vivo X90 Pro+ Review: Strengths, Trade-Offs and Everyday Use

This vivo X90 Pro+ review strengths and trade offs guide looks at a phone that was built to lead on cameras first and everything else second. The vivo X90 Pro+ China only release December 2022 meant the phone was sold only in China after being announced on 22 November 2022, so it never had a global launch or an official price in most markets. That matters for anyone reading this today, because buying one usually means importing it, and the software, warranty and network support all follow from that China-only starting point. The vivo X90 Pro+ release date was 6 December 2022, and the phone arrived with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, a 6.78 inch AMOLED display at 1440 x 3200 with a 120Hz refresh rate, 12GB of RAM, and a four-camera rear system led by a 1-inch sensor. On paper it reads like a camera phone that also happens to be a fast flagship, and in daily use that balance mostly holds.

The vivo X90 Pro+ specs sheet lists 256GB or 512GB of storage with no microSD slot, a 4700 mAh battery with 80W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, an IP68 rating, Android 13 with OriginOS 3, and a weight of 221g. The vivo X90 Pro+ camera system is the headline, with a 50MP main camera using the Sony IMX989, a 50MP portrait telephoto at 2x, a 64MP periscope telephoto at 3.5x, and a 48MP ultrawide, all with ZEISS T* coating and vivo’s V2 imaging chip. The vivo X90 Pro+ battery is a 4700 mAh cell, smaller on paper than some rivals, so charging speed and efficiency have to do real work. Compared with the vivo X90 Pro Review: Cameras, Performance and Battery Life, which uses the Dimensity 9200 and only three rear cameras, this Pro+ model is a different phone in the ways that count most.

What follows is a plain look at where this phone is strong, where it asks for compromise, and how it behaves as a daily device rather than a list of numbers. The vivo X90 Pro+ design, the vivo X90 Pro+ display, the vivo X90 Pro+ performance and the vivo X90 Pro+ software all get the same treatment: what the specification means in practice, what works well, and what to check before importing one. The vivo X90 Pro+ price in China 256GB variant positioned it as a premium device, and that price made sense only if the cameras and the screen delivered every day.

Design and Build Quality

The vivo X90 Pro+ design uses a large circular camera module on the back, a curved display at the front, and a leather-style or glass rear depending on the finish. It is a big phone, and the vivo X90 Pro+ dimensions place it among large flagships, so one-handed use takes some care and the camera module keeps the phone from lying flat on a table. The vivo X90 Pro+ weight is 221g, which is heavy enough to notice during long reading or video sessions but not so heavy that it feels unbalanced. The weight sits evenly across the body, and the curved edges help the phone feel a little slimmer than its measurements suggest.

In-Hand Feel and Weight

The vivo X90 Pro+ 221 gram weight in hand feel is best described as solid and dense rather than bulky. The frame is metal, the back has a soft texture on the leather finish, and the grip is secure enough for everyday carrying without a case, although a case is still wise for a phone this size. The buttons fall under the thumb on the right edge, the fingerprint sensor sits under the display, and the overall fit and finish match the premium price the phone carried at launch. As a China-only flagship, it was built for a market where large camera phones are normal, and the design shows that confidence.

Durability and Water Resistance

The vivo X90 Pro+ durability benefits from an IP68 rating, which means the phone is rated against dust and water immersion under controlled test conditions. The vivo X90 Pro+ IP68 rating is a real strength for a camera phone, because a phone that is meant to be used outdoors in rain or near water should be sealed well. A rating is not a promise that the phone is waterproof in every situation, and water damage is still something to avoid, but the sealing adds peace of mind for daily use, travel and photography in poor weather.

Glass, Frame and Finish

The front glass curves into the metal frame, the rear panel resists fingerprints better on the leather finish than on plain glass, and the camera module is protected by a raised ring. The finish choices change how the phone looks and feels, but the build quality stays consistent: tight seams, no flex in the frame, and buttons that click cleanly. The vivo X90 Pro+ design keeps the large camera hardware from making the phone look awkward, and the ZEISS branding on the camera module signals the imaging focus without covering the back in text.

What IP68 Does and Does Not Cover

IP68 covers dust and fresh water immersion to a stated depth and time in lab tests, and it does not cover salt water, soapy water, steam or high-pressure jets. The vivo X90 Pro+ IP68 water resistance durability review notes that the rating is a safety net, not an invitation to use the phone underwater. Seals can wear over time, and a drop can damage them, so treating the rating as protection against accidents rather than a feature to test keeps the phone safer for longer.

