Vivo V17: The Good, Bad, And The X Factor

|

Vivo V17 has been officially unveiled in the Indian market. The third handset in the company's 'V' series is launched with some noticeable changes in the design compared to the international variant. The smartphone is launched with a punch-hole display and an L-shaped rear camera setup.

 

Vivo V17 First Impressions

The modifications are primarily in the design department, as the internals of the international variant is similar to the Indian model. It is unclear why Vivo would give a complete makeover to the same handset in different markets. But, it could be just a move to grab the attention of Indian masses and boost sales.

The latest entrant is priced at Rs. 22,999 and is available for pre-order starting today. The sale starts on December 17 via online and offline retail stores.

The handset is launched in two different color options - Midnight Ocean and Glacier Blue. At its launch event, we got a chance to fiddle along with the device and we are listing down the good, bad, and the x factor of the V17.

Vivo V17: The Good
 

Vivo V17: The Good

Appears Elegant, Feels Premium

The Vivo V17 offers a gradient rear panel which you can easily find on the majority of the handsets today. Be it affordable, mid-range segment or even the flagship smartphones nowadays offer a shimmering rear panel. What you will like here is the lightweight form factor complemented by the premium-looking design.

Also, you can see the pattern of the rear panel changing with light falling on it. This does enhance the appearance of the handset. Even with the big form factor, the device seems easy to use with a single hand.

But, that should be primarily limited to normal usage such as web surfing, answering/making calls, and sending texts. You will need to use both your hands for extensive tasks like gaming and others.

Tall Display Delivers Crisp Output

Tall Display Delivers Crisp Output

The Vivo V17 is equipped with a 6.44-inch E3 Super AMOLED display that has a tall 20:9 aspect ratio, an FHD+ resolution, and a 90.3 percent screen-to-body ratio.

Also, there is a punch-hole placed at the top-right corner. The punch-hole is quite small and should not hamper the viewing experience. The colors seem on the vivid side and also the company is claiming to have improved the sunlight legibility on the V17.

The handset is said to deliver a peak brightness of up to 800 nits which is over 40 percent the standard you get on maximum mid-range smartphones.

We couldn't use the device under direct sunlight, but expect the brightness levels to be optimum outdoors. Colors seem to be on the vivid side, however, we are yet to test the display performance thoroughly.

Vivo V17: The Bad

Vivo V17: The Bad

Smudge Prone Design

While the gradient rear panel on the Vivo V17 gives it a premium look, it is a fingerprint magnet. This is something that most of us wouldn't appreciate. It is quick in picking up fingerprints, so keeping it clean will be a task.

As the handset gives a premium look, you won't certainly like to wrap it up in a case. Also, it feels a bit slippery and the chances of accidental drops are definitely high.

So, wrapping it up in a case is something you will need to consider. Do note that the retail box ships with a mobile case.

Dated Processor; Cluttered UI

Dated Processor; Cluttered UI

The Vivo V17 makes use of an octa-core Snapdragon 675 chipset which is no doubt a capable but dated mid-range chipset. And for a price above Rs. 20,000, an updated chipset is what we expected.

This is the same processor that powers the international variant of the V17 as well. Also, it is worth mentioning that Xiaomi offered the same chipset on the Redmi Note 7 Pro which retails at a much lower price than the V17.

Moreover, there is just one RAM and storage variant of the device, i.e, 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. It comes pre-loaded with Android Pie OS and offers a custom Fun Touch OS 9.2 skin on top.

The UI is similar to what we have seen on the V17 Pro and other Vivo handsets. It is not the neatest user interface that you get on a smartphone. Besides, there is pre-installed bloatware that makes the UI a bit cluttered.

Vivo V17: The X Factor

Vivo V17: The X Factor

Feature-Rich Cameras

Vivo has equipped the V17 with a quad-rear camera setup placed in an L-shaped module. The camera sensors at the rear comprise a 48MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle sensor, a 2MP macro, and a 2MP depth sensor.

The rear camera offers a number of features for enhanced imaging. Some of them are Super night mode, Portrait light effects, AR stickers, Pose Master, Super Macro, Portrait Framing, AI HDR, Burst, Slo-Mo, and Super EIS for videos, etc.

The punch-hole upfront is equipped with a 32MP selfie camera with an f/2.45 aperture. Selfie camera feature includes Super Night Selfie mode, Portrait light effects, Gender detection, AI Makeup, AR stickers, and Burst mode. During the brief testing, both the front and the rear camera seem to deliver well in terms of output.

The aforementioned features allow the camera to boost the imaging experience on the device. Also, the camera app is easy to use and you won't get lost finding modes and features. We are yet to test the camera to its full potential, but expect it to do a decent job in day-to-day usage.

The Super Night mode is something we need to test thoroughly, as the company is betting high on this feature. We would like to see how well the Vivo V17 performs in capturing low-light shots.

Vivo V17: Hit Or Miss?

Vivo V17: Hit Or Miss?

The Vivo V17 is loaded with features and packs some good quality hardware. But unlike the V17 Pro's dual-lens pop-up selfie camera, you get a single-lens camera at the front.

There are only subtle changes in both the smartphones; however, the latter somehow failed to get hold of the Indian audience.

Vivo is betting high on the V17, but a higher price tag is what we think could be a dealbreaker for many. If we keep the pricing aside, the V17 is a capable mid-range smartphone which you can consider if premium looks and good features are what matters.

Best Mobiles in India

Best Phones

Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Yes No
Settings X
X