Vivo has a new midrange phone in town. After giving in-display fingerprint technology a try on flagship devices, it’s now available on midrange phones. This is the Vivo V11, a new midranger with all the usual features plus a unique one for its range.
Can the V11’s distinctive in-display fingerprint reader keep it ahead of the competition? Let’s find out in this review.
The phone sports a 6.41-inch Super AMOLED display

With a Full HD+ resolution and 19.5:9 aspect ratio
The notch has been drastically reduced

But it still has all the essentials like a selfie camera and front sensors
It’s not 100% bezel-less but the chin is minimal

Vivo claims a 91.27 percent screen-to-body ratio
Thankfully, it’s got a triple-card slot

This is how it should be
The buttons on its right are pretty confusing at first

I find them to be positioned a bit lower than usual
It’s 2018 yet Vivo still hasn’t embraced USB-C

At least it has quick charge technology
The back is a borrowed design from the V9 and X21

With added flair, of course
It still has dual rear cameras for shooting quality portraits

Equipped with AI and f/1.8 aperture
Slightly improved design over predecessor
As mentioned earlier, the V11 sports a familiar design. One might suspect it to be just the V9 at first glance, but it’s more of a repackaged X21. It’s got rounded corners with a rounded back that gives it a slimmer profile.
But of course, Vivo made improvements to the V11 and that’ll be the new so-called Halo FullView Display. With a tinier notch that’s even smaller (but not as aesthetically pleasing) than the OPPO F9’s, the V11 managed to have a more immersive display. Vivo claims a colossal 91.27 percent screen-to-body ratio with a 3.8mm chin.

Using a Super AMOLED panel, which is a first for the V series, Vivo is able to bring the in-display fingerprint technology to this segment. There’s an optical sensor hidden beneath the display of the V11. If you’ve seen the X21 or the NEX, you’ll get the same level of exclusivity for half the price.

And since there’s no need for a fingerprint reader at the back of the phone, Vivo is now more free to play with the rear panel. The growing trend of flashy gradients and patterns crawls to the V11, but in a more subtle way. The Starry Night variant blends black and blue with specks of dust creating a nice-looking fusion of sophistication and style.
Although, it’s pretty disappointing that Vivo opted to use polycarbonate (plastic) rather than glass for the V11’s back.
Powered by a better midrange processor
When it comes to power, Vivo finally decided to give what its midrange phones deserve — a higher-end Snapdragon 600 series processor. The V11 is powered by a Snapdragon 660 processor to be specific, which is usually found in phones priced at US$ 500 and above. To make the V11 even better, it comes with 6GB of memory as a standard. Storage options vary depending on the region, though, from 64 to 128GB.

The phone boots Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box but with extensive customization courtesy of Vivo’s very own Funtouch OS 4.5. As always, it’s very iOS-like which may or may not appeal to users. But, whatever your preference is, it’s disappointing that Funtouch OS omitted simple Android features like the search function in the settings.
The end result of the V11’s configuration is a smooth-performing phone with virtually zero lag. I encountered a few slow loading times with certain apps like Instagram, but it’s nothing that a future update can’t fix.

