Vivo X90 Pro Review: Good Phone, Incredible Camera

Worth When Reviewed

Not obtainable within the US

Editor’s observe: We’ll rating this evaluate as soon as Vivo confirms Western pricing for the X90 Professional – within the meantime, right here’s what we expect from testing it out.

Final yr we topped the Vivo X80 Professional our favorite cellphone digital camera of the yr – so it’s honest to say that we’ve been a bit excited for the X90 Professional, which takes issues one step additional with a whopping nice massive one-inch digital camera sensor. 

It’s already given the Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely digital camera some stiff competitors, and even this early within the yr there’s an opportunity this could possibly be 2023’s finest cellphone for images – effectively, aside from Vivo’s X90 Professional+, which is unfortunately staying a China unique. 

The common X90 is not any slouch elsewhere both, with one of many newest flagship chipsets, a welcome grippy leather-based end, and all the standard quick charging and prime show specs you’d count on. 

Design & construct 

• Huge, however snug to carry 
• Premium faux leather-based rear 
• Huge digital camera module and busy rear design 

I’ve combined emotions in regards to the design of the Vivo X90 Professional, however let’s begin with the great. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

I’m a fan of the black vegan leather-based end you’ll discover on the rear of the cellphone, which makes it each grippier and extra sturdy than most rivals – and helps it stand out amongst the ocean of glass slabs.  

It’s sturdy elsewhere too. The IP68 score ought to maintain the cellphone protected from each mud and water, whereas the display is produced from Schott Xensation α – a current rival to the favored Gorilla Glass. 

I additionally like the truth that, regardless of being fairly a big cellphone general, it feels snug and deceptively gentle within the hand. I say misleading as a result of it nonetheless weighs a wholesome 215g, however by some means appears to hold that weight effectively. 

So what am I much less of a fan of? For starters, look past the leather-based end and the cellphone’s rear is…busy. There’s a subdued Vivo emblem, a much less subdued blue Zeiss emblem, a wierd metallic strip with ‘Xtreme Creativeness’ inscribed in calligraphy, and a honking nice digital camera module. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

That digital camera stands proud of the cellphone a very good half-centimetre, and feels a little bit extra obnoxious for the truth that solely three of the ‘lenses’ are actual – the bottom-right is solely the spot the place a fourth lens would be on the extra highly effective X90 Professional+, which is barely offered in China. The digital camera as a complete might be highly effective sufficient to justify its measurement – extra on that later – however you’ll have to be taught to stay with its design. 

Display screen & audio system 

• Expansive 6.8in, curved AMOLED show 
• Full HD+ decision and 120Hz refresh charge 
• Normal high quality stereo audio system 

The show is without doubt one of the few areas the place the X90 Professional doesn’t fairly throw all the pieces on the wall, although it’s in no way a foul display. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

You get a big 6.78in AMOLED panel, with curved edges that maintain it snug to carry. The 1260 x 2800 decision is lots, although admittedly is a drop down from final yr’s X80 Professional, which packed a QHD+ show, as most of the X90 Professional’s rivals do too.

Equally, the 120Hz decision is nothing to complain about, but it surely’s a disgrace that Vivo hasn’t used a contemporary LTPO show with totally dynamic refresh charge from 1-120Hz, which might enable the cellphone to avoid wasting battery when that quick refresh isn’t actually wanted. 

1300 nits peak brightness isn’t dangerous, however once more, yow will discover barely higher elsewhere akin to on the Galaxy S23 Extremely if you happen to typically want to make use of your cellphone in brilliant, direct daylight. 

This are all nitpicks that imply the X90 Professional’s display positively isn’t the finest round, however continues to be glorious. It’s brilliant, punchy, and engaging, with HDR10+ help for relevant content material. Until display specs are your Mastermind specialty, you’ll discover quite a bit to like right here. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The stereo audio system are a little bit extra underwhelming, which is to say: they’re nice. I discover it arduous to get too labored up about cellphone audio system both approach, and these are fairly commonplace: ok to play tunes in a pinch or take a name on speakerphone, however with some clear limitations. Once more: not one of the best, however ok. 

Specs & efficiency 

• Excessive-end MediaTek Dimensity 9200 chip 
• Lags a little bit behind Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 rivals 
• 12GB RAM and 256GB storage 

Vivo made an uncommon selection with the X90 line. Whereas the top-end X90 Professional+ is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 – the chip du jour for flagship telephones – the X90 Professional makes use of rival MediaTek’s Dimensity 9200. 

On paper, it’s a equally specced flagship chip, and must be a detailed match, although in benchmarks it really lags a good bit behind 8 Gen 2 telephones just like the Galaxy S23 Extremely or OnePlus 11. On the graphics-heavy GFXBench checks included beneath, observe that each different cellphone included runs at the next decision – so what appear to be robust numbers for the X90 Professional aren’t really so spectacular. 

