vivo X70 Pro+ Review: Photo Quality, Video and Performance

The vivo X70 Pro+ arrived in September 2021 as the most ambitious camera phone vivo had built up to that point, and this vivo X70 Pro+ review looks at it as a 2021 flagship rather than a brand new handset. It paired a 50MP main camera with gimbal stabilisation, ZEISS T* coated optics, a 5x periscope zoom, a 120Hz QHD+ display and the Snapdragon 888+ chip. For readers who still own one, or who are considering a used example in 2026, the questions are practical: does the camera still hold up, does the battery still last a day, and does the performance still feel fast? The short answer is that the imaging system remains the reason to choose it, while the battery and the software age are the parts to weigh most carefully.

Announced on 9 September 2021 and released on 17 September 2021, the phone was positioned above the regular X70 Pro, with a larger 6.78 inch screen, a bigger sensor, a periscope lens and wireless charging. A typical vivo X70 Pro+ unboxing included the phone, a 55W charger, a USB-C cable, a protective case and a pre applied screen protector, which was a generous bundle for a flagship of that year. The vivo X70 Pro+ release date places it in the same generation as the Galaxy S21 Ultra and the iPhone 13 Pro, so its rivals were the best camera phones of that year. This article covers the design, the display, the full camera system, the Snapdragon 888+ performance, the battery, the software and the complete specification table, with a clear list of strengths and weaknesses at the end.

Anyone comparing it with later vivo flagships should read the vivo X80 Review: Daily Performance and Key Features as well, because the X80 moved to a newer chip and a different camera tuning while keeping the ZEISS partnership. The X70 Pro+ still has a distinct character: warmer, more film-like colour in its ZEISS modes, a very capable night mode, and a zoom range that covers everyday scenes from 0.6x to 60x digital.

Design and Build Quality

The vivo X70 Pro+ design is a large glass and metal flagship with a curved display, a slim 8.9mm profile and a weight of 209g or 213g depending on the finish. The vivo X70 Pro+ weight is noticeable in a pocket, yet the curved back and the balanced weight distribution make it comfortable to hold for long photo sessions. The camera housing is a large stepped rectangle on the upper left of the rear panel, with the ZEISS logo printed beside the lenses, and the finish resists fingerprints better than many glossy flagships of the same year.

Build quality is a clear strength. The frame is aluminium, the front and back are glass, and the phone carries an IP68 rating, which means it is protected against dust and immersion in fresh water up to 1.5 metres for 30 minutes under laboratory conditions. The vivo X70 Pro+ IP68 water resistance rating explained clearly is simple: it is a safety net for rain, splashes and an accidental drop in a sink, not an invitation to take photos underwater or to use the phone in a swimming pool, where chemicals and pressure can still cause damage. The vivo X70 Pro+ durability in daily use is good, with the glass holding up well to scratches from keys and coins, although a case is still sensible for a phone of this size and price.

Colours, Feel and In-Hand Comfort

The vivo X70 Pro+ colours included a black finish with a matte texture and a lighter blue option in some markets, and both versions share the same curved glass back. The vivo X70 Pro+ weight and thickness in hand feel review notes that the 8.9mm thickness is slim for a phone with a 4500mAh battery and a periscope camera, and the curved edges help the large 6.78 inch body sit in the palm without sharp corners. The power button and volume rocker sit on the right edge within easy reach, the USB-C port and speaker sit on the bottom edge, and there is no 3.5mm headphone jack.

The vivo X70 Pro+ accessories worth buying are a protective case, a tempered glass screen protector and a 55W compatible charger if the original is missing, because the phone charges fastest with its own standard. A case also protects the raised camera housing, which is the first part to touch a table when the phone is placed face up. The vivo X70 Pro+ case and screen protector buying guide in brief is to choose a case with a raised lip around the camera and a protector that covers the curved edges without lifting at the corners.

