The vivo V-series has been prominent in the sub-flagship segment. Its latest iteration, the vivo V70, wants to continue providing a high-end experience, sans the ludicrous price.
Like its predecessors, the V70 has a flagship-like design that’s extra sleek and durable, superlative cameras backed by ZEISS technology, long battery life, and a big battery with fast charging.
In our vivo V70 review, we’ll closely examine this Php31,999 smartphone to see if it’s any good and if it’s the one for you.
vivo V70 Specs
- Android 16, OriginOS 6 (up to 4 OS updates, 6 years security patches)
- Dual SIM, Dual Standby
- 6.59-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, 2750 x 1260 pixel resolution, ~459ppi
- 120Hz refresh rate, 5,000-nit peak brightness, Schott Xensation Core
- 2.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 octa-core processor
- Adreno 722 GPU
- 8GB/12GB RAM
- 256GB/512GB UFS 4.1 internal storage, non-expandable
- 50-megapixel front camera, AF
- 50-megapixel (f/1.9, PDAF, OIS) + 50-megapixel (3.7x telephoto, PDAF, OIS) + 8-megapixel (ultra-wide) rear cameras, LED flash
- IP68/69 dust and water resistant
- Stereo speakers
- WiFi, Bluetooth 5.4
- GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, NavIC, BDS
- NFC, IR blaster
- USB-C
- Dimensions: 157.5 x 74.3 x 7.4/7.6mm
- Weight: 187g/194g
- Colors: Golden Hour, Red
- 6,500mAh non-removable battery, 90W wired, Reverse Wired, Bypass charging
Design and Build Quality
If you’re going for a flagship phone just for the sleek and durable design, then you don’t have to waste all that money, as the vivo V70 already has what you want.
It has a solid flat frame, most flagship phones also have, with smoothened edges and corners, so it’s very comfortable in the hands.
The V70 is also very thin at up to 7.6mm, despite a large 6,500mAh battery. The weight is respectable at around 194g. Overall, we really appreciate how compact it is — something we don’t say a lot on a 6.59-inch phone.
vivo didn’t make some bold durability claims, unlike the others. But it does have an IP69/IP69 dust and water resistance, which is enough to appease us.
It also has “10-facet drop resistance”, whatever that means. Just like with any phone, we don’t suggest anyone drop it to see if it will break. Still, the device did feel solid after a couple of light bend tests, but we felt more comfortable using the free clear case in the box.
Taking a tour, there’s the 6.59-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen on the front, with a punch-hole for the 50-megapixel selfie camera. There are ultra-thin bezels, which measure at only 1.25mm.
Left side is clean, while the right has the volume controls and the lock/power switch. The buttons are very tactile and clicky, but do feel a bit extra firm to press.
The top has the stereo speaker grill, noise-isolating microphone, and the IR blaster.
At the bottom, we have the USB-C port, primary loudspeaker, microphones, and the SIM tray for two nano SIMs, back to back.
On the back, we have the 50-megapixel main camera on top, the telephoto below it, the 8-megapixel on the right, as well as the Aura Light ring flash and ZEISS logo.
The vivo V70 looks chic, feels fine, and is durable. We’re only in the first part of this review, and we’re already impressed. Will we continue to be? Let’s find out.
Display and Audio
vivo went pretty hard with the V70’s display. What we have here is a 6.59-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel, with a 2750 x 1260 pixel resolution, ~459ppi, 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, supports HDR10 and HDR10+, and whopping 5,000-nits of peak brightness.
Screen quality is superb. The peak brightness really shines when watching HDR, colors and contrast are great, and the sharpness is more than enough.
The speakers are awesome, too. It can get very loud while maintaining a clean sound with smooth treble and audible bass. We also got audible stereo separation, which has been very beneficial in shooter games.
Hardware and Performance
The vivo V70 is powered by a 4nm 2.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 octa-core processor — a very disappointing choice for a smartphone at this price. It is paired with an Adreno 722 GPU, with 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and 256GB or 512GB of UFS 4.1 storage. No microSD card for storage expansion. Our review unit is the 8GB/256GB variant.
vivo V70 Benchmark Scores
Basic and day-to-day performance is good, but not perfect. Apps load fast, social media browsing is smooth, and taking pictures is problem-free. There’s the very occasional lag, which is almost unnoticeable, but shouldn’t be there entirely for a device at this price.
Now let’s talk about gaming. Genshin Impact ran with no problems or overheating issues under Medium resolution and 60 frames.
PUBG Mobile was very smooth under HD graphics with Extreme frames, Call of Duty Mobile under Very High graphics at Max frames, and Farlight84 at HD graphics with 60 frames.
Lighter games like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Asphalt Legends Unite were very smooth under their highest available settings.
| Game | Graphics Settings |
| Genshin Impact | • Render Resolution: Medium • Visual Effects: High • SFX Quality: Medium • FPS: 60 |
| PUBG Mobile | • Graphics Quality: HD • Frame Rate: Extreme |
| Call of Duty: Mobile | • Graphics Quality: Very High • Frame Rate: Max |
| Farlight84 | • Graphics Quality: HD • Frame Rate: 60 |
| Mobile Legends: Bang Bang | • Resolution: HD • Map Quality: Ultra • Frame Rate: Super |
| Asphalt Legends Unite | • Visual Quality: High Quality • Frame Rate: 90 |
While the vivo V70 did provide a smooth performance, it still feels underwhelming for the asking price.
