Vivo Y12s Review; Style On a Budget
INTRODUCTION:
Hot on the heels of the launch of yet another affordable but capable smartphone, the vivo Y20s (G), vivo released in the Philippines the vivo Y12s. While the former is poised as an economical gaming-centric smartphone, the latter appeals to the general market looking for a decent mobile phone as a daily driver for less than Php7,000. Let’s discuss what it has to offer.
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| Vivo Y12s Review; Style On a Budget |
Get yours online via Lazada at https://bit.ly/vivostoreph or Shopee at https://bit.ly/vivoofficialstorephl.
Vivo Y12s Specs Philippines:
- Dual Nano-SIM, dual standby, supports 4G LTE connectivity
- 6.51-inch IPS Halo FullView HD+ (1600 x 720) capacitive touchscreen display
- Dimensions: 164.4mm x 76.3mm x 8.4mm
- Weight: 191 grams
- Funtouch OS 11 based on Android 10
- 2.3GHz 64-bit octa-core CPU, PowerVR GE8320 GPU, MediaTek Helio P35 chipset
- 3GB RAM
- 32GB internal storage, expandable up to 256GB via MicroSD card, uses a dedicated slot
- 13MP f/2.2 PDAF main + 2MP f/2.4 depth dual rear cameras with LED flash, 1080p video recording at 30fps
- 8MP f/1.9 front camera, 1080p video recording at 30fps
- Multimedia Player
- FM Radio
- 3.5mm audio jack
- WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
- Bluetooth v5.0
- GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
- MicroUSB 2.0 with OTG function
- Sensors: fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, light, proximity
- Battery: 5,000mAh Li-Po, non-removable, supports 18W fast charging
- Colors: Glacier Blue, Phantom Black
- Price: Php6,499
PHYSICAL:
vivo seems to have a habit of putting polycarbonate builds with what it calls 2.5D dazzling colors as a design language for its affordable segment. While the vivo Y12s is an entry-level device, its overall look is fairly impressive for its price point. Its rear part comes with a glossy finish and has a stunning rainbow effect visible from certain angles. The device is available in Phantom Black and Glacier Blue colors, which are the same hues available for the vivo Y20s (G), albeit different in creative color names. Since the device has a glossy finish, its body is a magnet to smudges and fingerprints, so a protective case is advisable. From the outside, the vivo Y12s can easily pass as a mid-range device, but if you want a smartphone that feels premium in the hands, you might want to consider looking elsewhere.
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| Phantom Black |
The vivo Y12s has a fast and responsive side-mounted fingerprint sensor that doubles as the power button on the right side, plus the volume rockers. On the opposite cheek sits a SIM card tray containing two SIMs and a dedicated microSD card for storage expansion.
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| Side-Mounted Fingerprint Sensor |
At the bottom part of the device is where you’ll find the 3.5mm headphone jack, primary microphone, single speaker, and a MicroUSB port. We understand that the vivo Y12s is a budget phone, but finding out that it still has MicroUSB for charging is somehow a letdown since most smartphones nowadays, even those under the entry-level segment, have started to adapt to USB-C.
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| 6.51-inch Halo FullView Display |
The display of the vivo Y12s is a 6.51-inch Halo FullView IPS LCD screen with HD+ resolution (1600 x 720 pixels). It comes with the familiar yet outdated waterdrop notch where the front camera is hidden. The vivo Y12s showcase what you would expect from a smartphone with an HD+ screen in terms of display quality. The display's vividness and sharpness are enough for the vivo Y12s to give an enjoyable Netflix binge-watching experience. Its viewing angles are also alright, and we like that the display remains visible enough even when used under sunlight. vivo somehow remains true to the FullView descriptor of the vivo Y12s display. Moreover, the thickness of its bezels is just alright to give a decent screen-to-body ratio for the device.
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| Retail Package |
The loudspeaker of the vivo Y12s isn’t that great at all, so it’s better to just use earphones when watching or listening to something or when you’re on a call.
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SOFTWARE AND PERFORMANCE:
The vivo Y12s has Android 10 with Funtouch 11 OS out of the box, but its firmware can be upgraded to a newer version. It also has 3GB RAM and 32GB of onboard storage combined with an octa-core MediaTek Helio P35 processor.
This device is suitable for handling daily tasks and multitasking between commonly used apps like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Gmail, and others, provided you don’t keep too many apps simultaneously on standby. However, if you'll mostly use the device for gaming and are willing to spend additional money, it's better to choose the vivo Y20s (G) over the vivo Y12s.