Buttons, Ports and Fingerprint Sensor

The in-display fingerprint sensor is optical and sits near the bottom of the screen. The vivo X70 Pro+ fingerprint sensor speed and accuracy test in everyday use shows fast unlocks with a registered thumb, with occasional misses when the finger is wet or the screen is dirty. Face unlock is available as a faster alternative, using the front camera, and it works well in good light. The vivo X70 Pro+ fingerprint performance is typical of optical sensors from 2021: reliable enough for daily use, a step behind the ultrasonic sensors on some rivals for wet fingers.

Display and Multimedia

The 6.78 inch LTPO AMOLED display is one of the best parts of the phone. It runs at 3200 by 1440 pixels, supports a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ and a peak brightness high enough for outdoor use. The vivo X70 Pro+ display quality 120Hz QHD Plus screen combination means scrolling is smooth, text is sharp, and photos look vivid without the oversaturation that older AMOLED panels sometimes showed. The LTPO panel can lower its refresh rate when the screen is static, which helps save battery.

The vivo X70 Pro+ screen brightness under direct sunlight test results are strong for a 2021 phone: the display stays readable outdoors, colours remain visible in bright daylight, and the automatic brightness adapts quickly when moving from shade into sun. The curved edges can catch reflections at an angle, and some users may notice accidental touches on the curve, but the palm rejection is generally effective. Watching video is enjoyable, with deep blacks, strong contrast and accurate skin tones in the standard colour mode.

Speakers and Audio Output

The stereo speakers use the earpiece and a bottom firing driver. The vivo X70 Pro+ speaker quality and audio output test shows clear vocals, decent volume for video calls and casual video, and limited bass, which is normal for a slim phone. The vivo X70 Pro+ speakers are loud enough for a quiet room and for navigation prompts in a car, but a Bluetooth speaker or earphones are better for music. There is no headphone jack, so wired listening needs a USB-C adapter or USB-C earphones, while Bluetooth audio supports the common high quality codecs of the period.

Display Settings Worth Changing First

Set the screen resolution to QHD+ and the refresh rate to 120Hz for the sharpest and smoothest picture, turn on eye protection at night if you read in bed, and keep automatic brightness on so the panel adapts to each room. These three changes make the biggest difference to how the phone feels day to day, and they cost only a small amount of battery compared with the standard settings.

Camera Quality and Video

The camera is the heart of this phone, and the vivo X70 Pro+ camera is still the main reason to buy or keep one. The rear system has four lenses: a 50MP main camera with a Samsung GN1 sensor and gimbal optical image stabilisation, a 48MP ultrawide camera also with gimbal stabilisation, a 12MP telephoto with 2x optical zoom, and an 8MP periscope camera with 5x optical zoom. All four lenses carry ZEISS T* coatings, which reduce flare and ghosting when shooting toward bright lights.

The vivo X70 Pro+ camera quality in low light conditions is where the gimbal and the large main sensor work together. The main camera gathers more light than a typical phone sensor, the gimbal steadies the lens during longer exposures, and the night mode combines several frames into a brighter, cleaner image with less noise. In a dim restaurant or on a street at night, photos keep detail in shadows, keep highlights under control, and keep colours natural rather than turning everything yellow or green.

Main Camera and ZEISS Portrait Modes

The 50MP main camera shoots 12.5MP pixel binned photos by default, which is the right choice for most scenes because it gives cleaner files with better dynamic range. The full 50MP mode is useful for bright daylight scenes where you want to crop later. The vivo X70 Pro+ ZEISS camera portrait mode sample photos show the signature of this partnership: a choice of ZEISS lens effects including Biotar swirly bokeh, Sonnar soft background blur, Planar classic portrait rendering and Distagon wide style, each with a distinct character that is visible in the background blur and in the rendering of highlights.

Portrait photos have accurate edge detection around hair and glasses in good light, pleasing skin tones, and a natural depth of field that does not look over processed. In a vivo X70 Pro+ vs Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra camera comparison, the vivo wins on portrait character and on gimbal stabilised video, while the Samsung wins on longer zoom reach and on a larger battery, so the choice depends on whether portraits or zoom matter more to the buyer. The vivo X70 Pro+ front camera selfie quality in daylight is also strong, with a 32MP sensor that records sharp detail, natural skin texture and reliable exposure for faces against bright backgrounds. The vivo X70 Pro+ selfie camera in low light is less impressive, with more noise and softer detail, so the rear camera is the better choice for evening portraits.

