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vivo V21 5G · Photo source

vivo V21 5G
Photo 1 of 3

vivo V21 5G · Photo source

vivo · V series

V21 5G

Released May 2021

A slim 5G phone with optical stabilisation and dual lights for its autofocus selfie camera.

Model history · 3 models, 2020–2021
  1. 2020V19Compare
  2. 2020V20Compare
  3. 2021V21 5G
Screen
6.44″
Display
OLED, 90 Hz
Chip
MediaTek Dimensity 800U
Memory
8 GB
Storage
128 GB – 256 GB
Main camera
64 MP
Zoom
–
Battery
4,000 mAh
Weight
176 g

What reviewers say

Reviewers praise the stabilised selfies, bright display, slim design and battery life, but find performance and secondary rear cameras less competitive. TechRadar criticises the preloaded apps on its Indian review unit, while TechAdvisor finds the UK software much cleaner.

From techadvisor.com and techradar.com

Specifications

Report a wrong or missing spec

Display

Screen size
6.44″
Resolution
2404 × 1080
Sharpness
409 pixels per inch
Panel
OLED
Refresh rate
90 Hz
Peak brightness
800 nits
Display type
E3 AMOLED; current global parameter sheet lists 2,404 × 1,080 pixels, whereas the reviews list 2,400 × 1,080
Brightness detail
500 nits typical, 800 nits HBM
Always-on display
Always-on display, TechAdvisor
Display features
HDR10+, 6,000,000:1 contrast; 60 Hz default with Smart Switch, 60 Hz and 90 Hz settings; some applications remain at 60 Hz

Performance

Chip
MediaTek Dimensity 800U
Memory
8 GB
Storage
128 GB, 256 GB
CPU
7 nm octa-core processor, up to 2.4 GHz
Storage type
UFS 2.2; 8 GB physical RAM with 128 GB or 256 GB storage globally; global overview describes 3 GB extended RAM from storage, current India overview describes 4 GB; UK 128 GB model identified by TechAdvisor and TechRadar

Cameras

Main camera
64 MP
Ultra wide camera
8 MP
Telephoto camera
None
Optical zoom
None
Front camera
44 MP
Main camera
Autofocus, f/1.79, four-axis OIS
Ultra wide camera
f/2.2, 120° lens angle or 108° after distortion correction
Front camera
Autofocus, f/2.0, OIS and dual Selfie Spotlight lights; 44 MP output in 16:11 mode only
Video recording
Rear 4K at 30 fps and 1080p at 60 fps, TechAdvisor; maker says OIS and EIS are unavailable in 4K at 30 fps
Front video
4K at 30 fps without OIS or EIS; Ultra Stable Selfie Video
Camera features
2 MP f/2.4 macro camera with 4 cm focus distance; eye autofocus, night portrait, dual-view video, double exposure and multi-style portrait

Battery and charging

Battery
4,000 mAh
Wired charging
Up to 33 W
Wireless charging
None
Battery life detail
Typical capacity
Wired charging
11 V/3 A FlashCharge adapter; up to 63% in 30 minutes in maker laboratory tests at 25℃ ±1℃, starting at 1% with screen off; actual charging power varies
Wireless charging
No wireless charging, TechAdvisor

Design

Type
Standard
Weight
176 g
Thickness
7.29 mm
Height × width
159.68 × 73.9 mm
Materials
AG matte glass back and flat frame; maker glass description differs from TechAdvisor's plastic-back description
Colours
Dusk Blue at 176 g and 7.29 mm; Sunset Dazzle and Arctic White at 177 g and 7.39 mm; UK maker release lists Dusk Blue and Sunset Dazzle
Biometrics
In-display fingerprint scanning
Sensors
Accelerometer, ambient light sensor, e-compass, proximity sensor and gyroscope
Speakers
Single speaker, TechAdvisor

Software

Operating system
Android
Software at launch
Funtouch OS 11.1; Android 11 identified by both reviews
In the box
Phone, headset, documentation, USB-C cable, power adapter, earphone jack adapter, SIM eject tool, case and applied protective film; accessories vary by region

Connectivity

Mobile network
Global bands GSM B2/3/5/8; WCDMA B1/2/4/5/8; LTE FDD B1/2/3/4/5/7/8/20/28, TDD B38/39/40/41F as printed by maker; 5G n1/3/7/28/41/78; SA and NSA subject to carrier and software
SIM
Hybrid slot for one nano-SIM plus a second nano-SIM or microSD card; dual standby; 5G + 5G dual SIM on NSA networks only
Wi-Fi
2.4 GHz and 5 GHz; Wi-Fi 5 identified by TechAdvisor
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 5.1
NFC
Supported in Europe, Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore; NFC-eSE in Indonesia; other regions not confirmed by global sheet
USB
USB-C with OTG; no 3.5 mm headphone socket, TechAdvisor
Positioning
GPS, BeiDou, Galileo and GLONASS

Storage options

Storage
128 GB
256 GB

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Stabilised autofocus selfie camera with dual lights
  • 90 Hz OLED screen
  • Expandable storage

Cons

  • Single speaker
  • No telephoto camera

Closest rivals

Model
ScreenDisplayChipMemoryStorageMain cameraZoomBatteryWeightReleased
GooglePixel 6
6.4″OLED, 90 HzTensor8 GB128 GB50 MP–4,614 mAh207 gOct 2021
XiaomiMi 11 Lite 4G
6.55″OLED, 90 HzQualcomm Snapdragon 732G6 GB – 8 GB64 GB – 128 GB64 MP–4,250 mAh157 gApr 2021
XiaomiMi 11 Lite 5G
6.55″OLED, 90 HzQualcomm Snapdragon 780G6 GB – 8 GB128 GB64 MP–4,250 mAh159 gApr 2021

Previous model: V20. Newer model: V23.

Sources

  1. vivo.com/en/products/param/v21
  2. vivo.com/en/products/v21
  3. vivo.com/uk/about-vivo/news/v21-5g
  4. vivo.com/in/product/productDetails
  5. techadvisor.com/article/722909/vivo-v21-5g-review.html
  6. techradar.com/reviews/vivo-v21-5g

Photo: asia-exstatic-vivofs.vivo.com

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