Hands-on: Vivo V50 pushes ZEISS optics to the max with upgraded ring light and bigger battery (updated)

This article was first published on Vivo V50's global launch day, 25 February 2025 (SGT).

27 February 2025 update: Singapore pricing and availability are now live. We've appended the details, along with more imaging samples, below. 

Vivo's V50 midrange smartphone, like the preceding V40 series, aims to attract portrait photography enthusiasts with its ZEISS-branded rear camera array.

Vivo refreshes the V-series about every 6 months, which probably translates to amazing sales numbers overseas, but the tangible upgrades are narrower when compared to phones that refresh annually. Since we've previously tried out the Vivo V30 and Vivo V40 phones, we expect rather similar specs.

Let's get right to it.

Sleeker and prettier, but the same chipset since V30

The V-series phones have always had similar designs across generations, so it's no surprise that the Vivo V50 retains the pill-shaped rear camera array with a clean glass back. It's sleek, and Vivo has directly integrated the ring light module into the housing. Around the cameras, a diamond-cut bevel pattern creates some texture and accents.

The phone looks very similar to the V40, but there are also a few internal changes. It uses the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor (explained here) that has been used in the base V-series models since the Vivo V30.

Trivia: That's the same chipset found on the Honor 200, too (review here).

The phone still comes with 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM (with an extra 12GB of virtualised RAM if needed) and UFS 2.2 storage. Understandably, these are slightly older (and slower) than the RAM and storage in premium-grade phones, which helps reduce the sticker price.

Where the money went to was its IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance ratings (read what it means here). Durability also came in the form of Diamond Shield Glass on the front (Vivo claims 50% better drop resistance compared to the V40).

In Singapore, we can choose from Satin Black or Ancora Red. There is also a Mist Purple option, but it won't be available on our sunny island. The red is inspired by Gucci's Acora colourway, a powerful shade of maroon (and possibly the loveliest maroon on a smartphone thus far).

The Satin Black option also betrays its name because of its blueish-grey sheen. We have it here next to some phones that are closer to black. While their names are very misleading, we love both colours.

Do note that the Satin Black option comes with a plastic back while the Ancora Red comes with a glass back. This results in a (negligible) 10g weight difference depending on your chosen colour.

The 6.77-inch 1.5K resolution AMOLED display, which has the Diamond Shield Glass we mentioned earlier and a quad-curved design on the edges, offers a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 4,500 nits. The phone is also equipped with stereo speakers that can get quite loud.

The slim phone houses a 6,000mAh battery, larger than the Vivo V40's 5,500mAh battery. It can now support 90W wired fast charging.

50MP cameras galore

This phone has three 50MP cameras: a 50MP main and ultrawide on the rear, and a 50MP front selfie camera.

The cameras are almost identical to those on the Vivo V40, with ZEISS optics on all lenses. The 50MP main camera is the star of the show, able to switch between three focal lengths (23mm, 35mm, 50mm) and incorporate seven different bokeh effects first seen in ZEISS lenses such as the Biotar, B-speed, Sonnar, and more.

We have some sample shots taken with the Vivo V40 Pro, and if you'd like to compare them against the V50 shots below.

If you wonder about ZEISS's involvement in these cameras, check out this piece about our meeting with ZEISS at its headquarters in Germany.

The new AI Aura Light Portrait 2.0 ring flash emits 100% more light than the Vivo V40, and its fill lighting is said to be 143x softer than a regular smartphone flash. Paired with the new AI 3D Studio Lighting 2.0 algorithm, we should expect even better portrait shots in low-light conditions.

Let's show you how they perform instead of yapping about the cameras.

As evidenced by the shots above, the camera does decently at 1x zoom with the 50MP main lens. However, we cannot recommend going any higher than 2x zoom, as the image starts to look like an oil painting with a dramatic loss of detail. Depending on whether you choose the Vivid, Textured or, ZEISS-branded Natural colour presets, the saturation and look of the photos will change noticeably. Check out the differences below.

We also tested out the new AI Aura Light Portrait 2.0 ring flash. Since you can adjust the colour temperature and intensity of the light, you have a lot of flexibility in how you want your photos to be lit. Below are three images: one without the flash turned on, one with the flash on at 50% brightness and a warmer colour temperature, and one at 100% brightness and with the colour temperature slider turned all the way to white.

Pricing and availability

27 February 2025 update: The Vivo V50, priced at S$699, is now available for pre-order from Shopee and Lazada.

From 28 February to 7 March 2025, eligible preorders will receive a free DJI Osmo Mobile SE (worth S$109).

General availability will start on 8 March 2025 on Lazada, Shopee, TikTok, and authorised retail partners including Challenger, Courts, Best Denki, and Harvey Norman.

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