This year vivo has shown a more aggressive approach in introducing various new phones to the Malaysian market. One of the latest models is the vivo V60 and I once again had the opportunity to try it out.
As a user who has used several models in the vivo V series before, I found that there are some improvements in the V60. However, from an overall experience point of view, the improvements are not very noticeable. Why do I say that? I will explain in more detail in this review.
Specifications
vivo V60
AMOLED screen, 1B colors, HDR10+, 120Hz, 1500 nits
6.77-inch (1080 x 2392 pixels)
Schott Xensation Core
Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 processor (4 nm)
1 x 2.8 GHz Cortex-720 chip
4 x 2.4 GHz Cortex-720
3 x 1.8 GHz Cortex-520
Adreno 722 Graphics Chip
RAM 8/12GB LPDDR5X RAM
Virtual RAM (+12GB RAM)
Internal Storage 256/512GB UFS 4.0
Primary Camera 50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide) OIS
50 MP, f/2.7, 73mm (periscope telephoto) OIS
8 MP, f/2.0, 15mm (ultra-wide)
4K/30FPS
Front Camera 50 MP, f/2.2
Battery Si / C Li-Ion 6500 mAh
Wired 90W
Reverse charging
ByPass Charging
SIM/Dual SIM Nano /5G Telephony
NFC Yes
Infrared Yes
Waterproof IP68/69
Scanning System Fingerprint Scan
Face Scan
Selling Price RM1899 (8/256GB)
RM2199 (12/256GB)
RM2599 (12/512GB)
Usage Experience
As a user who has reviewed the V50 model, I find that this phone still maintains its distinctive design identity. It comes with a thin and light body and full curves on the front and back. This physical design makes the phone feel easy to grip and comfortable to use especially with one hand.
The matte finish is still maintained on the phone and this time I had the opportunity to use the Berry Purple colored unit. Although called 'purple' to me, the color is more like a heart red with a slightly darker tone than the bright red on the V50 that I used before.
The back panel of the phone feels smooth and neat in the hand, giving it a pleasant premium feel. The camera module also looks more prominent compared to the V50 with a design that reminds me of the X200 FE model that I used before.
Interestingly, the Aura system is still maintained despite its smaller size. Even so, it still works well in providing balanced additional lighting especially when taking pictures in dim conditions. It really helps in producing clearer images and reducing noise.
I was quite attracted by the use of the aluminum frame that comes in a red finish, matching the body of this phone. It not only highlights the design directly but also helps reduce the overall weight. As a result, this phone feels light and comfortable to hold.
Despite weighing in at 199 grams, this phone still feels balanced in the hand. I believe this balance is largely influenced by the neat arrangement of internal hardware, especially the 6500mAh silicon carbon battery that is loaded without compromising the comfort of the design. As a result, this phone is comfortable to use for a long time, whether for watching content, playing games or daily tasks.
Throughout the period of use, the curved display of this phone is truly satisfying. The content remains clear without interference on the sides even though it uses a curved screen. The AMOLED screen used works well. The display is stable and pleasant throughout the period of use. The colors displayed are bright, sharp and vivid.
The support for a 120Hz refresh rate also has a positive impact on my daily experience. Movement on the screen feels responsive without any issues such as the system being stuck or the screen failing to work throughout the period of use. In addition, Netflix streaming support at the Widevine L1 level also allows content to be watched in high resolution without interruption.
The stereo audio system on this phone also adds to the fun when using it. It uses a hybrid configuration where the earpiece functions as a second channel. Although one speaker faces forward and the other to the bottom, the sound produced remains clear. Dialogue is heard well although the bass performance is slightly lacking. For daily video and music viewing, I found the audio quality offered to be convincing enough for ordinary users.
In terms of durability, the phone comes with an IP68 and IP69 rating which means it is dust and water resistant. Although I haven't tested it in a fully wet condition, it has been accidentally splashed with water and still works fine. This gives confidence for daily use especially in unexpected situations like rain or humid environments.