Display Quality

The vivo X90 Pro+ display measures 6.78 inches, uses an AMOLED panel, and runs at 1440 x 3200 with a 120Hz refresh rate. The vivo X90 Pro+ AMOLED panel shows deep blacks, strong contrast and vivid colour, and the high resolution keeps text sharp even at small sizes. A vivo X90 Pro+ 6.78 inch AMOLED 120Hz display quality check shows a screen that is comfortable for reading, video and photo review, with smooth scrolling from the high refresh rate and enough brightness for most outdoor use. Readers who want a second view of a bright, smooth screen can look at the vivo X100s Review: Display, Audio and Overall Experience for a later take on the same priorities.

Sharpness, Colour and Brightness

At 1440p the panel is sharp enough that individual pixels are not visible in normal use, and the colour tuning leans vivid by default with calmer modes available in settings. The screen supports HDR video, and highlights in supported content look brighter and more detailed than on a standard display. The 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling and animations feel fluid, and the phone can lower the rate when the screen is still to save power. Colour accuracy is good enough for photo review, which matters on a phone whose main selling point is its camera.

Outdoor Visibility

A vivo X90 Pro+ 1440p display outdoor visibility test shows the screen stays readable in bright daylight, although direct sun still washes out the image a little, as it does on most phones. Raising brightness manually helps, and the automatic brightness is quick to respond when moving from shade into sun. For photography outdoors, the bright screen makes it easier to check focus and exposure before taking the shot, and that is a practical benefit rather than a number on a sheet.

Performance and Gaming

The vivo X90 Pro+ chipset is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, built on a 4 nm process, paired with 12GB of RAM. The vivo X90 Pro+ performance in daily apps is fast and consistent: apps open quickly, switching between apps is smooth, and the phone handles photo editing, video playback and heavy web pages without hesitation. A vivo X90 Pro+ Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 performance review starts with that everyday speed, because a flagship is judged first by how it feels in normal use and only second by benchmark scores. With vivo X90 Pro+ 12GB RAM 512GB storage performance, large apps and games stay in memory longer, and loading times stay short.

Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in Daily Use

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is efficient as well as fast, and that efficiency shows in how the phone handles background tasks, camera processing and long sessions without getting hot in light use. The vivo X90 Pro+ software runs Android 13 with OriginOS 3, and the combination of a fast chip and a clean, responsive interface keeps animations smooth. Storage speed is fast too, and with no microSD slot the built-in 256GB or 512GB has to be enough, so choosing the larger size matters for anyone who records a lot of video or keeps large games installed. The vivo X90 Pro+ storage comes in 256GB or 512GB, and there is no way to add more later.

Gaming and Heat

The vivo X90 Pro+ gaming experience is strong, with high frame rates in demanding titles and a large, bright display that suits long sessions. A vivo X90 Pro+ gaming performance Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 session shows the chip holding its speed well, with the phone warming up during extended play but not throttling hard in normal room conditions. The vivo X90 Pro+ heat management long gaming session behaviour is helped by the large body, which spreads heat, and by the efficient chip, which wastes less energy as heat than older designs. For a different view of sustained play and battery, the vivo X100s Pro Review: Gaming, Multitasking and Battery Life covers the same trade-offs in a newer model.

Sustained Performance

Short bursts of speed are easy for any flagship, and sustained speed is the harder test. In longer gaming sessions the phone stays playable and the frame rate stays steady, with the back growing warm rather than hot. That steadiness matters more than a peak score, because a phone that slows down after ten minutes is worse to use than one that holds a slightly lower but stable speed. The 12GB of RAM also helps here, keeping the game in memory when switching to messages and back.

Cameras and ZEISS Imaging

The vivo X90 Pro+ camera is built around four rear cameras, and that is the clearest difference from the regular X90 Pro, which has three. The vivo X90 Pro+ ZEISS T coating camera sample quality stands out in daylight, with clean detail, natural colour and good control of flare thanks to the T* coating on the lenses. A vivo X90 Pro+ 1 inch Sony IMX989 camera review shows the main sensor gathering more light than a typical phone sensor, which helps in dim rooms and at night, and gives portraits a softer background blur. A vivo X90 Pro+ vs vivo X90 Pro camera comparison highlights exactly this gap: the Pro+ adds the extra telephoto reach and the larger main sensor, while the X90 Pro keeps the Dimensity 9200 chip, a 4870 mAh battery and 120W charging instead.

