Vivo iQOO U3x Review, Pros and Cons – The iQOO brand is one of those smartphone companies that brings tons of features across all ranges. Recently, they are working on bringing a decent entry-level device that also has 5G connectivity. For this, they launched the Vivo iQOO U3x smartphone.
The hype around this phone may not be that great, but the specifications are quite standard and wide, in addition to the add-on of the latest technology it gives an incomparable charm to the phone. Unlike its brother Vivo iQOO 7, this device focuses mainly on enthusiasts looking for a 5G device at an easily affordable price. With that said, let’s dive into other features to find out whether this affordable iQOO U3x is worth buying or not.
Table of Contents
Vivo iQOO U3x Review
Highlights
- The 5G speed comes through the Snapdragon 480 5G chipset, which has a decent performance.
- In terms of the camera, it is a little disappointing to see that the phone only offers a dual-camera setup on the back.
- On the other hand, it is good that you are getting the features of Andriod 11 and the OriginOS for iQOO 1.0 software skin for smartphones.
- Like most budget phones, here you will get a 6.58 inches IPS LCD panel, except that it has a frame rate of 90Hz.
- An 18W charging adapter is provided to supply the huge Li-Po 5000 mAh battery.
Design and Display
The Vivo iQOO U3x smartphone features an elegant layout design that you cannot see on an ordinary phone. In addition, the simple color display makes the phone more attractive. You can choose this device in two fascinating color options – gray and Aurora. It is up to you which one to choose, as both offer an impressive and elegant design.
However, we didn’t notice anything about IP certification or Corning Gorilla Glass. However, this is expected because the iQOO U3x does not have ready-to-use features or cutting-edge specifications. Still, there is hope, as you are purchasing a side-mounted fingerprint reader. In addition, the phone is considerably thin compared to the competition as it features a built-in 8.4 mm thick.
On the other side of the phone, you will notice that the settings are thin and give the phone a wide forehead, the chin is slightly larger than expected. Still, it looks attractive with the waterdrop notch screen. Full HD resolution brings elegance to the screen, still, the 6.58 inches IPS LCD panel may not be able to withstand the outdoors, as it does not have a high brightness rating. However, I cannot neglect the fact that it also provides a refresh rate of 90Hz.
Memory and Internal
The Android 11 operating system is the new trend and, without it, the smartphone would lose a point in the competition. Still, it is a good thing that you get the latest version with the OriginOS interface for the iQOO 1.0 UI. I still remember that same thing seen in the [[Poco X3 Pro]] where they got MIUI 12 for POCO. It is quite understandable, as both are sub-brands of a large company. In addition, its customization features are also not bad.
You can perform your daily tasks, like streaming content or games, without any problem. After that, you will have no lags during multitasking. However, the Vivo iQOO U3x smartphone has no clock speed due to its Snapdragon 480 chipset. With that, you can squeeze around 2.0 GHz speed from the two powerful cores, while the rest of the six cores provide 1.8 GHz speed for regular work.
There is also a huge contribution from the 90 Hz screen and RAM support that comes with this device. There are 4GB, 6GB, 8GB of RAM with 64 GB, 128 GB, and 128 GB for storage options available. Unfortunately, you will not receive support for the secondary storage unit. The more you spend time on the screen, the more heating problems start to appear. Fortunately, the company has implemented Multi-Turbo 5.0 on Origin OS – with that, you can dramatically increase your gaming experience.
Camera
The camera technology used in the Vivo iQOO U3x phone belongs to the entry-level where you will notice image distortion and less detail on a regular basis. Fortunately, AI’s beauty features will live up to its name, as Vivo smartphones are known for good camera software. There are dual camera configurations that allow you to take stunning and elegant photos without any particular hassle.
The specification follows the example of a 13 MP main camera and a 2 MP depth camera. For the selfie section, you will have your hand with the 8MP camera. Although, it is not the best you can get in the budget price range. Even so, it is worth its value for its resources.
On that note, you can easily achieve 4K video recording, except that you will not have any gyro-EIS features enabled in video mode. Although, there is also no clue about slow-motion and time-lapse. Fortunately, you can click on portrait and beauty mode, all thanks to the native camera setting.
Battery and Others
In terms of battery capacity, the company has implemented a Li-Po 5000 mAh battery that can be active for more than 6 hours. With this, you can do many things without the limits of screen time. It’s not like the Vivo iQOO U3x doesn’t have high-end specs, but still, they’re adequate to provide value. Inside the box, there is an 18W fast charging waiting for you.
The price of the Vivo iQOO U3x is fun, as you can choose the 4GB with 64GB and 6GB with 128GB variant for a similar cost of around $200 (Rs 14,999) approx. while the top variant comes with a top tag of $50 more. At this price, this phone is a decent choice.
Vivo iQOO U3x Specifications Detail
Down below you can see the full specifications of the Vivo iQOO U3x smartphone.
| Specifications | vivo iQOO U3x |
| Network | 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Announced | March 2021 |
| SIM | Dual SIM |
| Dimensions | 6.46 x 2.97 x 0.33 inches |
| Weight | 185.5 g |
| Size | 6.58 inches |
| Display | IPS LCD 90Hz 20:9 ratio ~401 ppi density |
| Protection | No |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2408 pixels |
| OS | Android 11, OriginOS for iQOO 1.0 |
| Chipset | 8nm – Qualcomm SM4350 Snapdragon 480 5G |
| CPU | Octa-core 2×2.0 GHz Kryo 460 6×1.8 GHz Kryo 460 |
| GPU | Adreno 619 |
| Card slot | No |
| RAM | 4GB, 6GB, 8GB |
| Internal | 6GB, 128GB UFS 2.1 |
| Camera | 13 MP (wide), PDAF 2 MP (depth) LED flash, HDR, panorama 4K@30fps |
| Selfie | 8 MP (wide) HDR 1080p@30fps |
| Loudspeaker | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | Yes |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| GPS | Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| NFC | No |
| Infrared port | No |
| Radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, USB On-The-Go |
| Sensors | side-mounted fingerprint, accelerometer, proximity, compass |
| Battery | Li-Po 5000 mAh Fast charging 18W |
| Colors | Gray, Aurora |
| Expected Price | $200 (Rs 14,999) approx |
Vivo iQOO U3x Pros and Cons
Down below you can see the list of pros and cons (advantages and disadvantages) of the Vivo iQOO U3x smartphone.
Pro
- 90Hz refresh rate screen.
- Future-proof 5G technology device.
- Simple and elegant design.
- A decent-performing processor.
- Records 4K videos smoothly.
- Latest Android 11 OS.
- 18 W fast charging adapter.
- Long battery life.
- Decent price.
Cons
- Bloatware apps are present.
- Lacks video stabilization capabilities.
- Use the outdated Type C 2.0 port.
- No secondary storage option.
- Without HDR 10+ contrast.
- Corning Gorilla Glass protection is missing
Conclusion
Vivo iQOO U3x is the best and most affordable 5G device you get from Vivo. You will have an impressive screen time, a more refresh rate, a charming appearance, and a wide fit storage option. All of this at a very cheap cost. Although in case you prefer a 5G with the best camera configuration, this device may not be a good option for you.
The company also implemented the Memory Fusion device, which allows you to increase the speed of RAM by adding a few GBs of internal storage. Although it is practically possible, except for this, you have to root your device. By the way, the iQOO U3x has decent entry-level features and software support, but there is an alternative that we would like to recommend to you. Take a look at Redmi Note 9 Pro Max smartphone.
