Vivo Y02s Review: Trendy design, long lasting battery

vivo released its latest affordable device– the vivo Y02s. Priced at PHP6,499, it features a trendy color finish, a big screen, and a large 5000mAh battery. What makes it worth including in your options?

I spent a couple of weeks with the device and examined its advantages and disadvantages. This includes testing its performance, and battery life.

Vivo Y02s Specs
Dimensions: 163.95×75.55×8.19mm
Weight: 182 grams
Display: 6.51-inch HD+ IPS display, 1600 x 720 pixel resolution, 269ppi
Processor: MediaTek Helio P35 octa-core processor
RAM/Storage: 3GB RAM + 32GB internal storage, expandable via microSD
Rear Camera: 8MP with LED flash
Front Camera: 5MP Selfie camera
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Bluetooth 5.0, Dual SIM, Dual standby
USB Type-C
Battery: 5,000mAh
Colors: Vibrant Blue, Flourite Black

What’s in the box: The vivo Y02s come in a white box with the Y02s branding on the front in gold color. On the back, you can find some of the highlight features and the standard technical specifications.

Opening the box you’ll find the vivo Y02s unit, paper documents, USB Type-C Cable, Wall Adapter, and SIM Ejector tool. There are no earphones or plastic case included in the retail package.

DESIGN AND DISPLAY: vivo has had the reputation for making beautiful-looking devices, and the vivo Y02s, despite being an entry level device looks quite premium with its shiny rear finish and trendy flat design. The vivo Y02s is available in two colors Fluorite Black and Vibrant Blue. The Vibrant Blue has a metallic brush effect appearance that when hit by light the back panel radiates different hues of blue and green that will remind you of dancing waves. The Fluorite Black option on the other hand is a good choice for those who want it simple and classic.

The back panel and frame is made of durable plastic. I do like the glittery effect and a matte texture which reduces smudges and fingerprints. The dual circular module meanwhile, makes it look like it has a dual camera setup. The reality is that the second module actually houses the LED flash.

The vivo Y02s also follows the current design trend set by more premium smartphones. Reminiscent of the newer iPhones it also has a boxy design with flat sides and back panel. This makes it look even more modern and premium while the 2.5D curves on the front panel’s edges makes for good ergonomics.

For the ports, the volume and power buttons are on the right side while the left side is clean. The SIM card tray is located on the top while the 3.5mm headphone jack, microphone, USB type-C port, and loudspeaker are lined up at the bottom of the device.

The vivo Y02s has a 6.51-inch HD+ display with a small drop notch that houses the selfie camera. I like the screen size and the brightness is just enough for indoor use and makes watching movies and playing games enjoyable because of the vibrant color and good viewing angles. For audio the Y02s has a decent speaker with enough loudness enough for a small room although the presence of the 3.5mm jack is an indication that you’d enjoy it better with earphones.

Performance: The vivo Y02s has a MediaTek Helio P35 chipset that is paired with 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of expandable storage. The 3GB of RAM is expected for a budget smartphone, and the performance is decent for basic tasks like web browsing, checking out your social media feed, light photo editing and a bit of gaming. The limit RAM however can get a bit sluggish when there are a lot of browser windows open or when you need to switch apps so make sure you to keep open apps at a minimum, and close unnecessary windows.

In terms of gaming, the vivo Y02s can run Mobile Legends at medium graphics quality by default but for smoother gameplay you might want to set graphics to low. As for other less resource hungry games, most of them are quite playable on the vivo Y02s.

Storage however can be an issue when installing games as it only has 32GB of internal storage. Keep that in mind or you can add up to 256GB via microSD.

CAMERA: The vivo Y02s has a single 8MP shooter with autofocus. Photos taken outdoors and in good lighting are decent with enough details. Though skin tone appears a bit pale and I would have preferred a bit more saturation and color. Make use of the autofocus to get a clearer shot and don’t place your subject too far from you as you’ll notice a lot of noise with faraway subjects.

Indoor shots get worse as there is no night mode to boost brightness and clarity. Still, its usable for your social media posts, and for delivery riders it does the job for taking pictures of picked-up and delivered items.

The 5MP selfie camera actually is a surprise and for me is better than the rear camera. Selfies have good skin-tone and enough details plus you can use filters to play with your portrait shots. For those who like doing TikTok videos the Y02s will get the job done.

Battery: Another highlight feature of the vivo Y02s is its massive 5,000mAh battery. As this phone targets delivery riders and those who work out of office, the good news is that it can last almost two days on a single charge (with moderate internet use and gaming). However, charging the device takes a long time as it only comes with a 10W charger and a full charge takes about three hours.

Conclusion: Those looking for a slim and trendy-looking device, the vivo Y02s will easily be among your top favorites. Just be aware of the limitations of its 3GB RAM and expect some lags if you go crazy and open a lot of apps and browser windows. Still on the upside, you get a big clear screen, a selfie camera that is capable of clear sharp selfies, and a long-lasting battery that can keep up with your busy day for less than P7K.