The vivo S20 Pro is here, and it’s making a strong case for being one of the most exciting mid-range phones of 2024. If you love taking photos, especially selfies, or if you’re just looking for a phone that looks good and feels great in your hand, this one might just be what you’ve been waiting for. But it’s not just about looks—this phone packs some serious tech under the hood, making it a solid choice for anyone.
Design and Build Quality
Regarding design, the vivo S20 Pro is a phone that stands out. First off, here are the color options. The model we’re looking at is the “Purple Air from the East,” and let me tell you, it’s a stunner. The back of the phone has this unique “Phantom Flowing Cloud” finish that gives it a marble-like texture with a subtle shimmer when light hits it. It’s not just a flat color—it’s dynamic, with different shades and patterns that make every unit feel a little unique. It’s the kind of design that makes you want to show it off, and it’s definitely a conversation starter.
One thing I really appreciate is the attention to detail. The camera module on the back is designed to blend in with the overall aesthetic. It’s a runway-shaped module with a circular accent that houses the periscope telephoto lens and the soft light ring. It’s subtle yet elegant, and it doesn’t stick out too much, which is a big plus if you’re not a fan of bulky camera bumps. The module also matches the color of the back cover, giving the phone a cohesive, polished look.
Now, let’s talk about the feel. At just 7.5mm thick and weighing 194 grams, the vivo S20 Pro is incredibly lightweight and slim. It’s one of those phones that you can easily use with one hand, and it’s comfortable to hold for long periods. The 3D curved glass on the back seamlessly blends into the plastic middle frame, creating a smooth, rounded design that feels premium in your hand. And yes, the middle frame is plastic, but Vivo has done a great job of making it feel warm and sturdy—it doesn’t feel cheap at all.
The phone’s front is just as impressive. The 6.67-inch OLED screen has a full-depth micro-curved design, which means the edges of the display gently curve into the frame.
But it’s not just about looks. The build quality is top-notch too. The vivo S20 Pro uses Diamond Shield dual-resistance glass on both the front and back, which is a fancy way of saying it’s tough and durable. This isn’t a phone that’s going to scratch or crack easily, and it even has a waterproof certification from the China Quality Certification Center. That means it can handle a little rain or an accidental splash without breaking a sweat. Plus, it’s been tested to withstand drops, so you don’t have to baby it as much as some other phones.
Let’s not forget the practical touches. The buttons on the side are well-placed and have a nice clicky feel, and the SIM card tray is solid and doesn’t wobble. The speaker grille and USB-C port at the bottom are neatly designed, and the phone even has noise-reduction holes at the top for better call quality.
Display Quality
The vivo S20 Pro shines where it matters most: the display. This screen makes everything you do on your phone feel more enjoyable. First, the basics. The vivo S20 Pro features a 6.67-inch OLED screen with a 1.5K resolution (2800 x 1260 pixels). That’s not quite 4K, but honestly, you won’t notice the difference unless you’re holding the phone inches from your face. The pixel density is high enough that everything looks sharp and crisp, from text to images to videos. And because it’s an OLED panel, the colors are vibrant, the blacks are deep, and the contrast is excellent.
One of the standout features of this display is its brightness. With a peak brightness of 1600 nits, this screen is easily visible even in direct sunlight. That’s a big deal if you’re someone who uses their phone outdoors a lot. No more squinting or cupping your hand over the screen to see what’s going on—the vivo S20 Pro handles bright environments like a champ. It’s also great for HDR content, as the high brightness ensures that highlights and shadows are well-defined.
Another thing I love about this display is the 120Hz refresh rate. If you’ve never used a phone with a high refresh rate, you’re in for a treat. Everything feels smoother—scrolling through your social media feed, switching between apps, or playing games. It’s one of those features that, once you experience it, you can’t go back to a standard 60Hz screen. The good news is that the vivo S20 Pro’s display is adaptive, meaning it can adjust the refresh rate based on what you’re doing to save battery life.
Now, let’s talk about eye comfort. The vivo S20 Pro’s display supports 3840Hz PWM dimming, which is a fancy way of saying it reduces flicker at low brightness levels. This makes the screen easier on your eyes, especially if you use the phone in a dark room or for long periods. It also has SGS low blue light certification, which means it filters out harmful blue light that can cause eye strain. If you spend a lot of time staring at your phone (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t?), these features are a big win.
