Vivo v19’s India arrival was put off for a couple of months because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the handset is now official and kicking. This is a mid-range phone that aims to make a solid impression in offline retail stores as well as across online platforms.
For a mid-range price, the V19 offers an AMOLED display, ample RAM and storage, and a very interesting selfie camera. So, is it a phone that we’d recommend?
We will answer that and more in our Vivo V19 review that follows.
Vivo V19 review: Price and specifications
| Phone Name | Vivo V19 |
| Display | 6.44-inch (1800 X 2400), HDR 10 compliant60Hz refresh rate |
| Processor | Octa-core Snapdragon 712 |
| RAM | 8GB |
| Storage | Up to 256GB (UFS 2.1), Dedicated card slot |
| Rear Camera | 48MP Quad |
| Front Camera | 32MP + 8MP |
| Software | Android 10 (Funtouch OS) |
| Battery | 4500mAh, 33W fast charging |
| Dimensions and weight | 159.6 x 75 x 8.5 mm; 186 grams |
| Price | 8GB + 128GB – Rs. 27,990 8GB + 256GB – Rs. 30,990 |
Vivo V19 Unboxing
None of the usual box contents are missing. Vivo bundles basic headphones, protective gear, and 33W fast charger in the V19 box. Here’s what’s inside:
- Handset
- SIM ejector tool
- Pre-installed screen protector
- Transparent case
- Basic headphones
- Documentation
Vivo V19 Review: Design and Build
The V19 is pretty much the standard size – it is definitely not compact and it isn’t uncomfortably big either. At 186 grams, It’s still lighter than most other phones than we ran into this year.
The design and the gradient on the back are actually quite appealing. Bezels around the 6.44-inch display are slim and uniform, the glass on the back curves around the edges to facilitate comfortable handling, and the rectangular rear camera module conforms to the current trends.
Speaking of trends, there is a broad dual punch-hole notch in the screen that houses two selfie cameras and Vivo has a fancy name for it – dual iView display. In fact, the two front cameras are further highlighted with a silver accent which ensures that they are conspicuous even when the display goes dark.
All ports, slots, and buttons are symmetrically aligned on the side frame that’s made of polycarbonate. The V19 retains the 3.5mm audio jack and has a dedicated card slot. There is also a snappy Goodix sensor under the display for convenient unlocking.
To sum things up, we are quite happy with the way V19 looks and feels in hands.
Also Read: Samsung Galaxy A51 Review
Vivo V19 Review: Display
The 6.44-inch AMOLED panel has Full HD resolution and is HDR10 compliant. The display refreshes at standard 60Hz, but I guess that’s still pardonable for the asking price.
Vivo is using a good quality AMOLED panel that is well-calibrated and has a wide dynamic range. The display is legible under direct sunlight and the brightness can go low enough for comfortable night time usage. Users sensitive to flicker may also turn on DC dimming (anti-flicker mode) to further reduce eye strain while using the display at low-brightness levels.
Funtouch OS lets you adjust color temperature and make the most of the AMOLED panel with features like dark mode, nifty fingerprint-unlock animations, and customizable always-on mode.
The phone has DRM L1 certificate and HD content is supported across popular apps including Netflix and Prime videos. HDR content isn’t supported on Netflix but works for YouTube.
Also Check: Phones with 90Hz and 120Hz refresh rate displays
Vivo V19 Review: Performance and Software
Vivo is cutting some corners with the chipset. The V19 is powered by Snapdragon 712 octa-core chipset, which is quite capable but is a little long in the tooth. Something like Snapdragon 730 would have been more appropriate at this point in time and would have made V19 more appealing to unsatiable gaming enthusiasts.
Having said that, we didn’t face any performance-related issues in our time with the device. The variant we are testing has 8GB RAM and 256GB (UFS 2.1) of storage and can handle all day-to-day tasks as well as gaming without much of a trouble. Even demanding games like PUBG and Asphalt 9 ran perfectly smooth. The V19 also has copper tube liquid cooling that helps keep the temperature in check.
