Vivo V19 review: Fluid, lag-free app-loading, phenomenal camera

Get it for: Rs 27,999
Highlight: Capable camera

Vivo’s V-series smartphones have always been about the camera. The Chinese brand wants to extend that proposition with the new V19. Vivo has priced the smartphone at Rs 27,999 for the base variant that comes with 8GB + 128GB and there’s also an 8GB+256GB that costs Rs 31,990.

However, you might need to tone down the graphics setting for some games to make them run smoothly on the device. The device does not heat up at all, even under heavy load.

Vivo has also added a Super Night Selfie mode to the camera that works surprisingly well and manages to light up the entire face and surroundings while retaining the natural colour tone. Also, the Aura Screen Light adds a soft light in low light.

aims to be a premium phone. The smartphone features a modern-looking minimalistic design — symmetrical bezels across the sides of a 6.44-inch full HD+Super AMOLED display. At the back, it features a rectangular camera housing with four lenses stacked in L-shape and 3D glass curved back with a gradient design. The battery managed to last for a day and a half under normal usage. The phone also comes with a 33W FlashCharge 2.0, which charges the smartphone up to 70% in just under 30 minutes.

The Vivo V19 is a capable smartphone when it comes to performance and features. The camera that may just tilt the balance in its favour for a lot of buyers.

The writer is with

From OnePlus To Xiaomi, Smartphone Makers Bring Their A-Game, Launch High-Tech Phones Amid …

  • Tech In Times Of Covid-19
  • iPhone SE
  • OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro
  • Oppo Ace 2
  • Huawei P Series

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Tech In Times Of Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the world as we knew it. With almost the entire world in lockdown and a large number of people in self-quarantine, the struggle to get basic necessities is taking a toll on the health of the global citizen.

However, the ongoing crisis didn’t stop some of the best smartphone makers in the world from launching their flagship phones. Several smartphone makers, like Oppo, OnePlus, Xiaomi and Huawei held ‘online-only’ launch events and announced the release of their upcoming phones.

In a bid to live up to the expectations of the tech enthusiasts amid the global pandemic, the smartphone makers brought their A-game and released nifty pieces of gadgets which were running high on tech. Here’s a look at all the smartphones that were launched in the pandemic.

iPhone SE

Industries and businesses across the globe are taking a hit due to the Covid-19 crisis and the world economy is in a bad shape. On April 15, in order to appeal to consumers struggling to copy with a bleak economic backdrop, Apple launched an entry level iPhone SE, which costs $399 (approximately Rs 30,642).

Apple made the announcement in a statement, forgoing the normal splashy product launch events of the past few years.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook, who in the past hosted large media events, limited his comments to a tweet, calling the new handset “our most affordable iPhone,”and a “fantastic option in our lineup to help you stay connected, informed and entertained.”

Apple trimmed costs by leaving out some of high-end features such as facial recognition, giving iPhone SE a fingerprint sensor and a home-screen button which fans will remember from previous generations. It features a single rear camera instead of the multiple lens in the newest iPhone 11.

(With inputs from AFP)

OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro

One of the launches that was probably the most-awaited and was being looked forward to by tech enthusiasts all around the world was the OnePlus event where OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro were revealed. The Chinese smartphone maker’s first ever online-only event took place on 14 April, as countries around the world struggled to cope with the Covid-19 crisis.

OnePlus 8, in terms of design is light, curvy and thin. In addition to Onyx Black and Glacial Green, the OnePlus 8 will be available in Interstellar Glow. It will come in two storage variants – 8GB + 128GB at $699 (approximately Rs 53,730) and 12GB + 256GB at $799 (approximately Rs 61,417).

OnePlus 8 Pro, on the other hand, sports a 120 Hz QHD+ AMOLED Display, and silky-smooth, matte-frosted touch and increased haze levels. It will come in two storage variants – 8GB + 128GB at $899 (approximately Rs 69,112) and 12GB + 256GB at $999 (approximately Rs 76,800).

