The new Z5 has a large 6.67-inch display (still IPS, however), uses a powerful Snapdragon 778G chipset, fast storage UFS 3.1, adds a set of stereo speakers to the mix, and boosts battery capacity -5,000 mAh that more in line with modern standards.
With clever design, there are no major changes, but the updated look is fine. The camera island has been restored, and there is no waterdrop notch, which was a kind of separation, originally. The punch-hole hole for the camera you shot made more sense in 2021. After all, the Z system from iQOO is mostly targeted to the Gen Z generation (hence the name) and needs to be in line with trends.
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Vivo QOO Z5 hands-on review
And while we saw the iQOO Z3 as a sensible solution powered by the 5G Indian market despite fierce competition from its price brackets, the Z5 loses part of its appeal at an initial price of INR 23,990. And again, the improved hardware probably costs a few dollars, and that’s what we’ll try to find on the pages that follow.
Opening in vivo QOO Z5
The handset comes with a standard input that includes a standard 44W charger and a USB-A cable to USB-C.
vivo QOO Z5 hands-on review
Vivo also threw a transparent silicone case as a bonus.
Design and handling
It’s hard to compare the Z3 with the Z5 as the latest one is built next to a larger 6.67-inch display, but it remains lighter compared to 193g. This is mainly due to the plastic construction – the frame and back are both made of plastic with a matte finish. In this round, however, Vivo is teaming up with the original glass panel maker – Tungshu – to make the so-called Panda glass.
The phone is still comfortable to hold, however, and the bank now has more flexibility on the sides, helping with grip. Additionally, the paint job makes the plastic feel like a premium, at least to the touch.
We loved the Arctic Dawn variant which has a matte finish. It is a better structure than the Z3.
As we have said before, the camera lens has been modified, taking a closed shape and slightly larger. Switching from notch to punch-hole is a widely accepted decision – it makes the phone look more compatible with modern design language.
The side buttons have a decent response, while the power button doubles as a fingerprint reader and is quick and responsive.
All in all, the iQOO Z5 offers a beautiful, lightweight design suitable for the price category. Nothing unusual or special, but it fixes a few minor problems we had with the previous design. Kudos for that.
Computer hardware overview
It starts with the display, which has grown from 6.58 “to 6.67” and is protected by Panda glass. It is also compatible with HDR10 and can achieve up to 600 light as per Vivo specification.
We haven’t had a chance to test it with the right materials, but the fit is right under the bright sunlight. Easy to see text, photos, and videos – not too much.
Interestingly, we tested the standard video support ourselves and found that the display even covers standard HDR10 + and HLG codecs. The Widevine L1 certificate is listed so 1080p content on Amazon Prime and Netflix is accessible.
Unfortunately, while the competition is focused on OLED panels, the Z5 remains IPS. This results in lower contrast and HDR performance. After all, LCD panels have much less blurring than OLED.
The chipset has also been upgraded, from the Snapdragon 768G to the Snapdragon 778G, and the basic memory variant now offers 2GB of RAM over 8GB / 128GB. And the fast storage of UFS 3.1 is an acceptable addition as well, although we doubt that anyone can feel the difference in everyday use. Sadly, the new Z5 misses the card slot, so there is no more storage space.
The rear camera setting is taken from the Z3, which means the popular budget 64MP, 1 / 1.97 “, 0.7µm sensor guides the camera door paired with f / 1.8 aperture. It is equipped with an 8MP f / 2.2 ultrawide camera with a 120 view field. And a third unit is used for macro photography, providing only 2MP resolution.
Previously, the photo camera you took was subjected to a reduction. It is the same 16MP sensor, but the input current is less than f / 2.5 compared to the older generation that had f / 2.0. We suspect that the new punch-hole design has forced Vivo to use a small hole.
The addition of stereo speakers is a big deal as most devices have the same price as they do. It has also become the standard for mid-range devices. The battery door is a mixed bag for this because in vivo it greatly increased capacity and reduced charging speed. So now you get a 5,000 mAh battery charging over 44W instead of a 4,400 mAh battery that drains 55W. However, a 50% charge from the apartment should take 26 minutes, according to the Vivo data itself.
Performance
We have done a few benchmark tests to see if the Snapdragon 778G chipset and its functionality are working properly. And, of course, to see if competitors with the same price give the horse a green horse.
And here is a continuous load test that shows approximately 81% performance after an hour-long pressure test. That’s a very good metric, and it looks like there are no significant spikes in performance, which means there will be no sudden drop in frames during gameplay after the CPU starts surfing.
CPU stress test – in vivo QOO Z5 hands-on review
CPU stress test
As for the update rate during play, this seems to be a problem with the iQOO Z5 as it does with most phones. Only Real Racing 3 runs at 120fps, while all the other games we have tried are locked at 60fps, so you will not be able to use the full power of the 120Hz panel.
Software
The handset works on Funtouch 12 over Android 11, which is a little disappointing considering that we have entered the age of Android 12. Also, OriginOS seems to remain unique in the Chinese market at least for now.
If not, the system works fine without interruptions, but be aware of minor interruptions here. Notifications are self-explanatory, for example, while the installation of the latest apps menu takes a short time after making a touch for no apparent reason.
Home screen, latest apps, shadow notifications, app drawer – in vivo QOO Z5 manual update Home screen, latest apps, notification, app drawer – Vivo QOO Z5 manual update Home screen, latest apps, shadow notification, app wardrobe – Vivo handwriting review QOO Z5 Home screen, latest apps, shadow notifications, app drawer – in vivo QOO Z5 handwriting review Home screen, latest apps, notification, app drawer – Vivo QOO Z5 review of hands
Home screen, latest apps, notification shade, app wardrobe
Aside from the misuse of HRR in games, Funtouch 12 handles it very well in other apps and system menus. Smart Switch Mode seems to produce the best results. If you do not share the screen, the refresh rate will drop to 60Hz, and it is the same for all the apps we have tried. At least the most popular, namely.
Settings menu – in vivo QOO Z5 manual review update Settings menu – in vivo QOO Z5 hands-on review Settings menu – in vivo QOO Z5 manual update Settings menu – in vivo QOO Z5 hands-on review Settings menu – VO. Some apps like Quora and Chrome did not exceed 60Hz. Netflix, YouTube, Google Photos, too, but that’s because you don’t need HRR when watching videos or going through your photo gallery.
Camera
Here are a few samples that were taken with large cameras and ultrawide. They are all taken with open AI location recognition mode and HDR is set to default.Daytime Sample Camera Samples: Main – f / 1.8, ISO 50, 1 / 909s – Vivo
Daytime Sample Camera Samples: Basic – f / 1.8, ISO 50, 1 / 611s – Vivo
Samples of daylight camera: Primary • Ultrawide • Primary • Extremely wide. We also recorded a 4K video for you to see.
The decision
While the upgrade of the iQOO Z5 has a significant precedent, the increase in prices makes it a less desirable option, especially considering it comes with slower charging and bypassing the MicroSD card slot in this regard. Most importantly, however, the in vivo decision to use the LCD panel or 120Hz will certainly mislead potential buyers.
And while the iQOO Z3 was a kind of sensible solution powered by 5G at the time, things changed a few months ago, and competitors also rode the 5G train. This means that 5G will no longer be the only selling point on the phone.
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