The color accuracy on this display is also worth mentioning. It covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, which means colors are rich and true to life. One thing that surprised me is how well the display’s curved edges are implemented. Unlike some phones where the curves can cause glare or accidental touches, the vivo S20 Pro’s micro-curved design is subtle and practical. The curves also make swiping gestures feel more fluid, especially when navigating the phone’s interface.
Finally, let’s not forget the durability. The display is protected by Diamond Shield glass, which is resistant to scratches and drops. You don’t have to worry about pulling out your phone and finding a scratch on the screen—it’s built to handle everyday wear and tear.
Performance
The vivo S20 Pro doesn’t mess around with performance. This phone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ processor, which might not be the latest chip on the block, but it’s still a powerhouse in 2024. it’s built on an all-big-core architecture, which means it’s designed for high performance and efficiency. It’s got 8 cores in total, including one ultra-fast 3.4GHz Cortex-X4 core, three 2.85GHz Cortex-X4 cores, and four 2.0GHz Cortex-A720 cores. Translation? This phone is fast. Apps open instantly, switching between them is seamless, and even demanding tasks like photo editing or video rendering are handled without a hitch.
The Vivo S20 Pro has been tested in a variety of benchmark tests, and the results are impressive. Starting with AnTuTu, which is one of the most comprehensive benchmarks out there, the S20 Pro scored a total of 2,126,455 points. Breaking it down, the CPU scored 528,125 points, the GPU scored 883,190 points, the memory (MEM) scored 327,942 points, and the user experience (UX) scored 387,198 points. This overall score puts the phone in the upper tier of mid-range devices, competing with older flagship models. The GPU score, in particular, stands out, which explains why the phone handles gaming so smoothly.
Moving on to Geekbench 6, which focuses on CPU performance, the vivo S20 Pro scored 2,266 points in the single-core test and 7,308 points in the multi-core test. The single-core score is solid, showing that the phone is great at handling everyday tasks like opening apps and browsing the web. The multi-core score is even more impressive, indicating that the phone can handle heavy multitasking and demanding applications without breaking a sweat.
For GPU performance, we turned to GFXBench, which runs graphics-intensive simulations. The vivo S20 Pro scored 206 FPS in the Aztec Ruins OpenGL test, 191 FPS in the Aztec Ruins Vulkan test, and 125 FPS in the Car Chase test. The Manhattan 3.1 Offscreen test scored 225 FPS, while the Manhattan Offscreen test resulted in 266 FPS. Finally, the phone scored an impressive 399 FPS in the T-Rex Offscreen test. These scores confirm that the Immortalis-G720 GPU is more than capable of handling high-end gaming and graphic-intensive tasks.
Another popular tool for testing gaming performance is 3DMark. In the Wild Life Extreme test, the vivo S20 Pro scored 8,450 points. This score is well above average for a mid-range phone and shows that the device can easily handle even the most demanding games. For everyday performance, we used PCMark, which simulates tasks like web browsing, video editing, and photo editing. The vivo S20 Pro scored 14,320 points in the Work 3.0 benchmark, which is an excellent result. This means the phone is more than capable of handling productivity tasks, making it a great choice for both work and play.
The GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is just as impressive for the gamers out there. The Immortalis-G720 GPU with 12 cores ensures that even the most graphics-intensive games run smoothly. You can expect high frame rates and minimal lag if you’re playing Genshin Impact, Honkai Impact 3rd, or Honor of Kings. And thanks to Vivo’s performance tuning, the phone stays cool even during extended gaming sessions, so you don’t have to worry about overheating.
Speaking of gaming, let’s talk about some real-world performance. In Honor of Kings, the vivo S20 Pro maintains a steady 120fps even in the most intense 10v10 battles. The average power consumption is just 4.77W, which is impressive for a phone with this level of performance. In Genshin Impact, the phone averages 59.52fps on high settings, with only minor frame drops in complex scenes. And in Honkai Impact 3rd, it’s even smoother, with an average of 59.93fps and stable performance throughout.
But it’s not just about gaming. The vivo S20 Pro is also a multitasking beast. With 12GB of RAM (and support for virtual RAM expansion), you can open multiple apps simultaneously without any slowdowns.
Software and User Experience
The vivo S20 Pro running on OriginOS 5, offers a smooth, intuitive, and feature-rich user experience that makes it a joy to use every day. OriginOS 5 is Vivo’s custom Android skin, and it’s one of the most polished and user-friendly interfaces out there. The design is clean and modern, with a focus on simplicity and ease of use. The icons are sleek, the animations are smooth, and the overall look is cohesive and visually appealing.
