Zhiyun Smooth XS smartphone gimbal review - You get what you pay for - Android
A cursory search through Amazon for smartphone gimbals will bring up over a hundred options. Among all those choices, Chinese company Zhiyun has carved out a niche for itself as the budget brand-of-choice. Unsurprisingly, its latest release — the Zhiyun Smooth XS — is priced to move.
However, as with most things in life, you tend to get what you pay for with smartphone gimbals. In our Zhiyun Smooth XS review, we’re going to tell you what features you’ll be missing out on — and what hoops you’ll need to jump through — if you decide to buy the Smooth XS.
With the term “XS” in the title, it’s obvious that the size and weight of this gimbal is its primary selling point. In that respect, the Zhiyun Smooth XS exceeds all expectations. It is lightweight and downright tiny, especially when compared to more fully-featured gimbals, such as the just-released DJI OM 4.
Related: The 6 best smartphone gimbals to spend your money on
While the all-plastic build of the Smooth XS doesn’t feel premium in any capacity, the hardware feels appropriate for this pricepoint. The area where the gimbal starts to lag behind the competition is the compulsory companion app, ZY Cami. Simply put, the app is a mess. It requires users to wade through a clunky UI and a mandatory registration system that might turn off some privacy-focused buyers.
Ultimately, there is one specific audience Zhiyun is looking to impress with the Smooth XS. If you fit that audience, you’ll love this. If you don’t, you’ll likely be frustrated more than anything else.
Zhiyun isn’t skimping out on the in-box contents with the Smooth XS. You’ll find a sturdy tripod stand with a standard mount. You’ll get a USB-C cable for charging (but no brick), as well as a soft carrying bag. Honestly, these are the things every smartphone gimbal should come with, but tons of manufacturers cut one or more of them out as a cost-savings measure.
Related: Smartphone tripods: Everything you need to know
It should be noted, though, that the USB-C cable is quite short — barely a foot in length. Thankfully, since it’s USB-C, the gimbal will charge quickly with any cables you already own.
As mentioned earlier, the size and weight of the Zhiyun Smooth XS is its primary selling point. Truth be told, this thing is very small and very light. I comfortably carried the gimbal and tripod stand in my jacket pocket while I was walking around the beach.
Of course, that lightness makes the gimbal feel far less premium than some of its more expensive competitors. This isn’t a detriment at all, but after reviewing the DJI OM 4 and the DJI Osmo Mobile 3, I immediately noticed how toy-like the Smooth XS is in comparison.
Related: DJI Osmo Mobile 3 review: The smartphone gimbal we’ve been waiting for
The grip of the gimbal is also very small. I don’t think I have huge hands, but using the gimbal on its own without the tripod stand attached was pretty tricky for me. Keeping the folded-up tripod stand attached gave me more room for my hands and made it easier to hold.
That, of course, brings us to the clear target audience for this gimbal: women. The fact that the gimbal comes in two colors — white and pink — and has such a small grip makes it obvious that Zhiyun is going after female influencers, content creators, and social media fiends. The features of the companion app only solidify this assumption (which I’ll get to in a minute).
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