As for gaming, the Adreno 512 GPU that’s paired with the Snapdragon 660 processor is more than capable of running the latest games from the Google Play Store. I switched playing Asphalt 9: Legends from the Mi Mix 2S to the V11, and I didn’t notice any difference in visual quality. I also threw in a couple of graphics-intensive games like PUBG: Mobile and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang; both ran smoothly on medium to maximum settings.
Shoots impressive photos
Like with the V9, the V11 still has two rear cameras: one for capturing detailed images and another for assessing depth information. The main shooter is a new 12-megapixel sensor with a bright f/1.8 aperture while the second one is a 5-megapixel sensor.
Here are some samples taken with the rear camera in auto mode:
The output of the V11’s rear shooters are more pleasing than what we’ve seen with previous midrange phones from Vivo. They are detailed, color-accurate, and sharp. AI is working in the background when taking a shot, so the result gets better over time.
Of course, selfies are also great on the V11. With a 25-megapixel sensor at the helm, you can expect high-quality selfies every time.
Here are Josh, Chay, and myself showing how the V11 takes selfies in different scenarios:
Vivo also has a new AI Face Shaping technology which enhances facial features when beauty mode is turned on. The end results sometimes look too artificial, so it’s a matter of personal preference.
Charge fast, drain slow
All the new features of the V11 is nothing if you won’t be able to use the phone for long. Inside the V11’s body is a respectable 3400mAh battery. With my own usage, I was able to get more than 24 hours during a busy day. That’s with Wi-Fi and mobile data connection automatically switching from morning until bed time. I always have around 15 percent left before I go to sleep.
When it’s time to charge, I do it in the morning. Why? Because as I get ready, so does the V11. I only need an hour and 30 minutes to fully charge the phone thanks to the what Vivo calls Dual-Engine Fast Charging. The name can be a mouthful, but it’s basically Quick Charge 3.0. This means you can quickly fill up V11’s battery using any QC 3.0 charger.
Is this your GadgetMatch?
I’ve had the V11 for a week, so there’s more to know about the phone. But based on the time I spent on it, I know it’ll be a great device in the long run. It’s practically future-proofed aside from the micro-USB port. Why is Vivo, along with OPPO and Huawei, still stuck in the past when it comes to the choice of USB port? With the three of them leading the midrange market, they could have done well in introducing USB-C to the masses.