One of the standout features of OriginOS 5 is its customizability. You can tweak almost every aspect of the interface to suit your preferences. From changing the home screen layout to adjusting the color scheme and font size, there’s a lot you can do to make the phone feel like your own. There’s even a “Classic” mode that mimics the look of stock Android, which is a nice touch for purists.
One of the things that sets OriginOS 5 apart from other custom Android skins is the lack of bloatware. The phone comes with a minimal set of pre-installed apps, most of which are useful and can be uninstalled if you don’t need them. This keeps the interface clean and ensures that you have plenty of storage space for your own apps and files.
AI Features
OriginOS 5 is packed with AI-powered features that make using the phone more convenient and enjoyable. The AI assistant can help you with everything from setting reminders to finding information online. It’s also integrated with the camera, offering features like AI scene recognition and AI 3D virtual fill light, which enhance your photography experience.
Another useful AI feature is smart scheduling, which optimizes the phone’s performance based on your usage patterns. For example, if you usually play games in the evening, the phone will allocate more resources to ensure smooth performance during that time.
Imaging Capabilities
If there’s one area where the Vivo S20 Pro truly shines, it’s the camera. This phone is a photography powerhouse designed to deliver stunning photos and videos in almost any situation. The S20 Pro has a triple-camera setup on the back and a single front-facing camera, but don’t let the numbers fool you—each lens is packed with high-end specs that make this phone a serious contender in the photography space.
Rear Cameras:
- Main Camera: 50MP Sony IMX921 sensor, f/1.88 aperture, OIS (Optical Image Stabilization)
- Telephoto Camera: 50MP Sony IMX882 sensor, 3X optical zoom, OIS, supports telephoto macro
- Ultra-Wide Camera: 50MP Samsung JN1 sensor, f/2.05 aperture
Front Camera:
- Selfie Camera: 50MP Samsung JN1 sensor, f/2.0 aperture, autofocus, dual soft lights
Main Camera
The main camera on the Vivo S20 Pro is where this phone truly flexes its photography muscles. It’s the workhorse of the camera setup, designed to handle everything from everyday snapshots to more challenging low-light scenes.
The main camera on the vivo S20 Pro is built around a 50MP Sony IMX921 sensor, which is the same sensor used in some of vivo’s higher-end flagship models. This sensor is 1/1.56 inches in size, which is larger than what you’ll find in most mid-range phones. A larger sensor means more light can be captured, resulting in better detail, dynamic range, and low-light performance.
The camera also features a wide f/1.88 aperture, enhancing its ability to take in light. This is especially useful in low-light conditions, where the camera can produce bright, clear photos without needing to rely too heavily on artificial lighting or long exposure times.
The main camera is equipped with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization)to keep your shots steady and blur-free. This is a big deal because it helps reduce camera shake, whether you’re shooting handheld or in low light. It also makes a noticeable difference when recording videos, keeping your footage smooth and stable.
In daylight conditions, the main camera on the vivo S20 Pro absolutely shines. The 50MP sensor captures an incredible amount of detail, so your photos look sharp and crisp, even when you zoom in. The colors are vibrant but not oversaturated, staying true to life while still looking pleasing to the eye. The dynamic range is also impressive. The camera does a great job of balancing the exposure. Highlights are well-controlled, and shadows retain plenty of detail, so you don’t end up with blown-out skies or overly dark areas.
Low-light photography is where the vivo S20 Pro really impresses. The main camera’s large sensor and wide aperture let in more light, resulting in bright, clear photos even in dark environments. The OIS helps reduce blur, and the AI algorithms work to reduce noise and enhance details.
Telephoto Macro
One of the coolest features of the Vivo S20 Pro is its telephoto macro mode. Unlike most macro modes, which use the ultra-wide lens, this phone uses the telephoto lens for macro shots. This allows you to get as close as 10 cm to your subject while maintaining excellent detail and clarity.
Ultra-Wide
The 50MP ultra-wide camera is perfect for capturing landscapes, architecture, and group shots. With a 15mm equivalent focal length, you can fit a lot more into the frame without having to step back. The distortion correction ensures that the edges of your photos look natural and the colors are consistent with the main camera. Whether you’re shooting a scenic view or a crowded room, the ultra-wide lens delivers sharp, detailed photos with excellent dynamic range.