Ultrawide, Telephoto and Periscope Zoom

The 48MP ultrawide camera is unusually good for its generation because it also has gimbal stabilisation, so it can shoot steady night photos and smooth video at 0.6x. The vivo X70 Pro+ ultrawide camera night mode photo quality is clearly better than the ultrawide on many 2021 rivals, with less noise at the edges and more detail in the corners. The 12MP 2x telephoto is the best choice for portraits at a natural distance, while the vivo X70 Pro+ 5x periscope zoom camera test results show sharp, usable photos at 5x in daylight and acceptable results at 10x hybrid zoom. Digital zoom to 60x is available, but detail falls away quickly past 10x, so it is best treated as a spotting tool rather than a photo mode.

The vivo X70 Pro+ zoom range is therefore practical: 0.6x for landscapes and interiors, 1x for general photos, 2x for portraits, and 5x for distant subjects such as architecture, signs and wildlife. The vivo X70 Pro+ night mode comparison with previous generation vivo phones shows a clear gain in shadow detail and in the control of bright street lights, thanks to the larger sensor, the gimbal and the improved processing. The vivo X70 Pro+ photo editing features in gallery app include cropping, filters, a ZEISS style adjustment, and basic exposure and colour tools, which are enough for quick edits before sharing.

Video Recording and Gimbal Stabilisation

Video is a second strength. The main camera records 8K at 30 frames per second and 4K at 30 or 60 frames per second, with the gimbal providing mechanical stabilisation that is visibly smoother than electronic stabilisation alone. The vivo X70 Pro+ gimbal stabilization video recording quality is at its best when walking, where the horizon stays level and footsteps are smoothed out, and when panning slowly across a scene. The vivo X70 Pro+ video stabilization test while walking outdoors confirms that handheld footage looks close to gimbal assisted footage, with only small vertical movement remaining.

The ultrawide camera also records stabilised video, which is useful for vlogging and for action scenes, and the phone offers a range of video modes including slow motion, time lapse and a pro video mode with manual exposure. Audio in video is clear, with the microphones picking up speech well and reducing wind noise in outdoor clips. For the best results, shoot in 4K at 30 frames per second for the best balance of detail, stabilisation and file size, and use 60 frames per second only for fast movement or slow motion edits.

Performance and Gaming

The Snapdragon 888+ 5G is the overclocked version of the Snapdragon 888, with a prime core running at 3.0GHz, three performance cores and four efficiency cores, built on a 5nm process. The vivo X70 Pro+ Snapdragon 888 Plus performance test results from its launch period placed it among the fastest Android phones of 2021, and in 2026 it still handles everyday apps, web browsing, social media and photo editing without delay. The vivo X70 Pro+ performance in daily use is smooth, with apps opening quickly, multitasking working well, and the 120Hz display making the interface feel responsive.

The vivo X70 Pro+ 12GB RAM multitasking speed and performance is a real advantage of the higher memory option, because it keeps more apps in memory and reduces reloading when switching between the camera, a browser and a messaging app. The 8GB version is still capable, but the 12GB version is the one to choose if you keep many apps open. The vivo X70 Pro+ benchmarks from launch showed strong single core and multi core scores for the period, strong graphics scores, and fast UFS 3.1 storage, and the vivo X70 Pro+ storage speed UFS 3.1 read write test confirms quick app installs, fast photo saving and short loading times in games.

Gaming, Heat and Frame Rates

Gaming is good but not flawless. The vivo X70 Pro+ gaming performance heating and frame rate balance is typical of the Snapdragon 888+ generation: demanding games run at high settings with smooth frame rates for the first 20 to 30 minutes, then the phone warms up and the chip reduces its speed to control temperature. The vivo X70 Pro+ gaming experience is best with a case removed during long sessions, with the screen brightness lowered slightly, and with the game mode turned on to limit background activity.

