The vivo V27 5G is the middle device in the V27 series globally however it’s the highest-tier V27 series handset available in South Africa. With the only difference between the V27 Pro and V27 5G being a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 (in the V27 5G) vs a MediaTek Dimensity 8200 (in the V27 Pro) I’d say that vivo made the right decision by not bringing the pro variant into the country.
The V27 5G arrives in a simple grey box with the device name in a metallic font that changes colours depending on how the light hits it. Thankfully, unlike some other companies, vivo has included not only a USB-C to USB-A charging cable in the box but also a SuperVOOC charging brick, a SIM ejector tool and a clear TPU case. The phone has thin screen protector pre-installed on the display.
Design-wise the V27 5G has a refined, understated design that makes it look more like a flagship handset than a mid-range one. The front of the device is dominated by the single hole-punch cut out 6.78-inch 120Hz AMOLED curved display while the back has a textured colour-changing finish and a metal (it is metal, right?) camera bump housing a triple camera setup and a flash. Towards to bottom you’ll find the vivo logo. Unlike Apple or Samsung handsets, vivo has opted for curved edges on both the front and back of the handset which makes it feel more manageable in hand even if it reduces gripability somewhat.
I received the Magic Blue hue which changes from a pale blue to a very dark royal blue when exposed to UV light. The colour changing back isn’t a new party trick from vivo but it is a welcome addition which serves to make the device more unique and plays into vivo’s highly customisable UI.
Moving beyond the design, the V27 5G is an incredibly capable phone that can go toe-to-toe with flagships priced over R10 000 more.
The display is large, vibrant and viewable from almost every angle (the curved edges don’t do it any favours here). While some might lament the fact it’s only a 1080 display, I think this was the right choice from vivo to balance power consumption and viewing pleasure.
It also makes a great canvas for viewing pictures and videos taken with the device.
While I didn’t find the 2MP macro camera to be incredibly useful, the 8MP wide angle lens fared slightly better but it’s the 50 MP main sensor with Optical Image Stabilsation (OIS) that shines.
As with most cameras it performs well in perfectly light and daylight conditions but it’s at where this camera truly punches above its weight.
I took it with on a trip to Las Vegas fully expecting it overexpose the famous Las Vegas strip or the lights of the Fremont Experience but it didn’t. As you can see from the images below, it balances all the colourful lights as well as the surrounding lights without losing sharpness or colour reproduction or colour accuracy.
The only devices that outperformed it were the iPhone 14 Pro and the Huawei P60 Pro but even then, the margin was slim. If you’re a fan of selfies or love using the front facing camera on your phone to film content then you’ll love the 50MP front facing camera.
Another aspect of the vivo V27 5G that I love is the SuperVOOC fast charging. Living in a country where power supply is unreliable, I’m glad that vivo has equipped the V27 5G with 66W charging speed.
When it comes to sound you’re limited to a single downward firing speaker and I wish that vivo had included a speaker at the top of the device to balance out the audio.
The brand has also not indicated whether the V27 5G has an IP rating or not.
While it packs 256GB storage, it’s not expandable so what you see is what you get.
Arguably, the only real frustration of the V27 5G is Funtouch OS 13. While based on Android 13, it packs in more bloatware in terms of apps than I’ve seen on a handset in quite a while. Sure, you’re able to delete the apps, but you shouldn’t have to. On the positive side, Funtouch OS is one of the most customisable user interfaces (UIs) I’ve experienced in a long time – you’re able to customise everything from the lock screen to the animation for the under screen fingerprint scanner and more.
Overall, vivo’s V27 5G is a great all-rounder that delivers more than the average mid-ranger and more than I expected. If this is the quality that vivo is bringing to South Africa then I say bring even more.
If you’re looking for a new handset with a large, beautiful display, great camera and a battery that will easily get you through the day, then the V27 5G should be high up on your list of consideration.
