Vivo X Review 51, stabilization with monstrous gimbal (and more) [/HWUVIDEO]

Vivo has just arrived in Italy and does so with a new line-up of products which includes devices of different price ranges. Like any Chinese manufacturer, it wants to stand out for its decidedly competitive prices in relation to technical content, putting something more into it: innovation (Vivo has already made itself known at various international fairs for having brought first of all different technologies), and software that is very close to stock of Android, with no frills or customizations. The highest-end product is Vivo X 51 5G , with Snapdragon 620 G, support to 5G networks, a top-of-the-range display and a crazy camera in terms of innovation! We have tried it and we can say it: the arrival in Italy of this company is “with a bang”.

Article index

• Technical features
• Equipment, prices and availability
• Software and user experience
• Technical analysis
• Benchmark
• Display
• Autonomy
• Camera
  • Examples of shots
• Final remarks

Technical specifications

Vivo X 51 looks like a fairly compact smartphone compared to today’s canons, despite the large display 6, 56 “ with matrix AMOLED , resolution obtained from Full HD and HDR support 10 + and ai 90 Hz. The aesthetic is in our opinion sober, with a “frost” effect for the rear glass and a hole design for the display and the front camera, but recognizable thanks to the large rear camera module, a crucial point of the device.

Here we find four modules, all really usable: the main one adopts the omnipresent sensor from 48 MP with a super bright normal lens (f / 1.6) , and is combined with one 2x optical zoom specialized for portraits and bokeh effects (clearly obtained via software and not real), a periscopic zoom with 5x magnification factor (optical) and a module Super Wide with fashion stand lity Super Macro . The peculiarity of Vivo X 51 in the photo area is the presence of a gimbal for the main camera , which works in conjunction with optical stabilization (OIS) and electronic stabilization (EIS). The Vivo system thus allows you to stabilize up to 3 ° horizontally and up to 2 ° vertically, about three times compared to a smartphone with OIS and with the ability to maintain the shooting pose for a time equal to eight times compared to a smartphone without optical stabilization.

This allows very evident advantages on paper in night photography, also thanks to the Super Night Mode which uses cancellation algorithms of noise via Artificial Intelligence, the wide aperture of the main module lens and the possibility of using a tripod mode when it is detected that the smartphone is installed on a tripod, in order to extend the shutter speed even more. The mode can also be used in night portraits , usually very difficult, in astrophotography , through a specific mode, or to photograph the Moon through the use of photos taken by the telephoto lens with 2x zoom and by the main one with stabilized gimbal. The Pro Sports Mode allows instead of taking extremely clear moving photographs, even when the subject to be immortalized is not really posing.

There is no lack of mode Gimbal Super Steady Video , which after our tests we can say: it’s literally awesome. You really have to shake your smartphone artificially to see small vibrations, and it is optimal when you want to record a video inside a racing car, bicycle, or in other particularly difficult conditions. Vivo X 51 forward it supports Smart Zoom , to automatically zoom in on the subject, always keeping it in the center as if it were a real film shot. We then have a front camera from 32 MP which also supports Artificial Intelligence to improve color rendering.

Returning to the design: Vivo X 51 5G is configured as an ergonomic and manageable smartphone, with a finish for the rear called “Dual Tone” made with a process called AG Fros ting. The effect is the typical one of satin glass with two colors, very elegant and pleasing to the eye. The rear camera is set inside two modules with slightly different protrusions: when used without a case the smartphone moves a lot when used on a desk.

Under the body we find the processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 G 5G combined with 8GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage space. In the smartphone there is also an independent chipset dedicated to Hi-Fi audio, AK 4377 A , with Hi-Res certification and the ability to offer audio of high quality when paired with good headphones or speakers. The list of technical specifications ends with a battery of 4. 256 mAh with charging support from 26 W (very fast, during our test), USB Type-C connector, and Android 10 on first boot with Funtouch OS customization.

