The Vivo X80 Pro: An Iteration With a Focus on Imaging
Vivo has unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the Vivo X80 Pro, a successor to the highly acclaimed X70 Pro+. This new device boasts an impressive array of features, particularly in the realm of imaging, pushing the boundaries of what a smartphone camera can achieve. While the design remains largely consistent with its predecessor, the X80 Pro builds upon a solid foundation with subtle yet significant upgrades, including a powerful new processor, faster charging, and a custom primary camera sensor. But does it offer enough to justify its premium price tag and stand out in a fiercely competitive market? Let’s delve into our first impressions of the Vivo X80 Pro after spending a couple of days with it.
Design and Display: Familiar but Refined
Despite the new iteration, the Vivo X80 Pro shares a striking resemblance to the X70 Pro+ from the front. The 6.78-inch E5 AMOLED display, boasting a 3200×1440 pixel resolution (2K), is protected by Schott’s Xensation Up glass, which is known for its fingerprint-attracting nature. However, the phone’s curved sides and matte-finished back panel, crafted from Fluorite AG Glass, contribute to a more comfortable grip and minimize fingerprint smudges.
The front and rear glass panels are blended seamlessly with an aluminum alloy frame, giving the phone a distinct premium feel. The 120Hz refresh rate and LTPO 2.0 technology, which dynamically adjusts the refresh rate down to 1Hz when necessary, ensure a smooth visual experience while conserving power.
The X80 Pro also introduces a novel 3D ultrasonic in-display fingerprint reader, similar to the iQoo 9 Pro, offering a wider readable area and the ability to authenticate two fingers simultaneously. Quick Actions is a new feature that allows users to launch a specific app by unlocking the display with a designated finger, creating a personalized and convenient interaction. The fingerprint reader also benefits from a single-tap registration process, making the setup significantly easier. With a claimed 300Hz touch sampling rate, the X80 Pro promises a responsive touch experience, which we tested in Call of Duty: Mobile and found to be precise and seamless, even at higher graphics settings.
Camera Prowess: A Focus on Quality and Creativity
The Vivo X80 Pro’s camera system is undoubtedly its crown jewel. It features a new 50-megapixel 1/1.31-inch Samsung GNV sensor for the primary camera, boasting large 1.2μm pixels and a bright f/1.57 aperture lens, all stabilized by 4-axis optical image stabilization (OIS). Vivo has strategically moved the gimbal stabilization system from the ultra-wide camera, seen in the X70 Pro+, to the 12-megapixel portrait camera this time. This shift aims to provide sharper portrait photos, especially in low-light conditions.
Alongside these advancements, the X80 Pro integrates Vivo’s second-generation V1+ imaging chip, dedicated to offloading image processing tasks from the main SoC, resulting in faster and more efficient image processing. The camera setup is completed with a 48-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera featuring autofocus, capable of capturing macro photos and boasting a wide 114-degree field of view. Finally, an 8-megapixel periscope-style telephoto camera with 5X optical zoom (125mm), complete with 2-axis OIS, provides versatile zoom capabilities. Selfies are handled by a 32-megapixel fixed-focus front-facing camera.
The X80 Pro’s camera app comes equipped with a new Styles feature for video, offering a wider range of creative options. The Cinematic style, a completely new addition, allows users to film in a 2.39:1 cinematic aspect ratio and incorporate oval-shaped light flares for a more professional look. Furthering the video capabilities, Movie LUTs (look-up table) offer pre-selected color-graded filters that can be applied to videos, significantly altering the mood and appearance.
Camera Panning, another exciting addition, is available for both photos and videos, enabling users to add motion blur to still or moving subjects for a dynamic effect. Vivo has also brought the Cinematic Style feature to the photo mode, allowing users to capture photos in a wider aspect ratio with software-driven background light flares.
Initial impressions of the Vivo X80 Pro’s camera system are highly positive. The ultra-wide-angle camera consistently delivered noise-free photos, both during daylight and in low-light conditions. The 2X portrait camera captured sharp images with exceptional detail, while the 5X periscope camera struggled to maintain the same level of quality. Zeiss’ Natural colour mode proved impressive, achieving accurate and nuanced color tones. However, a thorough evaluation of the camera’s performance will be made during our comprehensive review.
Performance and Battery: A Powerful Duo
Underneath the hood, the Vivo X80 Pro is powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It is expected to deliver a smooth and powerful performance, capable of handling demanding tasks and games with ease.
The 4,700mAh battery supports 80W wired charging, allowing for a quick recharge from empty to 70% in 19 minutes and a full charge in 37 minutes. The phone also supports 50W wireless charging, although a proprietary charging stand is required for this feature. Notably, while other phones are pushing charging speeds to 150W, the X80 Pro’s 80W charging capabilities remain respectable.
Software Experience: Familiar Funtouch OS
The Vivo X80 Pro runs on Funtouch OS 12, based on Android 12. Our initial experience with the software is favorable, indicating smooth and responsive performance. However, several preinstalled third-party apps were present. Vivo has committed to providing three generations of Android OS updates and three years of security updates for the X80 series, ensuring a longer lifespan for the device.
Price and Availability
The Vivo X80 Pro is available in India at a price of Rs. 79,999 in a single configuration with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
Final Thoughts
The Vivo X80 Pro represents a calculated evolution from its predecessor, the X70 Pro+. It features an array of subtle upgrades, including the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, faster wired charging, Vivo’s second-generation V1+ imaging chip, and a custom Samsung GNV primary camera sensor. While these improvements raise the bar for performance and imaging capabilities, they may not be substantial enough to entice those who already own the X70 Pro+.
Our initial impressions of the X80 Pro are positive, with the camera system proving particularly impressive. However, a full review is necessary to provide a definitive verdict on its performance, battery life, and camera capabilities. Stay tuned for our in-depth review of the Vivo X80 Pro, where we will delve deeper into its features and capabilities and determine whether it truly stands out in the crowded flagship smartphone market.
