Features

Vivo V5 Plus camera hands-on: Another perfect selfie?

Published

April 22, 2017

Isa Rodriguez

With the advent of Snapchat and cute doggie stickers that become instant face filters (sorely needed on days I’m not feeling a hundred percent), simple photo selfies have become a rarity in my camera roll — I mean, who has time to airbrush and edit said selfies after shooting?

The Vivo V5 Plus may just be a game changer. Dubbed the “Perfect Selfie” phone, Vivo promises a photo experience that optimizes, well, your face.

For two weeks, I used the Vivo V5 Plus (because you never know when you’re going to need a good selfie ??) and here are my thoughts.

First things first…

Look and feel

The Vivo V5 Plus is a familiar-looking phone. There’s no beating around the bush: It looks like an iPhone 7 and is roughly the same size as the iPhone 7 Plus.

This means that the phone is slightly bigger than the phone I’m used to.

The two things that occupied my hands for most of last week: the Vivo V5 Plus and my iPhone 6s

The Vivo V5 Plus is a literal handful. But if there’s one thing that my phone-toting experience has taught me, it’s really not the size but the performance that matters.

For a good few days, the V5 Plus remained untouched until I discovered the wonders it could do to my face.

Beauty mode: ON

The Vivo V5 Plus has two cameras in front for better selfies. Combined with its beautification mode, this becomes the true winning function of this smartphone.

[sciba leftsrc=”http://www.gadgetmatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/GadgetMatch-VivoV5Plus-2017-04-21-1.jpg” leftlabel=”The perfect selfie” rightsrc=”http://www.gadgetmatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/GadgetMatch-VivoV5Plus-2017-04-21.jpg” rightlabel=”Almost perfect in my imperfections” mode=”horizontal” width=””]

The phone’s “Face Beauty” mode allows you to adjust the camera settings for “Buffing,” “Skin tone,” and “Whitening.” Armed with this precious knowledge, I set out to try using the cameras. Time for a shootout!

The rear camera

At 16 megapixels, the Vivo V5 Plus’ rear camera is less powerful than its front cams, but it does the job for your OOTDs:

Or those glorious food shots:

The brownie that I probably should not have eaten

And if you’re feeling artsy, those macro shots:

Perfect to show off your #tita hobbies like gardening

We now move on to this smartphone’s crowning glory (and my favorite feature).

The front-facing cameras

Now, this is where the Vivo V5 Plus shines; it has a dual front-facing camera setup that features a 20-megapixel and 8-megapixel pair of sensors. Since those numbers never meant anything to me (and I shall assume the same for you, dear reader), let me put that into perspective: The newly released Samsung Galaxy S8 has an 8-megapixel front-facing camera and my iPhone 6s, 5 measly megapixels.

I put the cameras to the test. (Fair warning: There will be a lot of selfies ahead, all taken in the interest of writing a fair and unbiased camera review.)

First up, a quick selfie indoors with minimal buffing.

[sciba leftsrc=”http://www.gadgetmatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/GadgetMatch-VivoV5Plus-indoor-filtered-2017-04-21-1.jpg” leftlabel=”Vivo V5 Plus working its wonders” rightsrc=”http://www.gadgetmatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/GadgetMatch-VivoV5Plus-indoor-unfiltered-2017-04-21.jpg” rightlabel=”Au naturel” mode=”horizontal” width=””]

And since the best place to take photos is an area with natural light (as per me in this previous article), I had to snap a photo outdoors, too.

Also with minimal buffing because we can’t all be perfect all the time.

The Vivo V5 Plus’ camera also adjusts depending on the lighting situation. Going against the light (a cardinal no-no in any photo taking endeavour) still resulted in good photos.

I liked this photo so much, it’s now my primary Facebook photo.

Not even nighttime can stop your selfie taking. Even with minimal light, the Vivo V5 Plus takes acceptable photos. The front-facing flash also acts as a fill light for when you need light in your life — specifically on your face, for selfies.