Vivo X 51: prices and endowment

Vivo X 51 is the highest range solution for the company in our market, and is offered at a price of 799 ??. This is certainly not a low price for a device that is sold with Snapdragon 765 G, but justifiable if we consider all the technical paraphernalia in terms of display and camera that the new device brings with it. The equipment also includes a high quality battery charger from 33 W, and a clear silicone case to protect the device without hiding its aesthetics.

• Vivo X 51 : 799 ??

Software and user experience

In spite of what one would expect when reading the name, the pers ization Funtouch OS is extremely concrete, without frills. It is not one of those customizations typical of Chinese brands, with extremely saturated and super bright colors. Instead, it is a re-proposal of the stock Android theme with several more features, all extremely targeted. We clearly have the possibility to select the refresh rate of the display, including Automatic, based on the content, 60 Hz or 90 Hz, or the ability to customize some graphic elements such as the animations of the fingerprint scan or recharge, or during activation of the screen.

Vivo X 51 then presents the ultra- game, which allows you to customize the game experience eg by inhibiting notifications, forcing the display update frequency, or even emphasizing the shadow areas in the game environment or highlighting the elements in the brighter areas. The navigation in the operating system can take place both through the three typical Android buttons, and with a gesture system taken up without too much imagination from the default one on Android. Also in this case it seems like a good choice: who has used other smartphones with the Google operating system is immediately at home with Vivo X 51 .

The smartphone is sold with Android 10 on first start, but Vivo promises that Android 11 will arrive “soon”, although we don’t know when yet. Bloatware is practically non-existent, for a smartphone that makes the user experience its strong point. It is difficult to find striking differences between Vivo X 51 and a smartphone with more powerful hardware , since responsiveness and fluidity are almost always exemplary.

Technical analysis

The numbers expressed by Snapdragon 765 G 5G of Vivo X 51 are significantly lower than to those who can guarantee models with the most powerful Snapdragon 865 or even with the Snapdragon 865 +. The differences, however, are not reflected linearly with the user experience. Vivo X 51 is in fact a well optimized device with a more than satisfactory power for the vast majority of the activities that are performed every day on smartphone .

Going to the games, here we see some difference with the flagships with Snapdragon 865, especially with titles with advanced three-dimensional graphics. Compared to devices of the same market range, on the other hand, Adreno 620 integrated performs very well, with Vivo X 51 5G which can unleash a much higher power than the average for the category.

Benchmark

Below are the benchmarks we performed with the terminal.

Display

Vivo X 51 uses a refined curved display on the sides, with hole to leave space to the front camera. This is a panel with a diagonal of 6, 50 “in resolution 2376 x 1080 pixel, therefore derived from Full HD, with support for the refresh rate of 90 Hz and HDR standard 10 + for playing back high dynamic range content Within the Screen Colors screen you can choose three different modes, all with the possibility of adjusting the color temperature through a slider (we would have preferred the possibility of adjusting at least the three dominants). Here are the three modes:

• Standard (default) : it is a high chromatic extension mode, with calibration that follows the DCI-P3 standard
• Normal : mode with calibration following the sRGB standard
• Luminous : has the maximum extension that can be reached by panel without following the dictates of any standard.

Display Analysis

In our analyzes we measured a maximum luminance equal to 1002 nit , extremely high and comparable to what can be obtained with the best top of the range of the same generation. The contrast ratio is not measurable, due to the ability of AMOLED panels to turn off the pixels to reproduce black, and therefore it is easy to deduce that the visibility of the panel is optimal in all circumstances, even in very bright environments.