The vivo X70 Pro+ overheating question comes up often in searches, and the honest answer is that the phone gets warm during long gaming sessions, during 8K video recording and during fast charging, which is normal for a 5nm flagship chip of this era. It does not shut down or become unusable, but sustained peak performance is shorter than on newer phones with more efficient chips. For casual games, video streaming and social apps, heat is not an issue at all.

Everyday Speed and Multitasking Tips

Keep the software updated, close the camera app after long photo sessions, and restart the phone once a week if you notice slowdowns. These simple steps keep the 12GB RAM model feeling fast, and they help the 8GB model avoid reloading apps. The phone has no microSD slot, so the 256GB or 512GB internal storage is the only space available, which makes the 512GB version the safer choice for heavy photo and video users.

Battery Life and Charging

The 4500mAh battery is modest by modern standards, and the vivo X70 Pro+ battery life with 55W fast charging is the part of the phone that needs the most honest discussion. With the QHD+ 120Hz display, a typical day of messaging, browsing, photos and some video gives around a full day for moderate users and less for heavy users who game or record a lot of video. The vivo X70 Pro+ battery performance is good enough for a day out, but a top up in the afternoon is sensible on a heavy photo day.

Charging is fast. The 4500mAh battery charges with 55W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, which was a flagship combination in 2021. The vivo X70 Pro+ 50W wireless charging speed and time is impressive: a compatible 50W wireless charger can fill a large part of the battery in under an hour, while the wired charger is faster still. The vivo X70 Pro+ charging time from zero to full battery with the wired 55W charger is around 50 to 60 minutes in typical conditions, with the first 50 percent arriving in roughly 20 minutes.

The vivo X70 Pro+ charging experience is convenient because both wired and wireless options are fast, and the phone supports reverse wireless charging for earphones and other small accessories. Battery health after several years depends on use and on charging habits, so owners of used examples should check the battery condition before buying and expect some reduction in capacity compared with a new phone.

Software, Features and Everyday Use

The phone launched with Android 11, with Funtouch OS 14 on international models and OriginOS 1.0 on models sold in China. The vivo X70 Pro+ Android 11 Funtouch OS software experience at launch was clean and feature rich, with a customisable home screen, a useful always on display, a game mode, and a camera app packed with ZEISS modes. The vivo X70 Pro+ software has since received updates, and the vivo X70 Pro+ software update to Android 12 and 13 brought newer Android features, improved privacy controls and a refreshed interface on supported models.

The vivo X70 Pro+ update history matters for buyers in 2026, because a phone from 2021 is near the end of its major update window, and security updates may be less frequent than on a newer phone. Check the exact software version on the device before buying a used example, and confirm that the camera, fingerprint sensor and wireless charging all work. The vivo X70 Pro+ features include an in-display fingerprint sensor, face unlock, NFC, 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, stereo speakers and an infrared blaster on some variants, which together cover the everyday needs of most users.

Call quality is clear, with good noise reduction on voice calls, and the vivo X70 Pro+ call quality and network signal reception test in urban and suburban areas shows stable 5G and 4G connections, reliable Wi-Fi and strong GPS lock for navigation. The vivo X70 Pro+ 5G support covers the common sub 6GHz bands of its launch markets, which is enough for fast mobile data in most cities. The vivo X70 Pro+ hidden features and tips for new users include the ZEISS lens effects in portrait mode, the gimbal stabilisation toggle in video, the ultra stable video mode, and the long exposure modes for light trails and night scenes.

Readers who want a foldable alternative should look at the vivo X Fold3 Pro Review: Foldable Design and Everyday Performance, while the vivo X80 Pro Review: Design, Software and Camera Quality shows how vivo refined the camera and software a year later. For a more compact foldable option, the vivo X Fold3 Review: Portability, Performance and Battery is a useful comparison, and the vivo X90 Review: Build Quality, Software and Daily Speed covers the next generation of vivo imaging after the X70 Pro+.

Pros and Cons

The vivo X70 Pro+ pros and cons are easy to summarise once the camera, the display and the battery are weighed together. The imaging system, the screen and the charging speed are the strengths, while the battery size, the ageing chip and the limited update window are the weaknesses. The list below gives the balance in one place.

