Vivo’s new phone is the first to use the superpowered Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Power-packed but hard to buy
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If you’re looking for a new phone and your focus is power, then the newly announced Vivo X90 Pro Plus could be the handset for you, as it’s the first phone to use theSnapdragon 8 Gen 2chipset.
This flagship chipset is expected to power many of 2023’s top Android phones, including theSamsung Galaxy S23and theOnePlus 11, but Vivo looks to have gotten there first.
That’s not even the only major selling point of the Vivo X90 Pro Plus though, as the phone also has a 50MP camera that uses a massive 1-inch sensor. While this isn’t the first phone to use this sensor, it’s larger than what you’ll find in most smartphones, and photos could potentially also be better as a result.
That’s joined by a 48MP ultra-wide camera, a 50MP telephoto camera offering 2x optical zoom, and a 64MP telephoto camera with 3.5x optical zoom.
Other specs include 12GB of RAM, up to 512GB of storage, and a 6.78-inch 1440 x 3200 AMOLED screen, with a 120Hz refresh rate. The phone also has a 4,700mAh battery, with rapid 80W wired charging and impressively quick 50W wireless, and it’s protected against dust and water, as it has achieved an IP68 certification.
It’s been launched in China, alongside the less interesting Vivo X90 and Vivo X90 Pro. These phones have a few differences to the Pro Plus, with the most significant one being that they use MediaTek’s latest Dimensity 9200 chipset instead of a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. It’s still thought to be powerful silicon, but it’s unlikely to match the Snapdragon.
Actually buying any of these phones could prove easier said than done, as they’ve so far only been launched in China, where the Vivo X90 Pro Plus starts at ¥6,499 (around $910 / £760 / AU$1,365).
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There’s no word on if or when they’ll be sold more widely, but there’s a fair chance that at least some of them will eventually be sold in the UK, given that theVivo X80 Prois available there. An Australian launch is possible too, but the US is unlikely, as Vivo doesn’t have much presence there.
Analysis: the first of many Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones
There’s no need to wait for the Vivo X90 Pro Plus to go on sale globally, because before long there will belots of other Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phonesto choose from.
As noted above, theSamsungGalaxy S23 line will probably use this chipset, and the OnePlus 11 definitely will, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
We already know that one or more phones in theOppo Find X6and iQoo 11 lines will use the 8 Gen 2, and it’s looking very likely that theSony Xperia 1 V,Xiaomi 13range, Motorola’s Moto X40, Nubia’s Red Magic 8, and more will use it too.
In short, if you buy any of thebest upcoming phonesthat aren’t made byApple, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is the chipset they’re most likely to have. As such, this standout feature of the Vivo X90 Pro Plus is only a limited-time exclusive and one that will likely soon be commonplace, much to the benefit of consumers looking for the most capable new phones.
James is a freelance phones, tablets and wearables writer and sub-editor at TechRadar. He has a love for everything ‘smart’, from watches to lights, and can often be found arguing with AI assistants or drowning in the latest apps. James also contributes to 3G.co.uk, 4G.co.uk and 5G.co.uk and has written for T3, Digital Camera World, Clarity Media and others, with work on the web, in print and on TV.
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