Smartphone OEMs are betting high on premium league nowadays. We are now seeing a high surge in the demand for high-end phones that compromises least on the price-to-specs ratio. And when we speak of premium Android phones, Samsung, Apple, and Google are among the preferred brands by a majority of the buyers. However, Chinese mobile OEMs such as Vivo have been setting up new standards in the flagship smartphone segment. One of the most premium offerings introduced by Vivo is the X80 series which replaces the last year’s X70 lineup.
The X series is Vivo’s most promising Android smartphone lineup for the masses. It is a performance-oriented lineup that delivers big on speed and has best-in-class camera hardware as well. This year Vivo has introduced the vanilla X80 and the X80 Pro in India. The standard X80 comes as a true successor to the Vivo X70 Pro with the Dimensity 9000 chipset and Zeiss branding cameras.
Curved FHD+ display and 80W fast charging are the highlight features of the latest Vivo X series phone. With an asking price of Rs. 54,999 (8GB RAM+128GB storage), the X80 is one of the most expensive handsets by Vivo. There is another variant that packs 12GB RAM and 256GB onboard storage that can be purchased at Rs. 59,999 in the country.
Now, you might be wondering if paying over Rs. 50,000 for a Vivo Android phone is worth? Specifically, when the market has several other options in this price segment with similar or better hardware features. We have been using the X80 as our daily driver and have tested the performance with general and extensive tasks. Does it live up to the expectations and justify the premium price tag? We are breaking down all the factors for our readers in this review:
Vivo X80 Full Review
Design Practicality On Point
If you are in the market for a big-screen phone that is all premium yet practical for daily usage, the Vivo X80 is the phone you can place a bet on. In the first look itself, the Vivo X80 steals all the glances. From the curved edges to the fluorite AG glass back panel, the X80 is crafted using premium material. The large protruding camera module painted in black covers almost one-third of the back panel and gives a distinctive feel to this device.
Thanks to the anti-glare matte finish (mix of gradient and matte texture), the back panel isn’t a complete smudge/ fingerprint magnet. This will allow you to flaunt the handset without adding any extra layer of case or cover. But we always advise our readers to use a case to safeguard their devices from accidental drops and scratches from keys or coins.
Thankfully, Vivo ships a leatherette hard case with the X80’s retail box which enhances the appeal at the same time adds an extra layer of protection from external damages. But do note that with the case, you might feel the handset is a bit bulky. But you’ll get a hang of it in a short while. The Vivo X80’s curved edges not only enhance the appeal but also helps with easy single-hand operations.
You’ll find both the power and the volume keys on the right panel. The clicks are a bit stiff, but thankfully, no missing feedback with the key presses. The left edge is kept barren, while the USB Type-C port along with the speaker grille and the hybrid SIM slot is positioned at the bottom.
Curved Display Isn’t Just A Style Statement
The Vivo X80’s one of the major design highlight is the curved-edged display. But it’s not all looks that the X80’s display gets all ticks for but the top-notch specs as well. The Vivo X80 employs an AMOLED screen that is 6.78-inches in size. Now, if you are a fan of big smartphone displays, the massive screen size along with the curved edges would definitely grab your attention.
Besides, the 1080p FHD+ screen resolution along 120Hz refresh rate complements the large screen size. You will have a good time watching shows and movies on the large screen. Since the panel is AMOLED the color production is good. The output is vibrant throughout; even with the OTT platforms.
The Vivo X80’s AMOLED panel is HDR10 certified which allows it to play HD videos on Netflix, Amazon Prime videos, and other popular OTT platforms such as Disney plus, Hotstar, Zee5, and others. We experienced the least pixelation with darker backgrounds in any movie or TV show.
Thanks to the high-resolution AMOLED panel the blacks are deeper and pop out of the screen enhancing the visuals. If we speak of the sunlight legibility, the 1500 nits peak brightess levels is what comes to the rescue. With such high brightness levels, you have no difficulties reading texts or watching videos under direct sunlight.
The only drawback in our opinion is the FHD+ screen resolution. That’s considering you can get a QHD or 2K screen resolution under Rs. 60,000 price mark in the market. But, the Vivo X80’s overall display performance is good.
Dimensity 9000 Octa-Core Chipset Delivers Speedy Performance
The Vivo X80 is among the first lot of Android mobile phones that uses the Dimensity 9000 chipset. For reference, this is the newest flagship processor by MediaTek that has octa-cores and is built on a 6nm fabrication processor, and has Mali-G70 MC10 GPU support. This allows the unit to render extensive graphics without any flinches.
The handset also has an in-house V1+ chip which is a dedicated imaging and display chip for high-end Vivo phones such as the Vivo X series. The Vivo X80 doesn’t compromise anyhow on the power delivery. Throw any task at this device and it will get done without any hiccups. Speedy performance is what we have got throughout while using the Vivo X80 for both basic as well as extensive tasks.
The web browsing experience on this flagship Vivo phone is flawless; so is the multitasking experience. We were able to load, use and toggle between several apps (heavy in size) simultaneously. The device is instant with app launches which can be expected from a flagship-grade smartphone.
The same is the case with media playback as well as gaming. There are no lags or delays when you are consuming high-resolution videos or are playing graphic-hungry game titles. We would like to add that we have been using the X80 for over a month and have got no complaints related to the performance. If device heat-up is one of your concerns, you can be at respite with the X80.
The warm-up issues are minimum. Specifically, the temperatures don’t fluctuate if you are playing games extensively or are hooked to the screen for hours at a stretch. You might feel the device heating up if its plugged into a charger and multiple tasks are being performed simultaneously.
The multitasking experience has also been swift with the higher RAM capacity that this device offers. Of course, you can select the top-end 12GB RAM model if you wish to get the same speedy performance in the longer run. The X80 definitely ticks all the boxes when we speak of power performance.
Best-In-Class Camera Performance
The Vivo X80 has potent camera hardware that will definitely please you if you are a shutterbug. The primary photography setup on the X80 comprises a 50MP main lens. It is a Sony IMX886 lens that has an OIS (optical image stabilization) support and an f/1.75 aperture. Aiding the main camera is a large 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens (Sony IMX663) which has an f/2.0 aperture and is further paired up with another 12MP Sony IMX663 lens for depth mapping.
The Vivo X80 camera performance is best when you click images in broad daylight. You will get high-definition output that is unmatched in terms of clarity. The HDR captured shots by the Vivo X80 have punchy and vibrant colors. You won’t find the cameras oversaturating the images in any situation. T
The edge detection and dynamic range are also to the point. No hazy or grainy output by the X80’s cameras when the background has ample lighting. There is a Zeiss mode as well that you can switch to from the camera app to get slightly more natural colors with every click. This mode is best if you are capturing human subjects as it highlights natural skin tones.