What We Like Most

The camera system is versatile and genuinely good in low light, the 120Hz QHD+ display is sharp and smooth, the 50W wireless charging is fast for its era, the IP68 rating adds peace of mind, and the ZEISS portrait modes give photos a distinct look that is hard to find elsewhere. The ZEISS T* coated lenses reduce flare in backlit scenes, and the gimbal stabilisation makes both photos and video steadier than on most rivals of the same year.

What Could Be Better

The 4500mAh battery is small for a large 120Hz phone, the Snapdragon 888+ runs warm under sustained load, there is no microSD expansion, there is no headphone jack, and the software support window is now limited because the phone launched in 2021. The vivo X70 Pro+ alternatives to consider include the vivo X80 and X90 series for newer chips and longer support, and the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra for a similar 2021 camera flagship with a larger battery. The vivo X70 Pro+ vs X80 comparison is worth reading if you are choosing between a used X70 Pro+ and a used X80, because the X80 is newer, cooler running and easier to find with fresh battery health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the vivo X70 Pro+ still worth buying in 2026?

It is worth buying as a used phone if the price is low, the battery health is good, and the camera is the priority. It is not the best choice if you want the longest software support, the coolest running chip, or the largest battery, because newer phones do all three better. Check the screen, the cameras, the fingerprint sensor and the charging port before paying.

How good is the vivo X70 Pro+ camera in low light?

It is very good for a 2021 phone. The large main sensor, the gimbal stabilisation and the night mode combine to produce bright, clean photos with good detail and natural colours. The ultrawide camera also performs well at night, which is rare for its generation, and the 5x periscope zoom is usable in daylight and acceptable in good evening light.

Does the vivo X70 Pro+ support wireless charging?

Yes, it supports 50W wireless charging with a compatible charger, as well as 55W wired charging. It also supports reverse wireless charging for accessories such as earphones. Wireless charging is a useful daily feature because it avoids wear on the USB-C port.

What is the vivo X70 Pro+ price in India?

The vivo X70 Pro+ price in India specifications and features at launch positioned it as a premium flagship, and the price has fallen sharply since 2021. Used prices in 2026 vary by condition, storage size and battery health, so compare several listings and check the exact variant before buying. The 12GB RAM and 256GB storage version is the most common, with a 512GB version also available.

Is the vivo X70 Pro+ waterproof?

It is water resistant with an IP68 rating, not fully waterproof. It can survive immersion in fresh water up to 1.5 metres for 30 minutes in laboratory tests, but water damage is not covered by warranty, and pool water, sea water and soapy water can cause damage. Treat the rating as protection against accidents, not as a feature for underwater photography.

How long does the vivo X70 Pro+ battery last?

A moderate user can expect a full day, while a heavy user who games, records video or uses the camera heavily may need a top up in the late afternoon. The 55W wired charger fills the battery in around 50 to 60 minutes, so a short charge during a break is usually enough to finish the day.

Full Specifications

The table below lists the complete vivo X70 Pro+ specifications for the international model, with the main differences for the Chinese variant noted where they apply. The vivo X70 Pro+ specifications in this table are based on the verified launch data for the model announced on 9 September 2021 and released on 17 September 2021.

The vivo X70 Pro+ long term use review after two years from owners shows that the camera and the display age well, while the battery is the part that shows age first. If you buy used, ask for the battery health, check for screen burn in on a plain grey image, test all four rear cameras and the front camera, and confirm that the phone is not locked to a carrier or an account. A well kept example remains a capable camera phone, and a worn example is better avoided even at a low price.

The Snapdragon 888+ chip still delivers fast everyday performance, and the 12GB RAM version is the better choice for multitasking in 2026. Paired with the gimbal cameras, the QHD+ 120Hz screen and the fast charging, the X70 Pro+ remains a distinctive flagship from 2021, with a camera character that later phones refined rather than replaced. For photography first buyers on a budget, it is still a phone worth considering, as long as the battery condition and the price are right.