Vivo Brings The LowLight Magic To Its MidTier IQoo 9T
Vivo doesn't have a bad reputation like Apple or Samsung, nor is it as well known in the West as other Chinese brands like Xiaomi or Huawei. But those who follow the Android scene closely know that Vivo is on the rise, releasing flagship phones with critically acclaimed camera features. In fact, I think the Vivo X80 Pro has the best primary camera of any phone right now, better than anything from Apple, Samsung or even Google.
One of the reasons for the success of Vivo's camera – the X80 Pro excels at HDR capture of high-contrast scenes – is because the company uses powerful optics with a large image sensor and Zeiss-T coating. But perhaps most importantly, the X80 Pro's excellent camera is due to Vivo's self-developed V1+ imaging chip, which gives the company control over the entire line and image processing in a way that, for example, Samsung couldn't. .
Now, Vivo has brought this imaging chip to mid-range phones under its original iQoo sub-brand (pronounced "ey coo"). Currently, the iQoo 9T will be sold primarily in Southeast Asia, including the fast-growing Indian market, for the equivalent of $630. Not cheap, but not too expensive by 2022 smartphone standards For that price, you get a phone that can serve as a four-figure flagship for most people.
The 9T features a stunning 6.7-inch OLED display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, the all-new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip and a dual-tone glass back available in black or white with the popular BMW stripes. (Yes., partners with BMW for the iQoo model). The BMW models are making headlines, but I've found them to prefer the sleek and black models
The phone has a camera system with a 50MP f/1.9 GN5 image sensor along with a relatively large 1/1.5-inch image sensor. The images captured by this camera are processed by the aforementioned V1+ imaging chip. These are all premium components and the phone performs at the highest level
If you dig deeper, those who know their smartphone hardware will be able to see what makes this phone not a flagship: no wireless charging, no water resistance, and a solid but amazing 12MP telephoto and 13MP ultra-wide zoom. . However, at this $630 price point, it's a fair compromise.
As for the parts that work well, the iQoo 9T excels. The Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip is the most powerful in the Android lineup, and a 4,700mAh 9T battery is very effective at delivering life — the phone can run for up to 13 hours a day on juice. The brand has also included a 120W ultra-fast charger that charges the phone from a 100% charged battery in 20 minutes.
But what sets the 9T apart is the performance of the main camera. The 50MP sensor captures 12.5MP photos with four times more detail than normal, and the large image sensor absorbs a lot of light, so even night shots are noise-free, and the V1+ chip can find the right exposure in almost any lighting condition. In the two sample images below, the 9T was able to correctly detect all the highlights and produce a balanced, noise-free image, even if the lighting conditions weren't great.
Elsewhere, the iQoo 9T packs stereo speakers and runs Vivo's version of Android 12, which is fine. Vivo, known as FunTouch, isn't my favorite Android skin — I think its aesthetic is a bit dated and lacks some of the shortcut gestures seen on the Samsung or Xiaomi versions of Android. But it is functional and fine.
The program is first class. The phone glides smoothly and the vapor chamber liquid cooling system is larger than many phones in this price range and keeps the phone from overheating, even during intense gaming.
Overall, there's not much you can do with the iQoo 9T at this price point. Do you want better magnified images? Sure, but phones with better zoom are usually more expensive. For what it is, the iQoo 9T is a superior mid-ranger, sitting well above the heavyweights thanks to the V1+ imaging chip from Vivo.
If you can pay less, you should still get the Vivo X80 Pro as it offers all the benefits of this phone plus super zoom and super wide angle. Either way, Vivo's camera playback will be top notch in 2022.
