Shortly after Vivo released the well-received V19, its sibling device the V19 Neo hit the shelves, offering consumers something a little different from the accomplished V19 platform.
The V19 Neo shares a lot of its older siblings’ features and functions, but with a few cost-saving reductions that make the Neo a very attractive handset for people who want a top-spec smartphone without paying added costs for things they don’t need.
Do these subtle changes make the V19 Neo a more attractive proposition to buyers? This is what we are going to find out in this review of the Vivo 19 Neo, launched with quad rear cameras.
V19 versus the V19 Neo – What’s the Difference?
These two phones are essentially twins, but not identical twins. The V19 was applauded for its quad camera design, and the excellent picture quality it provided, and the V19 Neo has this same feature at a much more attractive price point. The differences can be found in the selfie camera, and some of the components inside the phone.
Side-by-side, the phones are nearly identical, being nearly the same size, but the hole-punch style selfie camera helps you spot the difference. The screens are the same size, a generous 6.44-inch display.
Inside the phone, the V19 Neo has an older processor running things; but this isn’t necessarily a step down. A Snapdragon 675 is the handset’s CPU, but this is a powerful processor in its own right and will give most users all the performance they need in a smartphone.
Besides that, the differences are entirely cosmetic, with the V19 Neo available exclusively in blue or white.
The Quad Camera Steals the Show
The vivo v19 neo has the same superior quad camera system that made its sibling so popular. The set up delivers a premium phone image quality, both in still pictures and video, that competes with some of the market’s biggest players like Samsung and Apple.
To have a feature of this quality available at this price has turned heads across the industry, and it looks like Vivo made a smart decision by making premium quality photography available on this mid-range device. Even the flash the cameras have is worth mentioning. This powerful LED can help bring color and depth to dark images, making night shots and interior photography a breeze, and the phone’s software does a good job of choosing when to use it.
A Premium Display Complements the Premium Camera
There wouldn’t be much point in taking quality photographs and videos if the display on the phone couldn’t show them at their best. This is why the V19 Neo also shares the same display as the V19.
Th 6.44-inch Super AMOLED display is crisp and clear, and has a huge color range that offers a lot of depth to the images and graphics it displays. Even blacks and whites are well defined, and black and white photography is especially stunning on this device.
It has Full HD (2400×1080), and a decent pixel density of 409ppi. Toughened with Gorilla Glass and a pre-installed screen protector, this screen has been built to last as well as offering deep and clear video and pictures. The screen also performs well when you are playing games, cutting down on motion blur and displaying well-defined graphics.
The Chipset Still Offers Great Performance
The Snapdragon 675 was announced in late 2018, and has been used in countless smartphones since. This is an asset to the V19 Neo, however.
The Snapdragon 675 is a popular processor because it performs so well, and still does by 2020 standards. The chipset and components that underpin this phone are similar to the ones found in the Viva V17 Pro, so you know they are reliable and high-performing parts. Though the V19 may have a more up-to-date processor, the performance of the V19 Neo isn’t far behind and manages to compete with many of the latest premium phones on the market.
Some Compromises Do Need to be Made
The selfie camera isn’t a highlight of the phone, but is functional. It takes high-quality images, but its hole-pitch style and placement are one of the few things that remind you that this is a mid-price handset and not the premium phone it feels like.
The battery life and performance also bring the phone back down to earth. The charging time is noticeably slower than the V19, and the battery life isn’t as good either, which increases the amount of times you need to charge too. This shouldn’t provide people who charge their phone every night with any problems, but more expensive phones definitely have an advantage over the V19 Neo in battery life and charging.
Overall, the V19 Neo is a great buy. This phone looks and feels a lot more expensive than it is, and the quad camera feature gives you a lot of value for your money. The V19 Neo should definitely be a phone you consider if you are in the market for a new handset.