i android eu: Are these the best smartphones for video recording? (Update: India launch)

Update, July 16 2020 (4:24AM ET): Vivo has launched the X50 series in India, in the form of the standard X50 and the X50 Pro. Unfortunately the X50 Pro Plus isn’t available in the market.

The standard X50 sees a major change in chipset compared to the Chinese model, swapping out the 5G-enabled Snapdragon 765G in favor of the Snapdragon 730 processor. Otherwise, you’re still getting extras like a 90Hz refresh rate, and a 4,200mAh battery with 33W charging.

Meanwhile, the X50 Pro retains the Snapdragon 765G processor as well as a 48MP gimbal camera system for better videography and low-light shots. The Pro variant also delivers a 5x periscope camera compared to the standard model’s 2x telephoto zoom. Other notable features include a 90Hz refresh rate, and a 4,315mAh battery with 33W charging.

The standard Vivo X50 retails for Rs 34,990 (~$465) for the 8GB/128GB option, and Rs 37,990 (~$505) for the 8GB/256GB variant. Need that gimbal camera? Then the Vivo X50 Pro will set you back Rs 49,990 (~$665). Pre-orders start from today (July 16), with first sales kicking off on July 24 via partners like Amazon India, Flipkart, Reliance Digital, paytm mall, and Tata Cliq.

Original article, June 1 2020 (10:03AM ET): Vivo teased the X50 series last month, revealing that the phones are equipped with gimbal-style stabilization technology on the main camera. The Chinese brand has finally revealed the phones, and we’re actually looking at three devices.

We’ve actually got the Vivo X50, X50 Pro, and X50 Pro Plus — a similar naming convention as the Huawei P40 family. The gimbal-style stabilization is restricted to the X50 Pro though (not available on the Plus), allowing for better quality snaps and videos at night.

Vivo has also implemented a so-called Gimbal Radar in the UI, which is an animated ball that reflects the gimbal system’s movement so users know when things are stable.

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It was previously believed that the series was getting a 50MP main camera and it’s now confirmed that the X50 Pro Plus will indeed pack Samsung’s Isocell Bright GN1 50MP sensor. This particular sensor offers 1.2 micron pixels, taking pixel-binned shots equivalent to a 12.5MP 2.4 micron pixel image.

The Vivo X50 Pro retains the micro-gimbal system but uses a 48MP IMX598 camera instead, while the standard X50 uses a 48MP sensor with standard OIS.

What else to expect from Vivo X50 cameras?

Both the X50 Pro and X50 Pro Plus pack periscope cameras too, with the brand claiming 60x “Hyper Zoom.” Presumably that’s just digital zoom rather than optical or even hybrid zoom. The Pro Plus variant delivers a 13MP periscope lens while the Pro model offers an 8MP shooter.

The Pro Plus model packs impressive cameras elsewhere too, featuring a 32MP 2x zoom lens and a 13MP ultra-wide camera. Meanwhile, the Pro and standard variants deliver a 13MP 2x zoom camera and an 8MP ultra-wide lens. The standard variant also features a 5MP macro camera in lieu of a periscope camera.

	Vivo X50	Vivo X50 Pro	Vivo X50 Pro Plus
Cameras	Rear: 48MP (OIS) 13MP 2x zoom 8MP ultra-wide 5MP macro Front: 32MP	Rear: 48MP (micro-gimbal stabilization) 13MP 2x zoom 8MP periscope 8MP ultra-wide Front: 32MP	Rear: 50MP (micro-gimbal stabilization) 32MP 2x zoom 13MP periscoope 13MP ultra-wide Front: 32MP

Vivo has also implemented its Super Night Mode on all the devices, which isn’t a surprise. But what is a surprise is the addition of a Starry Mode, ostensibly being a take on the Pixel 4‘s astrophotography mode. We’re guessing that this is an identical solution as the Realme X3 SuperZoom‘s Starry Mode, given that the two brands are under the same parent company.

More than just cameras?

The Vivo X50 Pro Plus is definitely the star of the show as far as power is concerned, packing a Snapdragon 865 chipset according to the brand. Meanwhile, the standard and Pro models serve up a Snapdragon 765G processor. The standard variant also gets a 4,200mAh battery, while the Pro model gets a 4,315mAh battery, and the Pro Plus has a 4,350mAh battery. You can expect 33W charging on the standard and Pro models, while the Pro Plus packs 44W topups.

The phones all share a 6.56-inch FHD+ OLED screen, but with a 90Hz refresh rate for the X50 and X50 Pro. The X50 Pro Plus features a 120Hz refresh rate.

Other specs shared among the three devices include a 32MP selfie camera in a punch-hole cutout and FunTouch OS 10.5 based on Android 10.

The standard Vivo X50 retails for 3,498 yuan (~$490) for the 8GB/128GB version, and the 8GB/256GB variant will set you back 3,898 yuan (~$546). The Vivo X50 Pro 5G starts at 4,298 yuan (~$602) for the 8GB/128GB model, while the 8GB/256GB variant retails for 4,698 yuan (~$658). The X50 Pro Plus is listed at 4,998 yuan (~$701) on Vivo’s Chinese website.