Vivo saw success with the elevating front camera of the V15. Can they replicate this with the Vivo V17 Pro? Read on and find out.
Design: 4.5/5
Our review unit came in an eye-catching Glacier Blue that shifts colors with the angle you view it. It’s got a beautiful iridescent sheen that is quite unlike anything else around right now, which might not be for everyone, but it’s definitely a conversation-starter. The rear is also home to the four rear cameras, arranged in the middle and oriented vertically.
We’re not sure exactly why, but there’s quite a bit of heft to the phone. It’s not uncomfortable in its weight, but it’s certainly noticeable. You’re going to want to keep a firm grip on the phone, as it can also be a little slippery thank to the applied finish.
The front of the device is gorgeous, as can be expected from a phone that’s all display. This is achieved by placing the fingerprint scanner under the screen, and the inclusion of a pop-up front camera system. This builds on the success of the previous V15 model, and doubles the ante with an extra front snapper. This is a phone that wants to be seen, and is perfect for people who like a little bit of attention.
Hardware: 4/5
The Vivo V17 Pro sits solidly in midrange territory, spec-wise. You have the capable Snapdragon 675 SoC, an octa-core Kryo processor, a hefty 8 GB serving of RAM, and 128 GB of storage.
Where the V17 Pro shines is in the camera department. With a whopping six cameras split between the front and back, it’s made for those who want to do more than a little bit of photography. The rear has 48-, 8-,13-, and 2-MP snappers that do everything from shoot ultra-wide photos, to 2x zoom, and recognize depth, for spectacular bokeh effects.
The display is a generous 6.44 inches large, with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. This gets you a pixel density of about 409 ppi which is plenty, even for the most discerning mobile video viewers out there.
The V17 Pro comes with a large 4100 mAh battery to drive all that hardware all day without running out.
User Experience: 4.5/5
The first thing I noticed about the V17 Pro was that it was a little heavier than it looks. Immediately after that, what struck me was the mesmerizing, pearlescent back. The color on the milky white back shifts colors depending on how you look at it, and I guarantee you’re going to spend the first few moments with the device just staring.
Once booted up, the V17 Pro was loading apps and zipping along with no problem. Vivo put their proprietary Funtouch OS on top of Android 9, and while some people might be wary of the overlay, it didn’t feel like there was any significant slowdown.
Gaming, which remains a significant part of my life, was extremely pleasant on the V17 Pro’s large, uninterrupted screen. The large display, capable processor, and Adreno 612 GPU made short work of titles such as PUBG Mobile and CoD Mobile. Vivo also baked in gaming mode, which shuts down background apps, freeing up system resources for better performance. This also silences notifications, keeping interruptions down. The weight does become a factor after a while, so don’t forget to get breaks in.
The camera experience on the V17 Pro is likewise superb. It doesn’t have six cameras just for fun. The main snapper provides great range and detail, but where the whole system really shines is low-light. Noise and a little loss of detail can be expected, but it did seem to be in the same league as some much more expensive camera phones out there now. The dynamic range is remarkable, evening out scenes well. Colors remain vibrant, without looking blown out.
Another feature that I appreciated was the ultra wide-angle camera. It doesn’t have the same resolution as the main camera sensor, but is great for landscapes, large groups, and performs acceptably well, even at night, to capture gorgeous nighttime cityscapes.
The review of this phone would be incomplete without mentioning the elevating front camera module. At 32 MP and 8 MP ultra-wide respectively, these are cameras that can deliver some really impressive selfies at high resolution.
Battery life for the phone was also great. With such a large battery, users who don’t rely too much on mobile data can get a day and a half of use. This also gives you a little breathing room if you tend to tether off your phone’s internet connection a lot as I do, to get work done outside the office.
Value: 3.5/5
The Vivo V17 Pro does lean towards the pricier side of the spectrum of phones in its range. The technology behind the elevating front cameras adds a bit to the cost, but is justified by the existence of the notch- and bezel-less display. The price, PHP 21,999 might seem a bit steep, but there’s a lot of new tech in there too.
Specifications:
- Dimensions: 6.26 x 2.94 x 0.39 in
- Weight: 201.8 g
- Display: Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 6.44 inches, 1080 x 2400
- Chipset Qualcomm SDM675 Snapdragon 675
- Processor: Octa-core (2×2.0 GHz Kryo 460 Gold & 6×1.7 GHz Kryo 460 Silver)
- GPU: Adreno 612
- Main Cameras: 48 MP, f/1.8; 8 MPUlatrawide; 13 MP telephoto; 2 MP depth sensor
- Front camera: Motorized pop-up 32 MP, Motorized pop-up 8 MP
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot Bluetooth 5.0, USB 2.0, Type-C, 3.5 mm Audio Jack
- Battery: 4100 mAh, 18W fast charging
What’s Hot:
- It’s a looker
- Interesting front camera setup
- Great main snapper
What’s Not:
- The price is admittedly steep
- Weight
Bottomline:
It’s a looker that has great camera performance for the segment, at the cost of a little extra cash.
Also published in GADGETS MAGAZINE November 2019 Issue
Reviewed by Ren Alcantara