Vivo X60 Pro review: Not just a camera phone, it is an all-round smartphone

Priced at Rs 49,990 (12+256GB), the Vivo X60 Pro is a surprise package with something in store for everyone

India’s premium smartphone market has bolstered with offerings from brands that were not there in the competition until last year. Among many other things, imaging yet again taking the centre stage and each of the new offering in the segment has something novel to offer. Of the many new entrants in the segment, Vivo seems to a promising one, thanks to its recent partnership with German lens maker Zeiss. One of the first products to come from this partnership is the Vivo X60 Pro, a camera-first premium smartphone with Zeiss optics.

Vivo calls the X60 Pro "camera in a phone". Is the phone all about its cameras, or does it utility goes beyond imaging? Let us find out:

Design and display

The Vivo X60 Pro looks premium, and its visual appeal is second to none, considering the bulky and heavy smartphones of the present time. It takes design cue from its predecessor, the Vivo X50 Pro, but sheds some weight and dimensions to look even better and feel right in hands. With its clean and sleek profile, it tempted me to use it without back cover and eventually I fell for the temptations. It is tough to recall if I have seen any smartphone designed so beautifully in recent time.

As for its display, the phone sports a 6.56-inch fullHD+ resolution AMOLED screen of 120Hz refresh rate. It is a two-side curved screen with fine contrast, ample brightness and smooth touch response. The display and the rear panel are protected by Gorilla Glass 6. The rear has AG glass with a frosted glass finish and anti-fingerprint coating prevents it from picking fingerprint and smudges.

The camera module on the back has a dual-step design, like what we had seen in the X50 Pro. The base layer has the flash while the second has all three cameras.

Weighing 177g, the phone is lightweight and easy for single-handed use. I got the Midnight Black colour variant from the Vivo for review purpose, and the phone also comes in Shimmer Blue colour.

The only downside here is the lack of any sort of ingress protection. Not a major miss but something that may pinch adventure seekers.

Camera

The Vivo X60 Pro offers photographers so much to play with, right from filters to value-added features. It is an absolute camera-centric phone, and its impeccable stabilisation only sweetens the deal.

The triple-camera system includes a 48-megapixel (Sony IMX598) primary sensor, a 13MP ultra-wide-angle sensor, and a 13MP portrait sensor. At the front, there is a 32MP sensor for selfies and videos. The camera system is co-engineered with the German optics maker Zeiss.

Besides being impressive in daily point-and-capture imaging, the rear camera system takes its strength from the new Gimbal Stabilisation 2.0. This new stabilisation technology detects horizontal and vertical shakes, providing blur and shake free imaging experience without the need of any addition support – like that of gimbal. There is eye autofocus, too, which is there in Vivo's premium budget phone the V20 Pro (review).

Vivo X60 Pro camera sample

You can record 4K 30fps, 4K 30fps videos with standard stabilisation; the camera allows ultra-stabilisation only for 1080p videos.

The primary camera is quite versatile as it fares well in pretty much all conditions. The pictures can go a little oversaturated and sharp at times, but output remains better under optimum light conditions. That said, the details are clear, and pictures do not lose clarity even if you zoom on them or see them on a large screen.

Vivo X60 Pro camera sample

The camera produces impressive portrait shots and there are several portrait filters too. My favourite is the Zeiss Biotar Portrait filter, which keeps depth and clarity while blurring the background with precision. The portrait mode works well with fine contours detection and smooth and creamy bokeh effect in the background.

Vivo X60 Pro camera sample

The selfie camera is fine. It takes decent shots in default settings but can do a lot better if you tweak the settings a bit. There is nothing particularly wrong with the selfie camera but the softness and colour emphasis at times takes away the natural flavour of a picture.

Vivo X60 Pro camera sample

The low light photography experience is good too. I loved the 'Long Exposure mode’, which lets you click light trails easily without being too fussy about settings. Similarly, there are many other value-added features that makes it easy to use the camera up to its potential.

Features and performance

Vivo X60 Pro camera sample

The Vivo X60 Pro is not limited to imaging, there is more to it. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 system-on-chip, paired with 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage, the smartphone is no slouch and handles even the demanding tasks with ease. Though the phone has ample RAM to handle and store apps, it is one of the few phones that also take advantage of virtual RAM (3GB) for performance boost -- if need be.

Vivo X60 Pro camera sample

For gamers, there is the ‘Ultra Game Mode’, which helps you game on without being distracted by calls and notifications. The gaming experience is smooth, be it the casual games like Subway Surfer or the graphic-intensive gaming title like the Call of Duty Mobile.

Vivo X60 Pro camera sample

There is hardly any fuss if you play heavy games on high graphic settings, this smartphone can handle it well, without any stutter.

The Vivo X60 Pro ships with Android 11-based FunTouch OS 11. The phone comes pre-loaded with bloatware, which may be bothersome, considering it is not a budget or midrange phone but a premium smartphone. Though a huge leap forward, the UI still looks like a work in progress.

Vivo X60 Pro camera sample

A notable downside of the phone is the lack of stereo speakers -- it comes with a mono speaker that is not sufficient for wholesome multimedia or gaming experience.

Battery

The Vivo X60 Pro is powered by a 4,200mAh battery, supported by 33W fast charging. The phone takes about an hour to fully charge and the battery lasts for a little over a day under moderate to heavy usage. That said, there could be days when you might run out of battery sooner than expected, especially if you are out and using the camera frequently.

Verdict

Vivo X60 Pro camera sample

 

Priced at Rs 49,990 (12+256GB), the Vivo X60 Pro is a surprise package, at least for those who did not experience the X50 Pro. It has set the new benchmark for premium-midrange smartphones, considering the number of photography features and updates it offers. The X60 Pro is more than just a camera phone. It is an all-round smartphone with strengths across.