After launching the Vivo NEX 3 with an option for 5G, a 64-megapixel camera, and a massive OLED screen with a 90-degree curve on both sides, Vivo has unveiled the V17 Pro in India, where it will hit retail first.

(Update, October 14: Our review is up! Read Vivo V17 Pro review: 6 cameras, 1 solid all-rounder.)

(Update, October 9: It’s official in the Philippines! Read Vivo V17 Pro with 6 cameras: PH price, availability.)

We actually saw the phone in China during our time there to attend the NEX 3 launch event, and we took some pictures of it, as we noted in a previous article. The V17 Pro is the successor to the V15 Pro, which debuted in the Philippines on March 20 this year for P23,999, or around $461. Its banner features include a quad-lens setup at the rear and elevating dual selfies cameras — that’s six cameras in total! — and a taller AMOLED screen with no notch or cutout.

READ ALSO: Vivo NEX 3 with 64MP circular triple cam, waterfall screen launched and Vivo NEX 3: First sample pictures and videos

Vivo V17 Pro price and availability

Vivo’s latest midrange costs less in India, at ₹29,990 (P21,975 or $422) for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. Preorders for the handset are now open, while the first sale starts on September 27. Vivo will also bring the V17 Pro to the Philippines, but the price and availability have not been announced in the country yet. It would make sense to launch it here later this month, although, realistically speaking, October sounds more plausible.

Glacier Blue (the unit shown in the feature image) and Midnight Ocean are the color options announced so far.

Vivo V17 Pro specs and features

The V17 Pro sports what Vivo calls an Ultra FullView Super AMOLED screen. This is made possible by a dual pop-up selfie camera module with a secondary wide-angle lens to help with group selfies. The display is 6.44 inches with a 2,400 x 1,080 resolution at a cinematic aspect ratio of 20:9, which is a little taller (or wider if you rotate the phone to landscape) than we’re used to.

According to Vivo, the 2.5D curved-edge glass on top of the panel is protected by Schott Xensation UP cover glass, while the back uses Corning Gorilla Glass 6 to make it more resistant to damage and wear and tear. Vivo has managed to incorporate a fingerprint reader into the screen, but this is hardly surprising for anyone familiar with the company’s latest offerings.

Inside, the V17 Pro packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 675, the same spec inside the V15 Pro. It’s a capable processor, as we noted in our gaming review of the V15 Pro, so we’re not complaining. The battery backup is bigger this time around — 4,100mAh — and charges over USB-C instead of microUSB. Yes, Vivo is finally ditching microUSB for its latest mainstream smartphone.  

The rear camera system packs a 48-megapixel Sony IMX582 sensor behind f/1.8 aperture, a 13-megapixel, f/2.5 telephoto camera for 2x optical zoom and 10x hybrid zoom, an 8-megapixel, f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor that adds DSLR-like bokeh effects in Portrait mode. For taking selfies and group selfies, the pop-up module is equipped with a 32-megapixel camera and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide shooter. A fill light sits between the two lenses, to help with low-light snaps.

Vivo V17 Pro specs

• 6.44-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display, 2,400 x 1,080 resolution (20:9 aspect ratio)
• 11nm Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor
• 8GB RAM
• 128GB storage
• Quad: 48MP, f/1.8 main camera; 8MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle camera; 13MP, f/2.5 telephoto camera; 2MP depth sensor
• Pop-up dual: 32-megapixel, f/2.0 front camera; 8-megapixel, f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle camera
• Face unlock
• Fingerprint reader (in-screen)
• 4,100mAh battery with 18-watt USB-C fast charging
• Funtouch OS 9.1 based on Android 9.0 Pie

---