Vivo Y21

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Vivo Y21 Review: A Budget-Friendly Option with Solid Performance 📱💰

Vivo Y21 features a 6.51-inch HD+ display, 5000mAh battery, and a Helio P35 chip for smooth performance. Priced at PKR 44,999 ($160), it offers great value for everyday use!

Design ✨

• Sleek and Slim: The Vivo Y21 boasts a slim profile with a thickness of just 8mm, making it comfortable to hold and easy to carry in your pocket.
• Premium Polycarbonate Build: Featuring a polycarbonate back with a glossy finish, the phone gives off a premium feel while being lightweight and durable.
• 2.5D Curved Edges: The phone’s smooth curved edges not only enhance the visual appeal but also provide a more ergonomic and comfortable grip.
• Minimalistic Aesthetics: The simple design with a single-tone color finish exudes elegance and is available in attractive colors like Metallic Blue and Diamond Glow.
• Compact Size: The 6.51-inch screen ensures the device remains compact, ideal for single-hand use and easy navigation.
• Sleek Camera Setup: The 13MP dual-camera setup is neatly arranged, with minimal protrusion, maintaining the phone’s sleek profile.
• Side-Mounted Fingerprint Scanner: The side-mounted fingerprint sensor doubles as the power button, providing quick and secure access to your phone.

Display 🎨

• 6.51-Inch HD+ Display: The Vivo Y21 features a 6.51-inch IPS LCD screen, offering decent clarity with an HD+ resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels, making it great for daily tasks and entertainment.
• 60Hz Refresh Rate: While it’s not the highest refresh rate available, the 60Hz refresh rate still offers smooth navigation for everyday use and light gaming.
• Sunlight Display: One standout feature is the Sunlight Display, which automatically adjusts the screen’s brightness in bright outdoor conditions for better visibility in direct sunlight.
• Vibrant Colors: The IPS LCD panel offers vibrant colors and wide viewing angles, perfect for watching videos and browsing the web.
• Waterdrop Notch: The waterdrop notch houses the front camera, making the display feel more immersive by minimizing bezels.
• Eye Protection Mode: Eye Protection mode reduces blue light emissions, ensuring that your eyes don’t get strained after prolonged usage, especially at night.
• Wide Color Gamut: Although it’s an HD+ display, it covers a wide color gamut, providing decent color accuracy for casual media consumption.

This combination of sleek design and decent display quality makes the Vivo Y21 a great option for those seeking a budget-friendly phone with premium feels and basic multimedia capabilities. 😊

Processor and CPU Performance 🚀

• MediaTek Helio P35: The MediaTek Helio P35 chipset is an octa-core processor based on a 12nm process. This provides a good balance between power and efficiency, but it’s not meant for extreme tasks.
  • CPU Architecture:
    • It has 8 cores, split into 4 high-performance Cortex-A53 cores running at 2.3GHz and 4 power-efficient Cortex-A53 cores running at 1.8GHz.
    • This design enables the phone to handle light multitasking and daily tasks like browsing, watching videos, and using social media apps without much issue.
  • Performance Focus: The chip is designed to optimize battery life while providing solid performance for standard applications. However, for more demanding tasks, the phone may experience slowdowns, especially with multiple apps running in the background.
  • Multitasking: While the processor can handle multiple apps, it’s better suited for moderate tasks, and performance may dip with heavy multitasking. Apps like social media, messaging, and media streaming run without significant issues, but jumping between many apps might show lag at times.

Gaming Performance 🎮

• Casual and Light Gaming:
  The PowerVR GE8320 GPU that powers the MediaTek Helio P35 chipset is not optimized for high-end gaming. It is suitable for light gaming and casual titles. Here’s a breakdown of its performance across several popular games:
  • PUBG Mobile: On Low Settings, the phone maintains 30-40 FPS, providing a stable experience, although high-intensity firefights or crowded areas might result in slight frame drops. On Medium Settings, performance could degrade to around 25-30 FPS, which is playable but less smooth.
  • Call of Duty: Mobile: At Medium Settings, you can expect 30-40 FPS, which is adequate for enjoyable gameplay in multiplayer matches. Higher settings would result in noticeable lag, especially in complex environments or action-packed moments.
  • Asphalt 9: Legends: This racing game runs at Medium Settings with an average of 30-40 FPS. This is sufficient for most tracks, though you might see lower frame rates on higher-detailed maps or at high speeds.
  • Free Fire: As a battle royale game optimized for low-end devices, Free Fire runs smoothly at 60 FPS on Low Settings, delivering a more fluid experience and offering good performance for competitive gaming in this genre.
  • Genshin Impact: This open-world RPG requires heavy graphical power, and the Vivo Y21 struggles to run it effectively. At best, expect low frame rates and a poor gameplay experience with a lot of lag and stuttering. It’s recommended to avoid this game unless you’re willing to lower settings to the absolute minimum.
  • PUBG Mobile Lite: This lighter version of PUBG runs at 60 FPS on Low Settings, providing an enjoyable experience for fans of the battle royale genre. This is where the device’s gaming performance shines, and the lightweight gameplay allows the phone to handle it without major issues.

