Vivo Y36 review: A camera gem
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This review was written after analyzing its features as well as evaluating hands-on video reviews by trustworthy reviewers.
We are doing a fairly late review of the Vivo Y36 which was first released at the end of May this year. But it is still a relevant smartphone for 2023 and there are some impressive features in this phone. Vivo brand is one of the most popular in Bangladesh and there is a lot of consumer interest in their products. The 8/128 GB model of the phone is priced at ৳26,999 which is available at a discount price of ৳24,999 as we write this review. It puts this smartphone in the mid-range category and there is a fair amount of demand for mid-range phones in the market and this can be one of the convenient choices for buyers with different needs and purposes. So, let’s get into its specifications.
Design
If you just look at the photos on the internet, it does no justice to the design of the phone. We have seen hands-on video reviews in Full HD quality and there was a huge amount of difference in the impression between seeing the photos and seeing real hands-on footage. The design is way more gorgeous and way more attractive. The AG glass has a very eye-pleasing, comforting shiny look which doesn’t show up in the photos at all. We really liked its design and we believe any regular customer will appreciate the design.
Build
The AG glass back is sort of durable than regular glass but it’s not on a Gorilla Glass protection level. There is no display protection as well. Nevertheless, we are getting an IPX4 splash waterproof body which means it can tolerate splashes from all directions for example under heavy rain. But you can’t submerge it into the water like in a pool or inside a glass of water. Then it will be damaged.
Display
It has Full HD+ quality. There is no AMOLED and it’s fair to wish for one at this price level. But the IPS panel isn’t that bad here. You’ll still get vivid color tones and frankly, we’d say it’s a good quality display. There is Widevine L1 certification and a 90Hz refresh rate with good brightness under sunlight.
Camera
If you have a quick look at the specs, 50+2 MP back camera, 16 MP front camera, and Full HD video recording, it didn’t look like a big deal. But when we saw samples, we discovered a gem, particularly the back camera. The color tons looks extremely natural, blunt and vivid. There are enough details and sharpness. Even indoor photos looked pretty impressive minding the cost of the gadget. There is also stabilization for Full HD recording. This is one of the finer mid-range back cameras we have seen and definitely recommended if that’s your main priority. Regardless, an ultrawide lens is missing.
The 16 MP front camera delivers also pretty clear and natural-looking shots. But you’ll see a bit of a tendency to soften the skin here but it’s not overly done. There is Camera2 API support in case you want to use GCAM.
Battery
A 44W charger with Vivo FlashCharge technology, yes, it’s a fine one. 0-100% charge will take about one hour and ten minutes according to a hands-on reviewer. It’s a decent charging time. Many are still coming with a 33W charger around the cost so it’s a win. The battery life is also pretty satisfactory in this phone. You may get about 7 hours of SoT for heavy usage which is about one and a half days of battery life for a modern-day user.
Performance
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G is a common and well-known chipset. It is known for providing good battery life and overall stable performance for longer-term usage. But it lags behind in the gaming performance. If you compare it with a regular chipset like Helio G99 from MediaTek (Nanoreview gaming score 22 out of 100) which is available in many under 20K budget smartphones, this Snapdragon 680 4G chipset (Nanoreview gaming score 16 out of 100) is way behind. If you like gaming and are enthusiastic about it, this Vivo Y36 is simply not for you on this budget.
The overall day-to-day usage looked pretty smooth. There is 8 GB RAM with an 8 GB extended RAM facility. It has a finely optimized UI on top of Android 13. There was no lag feeling. There is also a 90Hz refresh rate.
Other features
The fingerprint sensor looked fast and accurate and it is mounted on the side. You’ll get clear 24-bit/192kHz audio without any distortion in full volume. There is USB Type-C, NFC, a noise-cancellation microphone, FM Radio, a dedicated MicroSD slot, dual SIM and so on.
