What is it?
The Vivo Y36 smartphone boasts a stylish, curved and trendy design, with a shimmering finish that makes it eye-catching and trendy. The phone has a 6.64-inch “Ultra O” LCD screen display with a smooth and crisp viewing experience, it is very light, weighing 202 grams.
The display has a glassy effect called Crystal glass, that protects the screen and helps it survive spills and dust. The phone also comes with a protective cover in a box, along with a 44W wired charging brick and headphones.
The 50MP main rear camera on the phone has a 2MP bokeh sensor that blurs out the background seamlessly. However, a standout feature on the Vivo Y36 is a 16MP selfie camera that produces clear shots with little need for editing.
I found it great for Instagram pictures, as well as for TikTok, YouTube Vlogging, and reals on Instagram and Facebook.
I mounted the phone on a companion video production set, which includes a tripod, LED light, and a microphone. One can buy it bundled with the handset, and it is effortless to set up. I recorded a video and loved the contribution made by the LED to the quality of the video. Most phones appear bigger, and one needs to expand the tripod holder a couple of times, but this phone did not give me any hassles.
The phone has 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of expandable storage, enabling users to pile up the pictures and videos for social media content. The 5000 mAh battery lasts for a whole day of active use but, if you do run out, the 44W charger means it takes only an hour to get it fully charged again.
The phone uses a Snapdragon 680 based on a 6nm processing system, meaning its ultra slim and limits unnecessary energy consumption. It runs on Android 13 and has Vivo’s Funtouch OS 13 skin, which offers a variety of built-in colours and allows users to personalise and customise their phones.
The sound quality is average but it has an audio jack for headphones if users wish to get an experience of immersive music and games.
What does it cost?
R 7,199 on Takealot
Why does it matter?
The Vivo Y36 has a captivating display, powerful performance, long-lasting battery, and impressive camera capabilities. It’s a cool, stylish phone with a great camera.
What are the biggest negatives?
- Slightly overpriced
- Rear camera not as good
- Can be a bit slow at times
What are the biggest positives?
- Very lightweight
- Captures excellent selfie photos
- Big 6.64” screen
- Charges fast and battery lasts long
- Supports SD card