vivo iQOO Z5 hands-on review

Introduction and specs

The vivo iQOO Z3 was first announced back in April in China, and its successor - the iQOO Z5 - that we have with us right now followed in September, so we can't expect a big generational leap. But that doesn't mean there are no upgrades to go through. Quite the opposite, actually.

The new Z5 features a bigger 6.67-inch display (still IPS, though), runs a more powerful Snapdragon 778G chipset, faster UFS 3.1 storage, adds a set of stereo speakers into the mix and bumps up the battery capacity to 5,000 mAh to be more in line with today's standards.

vivo iQOO Z5 specs at a glance:

• Body: 164.7x76.7x8.5mm, 193g; Glass front (Panda Glass), plastic frame, plastic back.
• Display: 6.67" IPS LCD, 120Hz, HDR10, 650 nits (typ), 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 395ppi.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G (6 nm): Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Kryo 670 & 4x1.8 GHz Kryo 670); Adreno 642L.
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM; UFS 3.1.
• OS/Software: Android 11, Funtouch 12 (International), OriginOS for iQOO 1.0 (China).
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm, 1/1.97", 0.7µm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚, 16mm, 1/4.0", 1.12µm; Macro: 2 MP, f/2.4.
• Front camera: 16 MP, f/2.5, (wide).
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 5000mAh; Fast charging 44W, 50% in 26 min (advertised).
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); 3.5mm jack.

Design-wise, there are no major changes, but a refreshed look is in order. The camera island is revamped, and gone is the waterdrop notch, which was kind of polarizing, to begin with. The centered punch-hole for the selfie camera makes much more sense in 2021. After all, the Z lineup from iQOO is mainly targeted at the Gen Z generation (hence the name), and it needs to keep up with the trends.

And while we saw the iQOO Z3 as a sensible 5G-enabled solution for the Indian market despite the tough competition in its price bracket, the Z5 loses part of its appeal with the starting price of INR 23,990. Then again, the upgraded hardware probably deserves the extra few bucks, and that's what we will try to find out in the pages to follow.

Unboxing the vivo iQOO Z5

The handset comes in standard packaging containing the appropriate 44W charger and a USB-A to USB-C cable.

Vivo also threw in a transparent silicone case as a bonus.