Vivo X50 Pro review: A solid all-rounder for camera lovers

Vivo X50 Pro review: A solid all-rounder for camera lovers

The Vivo X50 Pro is a midrange phone on the higher end of that spectrum and has many of the trappings of an enticing flagship. Starting at approximately $670, you get a crystalline screen, 5G, a powerful battery, a speedy display and fast charging. But the phone also has a camera feature that undeniably distinguishes it from its rivals. The X50 Pro is the world's first mass-produced phone with a built-in gimbal camera system that allows you to capture smooth, fast-action video with the click of a button. Out of Vivo's trio of X50 handsets -- which the Chinese phone-maker is marketing as a professional photography flagship -- the X50 Pro is the only one to boast this futuristic feature. But Vivo did make a few compromises. For instance, it lacks stereo speakers (a big drawback for music lovers like myself) and it isn't water resistant, which many phones of this class are. It also has a midrange processor (Snapdragon 765G) instead of the most adva nced chipset available.

If you're not fussed about shooting action video, you're better off buying Vivo's base X50 or the OnePlus Nord. Both have comparable specs but don't charge a premium for advanced video gimbals and hardware. The X50 and Nord feature a quad-camera system led by a 48-megapixel shooter, the same chipset and a fast display, but are nearly $100 to $200 cheaper respectively. But if being splash-proof is important to you, consider the iPhone 11 ($500 at Best Buy).

Vivo doesn't currently have plans to officially release the phone in the US. But X50 phones have been released in parts of Asia and Europe, so they'll be reasonably easy to import. Pricing also varies based on country with prices trending higher in Western countries. In India, the base variant (with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage) starts at 49,990 rupees (approximately $670, £510 or AU$930), while in Eastern Europe it starts at the equivalent of $780. 

Vivo's X50 Pro features a 6.5-inch AMOLED display. 

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

The X50 Pro's gimbal camera delivers

The X50 Pro has multiple rear cameras. The entire setup uses a gimbal-like system and a combination of optical image stabilization and electronic image stabilization to produce incredibly stable video. Vivo says its gimbal system reduces shakiness by up to three times compared to traditional stabilization technology, thanks to a "double ball structure" that allows it to rotate on three axes.

I captured a bunch of video in different lighting conditions to see how well the X50 Pro stacked up against another phone known for its video-camera prowess, the iPhone 11 Pro Max. In short, the X50 Pro performed very well. When I recorded video while walking in daylight and panning the cameras from side to side, I didn't see much of a difference between the two phones. Both captured stable footage without any obvious jerkiness. 

The differences were noticeable, however, when running, especially in darker conditions. Although the X50 Pro's output was steady and seamless, there were several times when the camera went out of focus and blurred slightly.The iPhone 11 Pro Max's footage, on the other hand, always remained in focus but was extremely shaky. In the end, I preferred video from the X50 Pro because it was easier for me to watch stable video with occasional blurs rather than jerky footage. Apart from video, another use-case for the gimbal system is taking photos while zooming. I was able to more easily capture some great photos zoomed in because of the stability it provided. 

Bottom line: The X50 Pro's gimbal-style camera is impressive and generally delivers what it promises. But it cannot replace a full-sized gimbal -- it is built into a phone after all. And while its technology is unique, its videos aren't earth-shatteringly better than, say, what you get on the pricier iPhone 11 Pro Max.

The X50 Pro's design is slender and classic

Though its design isn't wholly unique, the Vivo's X50 Pro is still a sleek phone with a classic aesthetic. I prefer designs like this because they're more enduring rather than envelope-pushing trends that seem to fade away (remember pop-up selfie cameras?). The X50 Pro has a spacious 6.56-inch curved display with a discreet hole-punch selfie camera. On the back there's a larger than average rectangular protrusion that's home to a rear quad-camera module and the phone's headline gimbal feature.

The X50 Pro comes in gray, which I love. Its subtle sheen adds to the phone's premium look. Overall the X50 Pro is neither heavy or exceptionally lightweight, but it is relatively slim, which allows me to type out emails and messages using one hand.

