Vivo has a proven track record in launching some of the best-looking smartphones from it’s V series lineup and is now looking to take things further with it’s new V27 5G which not impresses with a new aesthetic, but also stood out with a set of competent hardware that offers user a flagship-like experience. However, is it actually the best option you can get in this highly competitive smartphone space? Let’s find out in our Vivo V27 5G review!
Design & Display
As with any other Vivo’s V series smartphones, design remains the focal point of the new V27 5G and it’s therefore not surprising that the new model continues to shine in this aspect. The model I had for review comes in a lovely Emerald Green colorway which dons a marble-like finish that looks really unique and attractive.
While the phone dons a gradient pale green color by default, it changes color to a darker shade of green (refer to image below) whenever you’re using the phone under the sun thanks to it’s UV reactive coating which gives the phone such mystical effect. Of course, this is a temporary effect which last only around 5 minutes before it returns to the original color.
Although some may be worried that the glossy nature of the back panel might attract fingerprints, but that’s certainly not the case for the V27 5G. It’s thermochroic glass back actually does a decent job in keeping out unsightly smudges which would otherwise affect the overall appeal of the phone.
@playfuldroid Vivo V27 5G unboxing ? #VivoV27 #VivoV275G #Vivo #Smartphone ? Friendships – Pascal Letoublon
Speaking of this, the V27 5G is one of the few smartphones in the middle-range segment which goes for a more expensive glass back rather than a plastic construction. This allows user to enjoy a more premium in-hand feel when holding the phone – something which you normally experience only on the higher-end flagship models.
The only shortcoming we can nitpick here is perhaps the lack of IP rating for dust and water protection which is something nice to have since it’ll provide better peace of mind if you accidentally expose the phone to water. Still, it’s worth noting that the device is likely to survive light splashes of water or drizzle despite the lack of IP rating.
Moving on to the front side of the phone, the Vivo V27 5G features a 6.78” AMOLED panel which offers a FHD+ screen resolution as well as an ultra-fast 120Hz refresh rate that makes scrolling and animation feel much smoother on the display.
On the same note, overall viewing experience is also excellent as the screen supports an impressive 10-bit color depth and HDR10+ support which promises a true-to-live color reproduction when streaming your favorite Netflix dramas.
Performance
Under the hood, the Vivo V27 5G is powered by the MediaTek’s latest Dimensity 7200 chipset which is among the most powerful silicon in the middle-range segment as you can easily tell from it’s benchmark scores.
Hence, you can expect a slick user experience in day-to-day usage without any notable stutter when browsing the web or scrolling through social media. In fact, the phone also has no issue handling more resource-demanding workloads like video editing or even mobile gaming (as long the graphics setting is set to default or balanced).
Combining the chipset is an ample 12GB RAM and 256GB onboard storage which is likely to be sufficient for majority of the users. However, it’s worth noting that the phone doesn’t supports microSD card for storage expansion – so you’ll probably have to turn to cloud solution if you really need additional storage space.
Cameras
For photography, the Vivo V27 5G relies on a versatile triple-cam system lead by a 50 megapixels main camera along with an 8 megapixels ultra-wide and a 2 megapixels macro camera. While this might sounds like a rather typical setup, it’s main camera is a Sony IMX766V 1/1.56″ Quad-Bayer sensor, a slightly modified version of the IMX766 sensor which was used in many high-end models including the OPPO Find X5 Pro (Review).
Regardless of lighting condition, the camera is able to capture crisp and detailed photos with great exposure and dynamic range that are actually comparable to those taken by other more expensive models. Those who love to take nightscape would also be glad to hear that the phone has a highly reliable night mode feature which helps to further enhance color science and details when shooting in low-light scene.
Another feature which sets the V27 5G apart from other devices in the segment lies in the presence of OIS on the main camera unit which helps a great deal in ensuring a smooth and stable footage when recording video. Speaking of this, the phone also supports a new Super Night Video functionality which helps to eliminate noise from different light sources, resulting in footages that are clearer, brighter and more detailed.
As for the ultra-wide camera, it’s able to capture some pretty decent-looking photos with good details and dynamic range. However, it does suffers a bit when it comes to low-light condition where image noise is occasionally more notable and photos may not be as sharp as those taken by the main camera.
Like most other mid-range phones, the V27 5G also has a 2MP macro cam for close-up photography. Despite that, I still prefer to stick with digital zooming as they tend to yield better results in terms of sharpness and details since the lack of autofocus on macro camera makes it difficult to lock on the subject.
Battery & Charging
The Vivo V27 5G is backed by a respectable 4,600mAh battery which never fails to provide me with at least a day’s battery life even under moderate usage. Compared to other mid-rangers, the V27 5G certainly has an above-average battery life which is further supplemented by a super fast 66W wired charging support.
During my testing, the V27 5G is able to achieve a full charge from 0 to 100% in slightly less than an hour. That being said, a mere 20 minutes charge is sufficient to bring it’s battery level above 50% which is good enough to last you for a day on light usage.
Verdict
Without a doubt, the Vivo V27 5G is a fantastic smartphone for anyone looking for an affordable smartphone that offers a seamless smartphone experience and a set of capable cameras for all your vlogging and photography needs.
In Singapore, the Vivo V27 5G is priced at S$699 and is available for purchase via Vivo official online stores on Lazada and Shopee, consumer electronic stores including Best Denki, Challenger, Courts, Gain City, Harvey Norman, and Vivo concept stores at Bugis Junction, Causeway Point and NEX.
