vivo Y18e Review: An Affordable Option But With Some Drawbacks

Vivo recently announced the Y18e smartphone, slated for a May 2024 release. As an affordable offering in vivo’s Y-series, the Y18e aims to provide the basics at an accessible price. However, upon inspection there are some compromises that potential buyers should be aware of.

Design and Display

The Y18e has a plastic build which helps keep costs down, but it should withstand daily wear and tear thanks to its IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance. It sports a 6.56-inch LCD screen with HD+ resolution, which is average for the price range. The display gets sufficiently bright at 528 nits and has a high screen-to-body ratio of about 84%.

Performance and Specs

Under the hood is MediaTek’s Helio G85 chipset paired with 4GB of RAM. This should handle basic tasks smoothly but don’t expect high-end gaming performance. Storage is a modest 64GB with microSD expansion. The 5000mAh battery supports 15W charging and should provide all-day battery life. However, some competitors now offer faster charging speeds.

Cameras

The rear camera has a single 13MP main sensor. Photos should come out decent in good lighting but low-light shots may be noisy. On the front is a 5MP selfie camera. Video recording maxes out at 1080p 30fps.

Drawbacks

A few disappointing omissions have been made to reach the Y18e’s price point. There is no fingerprint scanner, which is becoming quite standard even on budget phones. Mobile payments and secure biometrics are missing as a result. Also, no NFC means no contactless payments. Storage is only 64GB which may fill up fast without a microSD card.

Initial Verdict

While the vivo Y18e presents itself as an affordable option, some key features present on rivals at a similar cost have been left out. The lack of a fingerprint scanner and NFC may be deal breakers for many. However, if you prioritize the basics of performance, display and long battery life above premium features, it could still be worth consideration. But there are better-rounded alternatives available.