Hands-On

vivo X50 Hands-On: Underrated, overshadowed

It deserves some spotlight

Published

September 27, 2020

MJ Jucutan

We’ve all felt inadequate. This is especially when we’re surrounded by people we believe are better than us. This is the feeling I remember after having used the vivo X50 for a few days.

To start with, the vivo X50 is the more affordable sibling in the X50 series. It lacks the features that sets the X50 Pro apart: the Gimbal camera system, a flagship-grade chipset, and 5G connectivity.

But do we even need all the features that the X50 Pro has? For everyday users, the X50 is more than enough, and it deserves to be given a chance.

Like a dapper gentleman

First and foremost, the X50 is gleamingly handsome. If I were to draw a character, the X50 would look like a high-maintenance, dapper gentleman, whose hair and beard were trimmed and sculpted in a barberdashery (a barber and haberdashery in one) like Felipe & Sons.

It exudes a classic appearance that makes you want to hold it. But before you do that, you’d have to choose between the matte Frost Blue and the fingerprint-magnet glass in Glaze Black.

Personally, I prefer the Glaze Black due to my habit of leaving memories behind, like a smudge on a glass. Kidding aside, I love the reflective mirror-like design.

But its design doesn’t matter as much since I tend to slap a case on any phone I use. If I won’t, there’s a ninety-six percent chance of glass phones slipping from my regularly moisturized hands.

Comfortable and entertaining

Surprisingly, the X50 is lightweight and slim enough to sit comfortably in my tiny hands. It can reach the in-display fingerprint scanner easily.

On the front, the vivo X50 prides itself on the same 6.56-inch AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ technology like the X50 Pro. Watching videos and playing games is a treat with its vibrant colors, high contrast, and bright screen.

There’s also an Ultra Game Mode — an exclusive feature found on Funtouch OS 10.5 (based on Android 10). Mobile games like PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legend: Bang Bang are supported by vivo’s gaming feature.

In case you didn’t know, this feature helps you stay focused on your game, whether you’re playing for fun or competitively. Notifications are definitely turned off and your system’s resources are managed well, especially when you opt for Esports mode. There will be no accidental touches, annoying calls, and it moderates your phone’s temperature for smoother gameplay. Moreover, it saves battery.

Serving more than enough of what you really need

Frankly, the vivo X50 packs enough power to fuel your entertainment needs. Whether it’s intensive gaming or seamless performance. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 730 and sports an 8GB RAM and 128GB built-in storage.

This handset is also equipped with a 4200mAh battery and supports vivo FlashCharge 2.0, reaching 33W of fast charging. Of course, it uses a Type-C port and cable, just like any normal 2020 phone.

With a bigger juice and near-flagship grade chipset, you can ensure a long-lasting experience. You can play to your heart’s content and binge-watch all 16 episodes of the latest K-drama people are talking about.

In my case, I watched the visual spectacle that is Fire Force — an animé based on the manga of the same name filled with brilliant animation sequences and blazingly hot character designs.

The downside in having this exquisite display while playing games or watching shows is the intrusive punch-hole cutout, which houses its 32-megapixel selfie camera.

Getting that glass skin

Moving to its selfies, the front camera struggles to take clear and decent selfies at low light but performs exceptionally with sufficient daylight.

Even under harsh sunlight, the vivo X50 snaps portrait-oriented selfies perfectly… for the ‘gram. I uploaded my selfies on Instagram Story’s Close Friends feature, handpicking people that are attracted to me so I can receive comments and validation.

Most of them complimented how I looked fresh, striking a close resemblance to South Korean actors’ glass skin apparent in K-dramas. On the other hand, some people were hesitant to compliment me because they’re too afraid to flirt and possibly fall for me. (Just kidding.)

Choosing the real you

But the truth is I’m not pore-less, and I refused to use vivo’s beauty mode since I thought it was too intense. Despite having beauty mode tailored for men, I was still averse since a beautified version of myself is far from how I actually look. And definitely not how I want to be seen.

What seems to be the common case in my selfies is how vivo pads beautification in its post-processing, even if you’re not actively using its beauty mode.

The thing is, vivo’s front camera uses an f/2.45 aperture, which results in backlit photos and brightened selfies. For reference, you can look at the well-lit busy background and cerulean-like sky on the middle photo above. Meanwhile, the photo on the right looks overexposed, even though I’m just basking under the sunlight inside a car.

