Shenzhen-based mobile tech brand Vivo has announced the global launch of a new flagship series of smartphones. And like the previous generation, a partnership with optics titan Zeiss puts the focus on mobile imaging.
"X80 series demonstrates vivo's constant pursuit of user-oriented innovation and premium mobile imaging technology," said the company's senior VP and CMO, Spark Ni. "In successive collaboration with Zeiss, a global leader in optics and opto-electronics, we are once again delivering excellent experiences to users who can capture memories and create quality photographs and videos with more dynamics and perspectives."
The X80 series handsets is made up of two models, both sporting a Zeiss Cinematic Video Bokeh feature that's reported to produce a film-standard 2.39:1 aspect long oval bokeh effect for widescreen cinematic videography. And Vivo's cinematic lens simulation algorithm and dual-camera depth of field technology can be combined to enhance the overall effects, creating a cinema-like blue streak from the brightest point in the image.
A one-tap standard round video bokeh effect is also available, which changes to match the focal length, aperture setting and shooting distance. Biostar-style, Distagon-style, Planar-style and Sonnar-style bokeh effects can be applied as well.
The phones come with the latest iteration of the Vivo V1+ imaging chip with onboard AI, and the series now benefits from a new Camera Panning feature with portrait motion tracking to reduce blur caused by hand shake.
An AI Perception Engine works with Zeiss Natural Color 2.0 to improve color accuracy for images that "appear more life-like, refined and natural," while after-dark shooting has also been given a performance boost and Vivo is promising better clarity and tone in backlit photos too.
Given the special attention Vivo has given to photography and videography, let's start by having a look at the square block containing the circular rear camera array of the X80 Pro.
The main camera is a 50-MP shooter with a high-sensitivity GNV sensor designed to "optimize reflectivity and reduce stray light" for the promise of pro-level photos and videos. The main camera also benefits from optical image stabilization. Then there's a 48-MP wide-angle module, followed by a 12-MP portrait camera and finally an 8-MP periscope lens.
Moving around front, the Pro gets a 6.78-inch (3,200 x 1,440) AMOLED display with a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz and a 32-MP hole-punch selfiecam up top.
Inside, this model is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 mobile platform, supported by 12 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage, and the phone runs Vivo's Funtouch OS 12, which is based on Android 12. Liquid cooling is cooked in too for optimized performance.
Elsewhere, there's Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6, as well as 5G mobile connectivity and USB-C. Vivo has thrown in a 4,700-mAh battery with support for 80-W cabled fast-charging for a full top-up in just 35 minutes, and 50-W wireless is available too. The handset also comes with an all-new 3D ultrasonic fingerprint sensor that can unlock the handset within 0.2 seconds.
The X80 smartphone has the same size AMOLED display as the Pro model, but at a lower 2,400 x 1,080 resolution. There's a triple-camera array to the rear made up of a 50-MP main, 12-MP portrait and 12-MP wide.
The MediaTek Dimensity 9000 platform serves up processing and graphics, which is also supported by 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. And this model runs the Android-based Funtouch OS 12 too.
It's kept cool with the help of a large vapor chamber with more than 23 heat-dissipation layers, and the workload of the CPU and GPU can be reduced during heavy load games by compressing onscreen images through an AI Gaming Super Resolution feature to help get more from the 4,500-mAh battery. Other specs are pretty much the same as its Pro sibling.
The X80 Pro wears black only, while the X80 comes in black or blue. Pricing and availability have not been revealed.