vivo V23e

In today's smartphone market, mid-range phones have become increasingly exciting, offering users a great balance between features and affordability. Vivo, known for its innovative approach, has released the Vivo V23e, a smartphone that deviates from the typical mid-range formula. In this review, we will explore the Vivo V23e's features and performance, with a special emphasis on its price in Pakistan.

First Impressions and Unboxing Experience

The Vivo V23e comes in an impressive package, reminiscent of smartphones from the past. The box includes several accessories, such as a pre-applied screen protection film, a precise-fit silicone case, a USB Type-C to Type-A charging cable, a 44W charger, a USB Type-C to 3.5 mm adapter, and even a pair of 3.5 mm earphones. It's worth noting that Vivo decided to omit the 3.5 mm jack on this mid-range phone, likely to promote their TWS headphones. However, it's interesting to see them include 3.5 mm earphones, a feature rarely seen in mid-range smartphones for the past few years.

Design and Build Quality

The Vivo V23e features a slim and lightweight body, thanks to its plastic frame. The glass back adds a touch of elegance, setting it apart from other mid-tier phones that often utilize cheaper plastic materials. The Moon Shadow variant, with its standard blue-ish black color, blends in with similar-looking phones, while the Dancing Wave variant stands out with its vibrant pink and purple gradient. The phone's layout includes volume and power buttons on the right side, a lone microphone on top, and four elements on the bottom: a hybrid SIM slot, another microphone, a Type-C charging port, and a speaker. The front of the phone, however, resembles smartphones from a few years ago, featuring a teardrop notch and a visible chin.

Display

The Vivo V23e boasts a 6.44-inch AMOLED screen with Full HD+ resolution, which some may consider small by today's standards.

Vivo provides various color profiles for customization, and side-by-side comparisons with flagship phones reveal that the V23e's screen often looks superior.

Software and User Experience

Vivo's Funtouch OS, based on Android 11, offers a surprisingly close-to-stock Android experience compared to heavily modified interfaces found on other Chinese smartphones. The software experience is generally smooth, with minimal bloatware and no intrusive ads. While the phone's performance is not top-tier, it handles day-to-day tasks well, with smooth app switching and reliable notifications. The device also offers useful features like split-screen and pop-up windows for multitasking. However, the widget functionality could use improvement, as clock and weather widgets sometimes malfunction when using third-party wallpapers.

Hardware and Performance

Under the hood, the Vivo V23e is powered by the Mediatek Helio G96 chipset, which, although lacking 5G support, delivers decent performance for daily usage. Paired with 8 GB of RAM, the phone handles multitasking with ease and rarely experiences long loading times.

Camera

The Vivo V23e is equipped with a triple-camera setup on the rear, featuring a 64-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The camera interface is user-friendly, offering various shooting modes, including Night Mode, Portrait Mode, and Pro Mode for manual adjustments. In well-lit conditions, the primary camera captures detailed and vibrant photos with good dynamic range. The ultra-wide-angle lens expands the field of view, allowing for stunning landscape shots or group photos.

In low-light situations, the Night Mode proves effective, enhancing image quality by reducing noise and improving sharpness. However, the performance in extremely low-light conditions may still fall short compared to higher-end smartphones. The depth sensor assists in creating pleasing bokeh effects in Portrait Mode, accurately blurring the background and highlighting the subject.

On the front, the Vivo V23e houses a 44-megapixel selfie camera within the teardrop notch. Selfies taken with this camera exhibit sharp details, and the AI beauty mode can be adjusted to personal preferences. The front camera also supports Night Mode, ensuring decent selfie quality even in low-light environments.

Battery Life and Charging

The Vivo V23e comes with a 4,000mAh battery, which is a standard capacity for smartphones in this price range. The phone's power-efficient processor and software optimizations contribute to a satisfactory battery life, easily lasting through a full day of moderate usage. However, heavy usage, such as gaming or extensive camera usage, may require a mid-day recharge.

Fortunately, when it comes to charging, the Vivo V23e excels. The included 44W fast charger can quickly replenish the battery, going from 0 to 100% in around 60-70 minutes. This is a significant advantage for users who are always on the go and need a quick top-up.

Connectivity and Storage

In terms of connectivity, the Vivo V23e offers dual SIM support, with both slots compatible with 4G networks. However, as mentioned earlier, it does not support 5G connectivity, which may be a drawback for users seeking the latest network technology. The phone also features Bluetooth 5.1, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, GPS, and NFC for convenient mobile payments.

Regarding storage, the Vivo V23e provides 128GB of internal storage, which should be sufficient for most users. Additionally, the phone includes a dedicated microSD card slot, allowing for storage expansion up to 1TB, offering ample space for multimedia files, photos, and apps.

Price and Availability in Pakistan

The Vivo V23e is competitively priced in the mid-range segment, offering an attractive balance between features and affordability. While prices may vary slightly depending on the retailer, the Vivo V23e is expected to be available in Pakistan at a price range of approximately PKR 40,000 to PKR 45,000.

Conclusion

The Vivo V23e presents a compelling option for users looking for a mid-range smartphone with impressive features. It offers a sleek design, a vibrant AMOLED display, a capable camera system, and fast charging capabilities. While it may not match the performance of flagship devices or offer 5G connectivity, it still delivers a solid overall user experience. With its competitive price range, the Vivo V23e is likely to attract consumers seeking a reliable and feature-packed smartphone without breaking the bank.

Competitors

However, it is worth noting that there are other smartphones available in the market with similar or better specifications at a similar price point such as Redmi Note 11 Pro, Samsung Galaxy M52 5G, and POCO F3. So, users should compare the Vivo V23e with other smartphones available in the market before making a final decision.