Vivo V60 review: a mid‑range phone camera that goes the extra mile

The Vivo V60 arrives as the latest entry in Vivo’s V-series, a line that has steadily evolved from stylish mid-rangers into surprisingly capable all-rounders. Following on from the V50, which made waves with its bold design and competitive cameras, the V60 aims to push further with upgraded imaging hardware, a much larger battery, and refinements to Vivo’s ongoing partnership with Zeiss.

But it lands in a crowded space, where rivals like the Google Pixel 9a, Samsung Galaxy A56, and OnePlus Nord 4 all compete to deliver flagship-style features at more affordable prices. But can its triple camera system be good enough at this price to set the V60 at the top of the mid-range market?

Vivo V60: Specifications

Vivo V60: Price

The Vivo V60 is starting a slow global rollout, launching first across Asia with prices after conversion coming in at around $400/£350 – exceptional value for a phone offering features more commonly found in pricier flagships, including a Zeiss-engineered triple-camera system with a dedicated telephoto, a 6,500 mAh battery with 90W charging, and IP68/IP69 durability. At this price, the V60 sits well below the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE ($649) or Google Pixel 9a ($499), which both lack the same telephoto versatility – but are much easier to buy for Western readers.

Vivo V60: Design & Screen

The Vivo V60 is very much a phone that wants to be noticed. Where many rivals continue to play it safe with muted colors, Vivo has leaned hard into vibrancy with its latest palette. The Berry Purple finish on my review sample is unapologetically brash, but there’s no denying it turns heads. But for those who want something calmer, you can choose Mist Grey or Desert Gold. Or for a really playful design, the Ocean Blue version available in select markets offers a ripple-textured back that shimmers differently depending on how the light hits it. It’s clear that Vivo has designed this phone with social media creators and style-conscious buyers in mind.

The design isn’t a significant departure from, but rather an evolution of the Vivo V50, mixed in with elements of the Vivo X200 FE released earlier this year. The V60 and X200 FE both share the triple-camera layout and polished side rails, though the V60 is the larger device, packing a 6.8-inch AMOLED display rather than the X200 FE’s 6.31-inch screen.

The V60 screen is flat, but framed by quad-curved glass edges – although I do prefer a truly flat panel with sharp corners like the iPhone, Pixel, or indeed X200 FE. The display itself is impressive with punchy colours, excellent brightness, and good viewing angles. Editing images and watching videos on this phone feels natural.

Vivo is also touting its Diamond Shield glass, claiming stronger scratch and drop resistance, which, combined with IP68/IP69 protection, means the phone is equipped to withstand daily life – from a trip to the beach or a bathtime accident. After using the phone for several weeks, it is still looking factory fresh. Vivo also includes a colour-matched silicone case in the box, and a factory-applied screen protector for further safeguarding.

On the back, the circular camera ring of the V50 has been rearranged into a pill-shaped housing for the larger main and telephoto cameras. The ultrawide sits separately to the side, a placement that feels a little visually disconnected – and, as it turns out, indicative of its weaker photographic performance. The Aura ring light is not quite the visual statement it previously was and has been slimmed down.

Vivo V60: Camera Performance

Main Camera: 50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm, 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS

Telephoto Camera: 50 MP, f/2.7, 73mm, 1/1.95", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS

Ultrawide Camera: 8 MP, f/2.0, 15mm, 120˚

Front-facing camera: 50 MP, f/2.2, 21mm, 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF

After some home runs with its flagship phones, Vivo (and through its collaboration with Zeiss) is becoming a photography powerhouse – and the V60 continues its good form. This isn’t going to compete with the Vivo X200 Ultra, but for a ~$400 phone, these are some seriously good photos.

The main camera is a solid and dependable performer, but the new telephoto camera is actually the star of the show. Its 3x zoom feels well-judged, and portraits benefit hugely, especially when paired with Vivo’s signature bokeh mode, which allows you to adjust the blur and even the shape of out-of-focus highlights in post.

Main camera

Telephoto camera

Images from both cameras are consistently sharp, with good dynamic range and a balanced colour profile that avoids the over-saturation we still see in some rivals. Skin tones in particular look natural, which makes this a reliable everyday shooter for both portraits and casual snaps.