Like other phones that launch only six months after their predecessor, it would be lavish to suggest to get this one right away. But, should you buy one, I can say you will feel the upgrade.
The Vivo V11 is priced around US$ 400 for the variant with 64GB storage. In the Philippines, it goes for PhP 19,999 while in India, where it’s called the V11 Pro, it’s priced at INR 25,990.
Whenever a brand slaps a “long battery life” label on a box, we take it with a grain of salt.
Even as smartphone battery capacities have become larger as of late, endurance is still subjective. It’s heavily dependent on your daily screen time, signal strength, and other habits.
But when a smartphone lands on your desk with a gargantuan 10,001mAh battery, then that subjectivity basically goes right out the window.
That’s what the realme P4 Power chiefly brings to the Philippine market for the first time, in the brand’s P series relatively quiet debut in the country.
It’s here to eliminate low-battery anxiety and render your bulky external power banks completely obsolete.
Tether-less freedom
We wielded this device for weeks as a primary daily driver, and the endurance is nothing short of black magic.
The daily rotation included endless social media scrolling, video streaming, continuous navigation, and a relentless stress test: serving as a portable Wi-Fi hotspot for up to three separate devices simultaneously.
Through all that usage, the phone flat-out refused to die. I didn’t consciously “try” to drain it. I just know it would last an entire day for up to the wee hours.
When acting as a multi-device router, the chassis does heat up slightly, but it never crosses into alarming or uncomfortable territory.
It simply sips power, providing a level of tether-less freedom that no standard 5,000mAh or 6,000mAh smartphone can replicate.
When it is finally time to recharge the device, it supports 80W SUPERVOOC charging so you won’t have to spend hours waiting.
Even if you don’t replenish it back up to 100%, an hour’s worth of charging should keep you going the extra distance.
Immersive visuals, casual performance
The massive battery pairs beautifully with a expansive 6.8-inch 144Hz AMOLED display. With a high, 453ppi pixel density and 1280 x 2800 resolution, media consumption and gaming become highly engaging — at least from a visuals standpoint.
There is a wider aspect ratio so you don’t get a comically long phone, and a curved screen. We aren’t typical fond of this but the curvature seems subtle, meaning no accidental edge touches.
When it comes to performance, the MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Ultra chipset handles everyday tasks and casual, less-demanding titles with absolute ease.
However, when jumping into competitive matches of Call of Duty: Mobile or exploring the heavy landscapes of Honkai: Star Rail, you will encounter frame drops and stuttering from time to time.
It’s never jarring enough to ruin your match or hinder what you’re trying to do, but it does occasionally disrupt an otherwise smooth gaming experience.
If anything, there’s Championship Mode and GT Mode to optimize the device for such tasks. Bypass Charging is a bonus so you can keep playing without the risk of device overheating.
Audio is loud but somewhat flat, but I didn’t expect much.
Heavy, mecha-inspired tank
That display curvature is part of the phone’s overall aesthetic. Around the back, the realme P4 Power embraces its “all about power” persona with a distinct, machine-inspired design language.
The upper half where the camera island is located, in particular, look aggressive and sharp, as if a nod to mobile gaming. The colorway for this unit is silver metallic.
However, housing a 10,000mAh cell requires a serious physical compromise: weight. This phone is significantly, undeniably heavy.
The sheer heft is a constant reminder of the juice it carries, to the point where switching back to a “normal” smartphone yields a stark, instantly noticeable contrast in your hand and pockets.
Reliable main camera, lagging selfies
For its camera package, the realme P4 Power comes with a dependable 50MP main camera with a Sony IMX882 sensor.
I didn’t exactly “test” the camera but just naturally used it whenever I was out and about. Hence, I ended up with plenty of food, product reviews, and random finds.
Performance is decent, with the 1x to 1.5x range being the sweet spot. Compared to budget devices, there is definitely more detail and texture.
Color reproduction is likewise amenable, with some depth and acceptable clarity. But camera-centric mid-rangers can obviously offer punchier, more “popped-up” contrast.
With OIS, video recording is likewise smooth. It’s usable for casual vlogging, although lighting is still the catch. You’ll need an extra tofu light for instance, which sacrifices the portability of the phone itself.
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The selfie camera, meanwhile, also lags compared to older realme number series devices I’ve used. Sharpness, vividness, and color accuracy are lacking.
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Built to survive the elements
As an added bonus, realme didn’t sacrifice ruggedness for the sake of capacity. The handset comes armed with a familiar IP69 rating for dust and water resistance, including high-pressure water jets and submersion.
We took it out on outdoor jogs, and heavy sweat didn’t cause a single issue. Even when dealing with moisture, the display’s touch optimization remained responsive.
Is this your GadgetMatch?