Main Camera: The 1-Inch Sensor

The 50MP main camera uses the Sony IMX989, a 1-inch type sensor that is much larger than the sensors in most phones. A larger sensor collects more light, and that shows in cleaner low-light photos, better dynamic range and more natural depth. The vivo X90 Pro+ V2 imaging chip photo processing helps with noise reduction and detail, working with the sensor rather than covering its output in heavy sharpening. Daylight photos are detailed and well exposed, and the ZEISS colour modes give a choice between vivid and natural looks. The four rear cameras work as a system, so the main camera does not have to do everything alone.

Portrait and Periscope Zoom

The vivo X90 Pro+ portrait telephoto 2x camera quality suits people photos, with a 50MP sensor behind a 2x lens that frames faces naturally and keeps skin tones believable. The vivo X90 Pro+ periscope telephoto 3.5x zoom review finds the 64MP periscope useful for distant subjects, from buildings to animals, with detail that holds up well at 3.5x and usable results a little beyond it. The vivo X90 Pro+ telephoto lenses cover 2x and 3.5x, so there is a real optical step between the two, and the vivo X90 Pro+ zoom reaches 3.5x optical before digital zoom takes over. Portrait mode uses the 2x lens for a natural perspective, and the background blur looks smoother than a digitally cropped portrait from the main camera.

Ultrawide, Selfie and Video

The vivo X90 Pro+ ultrawide 48MP camera low light results are better than the ultrawide on many rivals, because the sensor is larger than usual for an ultrawide and the V2 chip helps with noise. The vivo X90 Pro+ ultrawide lens is wide enough for landscapes and interiors, and distortion at the edges is controlled well. The vivo X90 Pro+ selfie 32MP front camera quality is strong for video calls and self-portraits, with good detail in daylight and acceptable results indoors. The vivo X90 Pro+ video recording 8K stabilisation quality is solid for a phone of its age, with stable footage at common resolutions and good colour, and the vivo X90 Pro+ video options cover the resolutions most people actually use. The vivo X90 Pro+ night mode ZEISS camera performance keeps night photos bright without turning them into daylight, and the vivo X90 Pro+ night shooting benefits from the large main sensor and the optical stabilisation. For a later camera-first comparison, the vivo X100 Review: Camera Quality, Battery and Value shows how vivo kept building on this imaging approach.

Battery Life and Charging

The vivo X90 Pro+ battery is a 4700 mAh cell, and the vivo X90 Pro+ charging covers 80W wired and 50W wireless. A vivo X90 Pro+ 4700 mAh battery 80W charging test in everyday use shows a phone that lasts a full day for most people, with heavy camera use and gaming shortening that to an evening top-up. The capacity is smaller than the 4870 mAh cell in the X90 Pro, so the Pro+ leans on the efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and the adaptive refresh rate to close the gap. A vivo X90 Pro+ everyday use battery life review has to balance those two facts: the cell is not the biggest, but the hardware around it is efficient.

Battery Life in Everyday Use

With mixed use of messaging, browsing, photos and some video, the phone gets through a day with charge to spare, and lighter days leave more in reserve. Heavy days with lots of camera use, navigation and gaming will need a top-up before bed, and that is normal for a large-screen flagship with a 4700 mAh battery. The adaptive display helps, lowering the refresh rate when nothing is moving, and OriginOS 3 adds battery tools that limit background activity for apps that do not need it.

Wired and Wireless Charging

The vivo X90 Pro+ 80W wired charging full charge time is short enough that a quick charge before leaving the house adds a useful amount of power, and a full charge from empty takes well under an hour with the right charger. The vivo X90 Pro+ 50W wireless charging speed test shows wireless charging that is genuinely fast rather than a slow overnight option, although it needs a compatible 50W wireless charger to reach that speed. The vivo X90 Pro+ wireless charging runs at 50W with the right pad, and the phone also supports reverse wireless charging for accessories. Fast charging like this is a practical strength, because it makes the smaller battery less of a worry in daily life.

