Carrying a design called UV Color-Changing, this smartphone has a body that is able to change color when exposed to sunlight. Something that is arguably still rarely found in products of its class.
But is that the only new thing offered by the Vivo V23 5G? Come on, just take a look at our brief review:
Innovative design
As mentioned above, the color change on the back of the V23 5G will occur when exposed to sunlight. In fact, the color change can be said to be very significant, and you can put an object to cover some of its body from light, and the pattern of the object will make an impression and become a unique motif.
Okay, maybe that’s all we can tell about the V23 5G’s UV Color-Changing technology. The reason is, this feature is only available in the Sunshine Gold variant, while the review unit we received was Stardust Black. We only had time to try Sunshine Gold briefly before its launch.
For your information, the V23 5G Stardust Black has a thickness of 7.39mm and a weight of 179 grams. Very slim and light enough, so it feels comfortable when put in a trouser pocket. A bit slippery but still okay in the grip with a Metal Flat Frame. If you want a more solid grip sensation, just install the softcase. In terms of color, Stardust Black is fairly standard, which is dark with glitter.
On the front you will find a notch-less screen that houses two front cameras. It seems that vivo (or its fans) really like this kind of screen design. Since several generations of the V-series back, vivo no longer uses the relatively more modern punch-hole type in the line of Android phones.
While at the bottom there is a USB Type-C port which is side by side with the speaker hole and SIM-tray. Please note, the vivo V23 5G only provides two nano-SIM slots without a microSD, which means you can’t expand its storage space which is ‘only’ 128 GB.
AMOLED screen 90Hz
The V23 5G is supported by a 6.44-inch Full HD+ AMOLED panel that has a 90Hz refresh rate. An offer that is practically normal for a smartphone for almost 6 million rupiah. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad screen though.
All content can be displayed beautifully on the V23 5G screen. Browsing, watching movies, and playing games can be well facilitated. The matter of bangs goes back to individual preferences. We’re sure there are those who don’t like it, but it’s definitely okay too. Moreover, the wide bangs are indeed needed to accommodate the two front cameras.
Talking a little about audio, the vivo V23 5G only has one speaker below, aka not stereo. It’s still good enough to just accompany watching YouTube videos or gaming with clear and loud enough sound, but definitely not as fun as a cellphone with dual speakers.
Dual front camera
From the photography sector, users are presented with a 50 MP f/2.0 front camera and an 8 MP f/2.3 camera with a wider shooting angle, which is 105 degrees. On the back there is a 64 MP AF Night Camera main camera accompanied by an 8 MP Super-Wide and 2 MP macro.
The photos using the rear camera in ideal light conditions are still typical of Vivo and there are not many changes compared to the previous generation. Sharp, wide dynamic range, and color reproduction tends to be natural. As for the wide-angle camera, we think the photos are nothing special. A little less sharp if the light is not abundant. macro? Just a complement.
For the front camera, Vivo, which is known to be diligent in launching selfie phones, has again shown its expertise through V23 5G. The 50 MP front camera is proven to be able to capture details well, while the 8 MP camera which has a wider viewing angle is quite useful when you want to take group selfies or take selfies with the scenery as the background.
Low-light shooting is good enough but could be improved. When you need additional light for selfies, you can activate Dual-Tone Spotlight with a choice of cool, default, or warm color temperature. Quite helpful for selfies in dark places.
Also keep in mind that the V23 5G camera is not equipped with OIS. There is only EIS (software) and is intended to help record video stably. The video recording resolution itself can be up to 4K 30fps using both the rear and front cameras. If you want 60fps, you can only do it at 1080p resolution. The following is an example of a video recorded using V23 5G:
Typical performance of phones
Vivo V23 5G performance is armed with the MediaTek Dimensity 920 6nm chipset complete with Dual-On 5G support. This device has 8 GB of RAM and can be added via the Extended RAM feature up to 4 GB. While the internal storage space has a capacity of 128 GB without a microSD slot.
For daily use, the V23 5G performance is clearly more than adequate. Various activities feel fast and responsive. For multitasking, it’s great, especially because there are features to increase RAM capacity. Opening multiple apps at once is fine.
vivo V23 5G is also ideal for playing games. You can run Mobile Legends with the highest graphics settings and get 60fps. PUBG Mobile runs smoothly without any annoying frame rate drops. Genshin Impact? Can be at the lowest setting with active 60fps mode. The frame rate that is obtained is indeed not able to touch 60 stably, but at least it’s still okay to play.
What deserves appreciation is the cooling system on the V23 5G. As long as we use it, even for work that demands high performance such as gaming, the temperature of the phone is relatively low. We never felt overheating in the body.
Turning to the battery, Vivo only buried a capacity of 4,200 mAh which is certainly less tempting than most of its competitors. Fortunately, the power consumption of V23 5G is efficient enough that it can accompany our activities all day long. Charging is also fast, 44W and only takes about 1 hour.
Conclusion
If you want a phone with a unique design or not on the market, the vivo V23 5G Sunshine Gold color variant supported by UV Color-Changing technology can be an attractive option. Remember, only Sunshine Gold, which Stardust Black cannot change color.
In addition to a special design, the actual offer of this phone is fairly ordinary. Not that it’s bad, but it’s not that tempting either. For those who are interested, the Vivo V23 5G is sold at a price of USD $418.
Vivo V23 5G advantages:
- Color-changing UV technology on the Sunshine Gold variant
- Slim design and quite light
- 90Hz display with eye-catching colors
- The camera is reliable in ideal light conditions
- Good selfie results, there is an option for wide angle
- The front camera can record videos up to 4K 30fps
- Agile performance, quite okay for gaming
- Always low temperature even during heavy work
- Fast charging
- There is NFC
- Even without a 3.5mm port, there is an adapter in the sales box
Disadvantages of vivo V23 5G:
- No microSD slot
- Speaker is not stereo
- The body is a bit slippery
- In its price class, it would be more interesting if the camera was equipped with OIS
- Night mode can still be improved
