Vivo X90 review: Matches well with its big brother

Vivo launched two phones under the new X90 series in India, which includes vanilla and Pro models. Understandably, the X90 Pro has stolen most of the headlines thanks to its 1-inch Zeiss lens and other hardware features. But Vivo has decided that the vanilla X90 can’t exist just to make numbers, and when you read its specs, you’ll find that it’s not all that different from the X90 Pro, even though it costs a lot less at Rs 59,999. variant.

So what does the Vivo X90 offer and can it outshine its premium siblings and become a viable purchase option over the Samsung Galaxy S23 or Google Pixel 7 in India? We used the device for a few weeks to give you the answer in this review.

Vivo X90 review: What’s cool?

We’ve talked about the Vivo X90 Pro’s display, performance and cameras before in our review. And most of these aspects apply to the X90 version as well. There is a big change in design as the company opts for the X90 Pro’s glassy textured material instead of faux leather.

Frankly, we prefer a leathery touch, but the X90’s textured finish isn’t bad by any means. The Full HD+ screen with a refresh rate of 120 Hz is excellent and the colors produced by the panel are identical to the Pro model.

Vivo has also used the same MediaTek Dimensity 9200 SoC to power the X90, and you can get it with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, which will keep you happy no matter what kind of use you demand of your phone. The thermal management of the chipset is satisfactory in most cases, allowing you to milk more out of the built-in battery.

The biggest difference is in the camera department, where you don’t have the 1-inch Sony IMX989 sensor. Vivo has still managed to pack in a competent set of cameras that are, in their own way, quite capable in most conditions. You have a 50-megapixel primary sensor with OIS, a 12-megapixel telephoto sensor and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor.

The Zeiss T*lens coating is also available on the X90. The overall quality of photos from the main and secondary cameras is good enough for casual users, and even in low light you can take very detailed photos. The color tones are natural and you get a real picture of the object.

The Vivo X90 also gets the same Android 13-based Funtouch OS 13 out of the box as the X90 Pro, and the device comes with bloatware that can be removed. The software experience is generally smooth and you won’t face any major issues while using the phone.

And finally, you have the X90’s battery, which also supports 120W wired charging like its older version. In most cases, the average screen time is 5-6 hours with heavy usage, which means more than a day of backup for regular users. With the included charger, you can charge the battery in less than 20 minutes.

Vivo X90 Review: What’s Not So Cool?

Well, honestly, there’s not much we didn’t like about the X90. In fact, the X90 offers quite a lot of features for the price you pay. That being said, you lose the 1-inch primary sensor, which is a game-changer in many ways, and you also lose the wireless charging supported by the vanilla X90. If you can get past those differences, the X90 doesn’t feel like a compromise.

Vivo X90 Review: Should You Buy?

The Vivo X90 is a premium phone that doesn’t cost Rs 80,000, but makes up for its consideration by matching the specs to the X90 Pro to a large extent. If you don’t need a camera with a 1-inch sensor or wireless charging support, the X90 is a more than capable device with the same hardware as the Pro version and costs a lot less. So, if your budget doesn’t exceed Rs 65,000 and you don’t mind experimenting outside of the stock Android experience, the X90 is a worthy option for the buyer.

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