Vivo V9 Review: A value-for-money device with good camera, notch screen

The Vivo V9 smartphone, with 6.3-inch full HD+ notch display, lets you have a big screen experience, though slow charging might dampen your enthusiasm.

Chinese smartphone maker Vivo recently launched the Vivo V9 in India. Priced at Rs

22,990, the phone has a 24-megapixel front camera with enhanced face beauty features that 

can brighten up and take sharp selfies.

The V9 is powered by Snapdragon 626 octa core processor, along with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal memory, expandable up to 256 GB through microSD card. The phone runs smoothly with minor lags even after opening 10-15 different applications ranging from social media to gaming.

Even though there is decent internal memory, users can still choose to expand with the help of a microSD card, a designated slot for which has been provided in the SIM tray.

The handset comes with the Android 8.1 Oreo operating system out-of-the-box, based on Vivo’s Funtouch OS 4.0

user interface. The interface is smooth and there are no lags when switching windows. It also has a 3260 mAh battery which can last a day smoothly on regular usage comprising around 2 hours of gaming, 1 hour of social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram) and 1.5-2 hours of video streaming (Youtube/Amazon Prime videos/ Airtel TV). However, the phone lacks rapid charging and in this era of high-end rapid charging devices, a normal charging system is surely a drawback.

The device supports a dual-SIM set-up along with dual standby, and the SIM tray has the provision to accommodate both SIMs and a memory card. The smartphone also features a 3.5mm headphone jack, and you get in-ear headphones in the box, too.

The device sports a notch screen. The display is a 6.3-inch full HD+ capacitive touchscreen with a 2280 x 1080 pixel resolution, and 19:9 aspect ratio which is pretty impressive. The screen-to-body ratio is around 90 per cent.
 

The Vivo V9 comes pre-installed with bloatware, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Flipkart, Amazon Shopping, Prime Video, UC Browser, NewsPoint, and WPS Office. However, these apps can also be uninstalled easily if the user so wishes.

In terms of imaging, the V9 boasts a vertically stacked dual-camera setup at the back with a 16MP primary sensor and a 5MP secondary sensor which can click some really good photographs, both in normal day light and low-light conditions. The Bokeh mode is not bad, either. The Live feature is up to the mark as well.

That apart, the 24MP sensor on the front clicks good selfies and adds to the video calling experience. The face beauty feature brightens up the photograph and might hinder the natural toning of your selfies.
 

The fingerprint sensor is located at the back and works just fine. The face-unlocking mechanism works without a glitch, but it may ask you to use fingerprint in low-light conditions.

Verdict

While a price of Rs 22,990 might feel a bit high, the Vivo V9 is one of the better phones in the mid-range segment and can provide a good value for money. In the bizarre era of hybrid-SIM slot, Vivo has given the option to expand the device’s memory while using dual SIM cards -- that is commendable. That said, had the phone also provided the option of rapid charging, it would have been the most sought-after in the market. A sub-Rs 20,000 range, however, could have been a better deal for customers.