vivo launched its newest midrange lineup, the V25 series. 3 devices were added to their ever-expanding roster namely the V25, V25 Pro, and the V25e, the most affordable of its lineup which we have in hand.
vivo v25e Specs (Philippines):
- 6.44” FHD+ AMOLED, Screen, 2.5D Flat Panel
- 90Hz Refresh Rate
- MediaTek Helio G99
- Arm Mali-G57 MC2
- 8GB RAM + 8GB Virtual RAM
- 256 GB Internal Storage (Expandable using SIM 2 via microSD Card)
- Triple Camera Set-up
- 64 MP f/1.79 OIS Main Camera
- 2 MP f/2.4 bokeh camera
- 2 MP f/2.4 macro camera
- 32 MP f/2.0 Front Camera
- Dual SIM. 4G
- WiFi 2.4/5GHz, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, OTG
- USB-C
- In-Display Fingerprint Scanner, Face Unlock
- Funtouch OS based on Android 12
- 4,500 mAh Battery
- 44W Fast Charging
- Sunrise Gold and Diamond Black Color, PhotoChromic 2.0 Back Panel
INTRODUCTION
We received the 8GB RAM + 256GB storage capacity in sunrise gold color V25e, which includes the usual packaging for a smartphone.
It is not surprising that in this price range, inside a thick grey box, you’ll see a free clear case, SIM ejector pin, wired earbuds, 44W FastCharge power brick, USB-A to USB-C cable, and a 3.5mm jack to USB-C adapter. In comparison, most flagship and upper midrange phones only come with a SIM ejector pin, a cable, and documentation in an effort to reduce carbon footprint.
PHYSICAL DESIGN
Like the trends we see on most smartphones recently, vivo V25e has adopted the flat-sided design with a matte finish, which is grippier to hold. Putting on the clear case makes it more firm to hold. But it is known that TPU cases turn yellow and wear out over time which is easier for the dust to accumulate and leave residue on the sides.
I noticed that the side of the vivo V25e is made of a beautifully coated aluminum frame.
The clicky volume buttons and power buttons are all placed on the right side of the phone, which is easily reachable by your thumb.
Even though it is lighter than other existing smartphones of the same size, my hands, which are average in size, get easily strained with hard-to-reach elements. I would sometimes find myself using two hands to navigate the screen.
Like I said earlier in our unboxing, I really like the sunrise gold color, which uses Photochromic Version 2.0., a color-changing design. This really adds sophistication to the phone and made it an attention grabber.
We experimented with the Photochromic 2.0 technology during our unboxing last month to test if the color actually changes under direct sunlight by placing a 20-peso coin on top of its panel. You can watch the full video here.
Its back panel is made of Flourite AG glass, as they call it, and that also comes in a matte finish to reduce the appearance of fingerprints and smudges.
Hopping to the trend continues with this huge protruding camera bump which houses the camera setup and the flash. The frame of the protruding camera bump helps protect the two big lenses from touching a surface.
DISPLAY
vivo V25e is equipped with a 6.44-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen producing true-to-life colors which got me impressed. Contrast is also good resulting in crisp texts and elements.
What really adds to the experience is the 90 Hz refresh rate creating a fluid and smooth-looking scrolling. vivo also has a “smart switch” feature to dynamically switch refresh rates from 90Hz to 60Hz depending on the displayed content.
The bezels are thin which is not bothersome. It is still elegant and can deliver a great viewing experience.
Underneath is the on-display fingerprint sensor. Yes, it works as intended but it’ll have a problem detecting your finger if it’s damp or dirty. Make sure to have a clean cloth nearby. As a suggestion, side or rear fingerprints might read fingerprints better. Alternatively, you can use the face unlock or the more traditional PIN/Password lock.
Thanks to the maximum 1300 nits of brightness this phone have, the device’s display is still visible even using outdoors and under direct sunlight.
PHOTOGRAPHY/CAMERA
Aside from the attention-grabbing back panel is the camera bump which houses V25e’s 64MP Ultra-Sensing Main Camera, 2MP Depth Camera, and 2MP Micro Camera.
The camera app functions are also pretty standard across Android smartphones nowadays. It has 9 camera classic filters, 11 portrait filters, and 8 vlogging templates making it easier for the users to get those jaw-dropping shots.