Hardware and Internal Software
The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chip, an upgrade over the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 in the previous model. The phone comes with a memory option between 8GB to 12GB of RAM along with storage up to 512GB. The phone also supports virtual RAM up to 12GB which brings the total RAM to 24GB. Interestingly, the 50GB storage compression feature is also included as is usually offered in FunTouch OS 15.
Throughout use, the phone's performance was stable and sufficient for daily tasks. Animations looked smooth, scrolling was responsive and so far I haven't experienced any problems such as apps crashing. For the first game, I tried Honor of Kings (HOK) with a consistent frame rate of around 120 FPS. Although there were occasional drops, the game was still playable smoothly. In Ultra mode, the 90 FPS rate was seen to be stable and the drop that occurred did not affect the overall experience.
AnTuTu 3D
Chip Score
Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 1,255,130
Dimensity 8400-Ultra 1,590,533
Dimensity 8450 1,437,541
Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 788,110
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 1,524,100
Tensor G4 1,016,712
Geekbench 6
Single Core Multi Core Chip
Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 1264 3615
Dimensity 8400-Ultra 1575 6121
Dimensity 8450 1615 6174
Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 1146 3123
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 1137 3130
Tensor G4 1916 4644
3DMark Wildlife Extreme
Chip Score
Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 6367
Dimensity 8400-Ultra 3839
Dimensity 8450 3780
Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 1037
Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 5334
Tensor G4 2567
Vivo V60 uses FunTouch OS 15 based on Android 15 with an interface design that still maintains the vivo identity. While it may not be everyone's choice, I found it easy to get used to after a few days of use. I understand why some feel that vivo's UI is less user-friendly. In fact, after trying Origin OS before, I personally prefer the approach used by the system. However, the new version of Funtouch OS comes with some interesting improvements that focus on performance and comfort.
Several AI features included are very helpful in my daily routine. The AI Photo Enhancer function makes it easy for me to improve the quality of photos without having to do manual editing. AI Erase is also useful for removing unwanted objects in photos.
AI Caption can automatically generate captions, and sometimes the results are quite accurate and fit the mood of the image. Meanwhile, AI Screen Translation is very practical especially when I encounter content in a foreign language. Although the translation is not perfect, it is enough for me to understand the context clearly.
For starters, Ultra Game Mode and the split-screen function are very helpful especially when I can switch apps without interrupting the ongoing game. In addition, features like Live Transcribe and Sound Notifications are also useful when I need urgent information or want to quickly convert audio to text.
Camera and Image Quality
This phone is equipped with a 50MP main camera that supports OIS for more stable recordings. It also features a 50MP telephoto periscope camera with 3x optical zoom support and an 8MP ultra-wide camera for wide-angle shots.
For video recording, resolutions up to 4K/30FPS are supported with OIS and EIS to ensure less shaking of the recording results. The 50MP selfie camera also supports 4K recording complete with autofocus and ZEISS optics support for higher quality results.
The aspect ratio of up to 16:9 is still available along with various ZEISS filters and the ZEISS Multifocal Portrait function which I found quite useful for producing more creative images. The support for focal lengths such as 23mm, 85mm and 100mm gives me more freedom to shoot subjects from various distances. Compared to the vivo V50 model which only offers a main and ultra-wide camera, the addition of a telephoto lens on the V60 model feels like a significant improvement in terms of photography capabilities.
Throughout use, I am satisfied with this camera system and there is clearly a significant improvement compared to the previous model. In normal photo mode, the colors produced look brighter with good dynamic range. When I tried the telephoto zoom feature, the results of the images look much sharper and clearer and almost resemble the quality I have seen on the X200 FE model. This shows a significant improvement in terms of sensor and image processing capabilities.
What I like is that the colors produced through the telephoto zoom remain consistent with the 1x zoom. This is different from some other phones which often experience color shifts when changing lenses. To maintain quality in zoom mode, I found settings like ‘textured color’ to be very helpful although the final result still depends on the current lighting conditions.
The ultra-wide mode on this phone does not disappoint. The pictures taken look good with minimal distortion at the corners. The fish-eye effect is also not too pronounced, thus producing more natural and pleasing shots. However, the autofocus is a bit weak when the subject starts moving. This makes it quite difficult to get a sharp picture in such situations.
