Already known for its camera phones, vivo is seeking to do even better with its midrange V27 5G. “The Aura Portrait Master” is its moniker, and photography is its game–and it’s got some noteworthy features and specs to help it take some pretty awesome photos and deliver a good overall performance.

 

Join us as we take a deep dive into the V27 5G and show you why we think it deserves such a lofty reputation.

 

Design and initial impressions

 

The V27 5G boasts an extremely thin body and compact dimensions: it’s all of 164.1 x 74.8 x 7.4mm and weighs just 180g. It also features a premium style and aesthetic thanks to features such as 3D curved glass at the front and back, where vivo has seen fit to incorporate a special material, Fluorite AG Glass. This will turn heads because it is UV light-sensitive and will change color depending on the light. Such a feature isn’t new to vivo phones, but this is the brand’s second-generation Photochromic technology that changes color faster thanks to greater light sensitivity.

 

Again at the rear is the V27 5G’s simple and clean camera island layout, which thankfully doesn’t protrude much. It features the phone’s three lenses, but is also where the Aura Light flash takes pride of place–more on this distinctive feature in just a few.

 

These dimensions and design help the phone nestle comfortably into one’s hands during use and turn heads when it isn’t being put through its paces. (A free clear case comes with the package in case you’d like a little extra grip as well as basic protection from nicks and dings.) Its carefully considered design means that it won’t prove slippery even in the throes of an intense gaming session.

 

Key features and specifications of the Vivo V27 5G

 

When you turn the V27 5G on for the first time, its stunning, narrow-bezeled screen will get your nod for sure. This is a 6.78-inch 2400 x 1080 AMOLED affair with a FullHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate (you can choose between 60Hz and 120Hz, or just let the phone choose its refresh rate depending on what you’re using it for), and under-display fingerprint sensor and face unlock. It’s also Widevine L1 certified, which means that users can enjoy streaming services like Prime Video, Disney+ and Netflix at FHD quality.

 

You also get a nice compact punch-hole for the selfie camera, which is an improvement over the notch that older versions featured.

 

Now we proceed to the V27 5G’s cameras. This unit showcases four of them: three out back (a 50MP OIS Ultra-Sensing lens, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP macro lens) and one up front (a 50MP Eye AF selfie snapper). 

 

The Ultra-Sensing Camera is powered by a special sensor, the Sony IMX766V, which was customized exclusively for vivo. It features OIS and EIS dual ultra stabilization which helps it capture more light and yet reduce the blur that results from subject motion, even during low-light situations.

 

The Aura Light Technology is another main feature of the V27 5G, and encompasses the specially-developed Sony sensor; a portrait mode for enhancing how subjects look; and the head-turning ring LED flash out back, which vivo calls Aura Light Portrait. As a whole, the system detects the level of ambient light and then adjusts the Aura Light’s brightness level to match when taking pictures.

 

Moving from back to front, the V27 5G’s 50MP selfie snapper boasts a special vlogging mode that renders it capable of capturing awesomely detailed selfies. And whether you’re a pro vlogger or just getting your vlogging feet wet, you’ll enjoy this phone’s 24 vlog modes that incorporate templates for sports, travel, food, and night vlogging. You can record video at 4K and 30fps and have the option to record at 1080p 60fps and 30fps. Selfies are also made more powerful and fun thanks to the selfie cameras range of different styles, beauty modes, and a portrait mode that offers bokeh or background blur.

 

The V27 5G runs the latest Funtouch OS 13, which is of course based on Android 13 itself. It features a clean and sleek interface that goes really well with the device’s aesthetic.

 

A couple more words regarding the V27 5G’s processor set, battery, and memory. It rocks a 2.8GHz MediaTek Dimensity 7200 octacore processor and Mali-G610 MC4 GPU, and also comes with a lot of standard memory: 12GB RAM and 256GB of non-expandable internal storage. And the battery is a 4600mAh non-removable affair and comes partnered with a 66W USB-C fast charger.

 

As for color choices, in the Philippines, the V27 5G can be had in Noble Black, Flowing Gold, Emerald Green, and Magic Blue.

 

Vivo V27 5G Performance

 

vivo touts the V27 5G as a standout camera smartphone, and by and large this is pretty much the case. 

 

The V27 5G is a hoot to use, especially when taking photos. The powerful main camera and processor set help users take daylight photos that are impressively detailed, boast good dynamic range, and feature excellent color saturation. It also helps that the display is extremely competent: it features colors that really pop, topnotch contrast, and super deep blacks, and also stands up well to direct sunlight.

 

In low light, the camera is equally competent if not more so–even with the Aura Light disengaged, our photos turned out balanced and attractive, moreso when we activated Night mode. vivo’s night algorithms are spot-on and result in noteworthy after-dark shots.

 

Speaking of the Aura Light, one of the V27 5G’s defining features, we were duly impressed by it as well. It generates a warm, gentle tone that gently bathes the subject in even, non-glaring light, which results in excellent coverage and counters overexposure. 

 

And as for the 50MP front-facing camera, as expected, it takes excellent selfies even in dim lighting. It was also quite fun to play around with the different styles and modes on offer–whatever we tried, our selfies came out pretty well.

 

When not taking photos, the V27 5G’s processor set makes this phone a smooth operator during daily tasks, most especially thanks to the display’s high refresh rate. And this phone’s power notwithstanding, we also enjoyed how efficiently it ran: we routinely eked out more than 17 hours of moderate use on a single charge. 

 

We did run out of juice a few times, especially after bouts of intense gaming, video watching, and photo snapping, and when this did happen we were happy that the phone’s fast charging feature worked quickly and well. From below 20% we were able to top up after charging for a hair under 60 minutes.

 

Verdict

 

We truly enjoyed our time with the vivo V27 5G. It may be a midrange phone, but when it  comes to photography and vlogging, it shines just as bright as many flagship phones out there, making it our current best phone for vlogging. Not least due to all the technology it has at its disposal, especially the Aura Light feature which is unique to this series of phones. The V27 5G also proved a pleasure to use on a daily basis, thanks to its noteworthy display, scintillating design, power efficiency, and good feature set.