Introduction
It's rare to see a concept device go into mass production without losing its coolest feature. The vivo NEX does just that and it even comes in two versions, NEX S and NEX A, so you can have the bleeding edge or the more affordable alternative.
The plan was simple - a bezel-less phone without a notch. The execution wasn't nearly as simple. The innovation that made it possible is the Pop-up Camera. The selfie camera module is mounted on a slide-out element that moves under its own power.
The vivo NEX is on the bleeding edge of smartphone technology
The classic earpiece was axed in favor of a piezoelectric speaker under the display. This tactic of moving things behind the screen continues with the under display fingerprint reader. And this is where the two devices diverge.
The flagship vivo NEX S uses a 3rd generation under display fingerprint reader, the NEX A has a traditional reader on its back. Chipset and memory also differ between the two models, but the innovative bezel-less design is shared by both.
vivo NEX S key features
- Body: Metal and glass, reflective triangular pattern on the back
- Display: 6.49" AMOLED, 1080p+ resolution, 19.3:9 aspect ratio
- Rear camera: Dual 12 MP + 5 MP camera (f/1.8 + f/2.4), OIS and Dual Pixel AF
- Front camera: 8 MP camera (f/2.0) on a motorized popup platform
- Software: Funtouch OS 4.0 based on Android 8.1 Oreo
- Chipset: 10 nm Snapdragon 845, quad 2.8 GHz Kryo 385 Gold + quad 1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver, Adreno 630
- Memory: 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB storage; expandable microSD card
- Battery: 4,000 mAh battery, 22.5 W charger in the box
- Connectivity: USB-C (USB 2.0), 3.5 mm headphone jack
- Misc: Under display fingerprint reader, piezoelectric earpiece, Jovi digital assistant with dedicated button
That's a serious flagship configuration right there. Which is not to say the vivo NEX A isn't an enticing handset. The Snapdragon 710 chipset is starting to establish itself as the "flagship lite" option. The traditional fingerprint reader is a bit boring, but the slide-out selfie camera is one of a kind - not even $1,000+ phones have one.
Instead of listing the full spec sheet here, which is essentially a photocopy, here's what changed between the NEX S and NEX A.
vivo NEX A differences:
- Chipset: 10 nm Snapdragon 710, dual 2.2 GHz Kryo + quad 1.7 GHz processor, Adreno 616
- Memory: 6 GB of RAM, 128 GB storage; expandable via microSD card
- Misc: capacitive fingerprint reader on the back
When we saw the vivo APEX, the cynical voice in our head said "never going to come to the market". That voice was just proven wrong, the NEX phones go on pre-order tomorrow. But more importantly, vivo is establishing itself as a leader.
The company was the first to launch a phone with an under display fingerprint reader and it is the first to combine thin bezels with a notchless screen without compromises (e.g. putting the selfie camera on the bottom).
This makes vivo a leader in innovation, but the company also takes a stance on sane pricing, which means the NEX duo may be some of the most important phones to come out in 2018.
vivo NEX S hands-on
The vivo NEX S uses its bezel-less powers for good, which is to say it has the biggest screen possible. The official number is 91.24% screen to body ratio - the screen is massive, the phone itself is pretty manageable.
It's an AMOLED panel with 6.59" diagonal, but we need to talk about the aspect ratio - 19.3:9. It's an odd number, but what it means in reality is that the screen is as wide as the 6.3" screen of the Galaxy Note8 and is slightly taller. In total, it has around 6.5% bigger surface area.
Small bezels, no notch on top • A small chin on the bottom
And all this without a notch! Some of the recent flagships quote diagonals that don't match reality as the notch tends to get in the way of multimedia and games. Not a deal breaker, of course, but vivo shows there's a better way.
Despite the unorthodox hardware (the camera slide-out motor, the piezo speaker), the NEX S weighs 199g, a few grams less than an iPhone 8 Plus and a few more than a Galaxy Note8. Actually, if you have a Note8 around, it's a good estimate of how big the vivo phone is. It is a little wider, though not as wide as the iPhone so ergonomically speaking, the phone really is quite manageable.
The vivo NEX S has a large screen, but isn't too big to handle
You probably haven't had a chance to handle the vivo APEX, the prototype device that preceded the NEX. It was a smaller phone with a 5.99" screen and even thinner bezels. Now, there's no such thing as a screen that's too big, but we can see the argument that the other NEX, the NEX A, should have stuck with the smaller screen. But more about the A later.