Also launched at the event were Warp Charge 30 Wireless which charges 60 per cent in 30 minutes and lightweight OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z.

Oppo Ace 2

With a powerful Snapdragon 865 processor, quad camera and 40W wireless charging, Oppo Ace 2 is a force to be reckoned with in the smartphone space. The new offering from the Chinese smartphone maker was launched on April 13 when the Covid-19 pandemic had reached its peak in several countries around the world.

Ironically, Oppo Ace 2 was first launched in China, which also happens to be the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Not much is known about its global availability. Interestingly, Oppo let go the ‘Reno’ brand name completely and marketed ‘Ace’ as an entirely different series.

Apart from having the fastest wireless charging, Oppo Ace 2 has a 90 Hz refresh rate along with a 65W wired charging support much like its predecessor.

The Oppo Ace 2 has been launched in China for CNY 3,999 (roughly Rs 44,000) for the 8GB/128GB version, CNY 4,399 (approximately Rs 48,000) for the 8GB/256GB model, and CNY 4,599 (roughly Rs 50,000) for the 12GB/256GB storage model.

Huawei P Series

Come 2020, Huawei launched 3 of its much-awaited smartphone variants which are a part of the P Series: P40, P40 Pro and P40 Pro+. Huawei launched the three variants on March 26 in an online launch event.

Huawei P40 offers 5G connectivity and so do the other variants, P40 Pro and P40 Pro+. P40 also comes with a HiSilicon Kirin processor and a 22.5W fast-charging support. It costs €799 which is approximately Rs 66,780.

Huawei P40 Pro comes with a HiSilicon Kirin processor, a triple rear camera setup (50 MP+40MP+12MP), 8 GB RAM and a powerful 4,200 mAh battery. The P40 Pro costs €999 which is approximately Rs 83,400.

P40 Pro+, on the other hand, also has a 4,200 mAh battery, offers a 40W wireless charging support, 8 GB RAM along with a penta rear camera setup. P40 Pro+ costs €1399 which is approximately Rs 1,16,891.

: Rs 27,999: Capable cameraVivo’s V-series smartphones have always been about the camera. The Chinese brand wants to extend that proposition with the new V19. Vivo has priced the smartphone at Rs 27,999 for the base variant that comes with 8GB + 128GB and there’s also an 8GB+256GB that costs Rs 31,990.The smartphone comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 712 processor with Adreno 616 GPU, which is not the ideal processor in this price segment. However, it manages to deliver a good output as most apps run without breaking any sweat. App-loading was fluid and lag-free. Games too ran with a smooth frame rate without any noticeable lag.However, you might need to tone down the graphics setting for some games to make them run smoothly on the device. The device does not heat up at all, even under heavy load.There is a quad-camera setup here that consists of a 48MP primary shooter, an 8-megapixel wide-angle camera and two 2-megapixel cameras for macro and bokeh shots. For selfies, it comes with dual punch-hole front-facing camera setup of 32MP and 8MP. The camera quality is good and offers some sharp and detailed photos in both daylight and lowlight conditions. Selfies too are vivid and offer good details in every shot we took.Vivo has also added a Super Night Selfie mode to the camera that works surprisingly well and manages to light up the entire face and surroundings while retaining the natural colour tone. Also, the Aura Screen Light adds a soft light in low light. Vivo V19 aims to be a premium phone. The smartphone features a modern-looking minimalistic design — symmetrical bezels across the sides of a 6.44-inch full HD+Super AMOLED display. At the back, it features a rectangular camera housing with four lenses stacked in L-shape and 3D glass curved back with a gradient design. The battery managed to last for a day and a half under normal usage. The phone also comes with a 33W FlashCharge 2.0, which charges the smartphone up to 70% in just under 30 minutes.The Vivo V19 is a capable smartphone when it comes to performance and features. The camera that may just tilt the balance in its favour for a lot of buyers.The writer is with gadgetsnow.com