Standard Mode



Gamut



White balance



Gamma curve



Color Fidelity (DCI-P3)

Modals Normal ty



Gamut



White balance



Gamma curve



Color Fidelity (sRGB)

Bright Mode



Gamut



White Balance



Gamma Curve



Color fidelity (DCI-P3)

HDR Playback





Gamut



White balance



Gamma Curve



Color Fidelity (DCI-P3 SMPTE 2084 HDR)

That of Vivo X 51 is a excellent quality display on the chromatic level. With SDR content, in the Standard, Normal and Bright modes, we found a slight defect in the tonal progression of the gray levels, which are always slightly darker than the reference up to white. This is a vaguely perceptible feature to the naked eye, which in our opinion does not compromise the viewing experience with the smartphone under any circumstances. On the color front, the calibration carried out by the company’s technicians is excellent, both as regards the extension in terms of saturation (large and well controlled), and as regards the fidelity according to the reference standards. In the Standard and Bright modes, the average Delta E of the Macbeth Color Checker colors is less than 3 compared to the DCI-P3 standard, therefore also optimal for semi-professional purposes, while in the Normal mode the average Delta E is 4.1 according to the standard. sRGB. In any case, a very high result. These are values ​​that we hardly see on smartphones, even if we take into consideration the higher-end models. We were favorably impressed with the playback of content in HDR mode: here we got a Delta E of less than 2 compared to the reference DCI-P3 SMPTE 2084 HDR , one of the best results ever in the category. HDR playback of Vivo X 51 is faithful and impactful, also thanks to the maximum luminance of 700 nit, the rather correct trend of the gamma curve and the chromatic precision. In short, one of the best smartphone displays.

• Standard, Delta E according to DCI-P3 D 65 = 2.6
• Normal, Delta E according to sRGB D 65 = 4.1
• Bright, Delta E according to DCI-P3 D 65 = 2.7
• HDR playback, Delta E according to DCI-P3 D 65 SMPTE 2084 HDR = 1.6

Autonomy

The battery of Vivo X 51 has an amperage of 4. 315 mAh, average value in the smartphone category that allows you to easily reach the evening without too many compromises. In our test, made by running an automated script that simulates human interaction with web pages after setting the display to a value of 200 nit, the smartphone has reached i 765 minutes , which is also quite typical for smartphones with “normal” size batteries. The charging process is very fast, thanks to the integrated technology that allows a recharge from 33 W.

Camera

L’ photographic experience guaranteed by Vivo X 51 5G goes far beyond what one would expect from a device in its market range , and everything revolves around the stabilization offered by Gimbal plus optical and electronic stabilization. On one side of the screen we can choose between different shooting modes, such as traditional Photo, Video, Night, Portrait Mode, or less conventional ones such as Starry Sky, Super-moon, or the shooting mode a 48 MP natives depriving themselves of rapid processing.

Each mode uses a specific module of the smartphone and allows further possibility of improvement (such as activating HDR or Artificial Intelligence). On the video side we have the Super Anti-Vibration mode, which effectively eliminates unwanted camera movements, and the Movie Camera, which instead enables very “cinematic” zoom effects if you frame a subject at the right distance.

Vivo X 51, camera characteristics

• Standard
  • Sensor from 32 MP 1/2 “
  • Lens f / 1.6 OIS + EIS + Gimbal
  • PDAF Autofocus
• Super-wide / Super Macro
  • 8MP sensor
  • Auto-focus
  • Lens f / 2.4
  • Focal length 16 mm equivalent
• Zoom 2x / Portrait
  • Sensor from 13 MP
  • Lens f / 2.4
  • Autofocus
  • Focal length 33 mm equivalent
• Hyper Zoom
  • 8MP sensor
  • Lens f / 3.4
  • 5x optical zoom
  • OIS stabilization
• Video 4K Ultra HD @ 60 fps

