The vivo S series has always been the flagship lineup of vivo, focusing not only on its own aesthetic appeal to win the favor of young women but also emphasizing portrait photography, striving to capture the beauty of human figures in every possible way. Additionally, the vivo S series has a short update cycle, with two updates per year being the norm. In May of this year, we saw the vivo S19 series, which gradually approached flagship-level configurations. Now, the vivo S20 series has also debuted. Let's take a look at the innovations of the new vivo S20 standard edition.

Phoenix Feather Gold, A Brand New Look

Like its predecessor, the vivo S20 series is divided into a standard edition and a Pro edition, both using the same 6.67-inch full-depth micro-curved screen. Therefore, at first glance, the two models look similar. However, due to different configurations, there are still some differences in detail. Notably, the vivo S20 Pro features a triple rear camera design, adding an approximately elliptical telephoto lens, and is slightly thicker at 7.43mm (specific dimensions may vary slightly by color, but the difference does not exceed 0.1mm). In contrast, the vivo S20 has only two cameras and is thinner at 7.19mm, with a weight of just 186g.

Moreover, the body design of the S20 series is similar to that of the S19, giving a very familiar feeling, but the new color scheme offers a new experience, especially the Phoenix Feather Gold version we have in hand. According to vivo's official introduction, to mimic the soft and ornate qualities of phoenix feathers, designers used embroidery techniques to arrange about 10 million shimmering lines on the back of the phone in an orderly manner, resembling glowing feathers. To create this effect, the phone employs a photolithographic embroidery process, with each line having a width and height of 1um and 7um, respectively. Additionally, through a 1024-step reflective facet, the geometric structure and cutting angle of the lines are precisely controlled. Finally, through plasma polishing technology, the texture brightness is enhanced, creating the effect of Phoenix Feather Gold.

Below is the effect of the Phoenix Feather Gold on the vivo S20 under light. As the angle changes, the Phoenix Feather Gold shines with different colors and lights, appearing very vivid. The vivo S20 Pro also adds a Purple Aura color option, further enriching the choices.

In addition to the new Phoenix Feather Gold color, the vivo S20 has also been meticulously designed in other details to create a sense of sophistication. For example, the outer ring of the rear camera draws inspiration from watches and rings, with up to 360 diamond-shaped structures adorning the edges. These diamond-shaped structures are created by intersecting 180 tangent lines on each side, each with a width of 0.126mm, adding to the overall texture.

On the front, it uses a full-depth micro-curved screen similar to that of flagship models, with a curvature of 37 degrees. This forms a continuous curve with the frame and the back of the phone, making the phone appear sleek and easy to hold, despite its 6.67-inch screen.

Portrait Photography with AI Light Control

Portrait photography has always been a highlight of the vivo S series. The vivo S20 is equipped with iconic dual front soft lights and a rear soft light ring, combined with AI technology to further enhance portrait photography effects.

Starting with the front camera, the vivo S20 uses a 1/2.76-inch, 50-megapixel CMOS image sensor with a pixel size of 0.64um, an aperture of F2.0, and a field of view of 90 degrees, supporting autofocus. In the camera interface, the front camera provides zoom options from 0.8X to 2X, making it flexible for both single-person close-ups and group photos.

At the same time, the vivo S20 has improved upon the pain points of selfies. Firstly, it is equipped with AI 3D virtual fill light technology, which, combined with the dual soft lights, can solve the issue of dull and unclear faces in backlight conditions, while making the skin appear more translucent.

Left: With dual soft lights, Right: Without fill light

Moreover, the use of AI extends beyond this. As we all know, to capture half-body shots during selfies, front cameras typically have a wide field of view, which can cause distortion due to lens perspective, resulting in an unpleasant appearance. The vivo S20's front camera, with a field of view of 0.8-1X, supports AI face correction functionality. It processes photos to mimic the perspective of a 50mm lens, similar to human eye perspective, avoiding issues like a large nose or a receding hairline, making selfies even more beautiful.

Left: With AI face correction, Right: Without AI face correction

For the rear camera, the vivo S20 uses a main camera + ultra-wide-angle dual-lens configuration. The main camera is a 50-megapixel ultra-stabilized bionic camera, using a 1/1.55-inch CMOS image sensor with a pixel size of 1.008um, a 23mm field of view, and an aperture of F1.88, featuring vivo's self-developed OIS super stabilization. The ultra-wide-angle camera uses an 1/4-inch, 8-megapixel sensor with a pixel size of 1.12um and an aperture of F2.2.

