Camera and Internal Storage
Vivo has given its flagship model a 13 MP primary camera at its back with wide f/2.0 aperture and LED flash for low light performance. There is a front facing 5 MP camera onboard that is selfie focused. This camera can click wider group selfies as there is an enhanced aperture of f/2.4. These photography aspects are pretty standard and we can see them on most smartphones in the similar segment. The Vivo X5 Max packs in 16 GB of native storage capacity that can be extended externally by another 128 GB with the help of a micro SD card. While its competitors lack micro SD card slots for additional storage to retain their thinness, the Vivo one supports up to 128 GB despite its slim build of 4.75 mm is pretty impressive. This makes it clear that the manufacturer has not compensated on any aspect to keep the device thin.
Processor and Battery
The handset incorporates a 64 bit octa core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 chipset in the X5 Max. This chipset houses a quad core Cortex A53 cluster clocked at 1.5 GHz and another quad core Cortex A53 cluster ticking at 1 GHz. The handset makes use of 2 GB of RAM to handle multi-tasking efficiently without resulting in any clutter or lag. Battery capacity is average at 2,000 mAh and we cannot expect long hours of backup from this one operating within the Vivo smartphone. In fact, the battery department could be a major downside of the Vivo X5 Max in terms of performance. Notably, the processor’s big.LITTLE architecture is claimed to enhance the battery life to some extent.
Display and Features
The display used in the device is a 5.5 inch Super AMOLED panel with 1080p Full HD resolution amounting to 401 pixels per inch. It is clear that Vivo has opted for a Super AMOLED panel as it is slimmer than IPS LCD panels and it is preferred by the manufacturers of slim smartphones. We can expect this screen to be decent enough when it comes to rendering good contrast and vibrant colors. Software on the Vivo X5 Max is customized Android 4.4.4 Kitkat. Other features include include 4G LTE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and USB OTG for connectivity and Hi-Fi 2.0 combining YAMAHA YSS-205X digital surround signal processing chip, SABRE ES9601 DAC and TI’s OPA1612 amplifier audio setup for an immersive sound experience. Also, there is dual SIM functionality in the smartphone with a micro SIM and a nano SIM card slots. The Vivo offering also boasts of a 3.5 mm audio jack onboard.
Comparison
The Vivo X5 Max will be a tough challenger to the Gionee Elife S5.1, Oppo R5, HTC Desire 820, Gionee Elife S5.5 and others.
Key Specs
What we Like
Slim build of 4.75 mm thicknessSuperior build quality with anti-fingerprint coating at the back
What we Dislike
Average battery without fast charging technology
Price and Conclusion
The Vivo X5 Max has a great spec sheet expect for its average battery, but we are yet to witness its performance in real-time. The handset is relatively more expensive that its competitors costing Rs 32,980, but it should be considered that Vivo has included a micro SD card slot that the others miss out on. Also, the handset’s body is made of magnesium alloy and stainless steel. The back the device features stainless steel with anti-fingerprint coating. On the whole, if you are looking for a premium smartphone, the Vivo offering should be a better buy, but you will have to think twice about its moderate battery that will require you to charge it more than once a day if you carry out intense tasks.