Examples of shots Vivo X 51

Click on the thumbnails to see the original photos



Super-Wide



Main



Zoom 2x



5x zoom



In the dark



In the dark with LED flash



In the dark with Super Night Mode



Super-Wide



Main



Zoom 2x



5x zoom

Under normal conditions that of Vivo X 51 is a great camera, with the company having managed to tame very good the difficult sensor from 48 MP. The level of detail is decidedly high, the management of lights and shadows is very good and the colors are particularly bright. The ultra wide-angle camera is less incisive, while the two telephoto lenses guarantee an excellent level of detail in the sunlight, are also valid in intermediate conditions and are usable even in very poor light conditions. In short, four modules, all usable and capable of offering good shooting quality in all circumstances, with a consistent color balance between the different modules. The “magic” of Vivo X 51 is however in poor light conditions, especially with the main camera equipped with gimbal . The photos of the Ferrari puppet on the sofa were taken, even if you wouldn’t think, in very bad lighting conditions: Vivo X 51 uses very long shutter speeds in these conditions, maintaining an excellent level of detail and capturing a huge amount of light. The situation becomes even more interesting with the Super Night Mode, but in both cases the capture of the finest details is guaranteed (see the texture of the pillow on the right).

Click on the thumbnails to see the original photos



Deep Dark



Deep Dark with Super Night Mode



Night photo with Super Night Mode



Main module



Zoom 2x



5x zoom



Super Wide



Dark



Dark with Super Night Mode



Dark with Flash LED



2x zoom in the dark



5x zoom in the dark



Interior spaces – lighting conditions intermediate

Another scope where the camera gimbal main surprise is that of video recording. It is possible to enable it or not, guaranteeing the possibility of shooting smoothly and without involuntary movements or vibrations even in 4K. For even more “smooth” shooting there is also the Super anti-vibration mode, which performs a crop and allows you to record at the most in Full HD. In our opinion it is not necessary, because the hardware stabilizer alone does a crazy job: as proof of what we have just said, we have integrated in the page, above, a video made with the device without taking too many precautions during recording and holding it with one hand . In our opinion, the result is surprisingly optimal.

Final considerations

Vivo X Review 51, stabilization with monstrous gimbal (and more) [/HWUVIDEO]

Vivo X 51 was a very pleasant surprise, from a company that it is only opening onto the Italian market today, but which has long been known on the Eastern markets and beyond. FIFA Partner for the FIFA World Cup 2018 is 2022, Vivo is part of BBK Electronics but has nothing to do with Oppo or OnePlus, and smartphones are designed and manufactured in different factories and with proprietary technologies . Vivo X 51, in fact, is a unique product of its kind, capable of innovating and bringing with it characteristics that are absolutely worthy of mention.

We stressed the smartphone far and wide for more than a week, and we were able to witness one of the best user experiences in the category, thanks to a lean and clean software, a targeted and well-researched hardware, a great attention to detail in terms of design. Vivo X 51 is a beautiful, solid smartphone, but also quite compact and light in relation to its display , characterized by hardware perhaps not very powerful, but more than satisfactory for the vast majority of the public. Performance is excellent, and we have never seen any stumbling or uncertainty during use.

The camera is the strong point , clearly, even if we consider the great competition present in the range of market in which the device is inserted (799 ?? for the only version available ). Stabilization is monstrous, and we don’t feel like exaggerating when using this term. It is really difficult to undermine the gimbal of the rear camera, both in video recording (whose fluidity in movements is granite even when shooting with one hand), and in taking photos at night. Thanks to the various modes implemented it is really very difficult to miss a shot, and you can take pictures that are more than usable even in dim light.

Together with the very light software and free of heavy customizations, the display is the icing on the cake: compatible with HDR and the DCI-P3 standard, it shows a color accuracy that we don’t often see even on the most expensive products in the category.

In short, the arrival of Vivo on the Italian market is very interesting. On the one hand, it is yet another Chinese name that also appears on the boot, on the other it is a brand that has already demonstrated its ability to innovate and offer added value compared to the competition. Vivo X 51 is the flagship of the company, perhaps a little expensive but, considering the innovations present, it is in our opinion an excellent business card in Italy for the brand.

PRO

• Impressive camera
• Top level display
• Lightweight software with few frills
• Nice design
• Dedicated audio chip

VERSUS

• It has no 3.5mm audio jack
• In Italy it is unknown in terms of support