Vivo V11 Pro Review – Is It Better Than Poco F1?

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Vivo V11 Pro is now official in India and perhaps for the first time Vivo has kept the pricing this aggressive for a mid-range V-series phone. There is a lot to look forward to about the V11 Pro including the trendy Waterdrop notch, that we might soon see on the OnePlus 6T, and the powerful Snapdragon 660 mobile platform. However, with the like of Poco F1 (Review) around, the competition is relentless (Vivo V11 Pro Review हिंदी में पढ़े).

Can the Vivo V11 Pro match-up? Well, we have been putting the phone through its paces for around 10 days now. Let’s answer all your Vivo V11-related doubts and queries in our detailed review that follows.

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Vivo V11 Pro review

Vivo V11 Pro Price and Specifications

ModelVivo V11 Pro
Display6.41-inch (19.5:9), FHD+ (2280 x 1080 pixel) display, AMOLED
Processor2.2Ghz octa-core Snapdragon 660
RAM6GB
Internal Storage64GB, expandable to 256GB (Dedicated card slot)
SoftwareAndroid 8.1 Oreo, with Funtouch OS
Selfie Camera25MP, AI beauty
Rear Camera12MP + 5MP, f/2.0 aperture lens, dual-tone LED flash, 4k video
Battery3400mAh Battery, fast charging
Others4G, VoLTE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Face Unlock, with IR laser, In-display Fingerprint sensor, and GPS
PriceRs 25,990/-

ALSO READ: Vivo Nex Review – Is the Pop-up camera worth it?

Vivo V11 Pro Review: Design and Build

Since we switched to Vivo V11 Pro from the Galaxy Note9, the handset felt rather compact at the start. From a fresh perspective too, the V11 Pro should still strike as surprisingly manageable for a phone with a large 6.4-inch screen.

Vivo V11 Pro review

With the V11 Pro, Vivo further refines the design we saw on V9 and X21. The subtle rose gold shade on our unit looks awesome. The curves on the glass-finish (but polycarbonate) back further ensure that the phone is comfortable to operate. The side frame that has all the buttons and ports is made of metal. On the front, the bottom bezels are even narrower and the new water-drop notch at the top leaves almost all of the status bar for use.

For a phone that aims to keep up with modern trends, the use of a regular micro USB port feels like an unforgivable oversight, though.

Vivo V11 Pro review
  • The Vivo V11 Pro feels quite compact for a phone with a 6.4-inch screen.
  • The phone looks elegant, feels slim and is very comfortable to operate.
  • The almost full-view fascia with narrow bezels feels enchanting.
  • The regular USB port at the bottom feels odd. Vivo should have used a Type-C port instead.
  • The audio jack and speaker grill are present on the bottom edge.
  • As always, Vivo bundles a good quality case and includes a good quality pre-fixed plastic screen protector.

Vivo V11 Pro Review: Display

The Vivo V11 Pro has a good quality 6.4-inch AMOLED (19.5:9) screen with Full HD+ resolution. Colors pop nicely and don’t feel unnaturally oversaturated and, being AMOLED, contrast is excellent. The maximum brightness isn’t at par with what you get on the best of AMOLED screens, but that would be nitpicking at this price point. We didn’t face any issues while using our phone outdoors.

Vivo V11 Pro review

By default, the whites were a tad bluish. We turned on the color temperature adjustment toggle under display settings and have been living that way ever since. With color temperature adjustment option turned on, the whites feel natural and the display is light on eyes (the display may feel yellowish initially if you are accustomed to Bluish whites). You may also use ‘Eye-protection’ mode while reading.

The water-drop notch allows V11 Pro to retain most of the status bar. In our personal opinion, it works better than a wide notch. We wouldn’t necessarily prefer it over a notch-less phone with a minimal bezel up top to accommodate necessary components.

It’s worth mentioning that the design and AMOLED display lend Vivo V11 Pro a massive advantage over Poco F1.

  • The AMOLED screen is vivid and of good quality. Water-drop notch makes sense.
  • The color temperature adjustment toggle is a handy addition under display settings. We have it perpetually turned on. By defauly, whites lean toward cold blue hues.
  • Outdoor visibility is fine. Options like Always-on display add value too.

Vivo V11 Pro In-display fingerprint sensor and face unlock

Unlocking the Vivo V11 Pro is hardly any bother. That’s because it innovatively combines Face Unlock and an in-display fingerprint sensor while unlocking.

Vivo says its fourth-generation in-display fingerprint sensor is faster and more reliable, but the difference isn’t all that noticeable. The accuracy and consistency still can’t match what you’d get from a conventional capacitive fingerprint sensor.

Vivo V11 Pro review

The Face Unlock is super fast and is also aided by an IR laser. Since we have turned on ‘lift to wake’ option from settings, quite frequently the face recognition feature triggers in and unlocks the phone even before we get to put our digit on the in-display fingerprint sensor.

As soon as you press your finger to the screen, the Face Unlock also triggers simultaneously and your phone will unlock with whatever is faster of the two (Face Unlock more often than not). This is certainly cool, but if you don’t wish to use both unlock mechanisms simultaneously, you can turn off combined face unlock and fingerprint unlock from the settings.