However, this nitpicking can be handled easily if you know some tips and tricks in taking better selfies. Overall, the quality looks decent, and any selfie-taker or young professional who’d love to look good for a self-esteem boost will be satisfied with the results.

Putting Portrait Mode on a pedestal

It’s been years, but smartphone companies are still far from perfect in terms of their cameras’ portrait modes. Evident in the X50 is vivo’s attempt to produce cleaner bokeh albeit still unrefined.

When taking photos against a busy background, Portrait Mode should help you produce cleaner outputs while keeping the focus on the subject. But it’s still unpolished, as seen through the cutouts around my hair and shoulders. Additionally, vivo smartly applied HDR which lit my background causing haze around my face and hair.

Forgive me for slapping a clear case meant for the X50 Pro, I just really needed to put a case on.

Using its rear camera, the Portrait Mode had troubles dealing with depth of field (DoF), blurring my arms together with the background in the mirror. If you struggle with Portrait Mode, I mentioned in one of my camera hacks a trick on how to use mirrors to create better depth.

This way, you don’t have to be dependent on maxing out Portrait Mode, which results in ugly cutouts where you’d look like a pasted magazine cutout in a gaussian blurred image.

For every moment you can capture

The vivo X50 uses a quad-camera system similar to the X50 Pro, only with a smaller camera bump and narrower module. It uses Sony’s IMX598 sensor, comprised of a 48-megapixel primary shooter, a 13-megapixel portrait camera (with 50mm prime lens), an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 5-megapixel macro camera.

When compared to phones in a similar price range, the X50 is a mild contender in the camera department. It certainly packs useful features in shooting any type of photos. There’s a 120-degree super wide-angle, a clear 2X optical zoom, and 20X digital zoom.

Shot in auto mode on a 1:1 format (Square)

Backlit shot in auto mode on a 1:1 format (Square)

Flat lay produced through 2X optical zoom

20X digital zoom on a hive in my home’s window

Horizontal macro shot taken by placing the cameras close to the flowers

Vertical macro shot taken by placing the cameras close to the flowers

While vivo boasts of sharp and crystal clear night shots, I wasn’t able to test it due to curfew restrictions in my neighborhood.

The way our heart beats with strong connections

Casual users like me spend most of our time watching videos and listening to music. Of course, audio is as important as the display and other features. To audiophiles, vivo isn’t worth considering despite starting its humble story with peerless audio tuning.

Regardless, the vivo X50 fills a room loud enough like a night club booming with party speakers. It doesn’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack, but Type-C wired earphones will still work well.

If you’re down with vivo’s ecosystem, it’s better to get the vivo TWS Neo since it pairs easily with the X50. Just like any other smartphone brand, vivo is focused in creating a seamless connection between its devices. With an R&D focused in audio, you get the same rich sound in both the X50 and TWS Neo.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

On paper, tech junkies might say a lot about its internals, yet vivo is more than the specs it offers. For years, vivo has been delivering an experience that is relevant to casual consumers.

The X50 is a testament to vivo’s history — offering the right power that everyday users need. While there are similar upper midrange phones with better specs and features, the vivo X50 still promises an all-around experience.

It may not have the X50 Pro’s flagship-grade power and extra features, the X50 serves that nearly similar flagship experience, at a reduced price. Undisturbed gaming, near-flagship efficient performance, better selfies and balanced cameras, and seamless ecosystem — what’s there to ask for?

Undoubtedly, it’s similar to the Samsung Galaxy A71. Both handsets are well-rounded, yet the X50 has a better build and design.

The vivo X50 retails for PhP 25,999 (US$ 536) in vivo’s official stores and authorized retail partners. Select outlets will also add in an exclusively X50 fit silicone Comfy case.

Accessories

Marshall Major V: Reasons Why I Love It

After a month of using

Published

April 17, 2024

GadgetMatch and Michael Josh Villanueva

I’ve got a new favorite pair of headphones.

They look good, sound good, last long, are compact and portable.

Most of all? They are from a brand that I truly love.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Here’s are V Major reasons why I love the new Marshall Major V!

Hands-On

ZTE nubia Neo 5G: Decent for gaming

But needs improvement

Published

April 4, 2024

GadgetMatch and Levi Verora Jr

Photos c/o Deric Claveria

If you’re looking to buy a smartphone specifically for gaming, you’ll typically need to shell out more. You have to spend extra for capable hardware and software to fuel the mobile gaming experience. That doesn’t mean manufacturers aren’t trying their best to bring more affordable gaming phones to customers. Enter the ZTE nubia Neo 5G.

Known for their higher-end devices like the Redmagic series, ZTE introduced a budget-level choice that promises better gaming for all. Appearance-wise, it straight up looks like a gaming phone. But does it really deliver on being a great value device for mobile gamers?

ZTE nubia Neo 5G specs

Unisoc T820 chipset, up to 2.7GHz
Android 13
8GB+10GB RAM
256GB RAM
6.6-inch FHD+ display
120Hz refresh rate
50MP main camera + 2MP depth camera, 8MP front camera
4,500mAh battery
22.W fast-charging
3.5mm jack
2 SIM card slots

On paper, the ZTE nubia Neo 5G has the usual specs expected of a smartphone of its price point. There’s the usual 50MP main camera, FHD+ display, and and even a 3.5mm jack. On the positive end, it differs from other competitors by offering a higher refresh rate and a more spacious internal storage. However, it has a smaller battery capacity and a slightly slower “fast-charging” output.

WATCH: ZTE nubia Neo 5G Unboxing Reel

Appearance, feel

This budget gaming phone immediately stands out with its gold-and-black, Mecha-like finish at the back. The protruding camera lenses somehow mimic machine gears. The unit we tested came in War-Damaged Yellow. It somehow reminds us of Bumblebee from the Transformers franchise. There is also a Phantom Black option for those wanting black to be the dominant color.

The phone itself has just the proper amount of sleekness into it. It’s not slippery. It’s comfortable to hold. However, the placement of its speakers on the lower left does not help when holding the phone horizontally. Fingers tend to have it blocked, lessening the gaming experience.

Camera

As usual, this budget offering has as 50MP main shooter, with the 2MP extra camera standing in vain. The main camera works well with stills, and leans more on the natural side when it comes to color. Not too saturated, not too pale, just about right. Of course, you’ll need to be ultra steady when capturing as this phone does not support advanced stabilization features.

Additionally, you’ll need sufficient lighting to retain details. Shoot against the light, and the camera’s low dynamic range won’t help in preserving details in the darker parts. Shake your hand a bit, and you’ll get blurred captures. It’s pretty much expected for a handset in this segment.

Check out these sample photos:

Usage

The ZTE nubia Neo 5G does have a simple user interface that’s familiar long-time for Android users. It is able to work well for casual browsing, switching from one app to another, and having a few apps open.

On the downside, there are a few instances that hopping from one app to the other takes a bit more than a split second. I kind of expected that already, especially with watching livestreams or apps involving videos like YouTube and TikTok.

Of course, for optimal performance, it’s best to have just a few apps running at a time. And even with its slightly “smaller” battery, the phone can last you up to a full day for light to moderate use.

Gaming

We tested multiple titles on the ZTE nubia Neo 5G, ranging from slightly to highly demanding, to check its promise of better gaming on an affordable device. Apparently, games will run on the phone under low settings by default.

The phone held its own quite smoothly for usual MOBA and FPS titles, for as long as the graphics settings are set to low.

But where there are more simultaneous things going on, like in a mad Call of Duty scramble, that’s where the effects begin to experience lagging.

Moreover, with titles like Asphalt 9: Legends and Genshin Impact, which both push capabilities to the limit, the phone barely was able to support high settings.

To be fair, the phone did not get very hot throughout about an hour of gameplay, which is quite a plus. All things considered, including its price point and aesthetic that screams gaming, the ZTE nubia Neo 5G can be a decent gaming choice for those who are on a budget but still want to enjoy such games.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

Overall, the ZTE nubia Neo 5G is a serviceable budget phone, especially when it comes to usual performance. There are, however, some aspects that need to be improved. It wouldn’t hurt to improve the fast-charging capabilities, change the placement of its speakers, or sneak an extra ultra-wide lens to the setup.

But we fully understand that this device was meant for gaming. Higher-end models aren’t perfect either. This is a decent choice, considering that incorporating better specs to cheaper devices is still an ongoing process. It can only get better from here.

The ZTE nubia Neo 5G is available starting at PhP 9,999 on ZTE’s official Shopee store.

Hands-On

Found: Cute smartphone to match your coquette aesthetic

The OPPO Reno11 F 5G deserves that cute, pink bow

Published

March 4, 2024

MJ Jucutan

If you like it, then you should’ve put a ~pink bow~ on it!

At least, that’s what we did with the newest OPPO Reno11 F 5G painted in Coral Purple.

That soft, lilac hue bodes well with the coquette aesthetic — social media girlies’ cute (and crazy) obsession now.

Originally, the term “coquette” means “a woman who flirts,” which is also referenced at Robert Greene’s book called “The Art of Seduction.”

But the Generation Z knows how to put a spin on everything, with the trend now leaning into more playful and romantic approach to everything they see.

Think: pastel, pink, bows, and everything about girlhood.

The OPPO Reno11 F 5G fits in that dainty aesthetic. It’s a smartphone that looks playful from the get-go.

The frame’s slender, and it’s light enough for some chicly usage. Taking mirror selfies like a supermodel can be an achievable flex.

The flat sides look polished, befitting someone who looks bejeweled and ready to step into the world with confidence.

The buttons on the right side are easily reachable — for adjusting your music’s volume and for taking quick selfies.

It also comes in USB-C sitting on its bottom side along with mic and speakers.

Forget 11:11

Up front, the Reno11 F 5G comes with a flat display. Just like the coquette aesthetic, flat displays are being revived.

Curves are getting overrated, though. The flat, 6.7-inch AMOLED display is easier for watching and streaming your favorite shows and films.

Streaming a 2000s film like Mean Girls in 2024 didn’t feel like I was watching a movie from two decades ago. The visuals look as punchy and vibrant as it gets.

I enjoyed rewatching Devil Wears Prada as well, which can be streamed on Netflix. Even when I was sitting by the windows during noontime, the phone’s brightness kept up with the harsh light coming through.

It maintained that dynamic color despite struggling with glares.

What surprised me was the Ultra Volume mode, which boosts the audio up to 300%. The bimbo in me thought it was specifically for Netflix’s content, but I was wrong.

While using TikTok to think of new coquette style and watching my mother Taylor Swift’s performance since I wouldn’t be able to go to the Eras Tour, I activated the ultra volume once more.

The speaker’s as powerful as it gets but frankly, it might hurt your ears. It’s a back-up feature for when you forget your cute, full-toned speakers.

Living life like you’re in a rom-com film

Having a playful smartphone doesn’t end with putting pink bows and looking cute. It should let you romanticize life and let you live like you’re in a rom-com film.

We got to take the smartphone out for a whole day and its 5000mAh battery capacity didn’t even drop to one-fourth. Yup, even with mobile data on, taking pictures and videos, and browsing endlessly on TikTok and Instagram.

The 256GB internal storage is also sufficient for storing all your favorite moments. And more importantly, it’s got a camera that lets you record your everyday life.

The OPPO Reno11 F 5G comes with a 64-megapixel Ultra-Clear Triple Camera, which is also capable of recording a 4K Ultra-Clear Video apt for your TikTok and Instagram Reels.

There’s an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera using a Sony IMX355 sensor, if you want to capture your views.

And for some details, there’s a 2-megapixel macro camera for when you want to zoom in a little. Up front, you can enjoy a 32-megapixel selfie camera which uses a Sony IMX615 sensor.

Moreover, there are built-in filters that you can select for your photos. Here are glimpses of our lives romanticized.

A match made for coquette girlies

The OPPO Reno11 F 5G takes anyone easily in their lover era, thanks to its playful vibe. The coquette aesthetic may fit it well, but it’s still a versatile phone that any girlies and their oomfs can take advantage of.

It’s just like any midrange phone, capable of multi-tasking from morning to night. Powered by MediaTek Dimensity 7050, you can certainly swipe continuously and power through the day.

You can even play some games if you’re bored from doomscrolling.

And when you’re in dire need of recharging, you can let it charge with its 67W SUPERVOOC. Before you’re done with your makeup, the phone’s already back to a hundred.

So, if you’re up for a smartphone that can easily take on your day-to-day life while looking coquette, the OPPO Reno11 F 5G just might be the dainty gizmo of your dreams.

Pricing and availability for the OPPO Reno11 F 5G will be announced soon. Stay tuned.