Anyway, we mentioned Samsung and Apple flagships that have undoubted mass market success. But they feel like old news compared to the vivo, which - for better or for worse - is filled to the brim with new tech.
The selfie camera slides out automatically when it's needed
New tech is not without risk, however. We wondered how durable the selfie camera is as motorized components are much more liable to break than the mostly solid state components of a modern phone.
So, we took to opportunity to push on the camera and we're pleased to report that it feels solid - it didn't budge. We went back and asked and it turns out that vivo tested the camera 50,000 times and it can withstand 45 kg (100 lbs) without breaking.
The under display fingerprint reader is a 3rd generation unit (previously, vivo used earlier readers in the X20 UD and X21). It is not perfect, however, at least the one in the demo unit we tested. It's slower than a regular capacitive reader and it doesn't work from all angles.
The vivo NEX S joins the prestigious group of phones with an under display fingerprint reader
While the selfie camera popping out is an exciting party trick, the main camera on the rear also deserves attention. It's a 12 MP + 5 MP setup, pretty much what we saw on the vivo X21.
The main sensor features Dual Pixel autofocus, which as proven itself fast and accurate. It has fairly large pixels and 4-axis optical image stabilization to help in the dark, plus EIS for extra stability in videos. The lens aperture is at a fairly bright f/1.8.
A dual camera with OIS and Dual Pixel AF
The hardware of the selfie camera is an 8 MP image sensor behind an f/2.0 aperture. And you just know there's AI in there, it can recognize up to 140 scenes and can help organize images with 18 tags. Plus AI HDR, AI Filters and AI Photo Composition. You can't have too much of a good thing... or of AI, at least.
Speaking of, vivo's AI (which is called Jovi, by the way) has a dedicated button. You can use it to give voice commands to apps or to get more info about what's on your screen with the help of image recognition.
The vivo NEX S is a powerhouse up there with the best of them. This means a Snapdragon 845 chipset with 8 GB of RAM. And while vivo put plenty of storage, 256 GB, it still gives you a microSD card slot.
A 3.5 mm headphone jack on top • USB-C and loudspeaker on the bottom
And there's a 3.5 mm headphone jack on top. And when we talked about the weight we probably should have made it clear that there's a 4,000 mAh battery in this hulk. If you start a sentence with "The vivo NEX S does not have a ..." it will be hard to finish it. Well, unless you say "stereo speakers".
vivo NEX A hands-on, wrap up
The vivo NEX A is essentially the same hardware as the NEX S aside from two notable changes - the fingerprint reader and the chipset. Oh, and the price tag, of course (and we have a sneaking suspicion that it will launch earlier too).
So, first change. The under display fingerprint reader is gone, replaced by a traditional reader on the back. It's a bit too high up for our tastes, but it is faster and less sensitive to the angle of your finger. All in all, a practical change in our mind.
Plus, the way the selfie camera pops out from the phone will still be enough to impress your friends. Externally, the phones look the same (other than the fingerprint reader on the back). The general design is a metal and glass sandwich, but vivo put some hot sauce on the back to spice things up.
The official name is lengthy and unhelpful, but essentially the back as many tiny triangles that catch the light as you move the phone and reflect it in different colors. It's an eye-catching effect, not as geeky as the transparent Xiaomi back, but more lively than Huawei's Twilight gradient back.
Here's how the colors change (this is the NEX S, but the NEX A looks the same):
Tiny triangles reflect light in the three primary colors - Red, Green and Blue
The other change is in the processing power. Inside the NEX A is a Snapdragon 710 with 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB storage. The 710 is basically a "lite" version of the 845 and is still plenty fast. Plus, remember that there's a microSD slot.
Wrap up
The vivo NEX S and NEX A go on pre-order tomorrow, June 13, and will be in brick and mortar stores on the 23rd. In other words, the future is now.
And it will cost CNY 4,500 for the flagship model (equivalent to $700/€600). Doesn't that make you look at mainstream Android flagships and wonder how they justify their $900 price when they don't have the bezels of the NEX (or have a notch) and don't have the UD fingerprint reader?
The NEX A will be CNY 4,000 ($625/€530), which we feel is much less enticing. Is saving $75 really worth losing the coolness factor of the fingerprint reader, not to mention the added performance of the Snapdragon 845? Not to mention that the jump from 128 GB to 256 GB storage along could justify a $75 price gap.
Either way, we're glad to see a company stand against the price inflation that we experienced in the last couple of years. And to do it with a phone with unique features is a really impressive move from vivo.
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