The Funtouch OS running on the phone is based on Android 10. Vivo’s OS has evolved a lot in the last year. It now has an app drawer option, better navigation gestures, better animations, and an improved quick-settings menu. There interface has a tonne of features and customization options that are well laid out. At the same time, there is still a lot of bloatware and there are spammy notifications to deal with. Thankfully, these unwanted extras are quite manageable.
The call quality was excellent in our area. The handset supports Dual 4G VoLTE and dual-band Wi-Fi and we didn’t run into any connectivity issue during our testing.
Vivo V19 Review: Camera performance
There are four cameras on the rear – 48MP primary camera, an 8MP wide-angle sensor, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro camera. On the front, there is a 32MP primary selfie camera paired with an 8MP wide-angle sensor.
Selfie enthusiasts will find a lot to look forward to here. The front camera does a decent job with portraits and wide-angle groupies provided there is sufficient ambient light. There is also ‘utrasteady’ stabilization that comes in handy when you are shooting videos or vlogs from the front camera.
The 48MP primary camera performs impressively in proper outdoor lighting and even in decently-lit indoors. The camera locks focus quickly even in tricky situations.
In low light and in dark scenes, noise creeps in and the camera struggles to lock focus.
There is a super night mode, but it can be hit or a miss.
As is always the case on affordable and mid-range phones, the wide-angle camera and macro camera are there to complete the quartet. You’d occasionally find them useful but won’t be using them very often.
Overall the camera performance is above average when compared to other options in the same price bracket.
Vivo V19 Review: Battery and Audio
Battery backup is excellent. The 4500mAh power unit can easily last for more than one and a half-day, even with moderate to heavy usage. During the review, we were mostly living indoors due to the COVID situation, so we will need to see how well it holds against outdoor scrutiny, but things look really good. Moreover, the 33W Vivo Flash Charge 2.0 can conveniently top up around 70% capacity in 40 minutes.
Vivo V19 doesn’t have stereo speakers but the single speaker at the bottom is quite loud. Audio quality via speakers and via headphones is above average.
Vivo V19 Review: Verdict, Pros, and Cons
V19 is meant for offline markets where Vivo has a strong presence. The brand even surpassed Samsung to become the second-largest manufacturer in India in the first quarter of 2020.
The phone doesn’t have a cutting edge chipset and is missing out on fads like high-refresh-rate screen and 64MP sensor, but it has the basics well covered and the overall experience bests what you’d make out by merely looking at the specifications on paper.
V19 delivers an elegant design, offers one of the best AMOLED screens for its price, delivers fabulous battery experience, and has 33W fast charging. On the downside, Funtouch OS needs refinements and the chipset is outdated.
In 2020, flagship killers like OnePlus 7T, Realme X50 Pro 5G, iPhone SE 2, and iQOO 3 are a tad more expensive and keeping the price difference in mind, Vivo V19 strikes as a well-balanced mid-range phone, particularly for consumers who’d prefer buying from offline retail channels. Its biggest rival should be Samsung’s Galaxy A71 (review).
Pros
- Good quality display
- Premium look and feel
- Excellent battery backup
- Retains audio jack and dedicated card slot
- Daylight camera performance
Cons
- Low light camera performance
- Lack of high display refresh rate
Vivo V19 FAQs
What is the SAR value of Vivo V19
SAR value is 1.140 W/Kg@1g (head) and 0.578 W/Kg@1g (body).
Yes, HD content streaming is supported but HDR is not supported on Netflix.
Is Vivo V19 display HDR compliant?
Yes, HDR10 is supported
The Goodix sensor Vivo uses is quite snappy and reliable. Vivo claims 0.3 seconds as unlock time.
Yes, native video calling is supported.
Yes, Wi-Fi calling works for both SIM slots.
No, FM radio is not present.
