If I asked you to think of a durable smartphone, what comes to mind? A big, black, bulky smartphone, right? Like those CAT phones (yes, CAT as in Caterpillar, the construction equipment maker).
Back then, you’d have to choose whether you’d prioritize durability and functionality over style and aesthetics. There really wasn’t much choice for consumers. But as time went by and manufacturers started testing out new technologies, that may soon be a thing of the past.
One such manufacturer is vivo, who’s been hard at work pushing the boundaries of what a smartphone could be. From their flagship X300 series to the mid-range V series, heck, even the entry-level Y series, vivo has redefined what a smartphone is and what it could be.
Now, they’re reinventing the wheel once more in the form of the new vivo V70 FE. Will it step up to the challenge or give in to the norm? Let’s find out.
The Death of the “Boring Tough Phone”
I’ve always believed that a phone doesn’t necessarily have a personality, it adapts to the personality of its user. But we, as people, often assign personalities to phones based on what they look like. A red, slim phone might be thought of as feminine or, going back to our earlier example, a big, black, bulky smartphone could be thought of as masculine.
It might be seen as sexist, but that’s exactly the kind of false characterization that the vivo V70 FE is trying to change. The way vivo is trying to achieve that is by first redefining the stereotype that a durable and functional smartphone only comes in a rugged design that isn’t really consumer friendly.
Another is by collaborating with POP MART’s Zsiga, which isn’t just another lazy brand slapping attempt but a reinvention of utility as an expressive extension of the user’s identity rather than just another tool for survival.
Designed Like a Collectible, Not a Tool
The vivo V70 FE breaks the dichotomy that aesthetics and durability cannot co-exist. In a package that only measures 7.6 mm and weighs 200 g, the vivo V70 FE is one of the thinnest and lightest in its category, especially when you consider that under the hood is a massive 7,000 mAh BlueVolt battery.
Take a second and wrap your head around that fact, a 7,000 mAh battery inside a phone that’s the thickness of two or three 1-peso coins. And in a phone that comes in such expressive colorways like Muse Purple and Golden Hour, which, combined with the Zsiga influence, elevates the phone into something display-worthy. Heck, it might be something you’ll see in a POP MART store.
Built for Chaos (But Doesn’t Look Like It)
Don’t let the slim build, expressive colorways, and the POP MART Zsiga influence fool you, the vivo V70 FE is an absolute unit. It carries an IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance rating. Whether it’s heavy rain, accidental spills, dusty festivals, or rugged outdoor shoots, the vivo V70 FE performs effortlessly and elegantly.
Simply put, come hell or high water, the vivo V70 FE’s got your back.
When Software Becomes Personality
Brand collaborations are not a new trend in the smartphone industry, but sometimes the attempt falls flat on its face. It might be because it fails to resonate with the audience or maybe because it only looks appealing to a few people. But more often than not, the reason is that brands have the tendency to lazily slap a brand onto their product and call it a day.
That changes with the vivo V70 FE. POP MART’s Zsiga and vivo’s connection is much deeper than just branding. It’s a different experience altogether. Although it’s mostly tucked into the software, the new POP MART Zsiga photo borders bring a playful spirit to the shots you take, making each moment that much more special.
Endurance as Freedom
Of all the phones I tested, there’s no other brand that lasted quite as long as vivo. Almost all their phones, whether they’re entry-level or flagship, managed to last more than 20 hours in our synthetic benchmarks. Now, I must clarify that synthetic benchmarks aren’t quite representative of real-world usage, but they do give us a good idea of what a device can do or, in this case, how long it lasts.
In the vivo V70 FE’s case, it lasted over 24 hours, specifically 23 hours and 57 minutes on PCMark’s Work 3.0 battery stress test. If the benchmark ran almost 24 hours straight, imagine how it’ll do in the real world.
For many of us who depend on our phone for even the most basic tasks, longevity isn’t just a spec, it’s freedom. Freedom to do what we love without being tied to our chargers. It’s also freedom from carrying large, bulky power banks.
And when you finally need to charge, the 90W FlashCharge replenishes your battery from 0 to 100% in under an hour, giving you more time to do the things you love.
Camera: It’s Not Just About the Specs
With vivo, you can always be sure that photos look great. I mean, why wouldn’t they? With a massive 200 MP OIS ultra-clear camera that offers incredible detail and an 8 MP ultrawide sensor that ensures all your friends and family are captured in the frame.
Sure, it might only be a dual-camera setup, but the 200 MP main sensor acts like a standalone telephoto with how massive it is. It’s especially useful in cinematic portraits like the photos we took with the 85mm portrait lens. It can even go as far as 30x Super Zoom, granted, with the help of AI.
Aside from the POP MART Zsiga photo borders that we discussed earlier, another way you can elevate the vibe of your photos is with vivo’s AI Magic Weather/Landscape, which adjusts the overall mood of your photo to whatever scene you desire. No more going to Snow World in Star City just to get a winter feel.
A Shift in What “Practical” Means
The vivo V70 FE is proof that utility no longer means a big, black, bulky smartphone. By blending endurance, durability, and identity into one unit, it redefines what a practical smartphone can be.
After all that’s said and done, even with the improved durability and POP MART Zsiga collaboration, the vivo V70 FE retains its affordability, letting everyone express themselves without breaking the bank.
The vivo V70 FE is priced at Php 25,999 for the 8GB + 256GB variant and Php 29,999 for the 12GB + 256GB variant, with pre-orders running from today until April 24 at vivo stores nationwide.
Pre-order customers will receive a limited-time vivo VIP Card with a 6-month extended warranty and 6-month broken screen insurance, a limited edition vivo Buds Air3, a Php 1,000 discount, and a free Globe prepaid SIM with 1-year unli 5G.