Vivo Y21t

Specs

Introduction:

The Vivo Y21T, launched as a budget-friendly option, brings decent hardware and features for its price range. Positioned in the mid-tier segment, the Y21T offers a good mix of design, performance, and battery life aimed at users looking for a reliable daily driver. In this review, we’ll explore the Vivo Y21T in terms of design, display, performance, camera, battery life, software, and more, concluding with a summary of its pros and cons.

Specifications at a Glance:

• Display: 6.51-inch IPS LCD, HD+ (720 x 1600 pixels)
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 (6nm)
• RAM: 4 GB (with 1 GB Extended RAM feature)
• Storage Options: 128 GB (expandable up to 1 TB via microSD)
• Rear Cameras: Triple 50 MP main, 2 MP macro, 2 MP depth sensor
• Front Camera: 8 MP
• Battery: 5000 mAh with 18W fast charging
• Operating System: Funtouch OS 12 (based on Android 11)
• Dimensions: 164.26 x 76.08 x 8.0 mm
• Weight: 182 grams

Design and Build Quality:

Aesthetics:
The Vivo Y21T sports a modern and sleek design with a glossy plastic back that mimics glass. The curved edges and the placement of the triple-camera module on the back add to its visual appeal, although the glossy finish tends to attract fingerprints.

Durability:
While the phone doesn’t boast high-end materials, it feels solid in hand. The plastic back and frame provide a balance between durability and weight, making it easy to handle. However, it lacks official water or dust resistance.

Ergonomics:
The phone’s slim 8.0 mm profile, coupled with its lightweight build of 182 grams, makes it comfortable to hold for extended periods. The power button doubles as a fingerprint scanner, providing quick and secure unlocking.

Ports and Buttons:
The Vivo Y21T includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, a welcome feature in this segment. It also features a USB Type-C port, and the side-mounted fingerprint scanner is positioned conveniently for ease of use.

Overall:
The Vivo Y21T offers a design that feels more premium than its price suggests, although the plastic build might not appeal to everyone. Its lightweight, slim profile, and simple design make it a practical option for daily use.

Display:

Specifications:

• Size: 6.51-inch IPS LCD
• Resolution: HD+ (720 x 1600 pixels, 270 ppi)
• Aspect Ratio: 20:9

Performance:
The 6.51-inch HD+ IPS LCD offers decent color reproduction and sharpness for everyday tasks such as browsing, streaming, and social media. While the resolution is lower compared to Full HD displays, the display is still sharp enough for casual use.

Brightness and Contrast:
The display performs well under indoor conditions, offering good viewing angles. Outdoors, it may struggle slightly in bright sunlight, but the overall brightness is acceptable for the price.

Color Accuracy:
The color reproduction is vibrant, though not as punchy as AMOLED panels. The absence of HDR support means content like videos may lack contrast and depth.

Overall:
For its price range, the Vivo Y21T’s display offers a satisfactory experience, though the HD+ resolution might seem limiting to users familiar with higher-resolution panels.

Performance:

Hardware:

• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 (6nm)
• RAM: 4 GB (with 1 GB Extended RAM)
• Storage: 128 GB (expandable up to 1 TB)

Performance Evaluation:
The Snapdragon 680 is a power-efficient chipset designed for budget and mid-range devices. Paired with 4 GB of RAM (with the Extended RAM feature providing an additional 1 GB), the Vivo Y21T handles everyday tasks like browsing, social media, and multitasking smoothly. Basic gaming and casual apps perform well, though more demanding titles might require settings adjustments.

Benchmark Scores:
In synthetic benchmarks, the Snapdragon 680 delivers respectable scores for this segment, making it a competitive performer for general use. Apps load relatively quickly, and background multitasking is handled efficiently.

Gaming:
The Vivo Y21T can handle light gaming, with games like PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile playable at lower settings. However, users may experience occasional stutter during prolonged sessions.

Overall:
The Vivo Y21T provides decent performance for its price, making it suitable for general users and light gamers.

Camera:

Rear Cameras:

• Primary Lens: 50 MP (f/1.8) wide-angle
• Secondary Lens: 2 MP macro
• Depth Sensor: 2 MP

Front Camera:

• 8 MP (f/2.0)

Camera Performance:

• Daylight: The 50 MP primary sensor captures good detail and color in well-lit conditions. Images are sharp, with decent dynamic range and color accuracy. The depth sensor adds some level of background separation in portrait shots.
• Low-Light: In low-light scenarios, the camera struggles to capture sharp images, often resulting in grainy photos. The absence of a dedicated night mode further limits its low-light capabilities.
• Macro: The 2 MP macro camera is underwhelming, producing low-quality close-up shots with limited detail.
• Front Camera: The 8 MP front camera produces average selfies with acceptable detail in good lighting. However, in low-light situations, noise becomes apparent.

Video Recording:
The phone can record 1080p videos at 30fps. While the video quality is acceptable, it lacks stabilization, so footage may appear shaky during handheld shooting.

Overall:
The Vivo Y21T’s camera performs well in good lighting but struggles in low-light conditions. The 50 MP sensor is a solid performer for the price, though other lenses add little to the overall experience.

Battery Life:

Specifications:

• Battery Capacity: 5000 mAh
• Charging: 18W fast charging

Performance:
The large 5000 mAh battery is one of the highlights of the Vivo Y21T. It easily lasts a full day of moderate to heavy usage, including browsing, watching videos, and light gaming. With more conservative use, it can extend into a second day.

Charging Speed:
The 18W fast charging support ensures that the phone charges fairly quickly, reaching around 50% in 30-40 minutes. However, a full charge takes just under two hours.

Overall:
Battery life is a strong point of the Vivo Y21T, making it a great choice for users who prioritize endurance.

Software:

Operating System:

• Funtouch OS 12 (based on Android 11)

User Experience:
Funtouch OS 12 offers a clean and customizable experience, with features like system-wide dark mode, enhanced privacy settings, and floating windows. While the software is intuitive, it comes with some pre-installed apps (bloatware), which may need manual removal.

Updates:
As of its release, the phone runs on Android 11, with no clear timeline for future Android version updates. Vivo typically provides security updates for its budget models but is slower with major OS upgrades.

Overall:
Funtouch OS is feature-rich and fluid, though bloatware and the lack of guaranteed updates might be a downside for some users.

Pros & Cons:

Pros:

• Large Battery: The 5000 mAh battery ensures all-day usage, even for power users.
• Good Daylight Camera: The 50 MP primary camera delivers solid performance in well-lit environments.
• Expandable Storage: The 128 GB storage can be expanded up to 1 TB, offering ample space for media and apps.
• Sleek and Lightweight Design: Despite its large battery, the phone remains lightweight and easy to handle.

Cons:

• Low Display Resolution: The HD+ display may disappoint users accustomed to Full HD+ panels.
• Weak Low-Light Camera Performance: The camera struggles in low-light scenarios, and the macro lens adds little value.
• No 5G Support: The phone lacks 5G connectivity, which might be a dealbreaker for future-proofing.
• Pre-installed Bloatware: Funtouch OS comes with unnecessary apps that take up storage.

Conclusion:

The Vivo Y21T is a solid budget smartphone, offering good performance, an excellent primary camera for daylight photography, and long-lasting battery life. While it lacks 5G and a higher-resolution display, it makes up for these with a balanced overall package, ideal for users who need a reliable phone for day-to-day tasks without breaking the bank.