Antutu Score 🏆

• Antutu Benchmark (v9): The Vivo Y21 has an Antutu score of around 120,000, positioning it within the budget smartphone range. Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
  • CPU Score: The CPU score is approximately 40,000 points, which reflects the processing power of the Helio P35. This is decent for basic tasks, light browsing, and some casual gaming. It is not equipped to handle more intense tasks such as complex gaming or high-performance apps.
  • GPU Score: The GPU score typically ranges around 20,000 points, indicating that the PowerVR GE8320 GPU can handle basic gaming and multimedia but not graphically intensive tasks. Games like PUBG Mobile or Asphalt 9 can run but with lowered settings, and more demanding titles would struggle to maintain good frame rates.
  • Memory (RAM) Score: The 4GB of RAM contributes to a memory score of around 18,000 points in Antutu, reflecting that the phone can handle moderate multitasking and app switching fairly well. However, in cases of heavy app usage or when multiple apps are open, you might experience some delay or app reloads.
  • UX Score: The User Experience (UX) score is about 30,000 points, highlighting the smoothness of general navigation and usability for everyday apps. The Funtouch OS 11.1 is optimized for a responsive experience, though it’s not as fluid as higher-end devices.
  • Battery Score: With the 5000mAh battery, the Antutu battery score reflects a solid battery life for casual use, though heavy gaming and constant screen-on time will reduce its lifespan. You can expect 12-14 hours of mixed use or 6-7 hours of gaming before requiring a recharge.

Overall, the Antutu score indicates that the Vivo Y21 is a budget-oriented smartphone with moderate performance suited for basic to light gaming and daily tasks but not ideal for demanding games or power-intensive applications.

Camera Configuration 📸

• Camera Setup:
  The Vivo Y21 features a dual-camera setup.
  • 13MP primary camera for standard shots and a 2MP depth sensor for portrait effects and bokeh shots.
  • Front Camera: The 8MP front camera is perfect for selfies, offering decent clarity with natural skin tones.
• Lens Types:
  • Wide lens for the main camera.
  • Depth sensor helps capture background blur for portrait shots.
• Resolution and Pixel Size:
  • The 13MP main sensor offers clear and detailed images with 1.12μm pixel size, providing decent low-light performance.
  • 2MP depth sensor enhances portrait shots by accurately detecting the background for a blurred effect.
• Aperture:
  • The f/2.2 aperture of the main camera enables good low-light performance, though not as effective as larger apertures found in flagship devices.
• Image Processing:
  • AI enhancements for automatic scene recognition and image optimization.
  • The phone supports HDR, which helps balance lighting in high-contrast environments.
  • Image stabilization is software-based, improving stability in low-light conditions.
• Video Capabilities:
  • The Vivo Y21 supports 1080p video recording at 30fps, offering decent video quality for everyday recording needs.
  • Slow-motion and time-lapse modes are also available, although video quality may not be on par with flagship models.
• Software Features:
  • Portrait Mode: The depth sensor enables excellent background blur effects.
  • Night Mode: This mode enhances photos in low-light conditions.
  • Pro Mode: Allows for manual adjustments to settings such as ISO, exposure, and shutter speed for more control over your shots.
  • Panorama Mode: Helps capture wide, sweeping landscapes with ease.
  • Filters: Various filters are available for creative adjustments to your photos.
• Flash:
  • The rear camera is equipped with an LED flash for better illumination in dark environments.

