Vivo V60 Review: Stunning Cameras, Sleek Design

Vivo, like several prominent Chinese smartphone manufacturers, is rapidly advancing the world of mobile photography. Devices such as the Vivo X200 Pro and Vivo X Fold 3 have shown that users can achieve exceptional photo quality without needing a costly professional camera. A significant contributor to these achievements is Vivo’s ongoing collaboration with Zeiss, which has played a pivotal role in raising the bar for smartphone imaging. Continuing its pursuit of superior photography experiences for mid-range buyers, Vivo rolled out the new Vivo V60 at the start of this month.

The Vivo V60 enters the Indian market with a starting price of ₹36,999 for the standard variant featuring 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. Carrying forward Vivo’s reputation for camera-focused smartphones established by its predecessor, the Vivo V50, the V60 promises even more. But with evolving user expectations, does the V60 offer improvements that go beyond just imaging capabilities?

Vivo V60 Design: Sleek Looks, Thoughtful Details

The Vivo V60 maintains the elegant, curved aesthetic of the previous V50, but brings a fresh update to the camera arrangement. Instead of the previous module, it now adopts a vertically stacked camera island positioned in the upper left corner, echoing the design seen on the Vivo X200 FE. This modern touch provides a more high-end look from the rear and sets the V60 apart visually within the lineup.

For this review, the Auspicious Gold version was tested. This colorway avoids flashy gold tones in favor of a subtle hue with faint rose gold undertones, striking a balance between finesse and luxury. A notable feature is the color-matched camera island, which blends seamlessly with the chassis, lending a cohesive and polished appearance.

Also adorning the rear is Vivo’s recognizable Aura Light, doubling as the flash, with a third camera sensor positioned outside of the camera array. Branding is discreet, positioned in the lower left. On the bottom edge, you’ll find the speaker grille, SIM tray, microphone, and USB Type-C port, while the right side holds the power and volume buttons; the left side remains clean and streamlined. With IP68 and IP69 ratings, the device is protected against dust, submersion, and high-pressure water spray.

Despite tipping the scale at 200g, the V60 does not feel cumbersome due to its expertly curved edges and balanced weight distribution. Its slim 7.65mm thickness ensures that it sits snuggly in the hand, providing both comfort and style. For those seeking an extra layer of security, Vivo includes a color-matched protective case in the box, perfectly complementing the phone’s overall design and adding peace of mind without detracting from its visual appeal.

While the Auspicious Gold variant might not immediately grab attention with flamboyance, its understated elegance will appeal to users who prefer a more sophisticated and muted finish. The thoughtful design touches—like the color continuity from chassis to camera island—signal Vivo’s attention to detail and create a visually harmonious, high-end feel.

Vivo V60 Display: A Strong Performer in Its Segment

The Vivo V60 boasts an expansive 6.77-inch Full HD+ quad-curved AMOLED panel, delivering a crisp resolution of 1,080 x 2,392 pixels and a buttery-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. With extremely slim bezels and elegant edge curves, the screen offers an immersive viewing experience, almost giving the impression of a truly all-screen device. Due to its generous size, reaching the top of the display—like the notification shade—may be a challenge for those with smaller or average hands.

When it comes to picture quality, the Vivo V60 excels with sharp visuals and rich, vibrant colors. Streaming movies and videos from major platforms like Prime Video, Netflix, or YouTube is a pleasure, thanks to deep blacks and robust dynamic range. The screen maintains clear legibility in bright outdoor conditions, making it easy to view content even under harsh sunlight.

Users can tailor the refresh rate to their preferences, choosing from Smart Switch, Standard (60Hz), or High (120Hz) modes. The Smart Switch feature intelligently adjusts the refresh rate according to the task at hand, balancing fluid performance in social media or browsing with energy efficiency.

For media lovers, the Vivo V60’s display is sure to impress, offering a premium cinematic experience in its price bracket. One minor downside is the in-display fingerprint sensor placement, which sits lower than usual—sometimes making it less intuitive to access. Over time, users will likely become accustomed to this difference.

Vivo V60 Software: Enhanced Experience but Preloaded Apps Remain

• Operating System: FuntouchOS 15 (based on Android 15)
• Update Policy: 4 years of major OS updates, 6 years of security patches

Out of the box, the Vivo V60 runs FuntouchOS 15, layered over Android 15. Vivo has committed to an impressive update policy, promising four years of operating system upgrades and six years of security fixes, which bodes well for long-term support.

Unlike a pure Android environment, FuntouchOS 15 offers a custom experience with additional features, but it’s not free from pre-installed apps. Thankfully, users can skip installing most third-party apps during the initial setup, streamlining the process and reducing setup hassle. Vivo also includes its proprietary apps like Albums, Store, Browser, iManager, and VStore, providing alternatives to Google’s suite.

Despite some steps forward, a range of third-party games and financial tools—such as Block Blast, Bubble Shooter, Tile Explorer, and StockGro—are still present by default on a smartphone costing over ₹35,000. This is a drawback, especially as some competitors are moving toward clean, almost stock-like Android experiences.