While the vivo Y12s has Multi-Turbo 3.0 gaming mode, which does the job of optimizing CPU and internal storage while gaming, unfortunately, this doesn't help deliver a smooth gaming experience. It struggles to handle games like Mobile Legends and Call of Duty Mobile, even in moderate settings with very apparent frame drops. But if you are okay playing with the basic game settings, then the vivo Y12s might work for you.
Other important stuff to note about the vivo Y12s is that it supports 2.4GHz/5GHz WiFi, has Bluetooth 5.0, and has sensors for accelerometer, proximity, ambient light, e-compass, and virtual gyroscope. It also supports 2G GSM, 3G, and 4G-LTE networks.
Here are the results of the benchmark tests we did for the vivo Y12s:
- Antutu - 107,282
- Geekbench Single-Core - 180
- Geekbench Multi-Core - 990
- PC Mark Work Performance 3.0 - 5,609
- PC Mark Work Storage 2.0 - 4,186
CAMERA:
The back part of the vivo Y12s is a camera bump with one 13-megapixel sensor and another 2-megapixel shooter with artificial intelligence applied. The vivo Y12s has an 8-megapixel shooter with a bokeh algorithm for its front-facing camera.
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| 13MP Dual Rear Cameras |
The vivo Y12s has outstanding cameras considering its price tag. However, photos taken using the device have colors that pop out, and the amount of clarity and sharpness also pass our taste in macro shots. However, landscape photos tend to appear subdued in terms of color saturation and details.
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| 8MP Front Camera |
This is yet again one of those smartphones that do so well in capturing images in well-lit environments but struggle in night mode shooting. Photos taken at night with the vivo Y12s clearly lack clarity in all aspects. However, background blur on photos looks natural. The portraits that the vivo Y12s produces are good enough to be posted on social media without basic edits, at least for photos taken outdoors. Indoor selfies taken with the vivo Y12s are also good, provided there's a good lighting environment. See the sample photos we took below.
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| Buildings |
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| Pool, 1x |
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| Pool, 2x Zoom |
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| Selfie, Indoor |
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| Selfie, Outdoor |
Taking videos is likewise isn't a strength for the vivo Y12s. It can take videos up to 1080p 30fps, but the lack of detail is noticeable, plus it doesn't have video stabilization.
BATTERY:
We can say that the battery life of the vivo Y12s is among its selling points. It comes with a generous 5,000mAh battery that lasted us up to two days on moderate to heavy usage. This makes the vivo Y12s ideal for those taking online classes the whole day, as you won't need to charge the device repeatedly within 24 hours. Another good thing about this device is it can actually be used as a power bank for other smartphones, as it supports reverse charging technology.
Recharging the vivo Y12s can be a test of patience for others, as it only supports 10w charging. A 30-minute charge will only get you an additional 13% of battery life, based on our tests, and it took us almost two hours before the device reflected a 100% battery on its display.
FINAL WORDS:
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| Vivo Y12s |
The vivo Y12s is undoubtedly a decent-budget smartphone. Given its outstanding battery life, attractive physique, and decent overall performance, this could easily target its intended market segment. Moreover, we think that this is a good daily driver for young users and students to accompany them in online learning.
How much is the Vivo Y12s price in the Philippines?
- The Vivo Y12s price in the Philippines is Php6,499 and comes bundled with a 64GB MicroSD card.
- Get yours online via Lazada at https://bit.ly/vivostoreph or Shopee at https://bit.ly/vivoofficialstorephl.
When will be the Vivo Y12s available in the Philippines?
- The Vivo Y12s is now available in the Philippines.
Vivo Y12s Specs Philippines:
- Dual Nano-SIM, dual standby, supports 4G LTE connectivity
- 6.51-inch IPS Halo FullView HD+ (1600 x 720) capacitive touchscreen display
- Dimensions: 164.4mm x 76.3mm x 8.4mm
- Weight: 191 grams
- Funtouch OS 11 based on Android 10
- 2.3GHz 64-bit octa-core CPU, PowerVR GE8320 GPU, MediaTek Helio P35 chipset
- 3GB RAM
- 32GB internal storage, expandable up to 256GB via MicroSD card, uses a dedicated slot
- 13MP f/2.2 PDAF main + 2MP f/2.4 depth dual rear cameras with LED flash, 1080p video recording at 30fps
- 8MP f/1.9 front camera, 1080p video recording at 30fps
- Multimedia Player
- FM Radio
- 3.5mm audio jack
- WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
- Bluetooth v5.0
- GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
- MicroUSB 2.0 with OTG function
- Sensors: fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, light, proximity
- Battery: 5,000mAh Li-Po, non-removable, supports 18W fast charging
- Colors: Glacier Blue, Phantom Black
- Price: Php6,499