The realme P4 Power sits right in the competitive PhP 25,999 price bracket. In an era where smartphone prices are continuously climbing, it still offers a value proposition as an all-around mid-range device.
Think of it as buying a standard mid-ranger plus a power bank, minus the double pocket clutter. Long-term battery degradation remains to be seen but it seems the device is a fair purchase for power users.
It’s a close call, but the P4 Power is still a Swipe Right especially if your lifestyle demands endless battery life above all else.
After a week with the HONOR Watch 6, I realized I liked having data on things I normally would just leave to uneducated guesses.
I love seeing my sleep metrics, knowing if my heart is actually racing, and seeing notifications on the fly. These are things I find truly helpful in how I go about life currently. That’s why I can already see myself using the watch beyond the review period.
The thing is, I wasn’t expecting any of this.
The first thing that jumped out at me when I first wore the HONOR Watch 6 was that it barely felt like it was there. I was half expecting it to be this chunky-feeling thing. But it wasn’t. I was pleasantly surprised.
I have the silver model with the brown leather strap, and it feels light to wear. That was key for me because what I really wanted to track more than anything was my sleep.
The only time I really started to notice that I was wearing it practically all the time was around the fifth or sixth day. And honestly, that says a lot because I tend to want to take off most of the smartwatches I’ve used in the past.
A smartwatch that fits daily life
The brown leather strap is inoffensive in the best possible way. It blends well with both casual wear and smart casual outfits, which made it easy to keep on throughout the week.
In fact, I think it looks more at home during everyday life than during intense workouts.
That’s why I found myself looking at the HONOR Watch 6 less as a fitness watch and more as a health tracker that looks nice and tells me if there’s a proverbial fire I need to put out — or if she remembered me that day.
The display also quietly did its job.
You know, I didn’t even think about it. Whenever I needed to check the time or glance at a notification, I simply gestured as anyone would to look at their watch. No matter where I was, what I needed to see was readily visible.
That’s probably the highest compliment I can give a smartwatch display. It never gave me a reason to think about it.
Managing attention without reaching for my phone
Oof. I cannot overstate how many notifications I get on any given day.
As a Managing Editor with occasional side hustles, notifications come from multiple messaging apps. One moment I’m tracking production progress on WhatsApp, the next I’m checking what the team is discussing on Telegram. Then there are the emails, Messenger messages from friends, and the “… sent you a reel” notifications that have recently dropped in frequency to my dismay.
I don’t always want to pull out my phone to check these.
What I appreciated most about the HONOR Watch 6 is that notifications are grouped by app, and each one provides a clean preview. It gives me enough information to quickly assess what needs attention and what can wait.
For someone who is constantly juggling attention, that proved surprisingly useful.
Replacing guesses with data
The feature I was most interested in wasn’t fitness tracking.
It was sleep tracking.
Some time ago, a friend of mine started tracking her sleep and it helped her better regulate her energy throughout the day. I am nowhere near that level of discipline, but I was curious.
Between traveling across time zones, late-night coverage, doomscrolling, revenge bedtime procrastination, and everything else life throws at us, I honestly wasn’t sure if I was getting enough sleep.
What I learned is that I tend to wake up at least once in the middle of the night. Not for anything, really. I just do.
The mornings that felt best were often the nights where my sleep wasn’t interrupted. I know that sounds obvious, but if you’re not actively paying attention, these are the kinds of patterns you can easily miss.
The same goes for heart rate tracking.
During a particularly stressful stretch, I noticed my heart rate was consistently elevated. It wasn’t exactly surprising, but seeing the data attached to the feeling made it feel more real.
That’s what I found myself appreciating most about the HONOR Watch 6. It didn’t magically solve anything. It simply helped me replace assumptions with information.
Battery life that quietly impressed
I charged the watch the moment I unboxed it. Seven days later, it was sitting at 59%.
During that time, I wore it constantly. Notifications were enabled. Health tracking was enabled. I tracked a handful of kettlebell workouts and wore it while sleeping.
I wasn’t exactly pushing the watch to its limits, but I also wasn’t babying it.
The result was a battery experience that quickly faded into the background. That’s exactly what I want from a smartwatch.
Everything else
To be completely honest, I didn’t have the time or bandwidth to thoroughly test every feature.
My workout sessions were limited to a few kettlebell workouts and my usual walking. That said, the breadth of sports tracking available here is impressive. If you can think of an activity, there’s a good chance the HONOR Watch 6 can track it.
Pairing was also straightforward. The initial setup process and software updates went smoothly, even if updates immediately after unboxing remain one of my least favorite parts of testing any device.