Software and Everyday Use

The vivo X90 Pro+ software runs Android 13 with OriginOS 3, and the vivo X90 Pro+ OriginOS experience is clean, fast and full of customisation options. The vivo X90 Pro+ OriginOS 3 Android 13 software experience is shaped by the China-only release, so the app selection, default services and language options are aimed at the Chinese market, and importing the phone means living with that starting point. The vivo X90 Pro+ software updates OriginOS 3 features include new widgets, smoother animations and better multitasking, and the interface feels modern and responsive. The vivo X90 Review: Build Quality, Software and Daily Speed gives a useful comparison for how the same software family behaves on a closely related phone.

OriginOS 3 on Android 13

OriginOS 3 changes the look of Android 13 with its own home screen, control centre and app icons, and it adds features for large screens, split-screen multitasking and quick settings. The system is smooth, and the animations are quick without feeling rushed. Because the phone was sold only in China, some Google services and apps are not preinstalled, and setting the phone up outside China takes extra steps. That is the main software trade-off, and it matters more than any single feature, because it affects the first hour with the phone as well as the months after.

Speakers, Fingerprint and Daily Speed

The vivo X90 Pro+ speakers are stereo, and the vivo X90 Pro+ speaker quality stereo sound review notes clear sound for video and calls, with enough volume for a room but limited bass, as is normal for a slim phone. The vivo X90 Pro+ fingerprint sensor under display speed is quick and reliable, unlocking the phone in a fraction of a second in normal conditions, and face unlock is available as a faster option when the hands are busy. Daily speed is a strength: the phone wakes fast, apps stay in memory, and the camera opens quickly, which matters for catching a moment before it passes. The haptics are firm and precise, and the overall daily feel is that of a flagship that was tuned for speed rather than for show.

Pros and Cons

The strengths of this phone are concentrated in the camera system, the display and the chipset, while the trade-offs are concentrated in availability, battery size and software. That split is what makes the buying decision simple in one sense and hard in another: if the cameras are the reason for buying, the compromises are easy to accept, and if the cameras are not the priority, the compromises are harder to justify.

• 1-inch Sony IMX989 main sensor with ZEISS T* coating for strong low-light photos
• Four rear cameras covering ultrawide, 2x portrait and 3.5x periscope zoom
• Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with 12GB of RAM for fast daily use and gaming
• Sharp 6.78 inch 1440p AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate
• 80W wired and 50W wireless charging
• IP68 rating and a solid 221g build

• China-only release, so importing, warranty and software setup take extra work
• 4700 mAh battery is smaller than some rivals and than the X90 Pro at 4870 mAh
• No microSD slot, so the 256GB or 512GB choice is final
• OriginOS 3 is aimed at the Chinese market, with Google services not preinstalled
• Large and heavy at 221g, with a big camera module that stops the phone lying flat

Full Specifications

The table below lists the key specifications for the vivo X90 Pro+ as announced, so readers can check the details in one place before comparing it with other phones.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the vivo X90 Pro+ still worth buying?

It is worth buying for someone who wants its camera system and is comfortable importing a China-only phone, because the 1-inch main sensor, the 2x portrait lens and the 3.5x periscope still produce strong photos. It is less appealing for someone who wants simple warranty support, preinstalled Google services and a larger battery, because those are the areas where the trade-offs are real. The answer depends on how much the cameras matter to the buyer.

What is the difference between the vivo X90 Pro+ and the vivo X90 Pro?

The vivo X90 Pro+ uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, has four rear cameras led by the 1-inch Sony IMX989, a 4700 mAh battery and 80W charging. The vivo X90 Pro uses the Dimensity 9200, has only three rear cameras, a 4870 mAh battery and 120W charging. The Pro+ is the camera-first model, while the Pro has the larger battery and faster wired charging.

Does the vivo X90 Pro+ have a microSD slot?

No, the vivo X90 Pro+ has no microSD slot. The vivo X90 Pro+ no microSD card slot storage choice means buyers pick 256GB or 512GB at purchase and cannot add storage later, so the larger size is the safer choice for anyone who records a lot of video.

How fast is charging on the vivo X90 Pro+?

Wired charging runs at 80W and wireless charging runs at 50W with a compatible charger, and both are fast enough that a short top-up adds a useful amount of power. A full wired charge from empty takes well under an hour, and wireless charging is fast enough to use during the day rather than only overnight.

Was the vivo X90 Pro+ released outside China?

No, the vivo X90 Pro+ was released only in China on 6 December 2022 after being announced on 22 November 2022. Anyone outside China who wants one has to import it, and that affects warranty, software setup and network band support, so those points are worth checking before buying.