[sciba leftsrc=”http://www.gadgetmatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/GadgetMatch-VivoV5Plus-outdoor-filllight2017-04-21.jpg” leftlabel=”With fill lighting” rightsrc=”http://www.gadgetmatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/GadgetMatch-VivoV5Plus-outdoor-2017-04-21.jpg” rightlabel=”Without fill lighting” mode=”horizontal” width=””]

After two weeks of constant use, I have grown accustomed to great selfies with my face automatically beautified by this phone. My camera roll now houses selfies at an alarming number, and I’ve changed my Facebook display photo twice, both times with selfies from this smartphone’s camera. Honestly, I don’t know how I’m ever going back to life without the Vivo V5 Plus’ beauty mode.

Take your doggie filters; 200+ likes on my new profile photos say a lot.

This feature was produced in collaboration between GadgetMatch and Vivo.

[irp posts=”12138″ name=”How to take the perfect selfie”]

Features

21-Day Battery, Pro Sports Tracking: HUAWEI WATCH GT 6 Series

One watch series. Two worlds.

Published

September 26, 2025

GadgetMatch

One watch series. Two worlds. Built for the court, and ready for the city. This is the HUAWEI WATCH GT 6 Series.

The latest in HUAWEI’s smartwatch lineup lasts up to 21 days on a single charge, delivers pro-level running and cycling insights, advanced health tracking, and a premium design that looks just as good off the court as it does on it.

Design & display

The GT 6 Pro is crafted from aerospace-grade titanium with sapphire glass for strength and scratch resistance. The GT 6, on the other hand, is slimmer with pivoting lugs that fit smaller wrists comfortably.

Both feature a vivid AMOLED display that peaks at 3,000 nits — keeping your stats visible even under the midday sun.

Sports in action

On the court, and on the run, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 6 Pro keeps up. Real-time heart rate, calories, and workout intensity are tracked instantly. After each session, you get a full summary with TruSense — HUAWEI’s most advanced health system yet.

It now detects 12 emotional states with readings every 10 minutes, three times faster than the previous generation, so you see results more often and in greater detail. With the built-in IMU sensor, the watch measures biomechanics like ground contact time, vertical oscillation, and balance — insights that runners and athletes can use to improve form and reduce injury.

The watch is also built tough: water resistant up to 5ATM, sweatproof, and equipped with fall detection for extra safety.

Health features

Beyond sports, the WATCH GT 6 keeps track of your health 24/7. It monitors sleep stages — light, deep, and REM — plus breathing rate, so you know how well you rested.

Daytime stress monitoring and breathing exercises help keep you in balance. And on the Pro, you also get ECG with certified arrhythmia analysis for medical-grade insights.

Smart performance

The WATCH GT 6 features the Sunflower Positioning System 2.0, an upgraded navigation system that gives you more accurate routes and smarter pacing on your runs. Combined with TruSense, it also delivers more accurate heart rate tracking, so every workout is measured precisely.

For cyclists, this is the industry’s first smartwatch with Virtual Power and FTP measurement, offering accurate cycling power data without the need for separate devices like power meters, bike computers, or heart rate straps.

It’s a cost-effective feature, and you can even team up with fellow riders or connect to pro-level devices via Bluetooth if you need to. This update will be available via OTA starting October 30.

Everyday convenience

The WATCH GT 6 is more than a sports tool. It supports offline maps for outdoor adventures, syncs your workouts directly with STRAVA, and lets you pay with GCash right from your wrist.

Music control, notifications, and calls are all here, and with 5-second video watch faces, you can even upload your own clips to personalize your watch.

Battery life

Battery life is another highlight. The 41mm model lasts up to 14 days with light use, while the 46mm versions — both GT 6 and GT 6 Pro — go up to 21 days.

That’s weeks of training, tracking, and everyday life, while most smartwatches still need charging every night.

Verdict

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 6 Series is also perfect as a gift this season — a stylish way to live healthier and smarter. Think of it as the smartwatch that complements your traditional timepieces, adding sports, health, and convenience for every scenario.

On the court, it’s a powerful training partner. Off the court, it looks and feels like a classic watch. ONE WATCH. TWO WORLDS.

The HUAWEI WATCH GT 6 and WATCH GT 6 Pro are available soon. Stay tuned for their arrival this October 2nd.

But the HUAWEI Watch GT 6 here: