Update (March 1, 5:10 am ET): An earlier version of this article stated that the V27 series was available in India. This has now been rectified.
What you need to know
- Vivo today announced its latest mid-range series of phones, boasting plenty of camera smarts and imaging capabilities.
- The Vivo V27 Pro is powered by MediaTek's 4nm-based Dimensity 8200 chipset, which promises near-flagship experience.
- Meanwhile, the regular version includes a Dimensity 7200 SoC, which is still built on a 4nm process.
- The new devices are available for preorder in India, and the standard variant will be released in global markets later this month.
Vivo was one of the most head-turning brands in the smartphone segment last year, releasing a line of mid-range phones with a unique back panel that changes color when exposed to sunlight or UV light. Last year's aesthetics are now making a comeback for the company's latest handsets, the Vivo V27 and V27 Pro, alongside a number of upgrades and new features.
The new devices have made their debut today, with the Pro model focusing on the Indian market. The Vivo V27 and V27 Pro share a similar design, which comes with the same color-changing glass on the back as last year's models. The company uses Fluorite AG glass for the rear design, claiming that it is "the first phone manufacturer to achieve this color-changing effect on the back cover of a phone."
Vivo's latest budget offerings also see flagship features from many of last year's leading Android phones trickle down to the mid-range space, including a 4nm-based Dimensity 8200 SoC for the V27 Pro.
MediaTek launched the new processor late last year, promising an accessible flagship experience. The chipset includes an eight-core CPU, 3GPP Release-16 5G, support for 120Hz QHD displays, and Wi-FI 6E capability, all of which were found in MediaTek's flagship Dimensity 9000 SoC last year.
Meanwhile, the regular V27 model is powered by a Dimensity 7200 chip, which is a tad lower in rank than the Pro's processor.
On the optics side of things, the V27 series' cameras are a mixed bag. On the one hand, both models boast Vivo's Aura Light Portrait System, which the company claims "provides natural night portraits." In India, this feature is known as night portrait with aura light. The camera uses a Sony IMX766V sensor, which is just a rebranded Sony IMX766 sensor found on the Huawei Mate 50, OnePlus 10T, and Asus Zenfone 9, among other flagship models of 2022.
However, both phones ship with a triple camera setup that comprises a 50MP main shooter, as opposed to the 64MP main camera of the Vivo V25 series. This is paired with an 8MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP macro sensor.
Nonetheless, the V27 Pro's selfie snapper has been upgraded to a 50MP sensor versus the V25 Pro's 32MP front camera. The regular V27's front shooter is just the same as its predecessor.
The screen on both V27 models is larger than on their predecessors, with a 6.78-inch 3D curved FullHD+ AMOLED display capable of up to 120Hz. This makes the new models slightly taller than the V25 series, which could be a bit clunky for people with tiny hands.
Keeping the lights on for both devices is a 4,600mAh battery with support for 66W FlashCharge technology. Vivo claims the fast-charging capability can juice up the phone "to 43% in only 15 minutes while the screen is off, 72% in 30 minutes, and 100% in under an hour."
Elsewhere, the V27 series has up to 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. They run Android 13 out of the box, with Funtouch OS 13 on top.
Preorders start today in India, with the V27 Pro retailing at $459. The standard version costs $399, and in addition to India, it'll be available in global markets, including Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Pakistan, Egypt, and the UAE.
