Vivo Y27s review: Okay, but could've been better

Hello and Namaste everyone! Vivo has been launching its smartphones in the Nepali market quite aggressively in recent days. I had just reviewed the Vivo V29e a while back, and here we are again. This time around I will be reviewing the Vivo Y27s! Firstly, Vivo's Y-series of phones falls on the budget end, unlike the premium midrange V-series. As such, let's take a look at the detailed specifications of the Vivo Y27s:

Vivo Y27s Review: Specifications

• Design: IP54-rated, 2.5D curved screen, flat edges, plastic body
• Dimensions: 164.06 mm x 76.17 mm x 8.17 mm
• Weight: 192 grams
• Display: 6.64” LCD Panel, 90Hz Refresh Rate, 650 nits peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, 99% NTSC color saturation, 394 PPI pixel density
• Resolution: FHD+ (1080 x 2388)
• Chipset: Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 (6nm)
• GPU: Adreno 610
• RAM: 8GB LPDDR4x + 8GB extendable
• ROM: 256GB UFS 2.2 + 1TB Expandable via MicroSD card
• OS & UI: Android 13 with Funtouch OS 13 on top
• Rear Camera: Dual Camera (50MP Primary + 2MP Depth)
• Front Camera: 8MP Camera (Centre-aligned waterdrop cutout)
• Security: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Face Recognition
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient Light sensor, E-compass, Proximity sensor, Gyroscope
• Navigation: GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS
• Battery: 5,000 mAh Lithium-ion cell with 44W fast charging
• Connectivity: Dual SIM Dual Standby, 4G LTE, Dual-band WiFi, Bluetooth v5.0, USB 2.0 (Type-C), 3.5mm headphone jack
• Color Options: Burgundy Black, and Garden Green
• Full specifications of Vivo Y27s

The Vivo Y27s retails at NPR 24,999 and comes with a silicone case, charging brick, Type-A to Type-C cable, and SIM ejector pin included in the box.

Vivo Y27s Review

Design

• Dimensions: 164.06 mm x 76.17 mm x 8.17 mm
• Weight: 192 grams
• Material: All plastic body, glass on the front

Let's start with the design of the phone. For the hundredth time or I don't know how many, Vivo has given its full attention to the phone's looks. The Garden Green variant I have here is very stylish with flat frames and curved edges.

You can also get Vivo Y27s in Burgundy Black color, which looks equally premium. Vivo fortified this phone with an IP54 rating, meaning it can easily shake off minor dust and splashes without any difficulty. Plus, the side-mounted fingerprint sensor is really quick and responsive.

Display

• 6.64” LCD Panel, FHD+ (1080 x 2388)
• 90Hz Refresh Rate, 650 nits peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, 99% NTSC color saturation, 394 PPI pixel density

In terms of display, we have a 6.64” screen with a V-shaped notch. You get an IPS panel here, yes, NO AMOLED! But it doesn't come as a surprise, given it is a common theme at this price range. You get an IPS panel in other smartphones of this range like Redmi Note 12, and even TECNO Camon 20. Anyhoo, it offers decent readability in sunlight despite being an LCD panel. All thanks to the 650 nits of brightness!

Talking of the image quality of the display, it is obviously not as vibrant as an AMOLED panel. But, you get 99% NTSC and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut. As a result, Vivo Y27s offers punchy and color-accurate output to some extent. Thus, you get a decent experience for media consumption. Nevertheless, I found the single speaker on this phone to be pretty average. Additionally, it has a 90Hz screen, which feels smooth for the most part. But I really miss the 120Hz refresh rate.

Performance

• CPU & GPU: Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 (6nm) +  Adreno 610
• Memory & Storage: 8GB LPDDR4x (8GB extendable) + 256GB UFS 2.2 (1TB expandable via MicroSD card)
• OS & UI: Android 13 with Funtouch OS 13 on top

Moving on, as the Vivo Y27s budget phone, you get a chipset of a similar level i.e. Snapdragon 680. This is a SoC that is three years old at this point, however, it is slightly better than other chipsets you get at this price range! This is because the Qualcomm silicone is built on a more efficient 6nm architecture compared to something like the Mediatek Helio G85 or even Helio G88!

Talking of gaming, we tested this phone with some of the most popular titles. You can play CoD: Mobile at 58 FPS, while the experience with PUBG is below average. You will have to make do with 30 FPS in Smooth + High settings. However, the good thing is you get to enjoy the recoil action, thanks to the gyroscope! Furthermore, high FPS games like Mech Arena reach over 70 FPS now and then, but the median FPS drops to only 56 FPS. In short, I cannot really recommend this phone if you are looking for heavy gaming. But, if you're a casual gamer and play games like Subway Surfers or Temple Run then this phone will offer you a smooth experience. Other than that, you get a lag-free experience with the Vivo Y27s. The 8GB RAM packed in this phone offers you a decent experience while switching apps, scrolling through social media, texting, and such. Meanwhile, I found the FunTouchOS based on Android 13 to be liveable. You get a sufficient amount of customization and minimal bloatware that you can uninstall anyway. All in all, I must say, that the UI experience is pretty clean.

Camera

• Rear Camera: Dual Camera (50MP Primary + 2MP Depth)
• Front Camera: 8MP Camera

Now, let's get to the camera section. Honestly, I found its camera to be just average. In daylight, the images it produces are a bit muted. A little color boost would have been much appreciated. Similarly, HDR processing of the Vivo Y27s is no better either. Vivo could fix it with a software update, maybe. In the meantime, the lowlight images are average as well with okay-ish outputs. Moreover, you have the option to take portrait shots, which is again about average. It is a budget phone, so naturally, the edge detection isn't very good. Talking of the front camera, we have an 8MP shooter on the front. The images are once again decent, but I would have loved it if the photos packed more details in them.

Battery

• Battery: 5,000 mAh Lithium-ion cell
• Charging: 44W fast charging

Lastly, in terms of battery, you get a 5,000 mAh cell with the Vivo Y27s, that should last you a day with no difficulty. Meanwhile, you get a 44W charger in the box, that juices up your phone from 0 to 100 in like 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Vivo Y27s Review: Conclusion

So, in the end, the Vivo Y27s comes out to be a decent option for the NPR 25,000 price tag. The 90Hz IPS panel, 256GB storage, and Snapdragon 680 you get with this phone are just good enough. But, Vivo really needs to work on the camera side of things.

  On top of that, Vivo should have offered an AMOLED panel and stereo speakers with Y27s, given the competition in this price range. This smartphone is launching at INR 15,000 in India, so it is not overpriced at all. So, yeah! Overall, the Vivo Y27s is just an “okayish” phone!

Vivo Y27s: Pros and Cons

Pros

• Good looking design
• Good performance for the price
• 44W fast charging

Cons

• No AMOLED panel
• Subpar Cameras
• Single Speaker