The V60 can take advantage of Vivo’s AI-assisted superzoom for even more detail beyond the 3x optical range of the camera. I found I could get decent usable shots at around 10x zoom (243mm). This isn’t quite as powerful as what can be achieved on Vivo’s flagships due to their superior hardware, but for a phone in this price range, it is really impressive and makes the V60 even more versatile.

The weak link in the trio is the ultrawide. At 12MP, with a smaller sensor, its images lack the detail and dynamic range of the main and telephoto lenses. In daylight, it’s fine for capturing landscapes or group shots, but in low light, it quickly shows its limitations, producing noisier, less detailed results. It feels like a “nice to have” rather than a real selling point.

The Aura light system has been toned down aesthetically but remains practical. It provides a softer and more even light compared to a standard LED flash, helping to avoid the washed-out look common in low-light portraiture. While not revolutionary, it’s still one of Vivo’s more distinctive features, and a useful tool for creators shooting after dark.

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Vivo has also added Film Mode, which taps into the nostalgia for analog aesthetics. The effect is fun, layering retro-inspired colour grading over shots, but it veers closer to early Instagram filters than authentic film emulation. Still, it’s a creative option for social media, where subtlety is rarely the goal.

AI plays a big role in Vivo's camera app, with scene detection, HDR tuning, and retouching options ranging from subtle skin smoothing to more heavy-handed beautification. For many (myself included), this beautification may feel over-processed, but it provides a lot of flexibility; it can be tweaked and tuned or turned off completely.

Vivo V60: Phone Performance

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 is not the speediest chip available, but you likely won’t notice. Day-to-day navigation is snappy, apps load quickly, and editing images – even large video files – feels quick. Multitasking between editing tools, streaming, and messaging never left the phone struggling. There is also vapour cooling to keep the phone core temperature down during heavy use by up to 12ºC – I didn't notice the phone getting hot at any point – but I am not a hardcore gamer.

Battery life is one of the V60’s strongest assets. The 6500mAh cell is enormous by current standards, and I found it easily powered the phone through a day of intensive use, often stretching into two days with lighter workloads. Even if you do run low, Vivo’s 90W FlashCharge is impressively quick and pretty much eliminated my battery anxiety altogether.

FunTouchOS, Vivo’s Android skin, is highly customisable, with a dedicated themes app and a level of personalisation most iPhone, Pixel, and Samsung users just aren’t used to. Unfortunately, the preloaded bloatware and constant nudges toward Vivo’s own app store can be irritating. Thankfully, much of this can be disabled. Software support is rated at five years, which, while not class-leading (Samsung and Google offer seven), is still respectable and matches the realistic lifespan of most handsets.

Finally, Google’s Gemini AI is woven throughout the OS, integrating features like Circle to Search, live translation during conversations, and automatic captioning for calls and meetings. Vivo doesn’t add much of its own AI here, which I don’t mind, as I prefer to default back to Gemini anyway.

For photographers, the AI tools also extend to image editing – both in the Google Photos and Vivo Photos apps. Vivo’s photo app features versions of tools, including AI Eraser, AI Photo Enhance, AI Magic Move, AI Image Expander, and AI Reflection Erase, which puts it on par with most other brands. Vivo’s versions of these tools are really good, and thankfully, I find myself needing to fire up Photoshop less and less nowadays.

Vivo V60: Verdict

For photographers, the V60 represents excellent value – photographic capabilities at a price below many flagships.

Camera performance is strong, especially from the main and telephoto lenses, which deliver sharp, natural-looking images with excellent portrait options thanks to Zeiss-tuned bokeh controls, and the Aura light remains a useful tool for low-light portraits. The ultrawide is the weak link, falling behind in detail and low-light performance, but it’s still handy when needed.

Some of its zanier color choices won’t appeal to everyone, but the design feels good in the hand, and the screen is excellent for the price. With a massive 6500mAh battery, fast 90W charging, and a capable Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chip, performance and endurance are more than sufficient for creators. FunTouchOS still comes with some bloat, but offers solid customisation and five years of updates.