Plenty of shooting modes are available such as the 64MP mode, panorama, live photo, slo-mo, timelapse, Pro mode, AR stickers, vlog movie, document scanning, double exposure, and dual view.
One of the highlights of vivo V25e is its 64MP ultra-sensing camera which captures good photos just right for its price.
On a larger scale, the details are sharp enough to identify which is which. But if you’re a pixel peeper, you’ll notice that the software processing tends to oversharpen the edges leaving a slight halo around the subject.
While in some situations especially when dealing with shadows and highly detailed objects, photos are soft and lack color and edge separation due to noise reduction and compression. The dynamic range is also decent.
Portraits are good with minimal lapses in processing the bokeh effect.
Being a “Night Portrait Master”, the vivo V25e is almost no different from his siblings. Albeit a softer image due to noise reduction, the phone captures bright photos through also AI.
Further, Hybrid Image Stabilization which utilizes both electronic and optical image stabilization will give you non-blurry night shots.
More sample photos:
In front, you’ll be greeted with a 32-megapixel Eye Autofocus selfie camera for high-definition selfies. The results are good even in challenging situations. It identifies if a person is in the frame by their eyes.
As usual, adjustments will be applied to selfies to make them good, thanks again to AI. The resulting images will have a subtle bokeh separating the subject from the background.
I was impressed by how vivo V25e captures a selfie in total darkness.
MORE SAMPLE SELFIE PHOTOS
VIDEOS
vivo V25e can take videos up to 1080p @ 60FPS. I really wish it could have 4K @ 30FPS video with this device though.
However, the Hybrid stabilization technique doesn’t apply in taking videos (sample videos compilation) in a normal mode. You need to turn on ultra-stable mode first but it will switch to a cropped 1080p @ 30FPS which may, in turn, reduce the video quality. Try considering getting a gimbal. See sample videos taken straight out of vivo V25e.
Its front camera can shoot 1080p @ 30fps and features “Steadiface” which slightly tracks your face while taking videos
PERFORMANCE
vivo V25e is the first smartphone powered by MediaTek Helio G99 based on TSMC’s 6-nanometer (6nm) process, making it smaller in size and power efficient yet packs performance. And ultimately, its battery efficiency is noticeable.
Upon initial testing, from the day I received this phone, it lasted for almost 2 days! A week after we did the unboxing, we tested the battery standby time, and here’s the result.
On standby mode, the battery lasted approximately about 4 days, and 4 hours, with 14% remaining in the battery. If pushed to zero percent, maybe it would last longer than 4 days. I can say it could be a good backup phone in times of disaster.
But in case you run out of juice, you can make use of its 44W fast charging capability, which vivo claims can charge the device from zero to 58% in just 30 minutes.
In real-world tests, 1% – 55% took 25 minutes while from 55% up to 100%, it took 44 minutes. In total, a full charge cycle will consume 1 hour and 9 minutes.
Inside is a high-speed 8GB RAM which can be extended virtually up to an additional 8GB which will use the device’s storage. There is onboard 256GB storage which can be expanded through a MicroSD Card via the SIM 2 slot.
The bottom-firing speaker is loud enough to cater to your audio needs, but we find it thin-sounding.
GAMEPLAY
Gaming performance is, in general, pretty smooth. At least for Mobile Legends, we were able to play it at only “High” mode since the “Ultra” mode is greyed out.
For gamers, vivo offers a dedicated gaming mode to hide notifications for distraction-free gameplay while applying optimizations at the back end. Plus, thanks to Helio G99, the phone doesn’t heat that much while playing.
User Experience
It runs Android 12 operating system with Funtouch OS skin. If you have used any vivo smartphones in the past years, Funtouch OS 12 has huge improvements. At least for now, there are elements in the UI that are similar to stock Android. Overall navigation is familiar and similar to most Android phones.
As usual, you’ll find a bunch of bloatware from vivo. Some of it inserts unsolicited ads in your notifications which can be annoying sometimes. It can be turned off but you need to undergo rough taps before finding a specific setting to turn it off. Be sure to watch out and read each line at the first boot setup wizard to avoid mistakenly turning on these ads.
As expected, Funtouch OS is still heavily modified. Android 12 Features may not work or appear as expected from a vanilla Android but it is certainly there. Though long-time users of Funtouch OS won’t have a hard time familiarizing themselves.
