved-edge display with thin bezels and a hole-punch cutout that houses a single selfie camera, a significant upgrade from the V23 Pro’s dual-camera notch. This display is an AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and 300Hz touch sampling rate, an improvement over the V23 Pro’s 90Hz panel, providing a smoother and more responsive user experience, particularly while gaming.
Power and Battery: A Clear Improvement
Under the hood, the V25 Pro houses the MediaTek Dimensity 1300 SoC, which also powers the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G. This chipset is known for its solid performance, and we anticipate similar results in the V25 Pro. Notably, the battery capacity has been bumped up from 4,300mAh in the V23 Pro to 4,830mAh. This is a welcome change as the V23 Pro struggled with battery life during daily usage. Moreover, the charging speed has been upgraded from 44W to 66W, enabling quicker charging times.
Camera: A Step Up, But Still Room for Improvement
The V25 Pro sees some improvements to its camera system, though it also sees some downgrades. The main camera has been downgraded from 108 megapixels to 64 megapixels but gains optical image stabilization (OIS), which should positively impact low-light performance. The 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera and 2-megapixel macro camera remain unchanged from the V23 Pro. The front-facing camera has also been downgraded from 50 megapixels to 32 megapixels but retains its autofocus functionality.
Software: Funtouch OS 12 Based on Android 12
The V25 Pro runs Vivo’s Funtouch OS 12, based on Android 12. Initial impressions include a large number of pre-installed third-party apps, but also some software changes in the settings app, including the addition of Vivo’s Ultra Game Mode, which incorporates various gamer-friendly features.
Price and Competition: A Premium Price Tag in a Competitive Market
The Vivo V25 Pro is priced at Rs. 35,999 for the 8GB RAM / 128GB storage variant and Rs. 39,999 for the 12GB RAM / 256GB storage variant. While the phone boasts several upgrades over the V23 Pro, it faces stiff competition in the mid-range segment, particularly from devices like the Realme 9 Pro+ 5G, Nothing Phone 1, and the Xiaomi 11T Pro 5G. These competitors offer powerful Snapdragon 870 SoCs and IP ratings, as well as outstanding camera capabilities, particularly in low-light conditions, at prices comparable to or lower than the V25 Pro.
Other noteworthy contenders in the same price range include the OnePlus 10R Endurance Edition, which boasts a MediaTek Dimensity 8100 SoC and 150W charging, and the iQoo Neo 6 which features a Snapdragon 870 SoC. While the V25 Pro does offer subtle improvements over its predecessor and boasts a stylish curved-edge display, it’s crucial to weigh its value proposition against these formidable alternatives.
Conclusion
The Vivo V25 Pro is an improvement over the V23 Pro, with better battery life, charging speeds, and a more powerful processor. Its camera has also received an upgrade with the addition of OIS, but it needs to be tested further to see how it performs in low-light conditions. While the design remains stylish and alluring, the V25 Pro’s premium price tag and the lack of features like an IP rating and stereo speakers may make it less appealing compared to its competitors. Ultimately, deciding if the V25 Pro is worth its price tag depends on individual priorities and needs. However, with the increasing competition in the mid-range segment, the V25 Pro will need more than subtle improvements to make a lasting impression.