Front Camera 🤳

• 8MP Resolution: Offers clear selfies with decent detail.
• Wide Lens: Captures more in the frame for group selfies.
• Aperture: f/2.0 for reasonable low-light performance.
• AI Beauty Mode: Enhances skin tones and facial features.
• Portrait Mode: Adds a bokeh effect for professional-looking selfies.
• HDR: Improves photos in high-contrast lighting.
• Video: Supports 1080p recording at 30fps for video calls and vlogs.
• Screen Flash: Provides better lighting for low-light selfies.

The front camera is great for everyday selfies, offering key features like portrait mode and AI enhancements for better results.

Battery Life and Charging 🔋

• Battery Capacity:
  • The Vivo Y21 is equipped with a 5000mAh battery, offering all-day battery life for light users and a good multi-hour usage for moderate tasks like social media browsing, texting, and video streaming.
• Charging Speed:
  • Supports 18W fast charging, allowing for quicker recharges compared to standard chargers, getting from 0-50% in around 30 minutes.
  • The charging speed may seem slower compared to higher-end devices with faster charging capabilities, but it’s an acceptable compromise in the budget category.
• Wireless Charging:
  • No wireless charging support, which is typical for budget phones.
• Battery Life in Real-World Use:
  • In everyday use, the 5000mAh battery lasts about 12-14 hours with mixed usage, including browsing, calling, and light gaming.
  • Standby time can reach up to 2 days with minimal usage, making it a reliable device for those who don’t need to charge frequently.

Operating System and Software 💻

• Operating System:
  • The Vivo Y21 runs on Android 11, with Funtouch OS 11.1 skin. It offers a customized experience with features like Dark Mode, Gestures, and App Cloning for dual apps.
• Custom UI Skins:
  • Funtouch OS 11.1 provides a clean, user-friendly interface, with several customization options such as themes and wallpapers.
  • It has some bloatware, but users can easily uninstall most of it to optimize performance.
• Software Features:
  • App Lock: Protects sensitive apps with additional security.
  • Smart Motion: Allows users to perform tasks with gestures, such as taking a screenshot with a three-finger swipe.
  • Game Mode: Enhances gaming by blocking notifications and optimizing performance.
  • iManager: A built-in app for cleaning up unnecessary files and boosting device performance.

Connectivity and Networking 🌐

• 5G and 4G LTE Support:
  • The Vivo Y21 only supports 4G LTE, not 5G, which is expected at this price point. However, 4G performance is reliable for browsing, streaming, and casual gaming.
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth:
  • Wi-Fi: Supports Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) for fast internet speeds, ideal for video streaming and downloading.
  • Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.0 ensures stable and faster connections for wireless headphones, speakers, and other devices.
• NFC (Near Field Communication):
  • No NFC support, so you cannot use the device for contactless payments.
• GPS and Location Services:
  • GPS is accurate, offering good location tracking for navigation apps like Google Maps.

Storage Options 💾

• Internal Storage:
  • The Vivo Y21 comes with 64GB of internal storage, which is adequate for most users storing apps, media, and documents.
• Expandable Storage:
  • The device supports microSD card expansion up to 1TB, giving users ample space for photos, videos, and games.
• Cloud Storage:
  • Integration with cloud services like Google Drive ensures users can back up photos, documents, and apps to free up space on the device.

Security Features 🔒

• Biometric Security:
  • Side-mounted fingerprint scanner offers fast and secure access to the phone.
  • Face Unlock is available, but not as secure as fingerprint scanning.
• Encryption and Privacy Features:
  • The Vivo Y21 ensures data security through standard encryption protocols for apps and files.
  • App Permissions can be managed easily to enhance privacy.
  • Private Safe lets users keep private files and documents secure.

Build Quality and Durability 💪

• Materials Used:
  • The phone is made from polycarbonate plastic, which provides a lightweight feel but lacks the premium touch of metal or glass.
• Durability:
  • Durability is acceptable, but the plastic body may show scratches over time.
• Water and Dust Resistance:
  • The Vivo Y21 has no official IP rating, so it’s not resistant to water or dust. It’s advisable to keep it away from water exposure.

Audio and Multimedia 🎧

• Speakers:
  • The Vivo Y21 features mono speakers, which provide clear but not loud enough audio for high-volume usage in noisy environments.
• Headphone Jack:
  • The device includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, perfect for users who prefer wired headphones.
• Audio Features:
  • Supports basic audio features like Dolby Atmos, but the overall audio experience is fairly basic.
• Multimedia Playback:
  • The screen supports HD media playback in various formats, making it suitable for streaming content on platforms like YouTube, Netflix, and others.

