Vivo S1 Pro Review: 48MP Quad Camera Phone


This is our Vivo S1 Pro review where we discuss this latest mid-range Android phone with a 48 megapixels quad camera. Vivo S1 Pro has hit the market place and in this detailed review, we will be sharing our complete thoughts on the new phone. S1 Pro from Vivo is targeted as a mid-rang phone with a well-thought out exterior. The main features which the brand has proudly integrated within S1 Pro include the Quad-Camera setup with a 48MP main sensor, large battery and a unique design that hasn’t necessarily been done before. If you are looking to purchase one, we will be discussing the phone in detail right ahead in our review.

Vivo has been crafting phones for more than a decade now, with its primary focus being Asian markets. The company’s newest S1 Pro is a budget to mid-range device that takes most of its hardware cues from the higher-end Vivo V17. Shipping with a higher-than average RAM capacity and good storage, let’s discuss whether it is the phone to get at this price point.

Vivo S1 Pro review

Let’s review the technical specifications of Vivo S1 Pro first:

  • Network: (GSM / FDD / TDD / WCDMA)
  • Display: 6.38-inch Display (2340 x 1080)
  • Processor: Snapdragon 665
  • OS: Android 9.0, Funtouch OS 9.2
  • Camera Rear:  48MP f/1.8 + 8MP f/2.2 + 2MP f/2.4+ 2MP f/2.4
  • Camera Front: 32MP f/2.0
  • Connectivity: USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.0 and 3.5mm Headphone Jack
  • Memory: 8GB RAM + 128GB Storage
  • Dimension: 159.25×75.19×8.68mm
  • Battery: 4,500mAh

You can read more about the Vivo S1 Pro specs at the official website.

Vivo S1 Pro Review: Exterior and Design

Vivo S1 Pro review

Taking a look at S1 Pro’s physical footprint, Vivo has designed this phone quite well. Continuing the trend of fancy paint options, you can get S1 Pro in either Dreamy White or Mystic Black. Both choices have unique color depth and reflect light meticulously. Our unit, as shown in the photos, is the Dreamy White variant.

Starting from the rear, S1 Pro has this unique rotated square placed in the center to house its 4 cameras. LED flash being placed right beneath, this camera “bump” is truly what makes the phone stand out. Also, there is a single sharp red line that cuts across to one side from the central camera and finishes the whole look. More, the Vivo logo is found printed horizontally at the bottom. Overall, Vivo has successfully managed a sleek look for the phone.

Inspecting the chassis that joins the front display to the back glass, it is painted in gold. From renders, it seems only Dream Sky has this variance, if you opt for a Mystic Black phone, the chassis will be black. This contrast on our unit works well. Further, on the left side, where you get all the physical buttons, you would notice the power button to be painted bright red — yet another great design choice and matches well with the red line on the back.

For the bottom part of the phone, you get a USB Type-C connector, speaker output and a microphone cutout. Opposite side, at the top, there is a 3.5mm headphone jack as well as another micrphone. Good to see Vivo not skipping the 3.5mm jack. On the left side, it is left empty except for the SIM tray that supports dual SIM as well as microSD expansion.

Vivo S1 Pro review

Lastly, for the front, you get a nice minimal bezel display that is 6.38 inches in diagonal and also, a front camera within a drop notch. We will be discussing the display technology and resolution itself in the next section. Also, on the front, there is an in-display fingerprint sensor. In our testing, the sensor proved to be accurate and fast. A tad slower than a comparable capacitive tech but definitely more convenient and makes for a cleaner aesthetic.

Vivo S1 Pro Review: Internal Hardware and Performance

Vivo S1 Pro review - in-screen fingerprint scanner

– Display

Despite being a mid-range device, Vivo has fitted S1 Pro with a Super AMOLED panel that comes with a resolution of 2340 x 1080. Since it is AMOLED, this makes for deep blacks, high contrast and also allows for Always-On display. Moreover, if you have dark mode enabled, AMOLED will help save battery hence increasing endurance.

For size, it is a 6.38 inch panel with a 19.5:9 ratio and minimal bezels. To fit the front camera, the front camera is placed in a drop-style notch. To offer S1 Pro at a lower price than V17, Vivo went for a notch rather than an in-display sensor which is a trade-off we can accept.

– Processor, Storage and RAM

For internals, Vivo has outfitted S1 Pro with Snapdragon 665 chipset that is then coupled with an extensive 8GB of RAM. The overall performance is quite comparable to what we have seen on V17. For daily tasks, the phone flies through everything. In terms of gaming and demanding apps, the chipset stands its own. Definitely, it can not play all performance intensive games at the highest frame-rates with the highest setting but then again, this is not expected from a mid-range processor anyhow.

Our unit had 128GB storage which is the base for this phone. You can spec it up-to 256GB but since there is microSD expansion, even if you go for 128GB, you can expand later. We did run our traditional benchmarks to put our words into numbers and here they are:

– Battery

Customers buying a mid-range device often prefer a higher battery endurance rather than utmost performance. Vivo’s S1 Pro comes with a large 4,500 mAh battery. Again, similar to V17. In our tests, we can easily categorize S1 Pro as a complete one-day phone. For some use-cases, the phone can easily go further than a whole day! Moreover, Vivo has Dual-Engine Fast Charging integrated which helps reduce overall charging time.

Vivo S1 Pro Review: Camera

Vivo S1 Pro quad cameras

There is no shortage of Megapixels on Vivo S1 Pro. The main sensor on the back is 48MP and for the front, 32MP. While we have seen MP only matter so much when it comes to final photos, S1 Pro truly delivers some amazing mobile photography. Further, S1 Pro boasts Quad sensors on the back. In addition to the traditional setup where there is a main sensor and an ultra-wide 8MP sensor, there are 2 more modules — one for macro photography and one for better bokeh shots.

On the software side of things, the camera app uses AI for scene detection, has HDR and various user selectable modes. Unfortunately, no dedicated night mode which is a bummer and could have been pulled off easily by Vivo. Regardless, we did manage to take some good shots at night, take a look at our sample photos:

Vivo S1 Pro review - camera sample shot
48MP

The front sensor is quite formidable as well. Thanks to the high MP, selfies come out sharp. Users can also utilize the camera app to apply corrections in order to get better pictures.

This 48 megapixels camera sensor is the same one we saw on Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 8.

Vivo S1 Pro Review: Software

Vivo S1 Pro Review: 48MP Quad Camera Phone 18

Vivo S1 Pro comes with FuntouchOS 9.2 which is based on Android 9 Pie. Despite being announced after Android 10, it is disappointing to see Vivo shipping the phone with dated software version. Nonetheless, the overall skin makes up for some of the lost features. Unlike other traditional skins, FuntouchOS takes a unique approach to overall UI. For starters, quick-access buttons and functions such as WiFi which are usually within the notification center are actually moved to a new menu which can be pulled up by a swipe from the recents button. More, all app icons are placed on the app screen by default.

In terms of functionality, FuntouchOS does add some key features to enhance the overall experience. There is a system-wide dark mode which is a big plus! Also, Multi-Turbo is present within the system to increase performance of apps and games. Additionally, dedicated Motorbike mode, Game Center and also, real-time Voice Change for games are some highlights that are exclusive to FuntouchOS and definitely add value to S1 Pro.

More Pictures

Screenshots

Taimur Akmal
Taimur Akmal

Devoted writer, enjoys developing code. Appreciates excellent food, exceptional coffee and great company. He is also into sublime design and nicely built cars.

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