VIVO Y35 Smartphone, 8GB + 256GB

Vivo is rolling out its entry-level offering through its Y range. The Y35 is trying to make a name for itself with a rather extensive specification sheet on paper.

Overview

Vivo may be a major manufacturer in China, but it still needs to be discovered in the UK. If the brand has proven its know-how with its premium models, it is aware that market share is gained above all through the most affordable models. For this reason, the firm has been offering its Y range in France for some time.

The Vivo Y35 has a rather interesting technical sheet, which relies in particular on a proven processor, but also a good amount of RAM and storage. However, it is up against serious competitors such as the Poco M4 Pro, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite and the Samsung Galaxy A23. Devices that all have the advantage of supporting the 5G network.

Ergonomics and design

As an entry-level smartphone, the Vivo Y35 opts for an all-plastic design. The finish is good, and the coating used on the back has the advantage of not retaining fingerprints.

If the whole is not very original, the manufacturer has opted for a rectangular photo island wider than average. It accommodates three sensors and prevents them from being used perfectly flat.

Its 164 x 75.5 x 8.4 mm dimensions and its 188 grams on the scale do not allow it to claim a compact format, but it is not a heavyweight either. The screen takes up just over 84% of the front panel, but it does not have Gorilla Glass.

The smartphone makes up for it a little thanks to its IP54 rating, which protects it against dust and water infiltration. It is important to remember that it is not entirely waterproof, but that is never the case in this price segment.

We still appreciate the presence of a microSD card slot, an NFC chip and a 3.5mm mini-jack port. Its 4G compatibility and Bluetooth 5.0 do not make it the most future-proof device.

Audio

The mini jack on the Vivo Y75 delivers a solid performance. Its distortion is controlled (0.0017%), and the dynamic range is quite wide (105dB). The icing on the cake is that it does not lack power (206 mVrms). The crosstalk remains in the good average (-56 dB).

Screen

For this model, Vivo has chosen a 6.58-inch IPS LCD panel with a Full HD+ definition (1080 x 2408 pixels) in a 20:9 format. The display has a satisfying resolution of 401 dpi and an image refresh rate of up to 90 Hz. It is possible to choose between a fixed rate of 60 Hz or a dynamic mode that allows you to switch between the two depending on what is displayed on the screen.

Performance

Despite its affordable positioning, Vivo has chosen a relatively efficient configuration to power the device. This 4G version is equipped with a Snapdragon 680, supported by 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. This ensures smooth multitasking when browsing the web or social networks. It scored 95 on our Viser test protocol. A solid score.

It is not primarily designed for gaming, but it is Adreno 610 GPU allows you to play some of the titles in the Play Store in decent conditions. It managed to maintain an average of 46 frames per second in our tests. This may be too limited for the most demanding games, but it will suffice for more modest or well-optimised software.

Photo

The Vivo Y35 is equipped with a triple rear camera module consisting of a 50MP wide-angle lens that opens at f/1.8 and 2MP macro and depth sensors (f/2.4). This equipment is broadly comparable to the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G.

Primary camera: 50 megapixels, f/1.8

During the day, the result of the Vivo Y35 is correct but not outstanding. The picture is slightly overexposed and lacks sharpness, as seen in the colour test patterns on a white background or faces.

Samsung’s digital smoothing is a bit more pronounced, which largely reduces the level of detail. The Vivo Y35 has a slight advantage, but both are not designed for night photography.

50MP mode

To activate the full resolution mode, you must go to the “More” tab in the settings of the photo application.

Unfortunately, these 50MP shots need to offer more detail to be recommended. They make it easier to crop the photo but naturally weigh down the smartphone’s (admittedly generous) storage.

The front camera and video

The smartphone has a 16-megapixel front-facing sensor combined with an f/2 lens, and it is possible to take some convincing selfies when the light is abundant. The whole thing is quite detailed, even if the overall tone is still overly pale. It is much more difficult in the dark.

It is possible to shoot in Full HD at 30 fps, both front and rear. We recommend moving around only a little, as the lack of electronic stabilisation quickly becomes apparent.

Battery life

The Y35 opts for a rather generous 5000 mAh battery, which gives it a solid battery life. In our Viser test protocol, it managed to last 19 hours and 52 minutes. This is a perfect score, meaning it can last a day and a half before you have to plug it in. However, we can see that the smartphones in the comparison do even better. Nevertheless, even with these marathon runners, it is hard to fault its lack of endurance.

It takes a small amount of time to charge. Compatible with the 18W Fast Charge, it took 2 hours and 16 minutes to recharge with the supplied battery pack completely. Models like the M4 Pro or the Nord CE 2 Lite 5G take half the time. This is something to consider before letting the battery go into the red.

Durability

Our sustainability score determines the sustainability of the smartphone for both the consumer and the environment. It is based on a combination of the repairability index, sustainability criteria (protection index, standard connectors, warranty period and updates…) and an assessment of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policies. You can find all the details of the analysis in our overview of the sustainability score.

The smartphone has a perfect repairability score (8.1/10), thanks, in particular, to spare parts with an excellent quality/price ratio. The whole thing is easy to dismantle but requires some special tools. Nevertheless, it is penalised by its weak CSR commitments and lack of waterproofing certification.

CONCLUSION

The Vivo Y35 is an affordable smartphone that is pleasant to hold but has difficulty distinguishing itself from the fierce competition in the same price segment. While it is quite powerful thanks to its processor and its generous amount of RAM (and storage), it has difficulty convincing with photos. In addition, its LCD screen could have used more polish. Its inability to offer more than the other handsets in our comparison, all of which benefit from 5G, could be detrimental.