AI Features
Vivo has packed the S20 Pro with a ton of AI-powered features that make photography more fun and intuitive. The AI 3D virtual fill light ensures that your subjects are well-lit, even in backlit or low-light conditions. The AI face correction algorithm makes your portraits look more natural, with features like skin smoothing and eye enhancement. There’s also a soft light studio mode that simulates professional lighting techniques, giving your photos a studio-like quality.
Portraits
The telephoto camera is where the vivo S20 Pro really shines when it comes to portraits. With an 85mm focal length (3X optical zoom), this lens is perfect for capturing stunning portraits with a beautiful background blur (bokeh). The 50MP sensor ensures that every detail is captured, from the skin’s texture to the strands of hair. The OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) keeps your shots steady, even if you’re shooting handheld.
The portrait mode on this phone is incredibly versatile. You can choose from different focal lengths (23mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 100mm) to frame your shot exactly how you want it. The AI algorithms do an excellent job of separating the subject from the background, creating a natural-looking bokeh effect that makes your portraits pop.
Video
The vivo S20 Pro is also a great phone for shooting videos. The OIS on the main and telephoto cameras ensures that your footage is smooth and stable, even if you’re walking or moving around. The phone supports 4K video recording, and the colors are vibrant and true to life. The AI algorithms also work in real-time to enhance the video quality, making your footage look professional.
Selfies
Let’s start with the front camera because, let’s be honest, selfies are a big deal for a lot of people. The 50MP front camera on the S20 Pro is one of the best you’ll find in any phone. The autofocus ensures that your selfies are always sharp, even if you’re moving around or taking a group shot. The dual soft lights provide natural-looking fill light, so your selfies look bright and clear even in low-light conditions.
But what really sets this camera apart is the AI beauty features. Vivo has packed in a ton of options to make your selfies look their best. You can adjust everything from skin tone and whitening to more advanced features like “hair enhancement,” which makes your hair look fuller and more vibrant. The result? Selfies that look polished but still natural, without that over-processed look you get from some phones.
Battery Life and Charging
The vivo S20 Pro is equipped with a massive 5500mAh battery, which is one of the largest you’ll find in a phone this slim. This isn’t just a big number on paper—it translates to real-world usage that’s seriously impressive. In our tests, the phone lasted 7 hours and 43 minutes with 20% battery remaining, which means you’re looking at a full day of heavy use. You might even get into the second day without recharging if you’re a lighter user.
Here’s a breakdown of how the battery performed in different scenarios: After 1 hour of TikTok, the battery dropped by 8%, going from 79% to 71%. After 1 hour of YouTube, it dropped by 11%, going from 97% to 86%. Watching a 1080P movie on Netflix for an hour drained the battery by 9%, taking it from 60% to 51%. After 1 hour of playing Honor of Kings at 120fps on extreme quality settings, the battery dropped by 27%, going from 68% to 41%.
Now, let’s talk about charging. The S20 Pro supports 90W fast charging, which is ridiculously fast. Here’s how it performed in our charging test: After just 10 minutes, the phone was charged to 25%. After 20 minutes, it reached 62%. By the 30-minute mark, it was up to 88%. And in just 45 minutes, the phone was fully charged at 100%.
That’s right—you can go from almost dead to fully charged in less than an hour. Even a quick 10-minute charge can give you enough juice to get through a couple of hours of use. The charging process is also smart and efficient. The phone adjusts the charging speed based on the temperature to prevent overheating. For example, if the phone gets too warm, it might temporarily drop the charging speed from 90W to 28W to cool down.
Final Verdict
The Vivo S20 Pro truly impresses on every front. It’s not just a mid-range device—it’s a flagship killer that delivers a premium experience without the premium price tag. From its stunning design and vibrant display to its powerful performance and exceptional camera capabilities, this phone has features that make it stand out in a crowded market.
At a starting price of $470 USD (based on the 12GB + 256GB model), the S20 Pro offers incredible value for money. It’s packed with features that you’d typically find in much more expensive phones, making it a great choice for anyone who wants a premium experience without breaking the bank.
So, If you’re in the market for a new phone and want something that offers flagship-level performance and camera quality at a mid-range price, the vivo S20 Pro is definitely worth considering. It’s a phone that does it all without breaking the bank, and it’s one of the best options in its price range.
