Vivo Y38 5G: The middle tier of the smartphone market is positively cutthroat right now with everyone trying to pack in high-end features, top performance, and decent build without commanding an eye-watering price.
The stylish Vivo is well known for providing users with user-friendly functions and designs, and it recently introduced a new kid on the block in this segment — the Vivo Y38 5G, a model that’s expected to include a good mix of next-gen connectivity, long-lasting battery, and an eye-catcher design, without making a hole in the pocket.
Join us as we take a closer look at the features that make the Vivo Y38 5G a worthy contender and those that don’t.
Design and Build:
Style and Screw Design-wise, a little on the loud side If you’re into RGB and don’t want to spend a fortune The Elite and Elite AMD would seem to be the go-to cases for all your showy, highly luminous preferences.
Design The Vivo Y38 5G follows the modern Vivo design philosophy - clean, simple and stylish. The rear has a glossy finish with a mild gradient that changes depending on the light.
Casing colors such as Dark Green or Crystal Purple look attractive, but the device does feel sturdy in the hand when held and that plastic frame does give it some substance – even if a use of glass on the rear would have made this more of a premium package.
The dual camera module is set into a circular island, which makes for a clean and symmetric appearance. The handset is slim and doesn’t feel overly bulky for a smartphone with a 5000mAh battery.
Screen: Big and Glassy for Everyday Serving
The 6.68-inch screen is decently-sized and impressively clear despite its low HD+ resolution (1608 x 720 pixels).
One notable feature is the 120Hz refresh rate, a spec typically reserved for higher-end phones. It means your scrolling and animations are going to look a lot smoother than they do on standard 60Hz panels.
Colors are decent and brightness is OK for indoors, though the screen could be brighter, especially for use outdoors in titanic sunshine.
It isn’t an AMOLED panel, but it’s pretty good for a budget 5G phone.
Performance and Software: Passable for Your Daily Needs
Under the hood, the Y38 5G runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 SoC paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB internal storage. This can be increased via microSD card storage, ideal for users that like to keep their photos and videos offline.
This configuration powers through everyday tasks — surfing, messaging, social media and video streaming — smoothly, no lag. It is able to run light games while heavy games at maximum settings can stutter a bit.
The phone is powered by Funtouch OS 14 based Android 14, which provides a clean UI with substantially less bloatware and smooth performance.
Camera – Basic point and shoot shooter for casual usage
Vivo Y38 5G comes with a 50MP primary rear camera alongside a 2MP depth sensor. In well lit environments, it takes detailed and accurate photos.
With night photography, though, it’s where the camera lacks a bit.
Images shot in low light tend to be grained, soft and there’s no dedicated night mode for some assistance.
You’ll get good selfies and video calls out of the 8MP front camera, but nothing earth shattering. The camera arrangement is basic to say the least but it should be adequate for those that don’t feel that photography is a priority.
Battery and Charging: Made to last.
Battery life is one of the Y38’s strong points. The 6000mAh battery comfortably last over a day and a half with moderate usage.
And so long as you’re watching YouTube, music or scrolling through Instagram, you’re not going to find yourself reaching for the charger all that frequently.
The device comes with 44W fast charging support which is decent at this price point. You can charge from 0 to 50% in about 35 minutes — great for anyone on the go.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
6000mAh (typical) battery with 44W fast charging
Lush 120Hz refresh rate for easier scrolling on a big screen
Thanks to Snapdragon 4 Gen 2, it should be good enough for performance.
And that is over 5G with expandable storage
Nice design and clean user interface
Cons:
No Full HD+ resolution, just HD+
Doesn’t have an ultra-wide or macro camera
Mediocre low-light camera quality
Plastic construction may not please everyone
Vivo Y38 5G Conclusion
The Vivo Y38 5G doesn’t try to be all things to all people — and that’s a good thing. It matters most with nailing the basics — battery life, smooth screen and 5G with clean software.
When you want a car you can take to the track or a show and get up and type off in for work Monday morning, and still look good a year later the Y38 is a solid contender in the heart of the mid-range price bracket.