vivo V20 review

Design and ergonomics

As we already pointed out, the vivo V20's key selling point is the design and relative compactness. Tipping the scale at 171 grams, the handset is a breath of fresh air in a sea of behemoth Android smartphones. And with a thickness of only 7.4mm, it's probably the thinnest Android phone we've reviewed in 2020.

The screen isn't exactly small, though, with a 6.44-inch diagonal, but the rather tall 20:9 aspect ratio slims down the device just enough so it doesn't feel like a cutting board in your hand. Using the device with only one hand is possible even for users with smaller than average hands.

The vivo V20's screen is not curved like most phones nowadays. Instead, it's completely flat with only a 2.5D curve along the edges to make the transition between the glass and the side frame seamless.

The gradient on our Midnight Jazz unit looks sweet - it goes from dark gray to silver, and it turns blue when light hits it.

The frosted back glass feels premium, too, it's also less slippery than a glossy surface, and its color makes smudges less visible. The company is advertising a special anti-smearing coating on the back, which seems to be getting the job done to some degree.

The camera module stands out with its size and design, too. It will cause the phone to wobble when you place it on a flat surface, but it does look the part. We'd give it that.

The only curved element on the phone is the side frame. We guess it's made of plastic. Nevertheless, you can't really tell by touching it, and the glossy color finish blends perfectly with the overall looks. It certainly doesn't feel cheap.

Looking at the bottom, we find a 3.5m audio jack, the loudspeaker grille, and, of course, the USB-C connector. The right-hand side of the phone accommodates the volume rocker and the power button. The latter is textured, so you'd always know what you are pressing, and it's conveniently placed at the right height.

The SIM card tray is positioned on the left side of the frame. The phone is Dual SIM, and it can also take a microSD card.

Vivo V20 bottom side • DualSIM slot + microSD

Expectedly, the front is also made of glass, but not Gorilla Glass. The panel is completely flat and has a waterdrop-styled notch when most manufacturers have moved to the less obtrusive punch-hole selfie cameras.

What caught our attention, though, is the grille for the earpiece. It's quite big and gives the impression of housing a proper loudspeaker. This isn't the case, though, as the V20 doesn't have stereo loudspeakers. Just the bottom-firing one.

The bezels are definitely not among the slimmest ones we've seen. Perhaps, their appearance is exaggerated a bit by the screen's flatness, but still, we'd say they give away the midrange nature of this phone more than anything else.

All in all, the V20 is definitely one of the best-looking devices in its price range. It also has that distinctive, unique look that makes it stand out from the crowd. The thin chassis, lightweight design, and premium-looking build feel like a breath of fresh air.