Vivo V5s: At Rs 18,990, it's a wallet-friendly smartphone for great selfies

Vivo is one Chinese brand that has created a niche in the Indian smartphone market for its top-of-the-line camera and music experience.

With the smartphone penetration maturing and demand for high-end devices retailing at competitive prices continuing to grow in the country, Vivo, with its strong offline presence, has been investing substantially in the domestic market.

The company has differentiated itself by introducing the "Moonlight Glow" feature in its Vivo V5 and V5 Plus devices, raising the bar for closest Chinese rivals like Oppo and Gionee when it comes to selfie-focused smartphones.

Taking design cues from Apple, Vivo has now launched Vivo V5s at Rs 18,990.

Here is what works for the device.

The phone has neat looks and the Apple design influences are apparent. One of great features is the fingerprint sensor which is located on the front, below the display, and works just like Apple's Touch ID on iPhone, unlocking the device in a jiffy.

The device runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, but it is a modified version called Funtouch OS.

During the review period, the phone was fast and responsive. Playing games like "Asphalt 8: AirBorne" was smooth and social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat worked without hiccups -- even while adding filters.

The "Smart Screen-Split" feature allows users to multitask without having to switch back and forth every time a message pops up. Users can chat and watch videos simultaneously on one screen.

The camera uses a 20MP sensor similar to the previous V5 series, is fast and has accurate auto-focus speed. In most situations, the device produced sharp pictures.

The 13MP rear camera is above average in colour reproduction. In darker environments like inside a bar, noise becomes obvious.

The "Moonlight Glow" feature gives a natural glow to the face, without being a strain on the eyes, and brightens up the selfie irrespective of the lighting conditions.

What does not work?

The custom Android OS tries very much to copy iOS but is a mess -- meaning you get a cluttered control centre. The back of the phone is prone to finger-print smudges.

Conclusion: Vivo V5s is yet another strong Android smartphone that looks, feels and operates like a flagship mid-price segment device and is certainly a great deal for wallet-watchers.