Tech Blog #148 | The Vivo S18 Series- Flashes and Design...

Vivo releases smartphones in a wide variety. And their designs for smartphones are quite phenomenal. Within all these smartphones, I think Vivo's S series takes a special place in design and value for money. Recently, Vivo announced the Vivo S18 series. Let's take a look at it.

The Vivo S18 series has a captivating design with brocade elements carefully etched onto the back glass. The camera island, which is divided into two squares, stands out. The camera modules are housed in the upper section, while the AuraLight LED and a dedicated LED flash are housed in the lower section. The AuraLight is adaptable, with different light and temperature strengths to accommodate different shooting scenarios. The Vivo S18 and S18 Pro are available in black, green, and silver color options. The layout of the camera island and overall construction demonstrate a blend of appealing design aesthetics and functional elements.

With a large 6.78-inch curved AMOLED screen, the Vivo S18 series provides an appealing display experience. This display has a high resolution of 1.5K and provides sharp and detailed visuals. With a maximum brightness of 2800 nits, the display is easily visible in direct sunlight. Furthermore, the display has a refresh rate of 120Hz, which ensures smooth and fluid interactions, especially when scrolling or gaming.

The Vivo S18 series comes in a variety of performance configurations. The S18 Pro is equipped with MediaTek's last year's flagship SoC, Dimensity 9200+ chipset, which ensures lightning-fast performance. This configuration, when combined with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage, enables seamless multitasking, app processing, and ample storage for data, media, and applications.

The S18 model, on the other hand, is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset, another capable midrange processor. It, like the S18 Pro, supports up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. This configuration should provide smooth performance for everyday tasks, moderate gaming, and multitasking.

Both variants run OriginOS 4, which is based on Android 14, and provide a user-friendly interface as well as an optimized experience tailored to Vivo's specifications.

The Vivo S18 series offers capable camera setups to meet a variety of photography requirements. The S18 Pro has a sophisticated camera system that includes a 50MP primary sensor with a Sony IMX920 sensor and OIS. It also includes a 50MP ultrawide lens with a Samsung JN1 sensor and a 12MP telephoto module with 2x optical zoom. It's a flagship-level setup.

Meanwhile, the standard S18 model includes a 50MP main camera with the OmniVision OV50E sensor and OIS. It also has an 8MP ultrawide lens to improve its photography capabilities.

Both phones feature front-facing 50MP selfie cameras with punch-hole cutouts that provide a wide 90-degree field of view and support autofocus. These selfie cameras include dual LED flash sensors, which ensure well-illuminated and detailed selfies even in low-light situations.

The Vivo S18 series is powered by a 5,000 mAh battery, which provides ample power for all-day use without the need for frequent recharging. Furthermore, these devices support 80W fast charging technology, allowing for quick and efficient battery capacity refills. Users will spend less time attached to a power source and more time enjoying the device thanks to this fast-charging capability.

The Vivo S18 series starts at CNY 2,299 (approximately $322) for the base configuration and goes up to CNY 2,999 (approximately $420) for the higher-spec variant. The S18 Pro, on the other hand, starts at CNY 3,199 (approximately $448) for the 12/256GB model and tops out at CNY 3,699 (approximately $518) for the 16/512GB model.

The Vivo S18 series offers potent midrange options. These devices aim to cater to various user needs with their appealing design, vibrant displays, capable camera setups, and notable performance supported by several chipsets. Furthermore, their competitive pricing places them favorably in the midrange smartphone market, providing users with a good mix of features and performance at a reasonable price.