The X50 Pro's screen has a higher 90Hz refresh rate than most phones, which have 60Hz displays. It offers a silky smooth experience, which I really like, though it's not as high as the 120Hz screens on the OnePlus 8 Pro and Galaxy S20.

Vivo's rear camera setup is headlined by a 48-megapixel shooter.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

The X50 Pro's multiple cameras have range

In addition to the phone's main 48-megapixel sensor, there are two telephoto shooters and an 8-megapixel ultrawide-angle lens. These multiple cameras offer plenty of variety and range in terms of photographic possibilities, which I really appreciate. For example, the ultrawide camera has a 120-degree field of view, while the periscope zoom camera can zoom in on an object up to 60x.

In general, the X50 Pro captured crisp and vibrant photos that captured my surroundings wonderfully and with accurate colors. But in certain lighting conditions, during sunset for example, photos were more saturated and punched-up in the X50 Pro than the iPhone 11 Pro. Whichever photo you prefer is likely a matter of personal preference, but you can see the difference for yourself in the photos below. Keep in mind that the monitor you're viewing these pictures on has an affect as well.

The Vivo X50 Pro captured a fiery yellow-orange sunset (left), while the photograph taken by the iPhone XS Max (right) was more true to life. 

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

This photo was taken indoors with the default lens. As you can see, there was natural light pouring through the windows and it wasn't the easiest lighting conditions for the camera to work with, but the image came out well.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

This image was taken using the default shooter and is more saturated in the photo than it was in real life.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

This image was taken at night using the camera's dedicated Night Mode setting.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

The phone's 60x zoom, known as "Hyper Zoom," doesn't close in as intimately as the Galaxy S20 Ultra's 100x "Space Zoom," but I was still blown away by the sheer power of it. Photos were blurry, but they still retained detail that I couldn't see with my own eyes. And when I didn't need to zoom that far, I was also able to take sharp and detailed images at 5x optical zoom, which few phones have.

Vivo's X50 Pro has range. Using its 60x hyper zoom, I was able to zoom into the sign on the hotel on the opposite side of the harbor. I couldn't see the sign with my naked eye and did not know it existed till I zoomed in with the phone.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

This image was taken on default settings (1x).

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Zooming in 5x.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Zooming in 10x.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

The four zoom modes side by side.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

The phone's ultrawide lens captured sprawling landscapes and sunsets. Colors, however, weren't as true to life as they appeared when I took pictures with the X50 Pro's other lenses in most lighting conditions. For some reason, blues were darker on images taken with the ultrawide lens. This isn't a major flaw, but color accuracy is super important to photographers, and they're who Vivo is actively courting with this phone.

X50 Pro's software features and UI

The X50 Pro runs FunTouch OS 10.5 on top of Android 10. It's a clean interface that's easy to use. There was some bloatware, but most of it could be turned off and it didn't bother me much. The X50 Pro also comes with dark mode, an always-on display option and an app drawer. It also has circular icons, which I prefer to the rigidness of square ones.

Like most Android 10 phones, you'll use swiping gesture controls to navigate through the phone. But the phone does have some unintuitive controls of its own. In the early days of my reviewing the X50 Pro, for example, I accidentally hung up on a bunch of incoming calls. That's because to answer a call you need to swipe down as opposed to up, which is the more common direction on Android phones. 

X50 Pro battery and performance

The X50 Pro's battery comfortably lasted me throughout the day with mild usage. That means I used it for light gameplay, reading the news on various apps, answering emails, scanning my social media account and chatting with loved ones on WhatsApp. When I continuously played an HD video on Airplane mode for battery tests, the phone lasted 15 hours, 22 minutes at 50% brightness. 

When it did eventually run out of juice, it took the phone between 52 to 73 minutes to reach a full charge using the bundled 33-watt flash charger (during the three times that I tested it). That's a pretty good time -- most premium phones take about 90 minutes to fully charge.  By comparison, Apple says the fast charger that comes with its iPhone 11 Pro can hit a 50% charge in 30 minutes. Fast charging is super handy, especially for those occasions when I'm about to leave my apartment and I realize my phone is almost dead. 