To meet different shooting needs, the camera interface is designed accordingly. In photo mode, it defaults to providing 0.6X, 1X, and 2X zoom options, corresponding to 16mm, 23mm, and 46mm fields of view, respectively. In portrait mode, it provides 23mm, 35mm, and 50mm fields of view, all achieved through the main camera. vivo has also specifically optimized the portrait effects in low-light environments for the 23mm and 35mm fields of view.

When shooting portraits in low-light environments, it is essential to use the soft light ring beneath the camera for fill light. The vivo S20's soft light ring has adjustable brightness and color temperature settings, better suited for variable lighting conditions in night scenes. Combined with AI technology, it introduces a soft light studio function, supporting two new lighting effects: Butterfly Light and Rembrandt Light.

Butterfly Light, also known as Paramount Light, creates a butterfly-shaped shadow effect under the nose, a common portrait lighting technique in Hollywood. The lighting method involves placing the main light source directly in front of the face, projecting a 45-degree angle downward, highlighting the cheekbones and creating a slimming effect on the face. Obviously, mobile phone users cannot carry a fill light with them at all times and position it above the subject. However, through the combination of the soft light ring and AI technology, the vivo S20 can achieve the effect of Butterfly Light with just one phone. Below is the Butterfly Light effect, with a significant slimming effect on the face.

Rembrandt Light is another classic lighting technique that divides the subject's face into two parts, with one side illuminated by light and the other in shadow, creating a triangular highlight in the shadowed area. Portraits taken with Rembrandt Light appear more three-dimensional, earning its name due to its similarity to Rembrandt's portrait paintings. Compared to Butterfly Light, achieving Rembrandt Light requires more lighting equipment and more complex lighting techniques. However, on the vivo S20, it can be achieved with just a tap of a finger. Below is the Rembrandt Light effect, with a contrasting light and shadow on the face, adding more depth.

In addition to enhancing photography effects, the vivo S20 introduces multiple new features, including a one-shot film camera and dopamine dynamic photos. In recent years, instant cameras have become increasingly popular among young people, driving Fujifilm's camera business to new heights. With the one-shot film camera feature, the vivo S20 can achieve the border effect of an instant camera and offers multiple film tones and lace paper effects, further enriching the playability.

The vivo S20's Live photos are already compatible with Xiaohongshu and Douyin platforms, with Weibo and WeChat optimizations underway. It also introduces a dopamine dynamic photo function, where the phone uses AI to intelligently pick up colors from the photo and generate a corresponding colored border based on the photo's dominant hue, adding more personality.

Finally, the ultra-wide-angle camera, although only 8 megapixels, boasts 1.12um pixel size, resulting in decent daytime shooting performance but only average performance in low-light conditions.

Performance & OS

After experiencing the vivo S20's photography capabilities, let's take a look at its specifications. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor and is available in four configurations: 8GB+256GB, 12GB+256GB/512GB, and 16GB+512GB. The 6.67-inch screen is a BOE Q10 eye-care display with a resolution of 1260*2800 and a peak brightness of 1300nit. It is equipped with a 6500mAh ultra-thin blue sea battery with an energy density of up to 838Wh/L and supports 90W wired fast charging.

In the Geekbench 6 test, the CPU scored 1221 for single-core and 3367 for multi-core, while the GPU scored 3573.

In the 3DMARK Wild Life test, it scored 5480 with an average frame rate of 34.97 FPS, and a PCMARK Work 3.0 performance score of 10988, which is generally average.

Lastly, the vivo S20 runs the latest OriginOS 5, similar to the vivo X200 series. Its Atomic Notifications capsule has been upgraded to Atomic Island, supporting features like XiaoV Circle Search, XiaoV Memo, XiaoV Call Assistant, One-Click Screen Ask, AI Eraser, and AI ID Photo Background Replacement, providing excellent overall smoothness.

Conclusion

The vivo S20 can be described as a device designed for portrait photography. It retains the essence of the S20 series' portrait photography capabilities, including dual front soft lights, soft light rings, butterfly light, Rembrandt light, AI face correction, etc. Coupled with the new Phoenix Feather Gold color scheme, it stands out amidst the converging smartphone designs and is highly suitable for female users who prioritize portrait photography.

vivo S20 Sample Photos: