Vivo finally unveiled the Vivo NEX. For some that may not be familiar with the company, Vivo is a Chinese smartphone maker that over the years has been trying to push boundaries to create a name for itself. A few years back, it made rounds on websites and blogs for having the thinnest smartphones. A few months ago it was known for having created the first in-display fingerprint sensor. Shortly after that Vivo went ahead to showcase it’s prototype smartphone the Vivo APEX which featured an in-display fingerprint scanner, tossed in a surprising motorized front facing camera in an effort to create an all bezel-less smartphone.
The Vivo APEX was stunning, only it was a concept and not available for retail. There was rumor that Vivo was working on a retail version of the Vivo APEX. And here we have it.
The first thing that will catch your eye when you look at the Vivo APEX is the display.
The phone itself is almost bezel-less. It spots a 6.59-inch Full HD OLED display with a 91.24% screen-to-body ratio. This is the first phone to push above 90% screen-to-body ratio. Very clear Vivo was striving to a achieve a bezel-less phone. The chin is visible though. It is one thing many smartphone manufacturers have not been able to remove apart from Apple who clearly evened out the bezel around the phone to make nothing else noticeable but the notch. The chin on the Vivo NEX is where we expect the display drivers and components to have been put.
The Vivo NEX also borrowed the in-display fingerprint sensor from the Vivo NEX. It is safe to say this is the first retail phone with an in-display fingerprint sensor. The technology is at it’s infancy though. The scanner is not as fast as other scanners placed separately from the display in other phones.
The phone has motorized Pop-up 8MP f/2.0 selfie camera. This is the first of it’s kind in production. In an effort to avoid the notch but still have a selfie camera, this was a clever move though we can’t be sure about the durability of this pop-up camera in the long run. Having a moving part as that in a phone is a bold move.
The back cameras is a set of Dual 12MP f1.8 and 5MP f2.4.
The phone itself is comparable to top flagship devices from major manufacturers in terms of performance. It is a powerhouse. It is powered by the latest powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 845 chip with 8GB or RAM and a huge 256GB of on-board storage with no micro-SD card support. It’s has a large 4000mAh battery, enough to last you through out the day. It runs Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box. It also retains the 3.5mm headphone jack many manufacturers and doing away with.
Conclusion:
The Vivo NEX is an overall impressive device. It is a powerful phone and carries innovation other smartphone makers haven’t yet ventured into. It also makes a statement that a phone in 2018 can do away with the notch and still have less bezel to it. Unfortunately, this devices will only be available in China costing 4,998 yuan ( approximately USD $780).
What do you this about the Vivo NEX? Let us know in the comments below.