The phone's Snapdragon 765G processor (the G stands for gaming BTW) is a lower-cost option for phone-makers to equip their phones with 5G. It isn't as powerful as the Snapdragon 865 chipset (as seen in the OnePlus 8 Pro and the Galaxy S20 line), but the 765G provided more than enough power for all my processing needs. The X50 Pro stacked up well in benchmark tests against other phones equipped with the same chip like the OnePlus Nord and LG Velvet. And when I played more demanding, graphics-intensive games such as PUBG, I didn't notice any lags or stuttering. The gaming experience was immersive and graphics were crisp.

3DMark Slingshot

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance

Geekbench v.5.0 single-core

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance

Geekbench v.5.0 multicore

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance.

Vivo X50 specs vs. X50 Pro vs. rivals

	Vivo X50	Vivo X50 Pro	OnePlus Nord	OnePlus 8	iPhone 11
Display size, resolution	6.5-inch AMOLED	6.5-inch AMOLED; 2376x1,080 pixels	6.44-inch; 2,400x1,080 pixels	6.55-inch AMOLED; 2,400x1,080 pixels	6.1-inch LCD Liquid Retina; 1,792x828 pixels
Dimensions (Inches)	6.28 x 2.96 x 0.29	6.28 x 2.97 x 0.29 inches	6.23 x 2.88 x 0.32 inches	6.3 x 2.8 x 0.31 inches	5.94 x 2.98 x 0.33 inches
Dimensions (Millimeters)	159.54 x 75.4 x 7.55mm	158.46 x 72.8 x 8.04mm	158.3 x 73.3 x 8.2mm	160 x 72.9 x 8.0 mm	150.9x75.7x8.3 mm
Weight (Ounces, Grams)	174.5g	181.5 grams	6.49 oz; 184g	6.35 oz; 180g	6.84 oz; 194g
Mobile software (at launch)	Android 10	Android 10	Android 10	Android 10	iOS 13
Camera	48-megapixel (main), 8-megapixel (ultra wide-angle), 5-megapixel (macro), 13-megapixel (portrait telephoto)	48-megapixel (main), 8-megapixel (ultra wide-angle), 8-megapixel (periscope), 13-megapixel (portrait telephoto)	48-megapixel (standard), 12-megapixel (wide-angle), 2-megapixel (macro), 5-megapixel (depth-sensing)	48-megapixel (standard), 16-megapixel (ultra-wide), 2-megapixel (macro)	12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultra-wide)
Front-facing camera	32-megapixel	32-megapixel	32-megapixel, 8-megapixel (wide-angle)	16-megapixel	12-megapixel with Face ID
Processor	Snapdragon 765G	Snapdragon 765G	Snapdragon 765G	Snapdragon 865	A13 Bionic
Video capture	4K	4K	4K	4K	4K
Storage	128GB, 256GB	128GB, 256GB	128GB, 256GB	128GB, 256GB	64GB, 128GB, 256GB
RAM	8GB	8GB	8GB,12GB	8GB, 12GB	Not disclosed
Expandable storage	No	No	No	No	No
Battery	4,200 mAh	4,315 mAH	4,115 mAh	4,300 mAh	Not disclosed, but Apple claims it will last 1 hour longer than iPhone XR
Fingerprint sensor	Yes	Yes	In-screen	In-screen	None (Face ID)
Connector	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C	Lightning
Headphone jack	No	No	No	No	No
Special features	5G enabled, 20x Digitial Zoom, 90Hz refresh rate	Gimbal-like camera, 60x hyperzoom, 90Hz refresh rate, dual SIM support, 33W fast charging	5G enabled, 90Hz refresh rate, 30W fast-charging	5G enabled; Warp Charge; 90Hz refresh rate	Water resistant (IP68); dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); wireless charging
Price (USD) at launch	$470 for 128GB (converted from 34,990 rupees)	$665 for 128GB (converted from 49,990 rupees )	$572 (converted from 500 euros)	$699 (8GB RAM/128GB), $799 (12GB RAM/256GB)	$699 (64GB), $749 (128GB), $849 (256GB)

---

Source

Tags:

