The vivo Y16 is the latest entry-level device from the company's best-selling Y series. The handset is made to deliver performance and style in its segment. With this in mind, the smartphone is pegged to capture lots of users in the entry-level gaming and storage-loving folks; we are very excited to share our unboxing experience and first impressions of the vivo Y16.
vivo Y16 Unboxing, First Impressions
What's in the Box?
The vivo Y16 did not deviate from the white-box-blue-accents packaging that we've seen in the previous iterations of this series. Opening the box, we'll be greeted by the actual unit itself. We have the Drizzling Gold colorway which is quite an exquisite name for a gold-colored smartphone. Underneath the paper divider, we have the documentation inserts, the power adapter, SIM ejector tool, and the USB-C cable.
It's also worth-noting that there's no case included in the box - at least for this review unit - but we are not sure if vivo will include one in the actual retail packaging.
Design and Display
The vivo Y16 is constructed in a rectangular slab with angled edges. The back panel features multiple diagonal streak of lines which look like golden star trails; and the effect is quite dazzling especially when it's struck by a light source in different angles. There's also a Stellar Black option should you be interested with a subdued colorway.
The camera module is framed in a rectangular box which is of different texture from the rest of the backing. The actual cameras are encased in circular modules; both the AI cameras are accompanied by the LED flash. Meanwhile, the subtle vivo branding is flushed down on the back panel with a 90-degree text orientation. It's also a good thing that the back panel handles fingerprints very well.
The railing has a different tone of gold compared to the back panel. While made of plastic, it mimics a metallic appeal. The right side houses the volume rocker and the power button which doubles as the fingerprint sensor. The bottom side has its usual residents - the USB-C port, microphone, speaker grille, and 3.5-mm audio jack. Lastly, the top side has the SIM tray with dedicated slots for two SIMs and microSD card.
The front panel is defined by a 6.51-inch HD+ LCD display with a waterdrop notch. It's an IPS display; thus, it offers us quality display in any angles. I initially assumed that it would be challenging using the phone outdoors, but I'm quite surprised that the panel is quite usable under various circumstances.
Overall, vivo Y16's design works well for me. It definitely looks good compared to its contemporaries; you can never tell that this is an entry-level device just by looking at it.
Specs and Initial Performance
Under the hood, the vivo Y16 packs a MediaTek Helio P35 SoC. The chipset is quite aging but it is still proven to be efficient in this segment. It is complemented with 4GB of RAM + 1GB extended RAM and up to 128GB of storage.
In terms of optics, the smartphone packs a dual camera setup with 13MP f/2.2 as the primary sensor and a 2MP f/2.4 macro sensor; meanwhile, there's a 5MP f/2.2 front camera for social media selfies.
Our initial shots suggest that the phone has decent camera capabilities in daylight. Pictures offer good amount of contrast and details by default; although they may lack in the dynamic range area, they still show a strong initial performance of the phone in terms of the camera. I'd be glad to test more of these for our review.
There's no 5G connectivity here as suggested by the use of the chipset. Moreover, you can connect your wireless headphones and other accessories thru Bluetooth 5.0.
One of the marquee features of the handset is the 5000 mAh battery. Users can also take advantage of the 18-watt fast charging, which I am looking forward to test in the review.
Lastly, running the whole show is the Funtouch OS 12. I am quite relieved that the OS is based on Android 12 which could technically add more usable features and decent performance in the mix.
Watch: vivo Y16 Unboxing, First Impressions
The Wrap
The vivo Y16 is a very promising entry-level smartphone. I instantly love the flashy design and the capable cameras. A good storage offering of up to 128GB and 5000 mAh battery are among the notable ones. I'd like to do more gaming on this smartphone and see if you can take advantage of the big battery capacity - all of that in the review!