In night mode, lighting plays a very important role. If it is too bright, the picture can easily look broken and filled with noise. On the other hand, if it is too dark, the result becomes less clear and loses important details. When using the highest zoom in low light conditions, the picture tends to be washed out and the details are completely lost. In dark situations, the presence of aura light really helps reduce noise, especially on the subject's face.
The portrait mode on this phone shows an improvement compared to the V50 model. Although the post-image processing is still a bit slow, especially when taking many photos in a row, the results obtained are still satisfactory.
The bokeh effect looks natural even in low light conditions. However, when the background is too bright, the edge detection function becomes less accurate. However, the separation between the subject and the background overall shows a significant improvement and is neater than the previous model.
I also had the chance to try out the AI Four Seasons Portrait feature available on this phone. It allows me to generate seasonally themed images such as autumn and cold complete with watermarks as markers. I have seen this feature in Origin OS and was previously reviewed during my first look at the vivo X-Fold3. This time, it has been brought to FunTouch OS and I personally feel that it gives an interesting touch.
Overall, I am satisfied with the performance of this phone's camera. The telephoto zoom function is easy to use and the OIS system helps a lot in stabilizing the recording. Although the image post-processing is a bit slow, the zoom image results are still satisfactory. Portrait mode also shows an improvement over the previous model, with neater results and more accurate subject separation.
Battery And Charging
This phone is equipped with a 6500mAh silicon carbon battery, an increase from the 6000mAh on the V50 model. Throughout my use, this capacity provides quite satisfactory endurance for normal daily activities including streaming, browsing and using social apps.
Based on full personal use, this phone can last up to 20 hours 28 minutes with a Screen-on Time (SOT) of around 10 hours 45 minutes. In other scenarios, it recorded an endurance of 19 hours 18 minutes with a SOT of 10 hours 44 minutes, or 17 hours 42 minutes with a SOT of 10 hours 4 minutes. This battery performance can be categorized as consistent and reliable for everyday use.
In terms of charging, this phone supports 90W wired fast charging, allowing the battery to be recharged in a short period of time. It is also equipped with a reverse wired charging feature, which allows this phone to charge other devices directly via cable.
In addition, the bypass charging function is very useful when playing games because it directly channels power to the system without going through the battery. This helps reduce heat and ensure that performance remains stable throughout the gaming session.
What's in the Box
Here's what's included in the box we received:
1 x vivo V60 5G.
1 x 90W Charger Head.
1 x USB-C to USB-A Cable.
1 x Soft Silicone Case.
1 x User Manual.
1 x SIM Ejector.
Conclusion
This phone offers features suitable for everyday use, with a thin and light design and a matte finish that looks neat and modern. The curved AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate provides a smooth scrolling experience that makes animations look pleasant.
The stereo audio system produces clear and balanced sound although the bass performance is slightly less. The addition of a telephoto lens compared to the V50 model is an improvement in terms of camera capabilities, especially for long-distance recording. The 6500mAh silicon carbon battery also provides good endurance for daily use.
However, there are some shortcomings that should be considered. The rather prominent camera module may be less comfortable for some users. The audio bass quality is also not very deep, making the audio experience less outstanding for music fans. In addition, the FunTouch OS operating system may not suit everyone's taste, especially those who prefer a simpler interface.
Overall, the V60 is suitable for users looking for a versatile phone with a balance between design, performance, camera and battery. It is worth considering buying it especially for those who have not used the previous model.
However, if you already own a vivo V50, this upgrade is only really relevant if you want to try the telephoto camera experience and more consistent battery life.
Pros
Thin, light and neat design
120Hz curved AMOLED display
Smooth and responsive visual experience
Stereo audio system produces clear sound
The addition of a telephoto lens enhances the camera advantage
6500mAh silicon carbon battery with good durability.
Cons
The camera module is a bit prominent.
The audio bass quality is not very deep
Funtouch OS may not suit all tastes
The improvements are not very significant except for the telephoto camera and battery.