The Vivo X90 Pro: A Photography Beast You Might Have Missed
While the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S23 and its siblings dominated headlines, Vivo quietly announced the global release of the Vivo X90 and X90 Pro in early February. This Android phone is not available in the US or in some other countries, but the Vivo X90 Pro has some exciting features worth mentioning. First, it boasts the top-of-the-line Dimensity 9200 processor from Mediatek, along with its own display and imaging co-processor, the Vivo V2. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect is the sensor in its primary camera, which is Sony’s one-inch IMX989, the largest sensor available in smartphones yet. Along with Vivo’s and Zeiss’s imaging expertise, the X90 Pro’s camera sets it apart as a fantastic camera phone, and we can only hope more devices will use the IMX989 in the future, such as the Google Pixel 8 and 8 Pro.
Specifications:
– SoC: MediaTek Dimensity 9200
– Display: 6.78″ 120Hz OLED, 1260×2800, Q9
– RAM: 12GB
– Storage: 256GB
– Battery: 4870mAh
– Ports: USB Type-C
– Operating System: Funtouch OS 13 (Android 13)
– Front camera: 32MP
– Rear cameras: 50MP primary (OIS, f/1.75), 50MP portrait (f/1.6), 12MP wide-angle (f/2.0)
– Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, 5G
– Dimensions: 164 x 74 x 9mm
– Colors: Vegan Leather Legendary Black
– Weight: 215g
– Charging: 120W wired, 50W wireless
– IP Rating: IP68 dust and water resistance
Pros:
– Incredible primary camera
– Beautiful and unique design that fits well in your hands
– Charges from 0 to 100 in 30 minutes
Cons:
– Buggy software
– Hardware regressions compared to predecessor
– Less versatile camera setup than predecessor
– Price and Availability
The Vivo X90 Pro is not widely available, with official releases only in Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, Thailand, and Malaysia. However, it is compatible with US carrier bands, and global versions are available for import from countries like Germany. In Malaysia, it costs 5,000 Malaysian Ringgit, which is about $1,110 or €1,050.
Design and Display:
The Vivo X90 Pro features a standout design in black or red vegan leather. Despite initial reservations about the texture, the back’s leather material is one of the least fingerprint-prone finishes, and provides better grip than glass. The camera array is prominent, making the phone look like a camera rather than a smartphone. The curved screen provides a unique, beautifully immersive experience, but it catches light reflections more easily and loses some color accuracy on the sides. The curved screen also makes some interface elements harder to reach. The textured leather back and curved screen make the phone narrow and easy to hold, and it is less susceptible to dropping without a case.
Hardware and Battery Life:
The Vivo X90 Pro features a fast-charging capability of 120W, which can charge the phone from 0 to 100 in less than 30 minutes. The dual-battery architecture is effective, preventing the phone from overheating during charging. The battery lasts for a day under mixed everyday usage, but standby battery life is poor. The optical fingerprint sensor is reliable, but not as advanced as the third-generation 3D Sonic Max sensor used in its predecessor, the Vivo X80 Pro. There’s also a reduction in pixel resolution, but this is hardly noticeable on small screens.
Software and Performance:
Funtouch OS 13, based on Android 13, aggressively kills background tasks when not in use, which can lead to unintended behavior such as reloading browser pages and restarting navigation apps. This can be counteracted by setting apps to “Don’t restrict background power usage” in battery settings, but this workaround is inconvenient. Another drawback is Funtouch OS’s initial incompatibility with certain password managers’ autofill capabilities. Despite these quirks, the phone’s 12GB of RAM and 4,700mAh battery make for speedy performance, and its fast charging feature is worth noting.