That said, everyday usability is smooth and fast. FuntouchOS includes convenient and thoughtful extras, such as floating windows, a versatile smart sidebar, and split-screen multitasking, improving day-to-day efficiency.

AI Features & Add-Ons

The Vivo V60 is well-equipped with AI-powered utilities. For calling, features like AI Captions, Smart Call Assistant, AI Summaries, and AI Transcripts enhance convenience. Camera capabilities are also bolstered with tools such as AI Reflection Erase and AI Photo Enhance. Standout novelties include AI Image Expander, which intelligently broadens image borders, and AI Four Season Portrait, which can artistically transform your photos to reflect different seasonal themes like cherry blossoms or snow.

Vivo V60 Performance: Reliable and Fluid for the Price

Inside the Vivo V60 is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chipset—a welcome step up compared to previous generations stuck on the Gen 3 platform. This SoC delivers snappy performance for everyday activities, including messaging, social media, photography, and routine multitasking.

While not aimed at hardcore gamers, the V60 does handle sessions of games like Battlegrounds Mobile India and Call of Duty Mobile quite capably, with minimal lag and no significant heating after extended play.

The device comes equipped with up to 16GB of LPDDR4X RAM and offers storage options up to 512GB. However, Vivo’s choice of UFS 2.2 storage is disappointing at this price segment, considering this same storage type is available in Vivo’s budget T4 Lite 5G. Users expecting faster data transfer speeds may feel let down.

One other minor letdown is the single speaker output. The audio emphasizes treble, which can make it difficult to appreciate deeper sounds or follow lyrics when listening to music—a noticeable gap for users who value sound quality on their devices.

Vivo V60 Cameras: Seamless Point-and-Shoot Photography

The Vivo V60 stands out as a powerful tool for photography enthusiasts, offering camera hardware that matches the high standards set by the Vivo X200 FE series. With its primary 50-megapixel sensor, the V60 captures vivid, detailed, and accurate shots in well-lit settings. The images feature sharp contrast, true-to-life colors, and realistic skin tones. Brightness and dynamic range are handled adeptly, resulting in photos that are neither dull nor overly saturated.

Zoom capabilities extend up to 10x, though image sharpness and detail begin to drop off at maximum magnification. In low-light conditions, the camera manages to deliver decent results but some noise and softer details will be evident, especially at night and when zooming in.

The telephoto lens is a highlight, giving the V60 a remarkable edge for portrait photography. With five selectable focal lengths—23mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 100mm—the device excites creative shooters by offering precise subject isolation and strong edge detection up to 85mm. Zeiss-crafted bokeh styles such as Biotar, Distagon, Cine Flare, Planar, and Sonnar enable DSLR-style artistic backgrounds, allowing every portrait to stand out with a professional touch.

The ultra-wide 8-megapixel lens, though helpful for group shots and landscapes, produces colors that are less punchy compared to the main sensor, and fine details may be lost. Yet, distortion is well-controlled, minimizing odd stretching at the edges.

The camera app itself is packed with features and modes, providing endless creative options. While extensive, the UI could feel complex for newcomers; it may take a little time to explore all the style modes, bokeh effects, and color settings.

On the selfie front, the 50-megapixel front camera generates detailed, flattering images with good separation between the subject and background, keeping pace with competitors in the segment.

Both the main and selfie cameras support 4K video recording at 30fps. Video retains sharpness and color accuracy, but the built-in optical image stabilization could be better – results may look shaky during movement, such as recording in a vehicle. A dedicated vlog mode also simplifies content creation for social media, applying live filters and edits for a share-ready video.

Vivo V60 Camera Images

Vivo V60 Battery: Robust Endurance

One of the Vivo V60’s key advantages remains its substantial 6,500mAh battery. This cell regularly achieves a day and a half of active use, with the potential for two days on lighter usage patterns. Fast charging is handled by the included 90W charger, supplying a full refill in less than an hour—ideal for users on the go.

Wireless charging is not available on this model, but the combination of generous battery life and rapid wired charging means that power anxiety is seldom a concern.

Final Thoughts on the Vivo V60

The Vivo V60 positions itself as a strong player in the competitive mid-range smartphone market. Its standout feature is undoubtedly the camera system, offering Zeiss-enhanced portrait photography that rivals devices from a higher tier. Beyond imaging, the V60 impresses with a bright, easy-to-read display and a long-lasting battery that supports fast charging for minimal downtime.

That said, the device is not without compromises. One notable drawback is the use of UFS 2.2 storage, which delivers slower data transfer speeds compared to more advanced storage solutions. Additionally, the presence of pre-installed bloatware may detract from the user experience for some buyers.

So, is the Vivo V60 the right choice? If superior camera performance ranks highest on your priority list, the V60 is a compelling option worth considering. However, if you value a near-stock Android interface and faster internal storage, alternatives like the OnePlus 13R or the Realme GT 7T might better fit your requirements, offering great performance coupled with cleaner software environments.