In actuality, I’m undecided how a lot any of that issues. The X90 Professional is so exceptionally quick and fluid that no-one might ever accuse this cellphone of being gradual. Critical cell avid gamers may even see the enchantment of the small step up within the Snapdragon, however no-one else would ever discover the distinction day-to-day. 

It in all probability helps that Vivo ships the X90 Professional with 12GB of RAM by default, which helps with nippy multitasking. The 256GB storage allowance can also be beneficiant, although it’s maybe a disgrace that there’s no choice to improve this additional – or broaden it with a microSD card. 

Naturally there’s 5G help, together with the newest Bluetooth 5.3 commonplace and the not-quite-latest Wi-Fi 6 – for some cause it doesn’t help the more moderen Wi-Fi 6E, although it’s unlikely your router does both. 

Digicam & video 

• In all probability one of the best predominant digital camera in any cellphone 
• Glorious supporting lenses 
• No periscope zoom 

Till now I’ve been upbeat, however maybe not awe-inspired, in regards to the X90 Professional. Right here’s the place that adjustments. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

This cellphone was all the time going to come back all the way down to its digital camera. The Vivo X80 Professional was 2022’s finest digital camera, and it will take some doing for Vivo to exceed that – but it surely has. 

Let’s get the principle draw back out of the best way first: there’s no periscopic zoom right here. The principle digital camera and ultrawide are joined by a 2x zoom ‘portrait lens’, which nonetheless will get respectable outcomes as much as 5x magnification or thereabouts. Once more, the China-only X90 Professional+ does get that deeper zoom, it’s simply not included right here, which is a slight downside compared to the likes of the S23 Extremely. 

For my cash, the standard of the opposite three lenses greater than makes up for that shortcoming. One of the best by far is the principle digital camera, which is powered by the 50Mp Sony IMX989 sensor. This 1in sensor is the most important round proper now, which implies it could seize extra gentle for deeper dynamic vary, broader colors, and much better lowlight efficiency, all bolstered by Vivo’s in-house V2 picture processing chip.

At evening there is no such thing as a cellphone I’d relatively have in my pocket for pictures than this. Brilliant lights are rigorously uncovered to minimise glare with no lack of element from darker spots of the body. And areas that ought to be darkish – just like the evening sky – have a tendency to remain that approach. Different flagships come shut, however none ship fairly the identical impact. 

The sheer sensor measurement additionally means this shoots a little bit extra like a mirrorless and even DSLR digital camera, with a shallower depth of subject. Meaning you get a pure bokeh impact even with out utilizing portrait mode, and pictures that look extra, effectively, photographic. 

There’s a draw back: the shallow depth-of-field means it’s simple to get bits of your topic out of focus, so that you’ll must work a little bit tougher to border photographs. Nevertheless, discover ways to use it and also you’ll take pictures that merely don’t appear like they’ve come from a smartphone. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

I discover the cellphone’s default colors a little bit over-saturated, however fortunately a single faucet permits the Zeiss Pure Color mode – the digital camera firm has lengthy collaborated with Vivo on its digital camera {hardware} and software program, together with a T* anti-glare coating on the lenses right here. 

The Zeiss picture mode retains true-to-life tones with none lose intimately or dynamic vary, and I a lot want it. There’s a complete vary of different filters, some powered by Zeiss and a few by Vivo alone, together with a surprisingly good classic movie mode and a relatively foolish Zeiss choice so as to add JJ Abrams-style lens flare to each picture. 

Transfer past the principle digital camera and also you get a 12Mp ultrawide and a 50Mp, 2x telephoto. The ultrawide is the weakest of the three rear lenses, with a drop intimately, a flatter color palette, and diminished lowlight efficiency. That criticism virtually feels unfair although, because it’s nonetheless among the many higher ultrawides on the market. 

The 2x telephoto is even higher. It’s a disgrace there’s no periscope, however this digital camera – which Vivo markets as a ‘portrait’ lens – fares effectively sufficient at low zoom ranges to cowl most use instances, and good stabilisation means it could even take acceptable zoomed photographs at as much as 10x, although understandably these can’t compete with a real periscope. 

With a smaller sensor, it’s no match for the principle digital camera in dimmer gentle, however colors and crispness are higher than the ultrawide manages in different circumstances, making it a happier substitute. And with a broader depth of subject, it could cowl for the principle shooter when the bokeh isn’t fairly proper, lending a versatility to the entire setup. 

The selfie digital camera impresses too. The 32Mp sensor is impressively excessive decision, although the aperture of f/2.5 is a bit more restricted. Nonetheless, photographs impress when that element can shine by in good lighting, however don’t count on any of the low gentle magic you’ll discover from the cameras on the opposite facet. 

Video recording from the rear cameras goes as much as 4K@60fps or 8K@24fps. Until you want the decision, you is perhaps higher off sticking to 1080p, at which level you’re ready to make use of the cellphone’s ‘Extremely’ stabilisation, which is among the many finest round – and helps ship but extra glorious low gentle capabilities. 

