Vivo Unveils S18 Series in China: A Detailed Look at Design, Display, Specifications, and Pricing

Vivo has officially unveiled its latest smartphone series, the Vivo S18 series, in its home market of China. The lineup includes the base model, Vivo S18, the higher-end S18 Pro, and the S18e. Let’s delve into the specifications, features, and more details about the Vivo S18 and S18 Pro models.

Design and Display: Vivo has introduced a fresh design for its S series with the S18 models. The rear of both the S18 and S18 Pro showcases a rectangular camera module, but with a different alignment of image sensors. The top half features the cameras, while the bottom houses a twin LED lighting setup, comprising a regular dual-tone flash and a larger soft LED lighting strip resembling a ring light. The rear panel also exhibits a feather-like pattern with a plastic middle frame. Both models boast a slim and lightweight body, measuring just 7.45mm in thickness and weighing 185.8 grams (187.8 grams for the Pro). On the front, both devices feature a tall 6.78-inch curved OLED display with Full HD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 2800 nits of peak brightness. The display incorporates a center-aligned punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera.

Specifications and Camera: Vivo has revealed the chipsets for the S18 series. The Vivo S18 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 SoC, while the S18 Pro features the MediaTek Dimensity 9200+ chipset. Both processors are paired with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. Notably, the S18 Pro features LPDDR5X RAM, and the base S18 comes with LPDDR4X memory. Both devices run on the Android 14 OS with the OriginOS 4 custom skin.

The S18 series supports up to 16GB of virtual RAM expansion and 50GB of storage compression. A substantial 5,000mAh battery powers both models, supporting 80W fast charging. Official claims suggest the devices can last up to 13.5 hours on a single full charge, with the batteries designed for a 4-year lifespan. Vivo has further promised free battery replacement for four years. Additional features include Bluetooth 5.4/5.3, an in-display fingerprint scanner, various audio codec support, facial recognition, and more.

For photography enthusiasts, the Vivo S18 Pro boasts a triple camera setup on the rear, including a 50-megapixel Sony IMX920 primary sensor, a 50-megapixel Samsung JNI ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 12-megapixel IMX663 telephoto shooter with 2x optical zoom. The primary sensor is identical to the flagship Vivo X100. On the other hand, the base S18 features a 50-megapixel main camera paired with an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle shooter. Both models house a 50-megapixel selfie shooter on the front.

Pricing and Availability: The Vivo S18 and S18 Pro come in multiple color options—white, green, and black—and various storage configurations. Here’s a detailed pricing breakdown:

Vivo S18:

• 8GB + 256GB – 2,299 Yuan (approximately $325)
• 12GB + 256GB – 2,599 Yuan (approximately $367)
• 12GB + 512GB – 2,799 Yuan (approximately $395)
• 16GB + 512GB – 2,999 Yuan (approximately $424)

Vivo S18 Pro:

• 12GB + 256GB – 3,199 Yuan (approximately $452)
• 16GB + 256GB – 3,499 Yuan (approximately $494)
• 16GB + 512GB – 3,699 Yuan (approximately $522)

The first sale of the Vivo S18 is set to commence on December 22, while the S18 Pro model will be available for purchase alongside the S18e starting on January 13, 2024.