The Face Unlock consistency and performance is equally impressive in low light and even in pitch dark. We can’t vouch for exactly how secure the face unlock is, but it doesn’t work when your eyes are closed, when you are looking away or when your face is partially covered. That should be good enough for most of us. Others can turn off ‘Quick Recognition’ option under face unlock settings for an enhanced face unlock experience.

Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro Quick Review 

  • The fourth generation in-display fingerprint sensor improves speed and consistency. There is still a long way before it catches up to capacitive fingerprint readers.
  • The Face unlock is supported by IR laser. It’s extremely fast and works consistently even in pitch dark.
  • When you place your finger on the screen for biometric scan, Face Unlock also kicks in and unlocks the phone instead.

Vivo V11 Pro Performance and Software

Vivo V11 Pro review

The octa-core Snapdragon 660 powered phone runs extremely smooth. We had no problem playing demanding games or gunning our way through to the chicken dinner. Day-to-day performance and multi-tasking feel flawless too. RAM management isn’t overly excessive and the mobile platform also supports 2018 essentials like Dual 4G VoLTE.

Vivo V11 Pro review

We have the 6GB RAM and 64GB storage variant with us and around 50GB storage are free at the user end. The phone also has a dedicated card slot.

The software is Android 8.1 Oreo-based Funtouch OS. This time, Vivo has added a few new features like a Paytm payment shortcut in notification shade, Jovi assistant and its feed, a new icon pack, etc. Vivo’s software is well optimized and features rich, and lets you customize the aesthetics according to your will.

Vivo V11 Pro review

The first thing we did was change the app launcher and keyboard. The default keyboard is a pain especially when you need to key in special characters. Even if you switch keyboard, the default one will be used when you are entering passwords or in other sensitive places. Other than that, we have no major gripes with the software skin.

  • The Snapdragon 660 AIE is a powerful chipset and the resulting performance didn’t leave us wanting for more.
  • The V11 Pro has a dedicated microSD card slot. You won’t have to choose between second SIM and expandable storage.
  • Like most other phones in this budget, there is no DRM L1 certificate on the phone, and thus you can’t stream content in HD resolution on Netflix and on Amazon Prime.
  • The software has room for improvement, but after gradual updates, it’s not difficult to live with. There are oodles of customization options you can avail.
  • Pre-installed third party apps and bloatware are minimal.
  • The phone supports Dual 4G VoLTE. Call quality is excellent.

Vivo V11 Pro Camera Review

Vivo V11 Pro review

The Vivo V11 Pro uses the same camera hardware as the Vivo X21. Though we haven’t tested both phones side by side, the camera performance seems to have improved. We can confidently say that the Vivo V11 Pro certainly has one of the best cameras for its price. 

Talking of specifications, there is a 12MP primary rear camera with f/1.8 aperture lens, PDAF, and large size pixels. And a 5MP depth sensor with f/2.4 aperture lens. On the front, there is a 25MP selfie camera sensor housed within the notch.

Vivo V11 Pro review

There is no shutter lag on the rear camera. Images shot outdoors show vivid colors, a rich details and wide dynamic range.

Vivo V11 Pro review
Vivo V11 Pro review

The V11 Pro camera performance indoors is also pretty impressive. You get rich colors, abundant details, and very little noise. Vivo V11 Pro review

The camera can focus on close objects without much trouble. Vivo V11 Pro review

Vivo V11 Pro review

This isn’t the best portrait mode that we have seen, but is still among the better ones out there.

Vivo V11 Pro review

As you can probably notice, the edges of the object get soft and fuzzy at times while shooting in portrait mode.

Vivo V11 Pro review

In low light, the camera performance doesn’t deteriorate much. The V11 Pro faired much better than what we’d expected.

Vivo V11 Pro review
Vivo V11 Pro review

V11 Pro is an absolute treat for selfie enthusiasts. Selfies clicked from the front camera have rich details and accurate colors. Metering is fine more often than not.

Vivo V11 Pro review

The camera app is also rich in features like AI beautification, Portrait lighting, Pro mode and many more that you’d seldom use.

All said and done, we are quite happy with the Vivo V11 Pro camera.

Note: The camera samples have been resized here. You can check the original full resolution samples in this Flickr album. 

Vivo V11 Pro Review: Battery and Audio

Vivo V11 Pro review

The Vivo V11 Pro has a 3400mAh battery and the resulting battery backup is impressive. In our extensive usage, we rarely had to worry about the battery running out. On particular heavy usage days, the kind when we attend outdoor events, we could still hit bedtime with around 20 to 30 percent battery remaining. The phone also supports dual-engine fast charging, and you can top up the battery pretty quickly.

The mono speaker at the bottom is quite loud. The audio quality via headphones and via speaker is above average.

  • The 3400mAh battery can comfortably last through a heavy usage day. Battery backup is impressive.
  • The dual engine fast charge can top up the battery quickly.
  • Audio output via speaker and headphones on Vivo V11 Pro is above average. Vivo also bundles a decent pair of earphones in the box.

