Vivo X80 Pro and Vivo X80 – launched in India this week – aim to tackle some of the most popular premium models in the smartphone market. Vivo’s new flagships continue the X-series legacy by offering premium camera experiences. That means the Vivo X80 Pro and Vivo X80 come with not only Zeiss optics and Sony image sensors. The regular Vivo X80 is also the first phone on the market to go with the recently launched MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC. Meanwhile, the Vivo X80 Pro has the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip – Qualcomm’s top offering.
On this week’s Gadgets 360 podcast Orbital episode, host Akhil Arora speaks with Senior Reviewers Sheldon Pinto and Aditya Shenoy to discuss the Vivo X80 series and how it compares to the likes of the OnePlus 10 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S22, and the iPhone. 13.
The Vivo X80 Pro has a price tag of Rs. 79,999 for the single 12GB RAM + 256GB storage variant, while the Vivo X80 starts at Rs. 54,999 for the base 8GB+128GB configuration and goes up to Rs. 59,999 for the top 12GB + 256GB model. The Vivo X80 Pro and Vivo X80 will be available from May 25.
Vivo X80 Pro First Impressions: A Worthy Upgrade?
If you were to make direct comparisons, the price of the Vivo X80 Pro would seem significantly higher than that of the Vivo X70 Pro, which debuted in India at a starting price of Rs. 46,990 for the 8GB+128GB model. But that’s the wrong comparison to make. The cost of the Vivo X80 Pro is identical to that of the Vivo X70 Pro+, which came in at Rs. 79.990 for the same 12GB + 256GB variant.
This suggests that the Vivo X80 Pro was launched in the Indian market as the successor to the Vivo X70 Pro+, not the Vivo X70 Pro. The vanilla Vivo X80, on the other hand, seems to be the successor to the Vivo X70 Pro. I know it isn’t very clear, but this happens when companies try to simplify naming conventions.
As I mentioned, Vivo offers a list of camera-centric features on the X80 series to attract those in the market for enhanced mobile photography experiences. The Vivo X80 Pro has four rear cameras, including a 50-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL GNV main sensor and a 48-megapixel ultra-wide angle lens with a Sony IMX598, a 12-megapixel portrait Sony IMX663 sensor, and an 8-megapixel sensor. With a periscope-shaped lens.
The Vivo X80, on the other hand, has a triple camera setup on the rear with a 50-megapixel Sony IMX866 RGBW primary sensor, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide angle lens, and a 12-megapixel portrait sensor. The Vivo X80 Pro and X80 also have a 32-megapixel selfie camera sensor on the front.
In addition to the new hardware, the Vivo X80 phones have a list of software tweaks to provide a customizable camera experience. The Vivo X80 Pro also retains the company’s gimbal technology, touted to give greater exposure and stability.
The Vivo X80 Pro and X80 have IP ratings for dust and water resistance. However, the X80 only has an IP53 rating meant for splash resistance – essentially, you can’t dive into a pool with the phone.
Vivo X80 First impressions: a promising premium all-rounder
In terms of design, the Vivo X80 Pro and X80 look almost identical, with the periscope lens on the former making a slight distinction at the rear. The design is also quite similar to that of the Vivo X70 Pro+. We talk more about the design and performance of both Vivo X80 phones in our podcast.
You can listen to the entire discussion by pressing the Spotify player’s play button.
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Disclosure: Vivo sponsored Sheldon Pinto’s flights and hotel for the pre-launch event in Dubai.
