HomeReviews If there is a smartphone manufacturer who, more than others, has managed to give a distinctive mark to their smartphones, that is certainly alive . Among our pages he has already tested some products of the company, in particular the Vivo X51 (here our review), which had really surprised us from points of view. That is why we approached this Vivo V23 5G with particular interest. The design almost seems to escape the popular standard in Android.
Design
Let's start with the latter, since it represents one of the elements that most distinguish the design from the competition. As already mentioned, it almost seems that Vivo has taken its cue from Apple, not from any Android competitor. More squared edges, which make it similar to the iconic Apple smartphone, with a metal back and an aluminum structure. Overall, the aesthetic is that of a premium smartphone. The volume and power buttons on the right provide good feedback and overall the touch and feel when holding the smartphone is very good, with a very high overall robust feel.
The back, created with a particular material, which changes color when exposed to sunlight also gives greater particularity to the design. The gold back turns completely blue for a few minutes, after a momentary exposure to the sun.
Display Another peculiarity is the display. Not only for the technical characteristics, but for the camera cutout: also in this case it seems to look at an iPhone notch, albeit smaller, with a double photographic module. Furthermore, on the front at the top there is also a double LED flash, for high-impact selfies.
As for the screen itself, Vivo V23 5G offers a 6.44-inch AMOLED FHD + panel with a refresh rate of 90 Hz, which supports a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels.
The screen is very bright, even outdoors, however, it is also reflective. Color reproduction is accurate, and everything still looks very sharp. At first glance it gives a good feeling, with precise colors, and a refresh rate that is not top, but still sufficiently high. The 90 hz are still a good compromise, to provide that more fluidity than 60 Hz, without the consumption of 120 Hz.
Performance
Vivo V23 5G has a Dimensity 920 SoC under the body, with up to 12 GB of RAM and 4 GB of virtual RAM, along with 256 GB of storage. In daily use, the performance is good, with a general fluidity that is appreciable in any context. Apps open instantly, and the high RAM memory helps keep them in the background for as long as possible, for immediate reopening, even when using so many apps.
We haven't really encountered any problems whatsoever, and the overall user experience is absolutely enjoyable, even if compared to other top of the range Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, the differences are perceived. This is normal, also because the cost of this terminal is lower than any premium terminal.
We didn't like the vibration department: the. integrated motor seems to be part of a past generation, which does not return a good feeling to the touch, especially when typing on the keyboard. From this point of view, we could have done much better.
Cameras
Vivo V23 5G has a 64 megapixel primary sensor, an 8 megapixel ultra wide angle camera and a 2 megapixel macro camera. On the front, there is a dual-camera setup consisting of a primary 50-megapixel selfie camera and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide angle camera.
The 64-megapixel rear sensor takes good photos with optimal light, therefore outdoors. Under these conditions, images with satisfying details and natural colors are obtained, with an enjoyable dynamic range and sharpness.
The photos with a wide-angle lens, on the other hand, offer different colors from those obtained with the primary sensor. Exposure is a tad inconsistent and the end result isn't as sharp as what you get with the primary sensor. In any case, they still seem appreciable at first glance, when you look at them directly on the device display.
However, it is the selfie department that is the protagonist in this smartphone, considering the presence of its sensors, and the front LED flashes, certainly unusual in the smartphone landscape. The main sensor returns excellent shots, and even in low light conditions the result is satisfactory, thanks to the presence of the flash. If you try to take a selfie in the dark, the result will certainly be superior to that of any other smartphone, even top of the range. The Flash helps to keep the fine details, even in almost nonexistent lighting conditions.
Even when using the wide-angle in the front camera there are noticeable differences, compared to using the primary sensor. In this case, the wide angle loses sharpness and detail, and slightly alters the skin color, which is warmer, than the more natural one that is captured with the main lens. The portraits taken with the rear camera are excellent, both for colors and for sharpness and edge detection.
If selfies in the dark excel in the category, the same cannot be said of the shots at which with the rear camera. There is the night mode, which certainly helps to achieve better results, but overall the photos do not stand out for details.
Below is a gallery of photos taken directly with the terminal:
Software
Vivo's V23 5G offers Android 12 on board, based on FunTouch OS 12 interface. Net of personal tastes, this FunTouch OS is not among the most enjoyable customizations, however it is not even among the worst. The animations are smooth, but not like those of other competitors.
Battery life
Vivo V23 5G is supported by a 4200mAh battery with 44W fast charging. The autonomy is very good: considering an intense use, with a constant refresh rate of 90 Hz, you arrive in the evening with a sufficient percentage of remaining charge, with about 6 and a half hours of screen on. As for recharging, it is not among the super-fast, but in just an hour you will have the Vivo V23 charged to 100%.
Conclusions
Overall, VIVO V23 5G is an original terminal, for those looking for a different design than usual, or as close as possible to the iPhone. The construction of the terminal is really good, as is the room department, even if the wide-angle lens is a bit subdued. The price will not help the terminal, which at the moment has a price list of 549 euros. Overall it is very fluid and for those who love selfies it is the terminal to choose.
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You can also buy it on Amazon for 549 euros, directly at this address.