Also Read: 10 Best Phones with iPhone X Like Notch Display

Vivo V11 Pro Review: Should you buy it? Yes.

We conclude that the Vivo V11 Pro is an excellent option for its price. It also passes on all that was good with the Vivo X21 at a significantly lower price point. Vivo further bundles several offers like one-time screen replacement, credit, and debit card offers, etc. to further reduce effective cost.

The phone looks elegant, is among rare few phones that offer good quality AMOLED screen for around 25K, has an impressive set of front and rear cameras, delivers dependable performance, and has a long-lasting battery.

Compared to Poco F1, the V11 Pro has a slightly weaker chipset (difference in day to day usage isn’t all that discernible) but it has a better display, a much better design, and a better selfie camera. The base variant of the Poco F1 is cheaper but if you have a budget of around 25K, you must take a long and hard look at Vivo V11 Pro before you decide.

Pros

  • Excellent display
  • In-display fingerprint sensor and fast face unlock
  • Camera performance
  • Dedicated card slot
  • Elegant design
  • Dual 4G VoLTE

Cons

  • Software design needs work
  • No USB Type-C port

 

Deepak SinghDeepak Singh
Deepak has more than 8 years of experience in covering technology for several eminent publications in India. He currently leads an enthusiastic team of young writers at Smartprix and tries to uphold the highest quality standards.

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8 Comments
User
akansha
Anonymous
5 years ago

how is the indisplay finger print sensor? it works properly ?

Reply
User
Deepak Rajawat
Anonymous
5 years ago

Yes it does, though, it’s not as fast as capacitive sensors or the one on OnePlus 6T.

User
Shomo Sen
Anonymous
5 years ago

Having just purchased a V11 Pro, I must say that this is the most authentic, detailed, unbiased review of this phone. Every single aspect has been taken into account – from camera to processor. Excellent phone, excellent review!

Reply
User
parmod adwani
Anonymous
5 years ago

guys DONT BUY this phone because if your mobile phone screen damage your mobile mother board also damage same time and company service centre & vivo helpline agent use same word sir mother board never change in warranty because this is physically (this is vivo company agent and service centre staff words). COMPANY NE MOBILE BECHNA THA WO BIK GYA AB CUSTOMER JAYE BAARH ME… KYUN AGAR APKE MOBILE PHONE ME KOI BHI PROBLEM AA GYI TO APKI KOI NHI SUNEGA ..ONE TIME SCREEN REPLACEMENT WARRANTY KE NAAM PE 1000/- CUSTOMER SE LIYE JATE HAIN PARMOD ADWANI 9915630032

Reply
User
parmod adwani
Anonymous
5 years ago

1. I am writing this mail with great pain and disappointment caused to me by the poor quality of service being provided by *VIVO service center, Bathinda.* 2. I purchased a VIVO Mobile model No V11 Pro IMEI No – 868409048574986 Vide bill number GST/DMH/2137 Dated 13/09/2018 for RS.25990/- The mobile carries 1 Year warranty and hence the said mobile is still under warranty period. 3. On 16/11/2018 I submitted my mobile at VIVO service centre, Bathinda for repair. My mobile’s screen was broken due… However, as told to the service centre representative on the day of the submission, the mobile was in a working condition. I was able to receive calls but could not pick up the calls as the screen was broken. 3. To great surprise, I was informed by the service centre on 16/11/2018 via voice call that in addition to the screen, the mother board of the said mobile is also broken and hence the motherboard is also required to be changed for Rs.12795/- in addition to the screen replacement which is being done for free as the mobile is under warranty. I would like to re-iterate that the mobile was in a working condition (except for the broken screen) when it was submitted to the service centre and hence, it is beyond my understanding that motherboard was broken before the phone was submitted to the service centre. I strongly opine that either the motherboard had been damaged during repair by the service centre representative or they are trying to change it without any reason. 4. I have great faith in just marketing practices of a big name like VIVO and I am sure that Vivo will not the service representatives get away with such tactics. 5. In hope of a quick solution to my woes. Parmod Adwani contact 9915630032

Reply
User
Riej
Anonymous
5 years ago

Using my vivo v11now and i am very contented with this phone it has everything i need and wants.

Reply
User
Arun Kumar Rai
Anonymous
5 years ago

This review has taken my “No No” to “Yes Yes” and getting my Vivo V11 pro during the Amazon Great Indian Festival. Shall get mine tomorrow and eager to test the gadget as quoted in the reviews.

Reply
User
pooja
Anonymous
5 years ago

Nice Review of Vivo V11 Pro. It is the most affordable handset In display fingerprint scanner which is not so common and it will be the point of attraction definitely…Good Phone! I feel that your reviews are really good. Keep posting such unbiased reviews!!!

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Show Replies (1)
User
Buntu
Anonymous
5 years ago

Do I need to buy a screen guard ?or it’s fine with the glass cover provided? Also the back cover provided in package seems to be too light to handle damages from free falling from hand? Do provide your opinion

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