My one annoyance came from using the watch with multiple HONOR phones. At times, notifications would arrive twice or arrive at slightly different times depending on which device was relaying them. There’s probably a setting that solves this. I just didn’t have the opportunity to dig deeper.
As for features like AI Recorder and NFC payments, I simply didn’t encounter situations where they became essential to my routine. That’s not necessarily a criticism. It may simply reflect how different people use smartwatches.
Is the HONOR Watch 6 your GadgetMatch?
Something I don’t think we’ve talked about enough is that the HONOR Watch 6 also works well with an iPhone.
If you don’t particularly like the look of the Apple Watch but still want a smartwatch on your wrist, this is a viable alternative.
The HONOR Watch 6 is for people who want useful technology that blends into everyday life. It looks good enough for casual outings and nicer occasions alike, while still offering the usual smartwatch essentials like health tracking, workout monitoring, notifications, and long battery life.
After about a week with the HONOR Watch 6, I realized I liked having data on things I normally would just leave to uneducated guesses.
Smartwatches aren’t for everyone. But if you fancy having one, the HONOR Watch 6 is an easy swipe right.
It has the right features, excellent battery life, and a design that fits comfortably into many parts of daily life.
That’s really all most people need.
Before I learned when the HONOR Magic V6 review embargo would lift, I had already become aware of the possibility of upcoming wide foldables.
The idea immediately caught my attention because it seemed to address one of the few remaining questions I have about today’s book-style foldables.
They’re excellent productivity devices. The larger, almost square-like display is perfect for multitasking, reading, editing documents, and working with multiple apps at once.
But much of the content we consume today isn’t square.
It’s vertical: Reels. Shorts. TikToks. Fancams.
Or it’s widescreen: YouTube videos. Movies. TV shows.
Book-style foldables can absolutely play these types of content. But when unfolded, they don’t always make the best use of the additional screen space because of their aspect ratio.
That thought lingered in the back of my mind while testing the HONOR Magic V6.
What surprised me was that despite that lingering question, the Magic V6 still made a compelling case for the current form factor. In fact, if the goal is to create a foldable that feels as close as possible to a regular flagship smartphone while still unfolding into a tablet, HONOR may have come closer than anyone else.
The HONOR Magic V6 is priced at RM 7,699 in Malaysia, with pre-orders running from June 4 to 11, 2026 and bundled gifts worth up to RM 3,797.
That’s flagship foldable money. Fortunately, the Magic V6 spends very little time reminding you that it’s a foldable and most of its time convincing you it’s simply a very good smartphone.
It feels like a regular smartphone
The HONOR Magic V6 looks and feels almost too much like a standard slab smartphone that you almost forget it can unfold into a larger screen.
That’s perhaps the most impressive thing about the device.
Most certainly, I felt the Galaxy S26 Ultra more when carrying it compared to the Magic V6. Despite being a foldable, it never feels cumbersome in daily use.
One of the subtle improvements I appreciated most was the button placement.
This is one of those low-key things you don’t really think about at first but becomes important over time. There’s little to no adjustment required when moving from a regular smartphone to the Magic V6 because the buttons sit exactly where you expect them to.
I use it alongside both the HONOR Magic8 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and the transition feels seamless. That’s something I can’t quite say about the OPPO Find N6, whose power button still sits at a height that feels a little awkward.
Folded, the Magic V6 doesn’t feel like a compromise compared to a traditional flagship.
It simply feels like a regular flagship smartphone.
Unfolded, it feels natural too. The display even feels larger than the Galaxy Z Fold7 and HONOR Magic V5 that I used previously.
And that’s where the appeal of a book-style foldable continues to shine.
Productivity remains the killer feature
The larger display became particularly useful during several production shoots.
I found myself timekeeping to make sure we stayed on schedule while simultaneously checking scripts and production notes. It’s one of those situations where the larger screen immediately proves its value.
On another occasion, I handed the unfolded device to a project lead so she could review a script while planning shots for the day.
It immediately made her stop and consider whether she should get a foldable herself.
Moments like these highlight the unique advantage of book-style foldables.
The larger screen doesn’t just exist for the sake of being larger. It enables workflows that simply aren’t as comfortable on a conventional smartphone.
That’s why, despite my growing curiosity about where foldables go next, the Magic V6 reminded me why this category became appealing in the first place.
Battery confidence is underrated
An overwhelming yes.
That’s my answer when asked whether the battery capacity translates into confidence.
The Magic V6 is an endurance beast.
I never worried about using it folded or unfolded throughout the day. I never worried about taking photos, multitasking, or spending extended periods on the larger display.
