Vivo Y05

At Rs. 40,999 for the 4GB + 64GB model, the Vivo Y05 is not strong value on specs, but it has a clear audience. It suits buyers who want a 6500mAh battery that lasts two to three days, IP65 dust and water resistance, a bright 120Hz screen and the resale value of the Vivo name.

The trade-offs are significant:

• The Unisoc T7225 chip shows noticeable lag even in basic tasks.
• Basic 8MP rear and 5MP selfie cameras.
• Slow 15W charging, a dated waterdrop notch and a single speaker built into the earpiece.

The Samsung Galaxy A07 costs less and brings the much stronger Helio G99, a 50MP camera and six Android upgrades, though with a 5000mAh battery and no charger in the box. The Honor X6c costs a little more and adds 6GB RAM, a 50MP camera and faster 35W charging, with a smaller 5300mAh battery.

Verdict: consider the Y05 only if battery life, splash protection and brand resale matter most to you. For smoother performance and better cameras, the Galaxy A07 is the better buy.

The Vivo Y05 has a 6.74-inch IPS LCD with 720 x 1600 (HD+) resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate and 1200 nits peak brightness.

• Outdoors: brightness is the screen's best quality; it stays readable even in direct sunlight.
• Video: Widevine L1 support allows HD streaming on OTT apps, and scrolling is smooth at 120Hz.
• Always-on display: a short always-on display shows the time and notifications.

The weaknesses are in sharpness and design. HD+ resolution looks soft on a screen this size, the waterdrop notch looks dated, and the bezels, especially the bottom chin, are thick for the price.

The Vivo Y05 runs the Unisoc T7225 (octa-core, up to 2.0GHz) with 4GB RAM and eMMC 5.1 storage, and scores roughly 330,000 to 350,000 in AnTuTu.

Performance is its weakest area. Noticeable lag appears even in basic tasks: apps can take a moment to open, stutter, or close on their own. The 4GB + 128GB model also feels slightly slow, and the 64GB model is likely to feel slower. Phones with MediaTek Helio G81, G85 or G99 chips feel smoother at a similar price.

It is fine for calls, messaging and social media, but heavy multitasking and gaming are not its strength. Heating was not tested.

The Vivo Y05 has a single 8MP rear camera and a 5MP selfie camera, with no stabilisation for video.

• Daylight: results are acceptable for the price, with Vivo's processing producing decent colours, but detail is limited and some shots come out over- or under-exposed.
• Low light: Night mode is available on both cameras and helps, but the selfie camera struggles badly in low light.
• Video: both cameras record at 1080p 30fps or 720p.
• Modes: portrait, night, documents, time-lapse, pro and live photo are included.

The camera is basic: fine for social media in good light, but rivals with 50MP sensors at this price take better photos.

Battery is the Vivo Y05's strongest point. The 6500mAh battery can last around two and a half to three days with medium to heavy use, which is among the longest at this price.

The downside is charging. It supports only 15W charging (the 15W charger is in the box), so a full charge takes about two and a half to three hours. Many rivals at this price charge at 25W to 45W.

The phone also supports reverse wired charging for small top-ups to other devices.

The Vivo Y05 runs Android 16 with OriginOS 6, Vivo's newest interface, which is its biggest software advantage at this price. It brings a redesigned Control Center and settings, a glossy look, and new lock screen customisation for fonts and clock styles. Some features from Vivo's pricier phones are missing, but the main design and functions are there.

Useful extras include:

• AI Erase, AI Ultra HD photo enhancement and colour adjustment in the photo editor.
• AI tools in the Vivo Notes app.
• Call recording, including automatic recording without an announcement.
• A dynamic light on the back for calls, notifications and music.

Vivo has not announced an official update commitment for this phone.