Vivo S1 review: Stylish & balanced midrange smartphone marred by sub-par UX

Smartphone brand Vivo, a subsidiary of Chinese electronics manufacturer BKK Electronics, recently launched the Vivo S1 in India. The first product in the company’s style-centric S-series smartphones, the phone boasts an AMOLED screen with a waterdrop-shaped notch on the front, reflective glass-like design and triple camera set-up on the back, a big-capacity battery with fast-charge support, and in-display fingerprint sensor. Based on specifications and features, the phone seems to be a balanced mix of style and substance in its segment. But how does it fare in terms of user experience? Let’s find out:


Design


The reflective gradient design has become a norm among smartphones these days, and the Vivo S1 seems to be following in the footsteps of peers in this respect. It has a curved glass-like cover on the back with a gradient finish, reflecting different colour hues when looked at from an angle. The Blue colour variant that we have reviewed looks dazzling with its bluish-white tone which also reflects a shade of purple. The phone has a triple-camera module on the back, stacked vertically on the top-left side. It bulges out from the body, making the phone unstable when kept on flat surfaces like a table top. The phone’s chassis is made of polycarbonate, which goes well with the phone’s overall design but is not very sturdy. Read Complete Article