Software and User Interface
The vivo V70 is one of the first phones to come out globally, rocking the OriginOS, which used to be exclusive to China. It ships with the Android 16-based OriginOS 6 version, with a guarantee to receive 4 OS generation upgrades and 6 years of security patches.
vivo has been putting a lot of its focus on OriginOS, so it’s nice that we’re finally graduating from FuntouchOS.
You get features like Origin Island for things like vivoshare, screen recording, hotspot, and more. It also shows action suggestions, say, opening the Phone app when you copy a phone number.
We also spotted many AI features like Google Gemini Live, AI Search (local and online), AI Creation (text generation, summarize, etc.), and AI Captions.
Within the Gallery, you can also find features like AI Erase, AI UHD, AI Expander, and AI Color Adjust.
There’s the One-Tap Transfer feature that allows you to quickly transfer photos to an iPhone by tapping them together. Albeit, it’s not that seamless, as you have to download an app called EasyShare on the iPhone for it to work. But once you get through the initial setup, you should be fine.
Office Kit is a handy feature that lets you share screen, notifications, files, and more with a computer.
We then have the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, which was fast and quick — as reliable as the face unlock.
OriginOS 6 is really what vivo phones need, and we’re happy we finally got to experience it outside China.
Cameras
The vivo V70 has a 50-megapixel IMX766 main camera with optical image stabilization and multi-directional PDAF. There’s also a 50-megapixel IMX882 3x telephoto camera with OIS and PDAF, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide, and a 50-megapixel JN1 selfie camera.
vivo has continued its partnership with ZEISS, primarily featured in the ZEISS portrait effects. It mimics the bokeh effects of classic ZEISS lenses like Biotar, B-speed, Sonnar, Planar, Distagon, Cine-flare, and Cinematic.
There are also lens effects such as the 23mm landscape portrait, 35mm street portrait, 50mm natural portrait, 50mm classic portrait, 85mm figure, and 100mm close-up.
For video recording, both the front and rear cameras can shoot in 720p, 1080p, 4K at 30fps and 60fps. It can also shoot slow-mo videos at 720p in 120fps/240fps and 1080p at 120fps.
Daylight photos from the main camera are great. Colors look natural, have a wide dynamic range, and tons of details with no hint of oversharpening.
This sharp main sensor is also responsible for the 2x shots and portrait videos. The quality remains intact, so no problems there.
Oh, and you can also play with the device’s AI Magic Weather feature, which can intelligently adjust the photo to look like it’s taken with a Clear Sky, Twilight, Evening Glow, or Morning Glow.
Low-light photos continue to satisfy, with good details, and almost zero noise and grains. Dynamic range and colors are good, too.
Moving on, the telephoto camera outputs decent photos, as long as you move away from excessive portrait modes and filters.
The AI Stage Mode is quite handy, though, as it greatly improves the photos under extreme focal lengths. Perfect for shooting your idols on stage.
While the 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera has incredible dynamic range and decent colors, the details are unsurprisingly lacking.
Forget the ultrawide camera and let’s head on to the impressive 50-megapixel selfie snapper. This one takes incredible selfies with tons of details, realistic colors, and good dynamic range. Low-light shots are good, too.
The series is known for its good cameras, so it’s no surprise the vivo V70 also delivers in this department.
Battery and Charging
The vivo V70 comes with a 6,500mAh battery with 90W FlashCharge technology.
Most of the best battery scores we get are from vivo phones, and we’re adding the vivo V70 to that list. In fact, it was a close second to the top-placer in its category, which is also from vivo, the X300 Pro.
It managed to last for 26 hours and 11 minutes in our PCMark Synthetic Battery Test — that’s more than a one whole day. We also got an impressive score of 23 hours and 29 minutes in our 1080p YouTube Battery Loop Test.
Verdict
vivo used the same formula for the vivo V70, which is both a good thing and a bad thing.
The good: the vivo V70 is a well-made smartphone. It has that sleek and durable design you’d go for a flagship for, awesome display and speakers, and decent day-to-day performance.
It also has an intuitive processor with long software support, great cameras, and incredible battery life with fast charging.
The bad: like its predecessors, the V70 suffers from its rather high asking price. A Snapdragon 7 series for a Php30,000+ phone? Not very appealing to power users. But it does have its own feats, in areas like the design, software, and camera system.
Still, the vivo V70 is a great phone, just make sure you get it at a good deal.
vivo V70 pricing and availability
The vivo V70 8GB/256GB retails for Php31,999, the 12GB/256GB is priced at Php35,999, while the 12GB/512GB has an SRP of Php39,999. It’s available through vivo physical stores and retail partners nationwide, and through the vivo e-store website, Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.
Pros
- Sleek and durable design
- Bright and colorful screen
- Awesome stereo speakers
- 4 OS upgrades, 6 years security support
- Great cameras
- Top-notch battery life, fast charging
Cons
- Disappointing chipset for the price
- So-so ultra-wide camera