• Vivo X50 Pro Review A Solid All Rounder For Camera Lover S Lane
• Vivo X50 Pro Review A Solid All Rounder Bss
• Vivo X50 Pro Review A Solid All Wood
• Vivo X50 Pro Review A Solid All Colors
• Vivo X50 Pro Review A Solid Alloy
• Vivo X50 Pro Review A Solid Allan
• Vivo X50 Pro Review A Solid Yellow
• Vivo X50 Pro Review A Solid Figure
• Vivo X50 Pro Review A Solid Is A State
• Vivo X50 Pro Review Anime
• Vivo X50 Pro Review Atlas
• Vivo X50 Pro Specs

Hands on with meaning hands on with ai hands on with windows 11 with hands on hips crossword clue hands on health hands on meaning hands on synonym hands on experience hands on jobs hands on hips hands on therapy

Hands-on with Vivo X50 Pro: Camera's buttery smooth, but with some tradeoffs

Hands-on with Vivo X50 Pro: Camera's buttery smooth, but with some tradeoffs

Chinese phone-maker Vivo recently unveiled its X50 series, marking the launch of its first global flagship this year. Vivo, which is one of the top 10 phone manufacturers by market share despite being relatively unknown in the West, advertises its latest phone as a "professional photography flagship." It introduces an internal gimbal camera system to the series, which it's selling outside China for the first time. 

There are three phones in this range, the X50, X50 Pro and X50 Pro Plus. The X50 Pro Plus has a cutting-edge Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor (as seen in the Galaxy S20, among others), while the X50 and the Pro both have Snapdragon 765G CPUs. But although the X50 Pro has a slower processor, it also has a gimbal. Vivo said it chose to add the gimbal to the Pro, rather than the more costly Pro Plus, to make the feature more widely accessible.

The company says the X50 Pro's system has a 300% increase in performance over more traditional stabilization technology. That's thanks in part to that gimbal, which uses a "double-ball structure to achieve triple axis rotation," effectively letting the camera float inside the phone.

Vivo

While only the X50 has the hyped-up gimbal, all three devices support 5G. All three phones have the same 6.56-inch displays, too. But there's one other key difference: the processors these phones run on. The X50 Pro Plus gets the best CPU, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, while the Pro and the X50 both run on a Snapdragon 765G. 

Vivo says it doesn't currently have plans to release the phone in the US. But X50 phones will be released in parts of Asia, Africa and Europe over the next three months, so they'll be reasonably easy to import. 

Pricing details haven't been shared yet, but the cost will vary based on country. In China the X50 Pro starts at 4,298 yuan, which converts to roughly $610 (about £490 or AU$880), while in India it starts for 49,990 rupees or approximately $660. As usual, you can expect higher price tags in Western countries. If you want more details on specs, scroll down to the chart below, which compares all three phones.

The X50 Pro cameras in depth

The X50 Pro's rear camera system is headlined by a 48-megapixel main camera, which relies on a gimbal-like camera system along with optical image stabilization and electronic image stabilization technology for video stabilization. When I first tested it, I compared it with the one-generation-old iPhone XS Max while walking in daylight, but I didn't see much of a difference between the two phones, even while panning the cameras. Both phones captured stable footage without any obvious jerkiness. The differences were noticeable, however, when I was capturing video while running and in darker conditions The X50 Pro captured more stable video compared to the iPhone, but the video did blur occasionally, especially when I was running.

When I used ultra-stable or anti-shake mode, the Vivo X50 Pro's video stabilization tech was kicked up a notch. This is where the difference between the iPhone XS Max was more evident. Footage I captured was buttery-smooth and glided seamlessly. Even when I shot with my nondominant hand, which usually produces shakier videos, the footage was unusually smooth. There is a tradeoff though: It couldn't capture much detail in subjects that were further away. From what I gather so far, ultra-stable mode seems like a fantastic tool for shooting steady close-up shots. 

The Vivo X50 Pro (picture) has a 6.56-inch AMOLED screen.

Vivo

The X50 Pro has 4 rear cameras

In general, the X50 Pro made it easy to take crisp, color-accurate and vibrant photos that captured my surroundings wonderfully. I'll have to spend more time with the phone, but so far I've noticed that in certain lighting conditions -- during sunset for example -- photos were more saturated and punched up. iPhone XS Max captured photos that were more true-to-life, by comparison. Whichever photo you prefer is likely a matter of personal preference, but you can see the difference for yourself in the photos below. 