For the most part, I simply knew that no matter what I did during a normal day, I’d still have enough battery to get home or reach somewhere I could recharge.
As someone who tends to become conscious about battery life once it drops below 50 percent, that’s saying something.
I also noticed myself worrying about the battery less the more time I spent with the device. I got used to how much power it consumed depending on what I was doing throughout the day.
Compared to the Galaxy Z Fold7 and HONOR Magic V5, the Magic V6 feels like it has more endurance.
It also charges faster.
The media consumption question
Did the Magic V6 make me watch more videos than I normally would on a phone?
Not really.
Most of my phone-based video consumption consists of Reels, Shorts, and the occasional K-pop fancam. Longer content usually happens elsewhere. If I’m watching a movie, a series, or even a lengthy YouTube video, I’d much rather do it on a TV or tablet.
For the purposes of this review, I spent some time watching aespa Karina’s “Lemonade” facecam. I figured if there was any content I’d naturally watch on a phone, it would be that.
Folded and held in hand, it’s your typical smartphone viewing affair. In fact, the cover display is still a little narrower than I personally prefer.
You can also prop it up in Flex Mode and watch hands-free, which works surprisingly well when you’re sitting at a desk or table.
When unfolded, things become a little more complicated.
You can watch content in its original aspect ratio and live with the black bars. At night, they practically disappear. In brighter environments, they’re much more noticeable.
You can also pinch to zoom and fill more of the display. This works particularly well for content where the subject stays near the center of the frame. Facecams like Karina’s are a perfect example.
The challenge is that much of today’s content exists in either 9:16 or 16:9 formats, while book-style foldables unfold into something much closer to a square.
The result is that the additional screen space isn’t always utilized as efficiently as you might expect.
That’s not really a criticism of the Magic V6 itself.
Rather, it’s one of the reasons I’ve become interested in the idea of wide foldables. The Magic V6 excels at productivity because of its aspect ratio. Whether that same aspect ratio remains ideal for modern media consumption is a question I continue to think about.
Cameras that don’t feel like a compromise
The camera system is one of the standout features of the device.
For a foldable, it takes really good photos. Photos I wouldn’t hesitate to post immediately on social media.
I’ve become particularly fond of HONOR’s Authentic Filter and used it extensively throughout my testing. The images look excellent and carry a look that I genuinely enjoy.
I still notice some limitations once I move beyond 6x zoom, but realistically, most users won’t spend much time there.
For everyday photography, the Magic V6 delivers more than enough.
That’s important because it removes one of the traditional compromises associated with foldables. Check out the samples below.
Witcher in Concert night
Food with friends
Taipei streets part 1
Middle Name Coffee and Space
Taipei streets part 2
Instil Coffee
Taipei streets part 3
Taipei at night + Bar Shock
Taipei at night + Backstreet Bar
Side gig
Sushi Party
Apple-friendly and easy to live with
One of the more pleasant surprises was how useful the Apple ecosystem features turned out to be.
Funny story.
I attended a sushi party where one of the guests happened to be an engineer who liked tinkering with hardware. He brought a small development board loaded with chips and components. When powered on, it mimicked the pairing process of AirPods and attempted to communicate with nearby Apple devices.
As he was scanning the room for iPhones, he was surprised to see his setup interacting with the HONOR Magic V6 I was carrying.
It’s a small anecdote, but it serves as a real-world reminder of how much effort HONOR has put into making the device work alongside Apple’s ecosystem.
More practically, I’ve regularly used the Magic V6 to move files between the phone and my MacBook Pro M4. The process is straightforward and useful enough that it naturally became part of my workflow.
The same can be said about durability.
The funny thing is people often comment about how not-so-careful I am with my devices. It’s not that I don’t take care of them. I simply carry a lot of gear at once and sometimes toss things into my bag without thinking too much about it.
Despite that less-than-careful handling, the Magic V6 hasn’t sustained any significant or noticeable damage.
Is the HONOR Magic V6 your GadgetMatch?
The HONOR Magic V6 is the fulfillment of the book-style foldable promise.
It’s a standard-sized smartphone that unfolds into something larger. It unlocks productivity and multitasking capabilities exactly the way you imagine it would.
The weight, thickness, and handling are about as close as you’re going to get to a regular smartphone. What’s remarkable is that HONOR achieved this while also delivering excellent battery life, fast charging, and a camera system that rarely feels like a compromise.
It won’t stop me from being curious about where foldables go next.
But it did remind me how good today’s foldables have already become.
If we’re judging the HONOR Magic V6 based on what a book-style foldable is supposed to be, there is very little left to sacrifice. That’s why I’m giving the Magic V6 the GadgetMatch Seal of Approval.
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