Battery & charging 

• Snug all-day battery 
• Extremely quick 120W wired charging 
• Reverse wi-fi charging appears damaged 

If digital camera is the principle space the X90 Professional excels, then the battery in all probability comes up second. 

The 4870mAh cell is beneficiant, and near the most important you’ll discover in a flagship. Most significantly, it interprets to a cellphone that simply lasts a full day of use, and normally a good bit longer.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

On the subject of charging, the 120W charger included with the cellphone is about as quick as they arrive. With the cellphone’s non-obligatory ‘Quick charging’ setting enabled, it restored a formidable 70% of the cellphone’s battery – so mainly a day’s price – in simply quarter-hour of charging, one of many quickest scores we’ve ever recorded. 

Vivo has additionally included help for wi-fi charging and reverse wi-fi charging. You possibly can technically cost at as much as 50W speeds wirelessly, however solely with Vivo’s official accent, which is offered individually – although it would work nice at slower speeds on common Qi chargers. 

Sadly, I’ve so as to add that I’ve discovered the reverse wi-fi charging – which lets you wirelessly cost different units from the cellphone – to be fully unreliable and borderline non-functional. Making an attempt two pairs of earbuds and one other cellphone, all start to cost however appear to lose the connection shortly, solely not often managing to maintain charging. Hopefully that is fastened in an replace, as a result of for now it mainly isn’t working. 

Software program & updates 

• Ships with Funtouch OS and Android 13 
• A number of bloatware 
• Three years of Android updates 

Lastly we get to arguably Vivo’s key weak level in its ongoing makes an attempt to interrupt into Western markets: software program. 

The awfully named Funtouch OS continues to be Vivo’s worldwide Android pores and skin (in China it as an alternative ships the distinct OriginOS), and it’s nonetheless fairly irritating. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

There’s some variation right here to be honest. International variations of the cellphone ship filled with bloatware – a lot of which might’t be uninstalled – however as a rule there’s considerably much less of this on official UK and European fashions. 

What doesn’t change is the issue of over-optimisation. Funtouch aggressively manages app networking, battery use, and even permissions within the background, creating issues because it shuts off apps you thought have been operating, or blocks notifications.  

Different incompatibilities are tougher to clarify. For some cause the autofill functionality of my password supervisor, 1Password, won’t work on this cellphone. It really works on each different cellphone I check, together with the earlier Vivo X80 Professional, however for some cause I can’t autofill a password to avoid wasting my life on this one. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

One particular enchancment is in long-term help at the very least: Vivo is now promising the X90 Professional will obtain three Android model updates (taking it previous this yr’s Android 14 and thru to Android 16) with safety patches over the identical interval. 

That’s not as spectacular a dedication as you’ll get from Samsung, OnePlus, Google, or some others, but it surely’s a step up for Vivo, means you possibly can depend on this cellphone to run effectively for at the very least a couple of years. 

Worth & availability 

This evaluate of the X90 Professional stays unscored for now exactly as a result of Vivo hasn’t but confirmed how a lot the cellphone will price within the UK and Europe – and even when it would go on sale, although we all know it would finally. 

Final yr the X80 Professional began from £1,199/€1,099, and I’d count on related once more. That may value it fairly instantly towards rivals just like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely and Apple iPhone 14 Professional Max, however hopefully Vivo finds a solution to undercut them barely. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

For the complete competitors, try our information to all one of the best telephones proper now, one of the best cellphone cameras yow will discover, or one of the best Vivo telephones for extra from the model. 

Verdict 

The Vivo X90 Professional is a strong flagship by any measure, with maybe one of the best cellphone digital camera you should buy exterior of China – although it’s not with out compromises. 

All over the place from the show, to the chipset, to the software program expertise, the X90 Professional is all the time good – and generally nice – however by no means one of the best round. 

That each one adjustments with the digital camera, the place Vivo’s cellphone is sort of unrivalled, particularly in terms of the completely sensible predominant digital camera – by itself undoubtedly one of the best round. The one actual digital camera criticism is that with no periscope lens, this lacks the flexibility of some rivals, together with Samsung’s S23 Extremely. 

Specs 

• 6.78in, 120Hz, 2800 x 1260 AMOLED show 
• MediaTek Dimensity 9200 
• 12GB LPDDR5 RAM 
• 256GB UFS 4.0 storage 
• Digicam: 
  • Vivo V2 ISP 
  • 50Mp f/1.75 predominant digital camera (Sony IMX989) 
  • 12Mp f/2.0 108-degree ultrawide lens (Sony IMX663) 
  • 50Mp f/1.6 2x portrait telephoto lens (Sony IMX758) 
  • 32Mp f/2.45 selfie digital camera 
• 4870mAh battery 
• 120W wired charging 
• 50W wi-fi charging 
• 5G/4G 
• Wi-Fi 6 
• Bluetooth 5.3 
• GPS 
• NFC 
• In-display fingerprint sensor 
• IP68 water and mud resistance 
• 164 x 74.5 x 9.3mm 
• 215g 
• Android 13 with Funtouch OS 13