The Vivo X50 Pro captured a fiery yellow-orange sunset (left), while the photograph taken by the iPhone XS Max (right) was more true-to-life. 

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

There are four cameras on the rear of the X50 Pro. In addition to the main 48-megapixel shooter, you'll find a periscope zoom lens and an 8-megapixel ultra wide-angle lens. There's also a 13-megapixel portrait telephoto snapper. I look forward to trying out the X50 Pro's camera system in more depth.

The X50 Pro has 60x zoom

An 8-megapixel periscope lens is one of the (three) sidekicks to the main 48-megapixel shooter on the Vivo X50 Pro. I was blown away by the power of the Vivo X50's 60x Hyper Zoom. Although the photos were blurry -- 60x is a long way away, after all -- it still managed to capture detail that I couldn't see with my own eyes, including the sign on this hotel across the harbor in Hong Kong. I'd love to compare it to the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra's 100x Space Zoom. 

Vivo's X50 Pro has range. Using its 60x hyper zoom, I was able to zoom into the sign on the hotel on the opposite side of the harbor. I couldn't see the sign with my naked eye and did not know it existed until I zoomed in with the phone.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

This photo was taken on default settings (1x).

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Zooming in 5x.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Zooming in 10x.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

Zooming in 60x.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

The four zoom modes side by side.

Sareena Dayaram/CNET

A 4,315-mAh battery with fast charge

In the few days that I used the phone, the Vivo X50 Pro's 4,315-mah battery life was strong on default settings. My daily activity typically involves making a few short calls, regularly using WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, checking emails, reading news apps and playing music on Spotify. I also used social media, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. I don't use my phone for heavy-duty gaming. The X50 Pro's battery easily lasted a whole day.

Using Vivo's 33-watt "flash charge," I was able to fill up the battery in 52 minutes. That's great, but not as fast as Oppo's pricier Find X2 Pro flagship, which charges its battery in 38 minutes. What was incredible, though, was when it revitalized a dead battery by nearly 60% in just 15 minutes.

Vivo X50 series specs

	Vivo X50	Vivo X50 Pro	Vivo X50 Pro Plus
Display size, resolution	6.5-inch AMOLED	6.5-inch AMOLED	6.5-inch AMOLED
Dimensions (Inches)	6.2x2.86x0.31 inches	6.28 x2.97x0.29 inches	6.2x2.8x0.34 inches
Dimensions (Millimeters)	159.54x75.4x7.55 mm	158.46x72.8x8.04 mm	158.5x73x8.83 mm
Weight (Ounces, Grams)	6.16 oz, 174.5 grams	6.4 oz, 181.5 grams	6.77 oz, 192 grams
Mobile software	Android 10	Android 10	Android 10
Camera	48-megapixel (main), 8-megapixel (ultra wide-angle), 5-megapixel (macro), 13-megapixel (portrait telephoto)	48-megapixel (main), 8-megapixel (ultra wide-angle), 8-megapixel (periscope), 13-megapixel (portrait telephoto)	50-megapixel (main), 13-megapixel (super wide angle), 32 megapixel (portrait telephoto)
Front-facing camera	32-megapixel	32-megapixel	32-megapixel
Processor	Snapdragon 765G	Snapdragon 765G	Snapdragon 865
Storage	128GB/256GB	128GB/256GB	128GB/256GB
RAM	8GB	8GB	8GB, 12GB
Expandable storage	No	No	No
Battery	4,200 mAh (33W Vivo flash charge)	4,315 mAh (33W Vivo flash charge)	4,350 mAh (44W Vivo flash charge)
Fingerprint sensor	Yes	Yes	Yes
Connector	USB C	USB C	USB-C
Headphone jack	No	No	No
Special features	20x digital zoom, 90Hz refresh rate	Gimbal-like camera, 60x hyperzoom, 90Hz refresh rate	120Hz refresh rate, 60x hyper zoom

---

Source