Yesterday Vivo announced the new S5: someone considers it the nth mid-ranger from the company, but it is not exactly so. It offers a more original design than most of the actual budget phones, so it is worth paying attention to it. Now that we know all of its specifications and the launch price, the next step is comparing Vivo S5 with at least some of the most important mid-rangers out there in order to establish whether it is worth for potential buyers giving it a chance. For this comparison, we chose the Realme X2 due to its amazing quality-price ratio and the Xiaomi Mi CC9 due to its premium design and well-balanced specs sheet.
Vivo S5 vs Oppo Realme X2 vs Xiaomi Mi CC9
| Vivo S5 | Oppo Realme X2 | Xiaomi Mi CC9 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 157.9 x 73.9 x 8.6 mm, 188 grams | 158.7 x 75.2 x 8.6 mm, 182 grams | 156.8 x 74.5 x 8.7 mm, 179 grams |
| DISPLAY | 6.44 inches, 1080 x 2400p (Full HD+), 409 ppi, Super AMOLED | 6.4 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, Super AMOLED | 6.39 inches, 1080 x 2340p (Full HD+), 403 ppi, Super AMOLED |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 712, octa-core 2.3 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, octa-core 2.2 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 710, octa-core 2.2 GHz |
| MEMORY | 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – micro SD slot | 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 8 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – micro SD dedicated slot | 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB – 8 GB RAM, 256 GB – micro SD slot |
| SOFTWARE | Android 9 Pie, Funtouch | Android 9 Pie, Color OS | Android 9 Pie, MIUI |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5, GPS |
| CAMERA | Quad 48 + 8 + 2 + 5 MP f/1.8, f/2.2, f/2.4 and f/2.4 32 MP f/2.4 front camera |
Quad 64 + 8 + 2 + 2 MP f/1.8, f/2.3, f/2.4 and f/2.4 32 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Triple 48 + 8 + 2 MP f/1.8 32 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 4100 mAh, fast charging 22.5W | 4000 mAh, fast charging 30W | 4030 mAh, fast charging 18W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Hybrid Dual SIM slot | Hybrid Dual SIM slot | Hybrid Dual SIM slot |
Design
As said above, Vivo S5 adopts an original and futuristic design. First of all, it comes with a punch-hole display, and that is not so easy to find it among mid-rangers. Further, it has a pretty nice diamond-like camera module on the back making its design unique. It has a bigger display and a higher screen-to-body ratio than Realme X2, yet it provides a more compact body. Even the Xiaomi Mi CC9 is a very interesting phone when it comes to aesthetics. Just like the Vivo S5, it has a glass back as well as an aluminum frame, despite it lacks a punch-hole display. Realme X2 has a plastic frame, so its build quality is inferior.
Display
Most of the punch-hole displays are IPS panels, but the Vivo S5 features a Super AMOLED screen. However, this is not the best display of the trio. The richest image quality is delivered by the Xiaomi Mi CC9 which supports the HDR standard and it even comes with high brightness. In each case, you get an in-display fingerprint reader, as well as an AMOLED panel. But only the Xiaomi Mi CC9 supports HDR.
Specs & Software
Vivo S5, Xiaomi Mi CC9, and Realme X2 are all powered by different chipsets, but all of them belong to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 700 series. The most powerful chipset is the Snapdragon 730G found on the Realme X2 which is the best for both its CPU and GPU performance. The second place goes to the Snapdragon 712 found on the Vivo S5 but it is just a slight upgrade of the Snapdragon 710 you can find on the Xiaomi Mi CC9. You should also consider that, besides having the best processor, Realme X2 features a fast UFS 2.1 storage. Each phone has Android 9 Pie out of the box, but customized by a different user interface: Vivo S5 has Funtouch OS, Xiaomi Mi CC9 has MIUI (which I define more advanced) and Realme X2 has Color OS.
Camera
At first glance, it does not seem so, but the Realme X2 has the most advanced camera department. It features a 64 MP quad camera including an ultrawide sensor, a dedicated macro camera, and a depth sensor. Even its front camera is amazing with its 32 MP resolution, but the 32 MP camera of the Xiaomi Mi CC9 uses Meitu’s algorithm which is able to enhance the selfie quality a lot. Note that no one of these devices is a high-end camera phone, they just come with midrange-class sensors.
Battery
On the paper, Vivo S5 offers a slightly bigger 4100 mAh battery, while Xiaomi Mi CC9 and Realme X2 stop at 4030 and 4000 mAh, respectively. However, this does not necessarily mean that Vivo S5 will last more on a single charge as software optimization plays an important role when it comes to small battery capacity differences.
Price
Vivo S5 6/128 GB just launched in China with a €350/$387 starting price, Xiaomi Mi CC9 costs about €360/$398 in the 6/128 GB version, and Realme X2 costs €230/$254 in the 6/128 GB configuration. Overall, in my personal opinion, Realme X2 looks like a more interesting option due to its stronger chipset and better cameras.
Vivo S5 vs Oppo Realme X2 vs Xiaomi Mi CC9: PROs and CONS
Vivo S5
PROs
- Amazing design
- Big battery
- Nice selfie camera
CONS
- Nothing particular
Realme X2
PROs
- Amazing performance
- Great front camera
- Micro SD dedicated slot
CONS
- Plastic frame
Xiaomi Mi CC9
PROs
- Premium build quality
- Great front camera
- Amazing software
CONS
- Nothing particular
