Vivo V23 Pro 5G : Review
Overview
We’ve recently looked at the vivo V23 Pro, and now it’s time to put the vanilla vivo V23 5G through our rigorous review process too. Like its sibling, the vanilla V23 is a very interesting mid-ranger with a slick design and a few nifty and particular bits and tricks to make it stand out.
Specs-wise, the regular V23 is just a relatively minor step down from its bigger brother. It is smaller in most dimensions, though slightly thicker and heavier than its sibling, mostly due to its thick flat middle frame made of metal instead of plastic. All the while, it has a smaller display, which, however, offers similar specs on paper – a 90HZ, HDR10+ AMOLED panel. The regular V23 also steps down from the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 5G chipset to one of the company’s newer Dimensity 920 5G designs. This chip that hasn’t passed through our review process before, and we are pretty keen on exploring.
Pros and Cons
Vivo V23 Pro 5G Key Specs:
| SPECS | |
|---|---|
| Chipset | MediaTek Dimensity 920 5G (6 nm): Octa-core (2×2.5 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55); Mali-G68 MC4 |
| Memory | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM |
| OS/Software | Android 12, Funtouch 12 |
| Battery | 4200mAh; Fast charging 44W, 1-68% in 30 min |
| Rear camera | Wide (main): 64 MP, f/1.9, 26mm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 120-degree, 16mm, 1/4.0″, 1.12µm; Macro: 2 MP, f/2.4 |
| Front camera | Wide (main): 50 MP, f/2.0, AF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.3, 105-degree |
| Video capture | Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Display | 6.44″ AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+, 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 409ppi |
Unboxing and accessories
Rather expectedly, the two vivo V23 models also have a lot in common in terms of packaging. The V23 ships in a thick and solid two-piece cardboard box. One in an eye-catching dark blue color scheme and a sparkling coating on top.
Inside, you get one of vivo’s 44W FlashCharge adapters and a USB Type-A to Type-C cable. In addition – a plastic, transparent TPU case and a pair of nice, white, corded vivo earbuds with a 3.5mm jack(!). The V23, just like its bigger sibling, lacks a 3.5mm jack, so vivo has also thrown in a Type-C to 3.5mm audio dongle in the box.
Design
Both the vivo V23 and V23 Pro are unquestionably stylish devices, both with a shared overarching design language, yet like we mentioned, also distinctly different in a few notable ways. While the V23 Pro bets big on the razor-thin aesthetic, the vanilla V23 kind of goes the polar opposite route with a flat front and back panel and a wide middle frame.
While the actual thickness of the two phones isn’t all that different, the aesthetic sure is, with the V23 going for a pretty obvious iPhone look. Even the angles of the display and edges look pretty Apple-esque to us, which we don’t see as a negative. While this might be a relatively unpopular opinion, we kind of prefer the overall silhouette of the vanilla V23 over the V23 Pro.
A lot of that favoritism has to do with handling. Due to its particular shapes and aggressive curvature on both sides, the V23 Pro just doesn’t handle well. It can slip from the hand easily. That is not at all the case with the V23. Its shape offers plenty of comfortable grip. If you still want some additional grip, the included TPU case provides plenty, but you do have to give up on the particular feel of the back panel.
The back panel on both V23 models is actually covered with Fluorite AG Glass. It has a sort of soft yet sandy feel, achieved through a special crystal finish, reminiscent of the Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G Dimensity model’s rear panel. The vivo logo is also kind of embossed, which is a nifty little detail.
While the finish on the back side is likely to be polarizing in terms of feel, the fact that it doesn’t get greasy or otherwise dirty easily should be universally appreciated.
Of course, we can’t discuss the back of the vivo V23 Pro without talking about its “party trick” – the UV reactive paint job. It should be noted that just the signature Sunshine Gold color is UV reactive. That’s the unit we got for review too. The other Stardust Black variant still has the sandy feel but does not change colors, making it a bit more understated overall.