User Experience 💬

• Ease of Use:
  • Funtouch OS offers a smooth and easy-to-navigate interface, with intuitive settings and access to features.
• Customizability:
  • Extensive customization options, such as wallpapers, themes, and widgets to personalize your experience.
• Accessibility Features:
  • Includes voice assistant, magnification gestures, and text-to-speech for better accessibility.

Ecosystem Integration 🔄

• Compatibility with Other Devices:
  • The Vivo Y21 works seamlessly with smartwatches, tablets, and PCs, but lacks advanced ecosystem features like Apple’s Continuity or Samsung’s DeX.
• Cross-Device Features:
  • Limited to basic device synchronization for syncing contacts, calendars, and apps through Google services.

Price and Value 💵

• Price Range:
  • Positioned in the budget category, typically priced under $200, offering solid performance at an affordable cost.
• Value for Money:
  • Offers great value for money, with reliable performance for light tasks and casual gaming, as well as a decent camera setup and long battery life.
• After-Sales Support:
  • Vivo offers a 1-year warranty along with standard customer service for troubleshooting, repairs, and software updates.

Reasons to Buy ✅

• Affordable Price: Offers solid performance at a budget-friendly price, making it an excellent choice for users seeking value for money.
• Long Battery Life: The 5000mAh battery ensures all-day usage, perfect for those who need a phone for prolonged use.
• Decent Camera: The 13MP dual rear camera and 8MP front camera offer good photo quality for social media and everyday use.
• Expandable Storage: With support for up to 1TB microSD cards, you can store plenty of photos, videos, and apps.
• Smooth User Interface: Funtouch OS provides a clean, intuitive experience with several customization options.

Reasons Not to Buy ❌

• Lack of 5G Support: The absence of 5G connectivity means slower data speeds compared to newer models with 5G support.
• Plastic Build: The polycarbonate body feels less premium compared to phones made from metal or glass.
• Limited Performance for Heavy Gaming: While the phone is fine for casual gaming, it struggles with graphically intensive games at high settings.
• No Water or Dust Resistance: There’s no official IP rating, so the device isn’t water or dustproof.
• No Wireless Charging: Missing wireless charging support, which could be a dealbreaker for some users.

Rating Breakdown ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

• Design: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
  The Vivo Y21 has a lightweight plastic build that feels comfortable but lacks the premium feel of glass or metal. It’s simple and practical for daily use.
• Display: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
  The 6.51-inch HD+ display offers decent brightness and clarity for most tasks, but lacks the sharpness and color richness of higher-end screens.
• Processor & Performance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
  Powered by the MediaTek Helio P35, it delivers smooth performance for everyday use and casual gaming, though it struggles with intensive tasks.
• Gaming Performance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
  Suitable for light gaming, with moderate performance in popular titles. It can handle Casual games but struggles with demanding ones.
• Camera: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
  The 13MP rear camera and 8MP front camera provide good quality photos for social media and casual photography, but may fall short in low light.
• Battery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  The 5000mAh battery provides excellent battery life, lasting a full day with moderate usage and offering fast charging.
• Software: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
  The Funtouch OS is feature-packed and customizable, though there may be some bloatware for certain users.
• Value for Money: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  Offers great value with solid performance, good battery life, and a decent camera at a budget-friendly price.

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)

The Vivo Y21 is a strong budget option that delivers reliable performance in key areas like battery life, display, and camera for its price range. However, its lack of premium features and limitations in gaming performance prevent it from reaching higher ratings.

References and Sources for Vivo Phones

Official Manufacturer Websites

• All the specifications, features, and updates for Vivo devices have been sourced from Vivo’s official website.

Trusted Tech Review Websites

• GSMArena – Device specifications, reviews, and comparisons are based on the details from GSMArena.
• TechRadar – In-depth reviews and analysis are taken from TechRadar’s expert assessments.
• The Verge – Information related to expert reviews and analysis is sourced from The Verge.

Online Retailers

• Product descriptions, ratings, and customer feedback are sourced from Amazon, Best Buy, and Flipkart.

YouTube Tech Channels

• Reviews and hands-on insights have been taken from channels like MKBHD, Unbox Therapy, and Dave Lee.

Benchmarking Websites

• Performance benchmarks and comparisons have been referenced from AnTuTu and Geekbench.

Tech News Website

• The latest news and expert opinions regarding Vivo phones are sourced from CNET and Android Authority.