Future Beyond Edges – hands-on the Vivo Nex 3 5G

Behold the final version of the Vivo Apex 2019, in the Vivo NEX 3 5G! Feast your eyes on a smooth design that travels continuously to the back, complete with attractive “waterfall” display. Now this is a true immersive experience packed into a smartphone!

Vivo has explored many radical ideas to create a smartphone with no bezels to maximize its display. The NEX series has followed the Apex concepts, and the NEX 3 is Vivo’s most incredible design yet, having a few daring design choices and combining it with high specs for a taste of the future.

A Stunning Design

Right off the bat, the device does not have any “sides” per se, with the front and back joined in a curve for easy holding. It’s quite solid, and comfortable to grip. The Glowing Night version that we had is quite minimalist in its rear design, with its dark-coloured glass and a triple camera setup in a triangular formation, within a circle.

The device has no physical power and volume buttons, ditching them in favour of touch-sensitive zones on the right, supported by realistic haptic feedback. Dubbed “Touch Sense”, the virtual buttons have visual indicators, the power button getting a more rugged texture to differentiate it.

The top of the device has a wide pop-up camera with a second power button alongside the headphone jack. It’s capable of Hi-Fi audio, for those of you who are interested. If you’re concerned about the device’s fragility, the smartphone will have a case included. It serves to make the NEX 3 feel more compact, but with a luxurious feel and even better grip.

6.89-inches of “Waterfall” Display

Of course, the NEX 3’s most standout feature would be its “Waterfall” display. This AMOLED 6.89-inch screen curves 88 degrees round the side, the most curved screen you’ll see on a smartphone to date. This curve allows it to reach a 99.6% screen-to-body ratio! Be it videos or games, you can’t spot the bezels, making it an incredibly immersive experience.

The curve also assists in typing, thumbs not needing to reach out as much on this large canvas. Speed texters, just see your accuracy and speed get even higher! The display is capable of 16 million colours, helping the NEX 3 have HDR 10 capability. The colours will be crisp, have high contrast, and evens out perfectly.

Aesthetic effects can occur during moments like an incoming call, or notification. Customize them to display like an equalizer when you listen to music!

Top Notch Gaming Performance

As befitting its flagship status, the vivo NEX 3 is powered by an octa-core chipset Snapdragon 855+. The unit we received has 8GB RAM. With UFS 3.0 storage, the NEX 3 can open apps and transfer files faster.

Vivo has fitted the phone with a vapour chamber that helps regulate the heat and maintains performance during use. Playing around with various games on its highest settings caused no problems. I tried it out with Dota Underlords and The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor just to test, and you’ll hear no complains from me on this 60Hz Android device. You can check out a sample of gameplay with Call of Duty Mobile.

The whole experience is completed with the union of screen and audio. The large curved screen helps you see more things, so you’ll be able to react much faster with better accuracy. Connectivity is done through NFC and Bluetooth 5.0, and 5G should you get the model. Six antennas are installed on the device to improve connectivity strength, like for the most common 5G band – Sub-6GHz.

Camera Still Prioritized

As you might expect from vivo, the NEX 3 maintains its great cameras. The cameras are housed in a circle surrounded by the iconic “lunar ring” of vivo. The three cameras are: main 64MP sensor f/1.7, ultra-wide 13MP, and telephoto 13MP.

The 64MP camera uses the ISOCELL Bright GW1 with a 1/1.7-inch sensor and 0.8μm pixel size. Pixel binning combines four pixels to form a “superpixel”, creating 16MP images with 1.6μm pixel size for better performance in different light conditions.

The selfies utilize the 16MP pop-up camera. Front-facing flash is included for pictures and video calls in low-light conditions. Check the gallery for samples.

Battery Size and Fast Charge Support Ensures You’re Always Powered Up

The 4,500mAh battery ensures the lights stay on as you use the NEX 3. The FunTouch OS maintains its efficiency, and can pretty much last the entire day even with regular use! If you’re a lighter user, you can expect the battery to go almost two days off a single charge.

The unit has FlashCharger 22.5W support, able to charge from 0 to 60% in just 30 minutes, and full in just about an hour, comparable to other quick charging features out in the market.

Verdict?

So, should you get the vivo NEX 3? If you want to be an early adopter into future tech, then this could be a pick-me-up. Likewise for those who like bold designs, or those who simply want their hands on a 5G vivo phone, do pick it up! The NEX 3 is the first of the NEX series to have 5G, and it’s only going to innovate more from here.

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