Pros
- Large curved AMOLED display
- Great camera
- Unique rear finish
Cons
- Decent performance
- No wireless charging
- Can be slippery
In the ever-evolving pursuit of capturing the perfect selfie, many contenders have entered the arena, using innovative sensors, flashes, and more in their quest – yet, arguably, none have achieved definitive success. With its new entry, Vivo is taking claim for the prize. Also Read | Vivo Y100 Detailed Review: 100 Percent Complete Package Or A Mixed Bag?
Renowned for delivering great cameras at wallet-friendly prices, Vivo’s V series smartphones have carved a niche for themselves. The latest addition, Vivo V29e, takes this reputation a step further. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been using the Vivo V29e and have been genuinely impressed by its performance. So, can the Vivo V29e rekindle the era of dedicated selfie phones while also standing its ground as a capable smartphone? In this review, we’ll delve into every facet of the Vivo V29e’s offerings to determine if it’s worth your money.
What’s Inside The Box?
- Vivo V29e handset
- Soft silicon case
- Type-A to Type-C cable
- Charger
- User manual
- Warranty card
Price & Availability
The Vivo V29e is priced at Rs. 26,999 for the base variant and Rs. 28,999 for the higher configuration in India. You have the option to select between Artistic Red or Artistic Blue color variants. Notably, the Artistic Red choice features color-changing technology. The phone will be up for purchase on both Flipkart and Vivo channels.
Design
The Vivo V29e smartphone boasts the slimmest 3D curved display on the front and a curved back design. It showcases two circular camera islands on the back that house a dual rear camera system. Whatever your views are on curved displays, the Vivo V29e prominently features a pronounced one. Holding the V29e feels pleasant, and its slimness allows for comfortable one-handed use. Weighing 180.5g, it strikes a balance between being large without becoming heavy.
The back design, particularly in the Artistic Blue version we used, has been given a unique finish. The Glossy Matte Splicing texture creates a diamond pattern on the back. If you appreciate a dual-texture finish, Vivo V29e will undoubtedly catch your attention. Two color options are available, Artistic Red and Artistic Blue, with my review unit appearing in the latter.
The smartphone follows a standard layout with a USB-C port, speaker grill, and SIM tray located at the bottom. On the right side, you’ll find the power button and volume rockers, while the top and left sides remain blank. Despite the slim profile and dual-curved design of both the back and front, Vivo has ensured that the buttons on the V29e are tactile and easily accessible.
On the whole, the Vivo V29e offers a satisfying in-hand experience. Its curved back and screen contribute to an overall sleek package that’s enjoyable to use. Although it can be a bit slippery, the included clear TPU case helps with grip. Even with the case on, the phone maintains its slim profile and remains easy to manage.
Display
The Vivo V29e features a 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display that’s elegantly curved and comes with a 120Hz refresh rate. With a resolution of 2400 × 1080 pixels, 453 PPI, and support for HDR10+ playback, this screen truly stands out. It is curved on the sides and I must say that it is one of the most beautiful-looking displays that I have seen in this category. The minimal bezels on the sides and the small top and bottom bezels further contribute to its sleek look.
Thanks to HDR10+ compatibility, content viewed on platforms like YouTube appears vibrant and detailed. In everyday use, the display maintains accurate colors. The color reproduction is impressive, and the screen remains easily visible even in sunlight. With its 6.78-inch size, the display lives up to its large dimensions, offering an enjoyable video-watching experience. Whether it’s playing games, browsing the internet, watching videos, or reading, all these activities are pleasurable on the Vivo V29e. The 120Hz refresh rate adds to the smooth and fluid nature of the overall experience.
Processor
Moving to the internals, the Vivo V29e is driven by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset, coupled with 8GB of RAM. The device offers two storage choices: 128GB and 256GB, both of which provide enough capacity to manage the demands of the Android system.
In everyday usage, the Snapdragon 695 performs well. It manages multitasking, and app-switching, and even handles some games smoothly. While there were a few instances of animation stuttering, particularly during the initial setup, the phone generally exhibited speed and responsiveness once everything settled in.
Nonetheless, for avid gamers, this might not be the most optimal choice. Games like Call of Duty and Battlegrounds Mobile India had to be adjusted to lower graphics settings for smooth gameplay. However, if your typical usage involves activities like scrolling through Instagram, messaging on WhatsApp, web browsing, and similar tasks, this phone proves quite capable.
Coming to the speakers, while clear and loud, lack bass. Notably, there’s only one speaker, meaning a stereo effect isn’t achievable. On the software front, the Vivo V29e operates on FunTouch OS 13, based on Android 13.
Also Read | Vivo V27 Smartphone Review: A Shutterbug’s Delight
Camera
Now onto what truly uplifts the Vivo V29e – its camera capabilities. This smartphone boasts a 64MP primary camera that has optical image stabilization, accompanied by an 8MP wide-angle sensor. On the front end, the selfie camera boasts an impressive 50MP resolution, complete with auto-focus and a wider f/2.45 aperture to enhance the quality of well-lit selfies.
The real star of the show is the primary camera. It delivers amazing photos brimming with plenty of detail and sharpness. Colors exhibit vibrant characteristics, leaning slightly towards a more vivid side. The images are clear, show an expansive dynamic range, and have minimal noticeable noise. Even when confronted with challenging lighting conditions, the V29e shows its prowess in capturing a wide array of details – a feat that even top-tier flagship smartphones often struggle to achieve.
The camera continues to shine in low-light scenarios. Thanks to the built-in OIS, it effectively captures a good amount of light. Nonetheless, the performance of the ultra-wide angle camera and monochrome sensors is a bit underwhelming. There’s a noticeable decline in overall quality, sharpness, detail, and color when using these features. However, if you don’t use the ultra-wide camera often, it should suffice for occasional shots. For optimal outcomes, relying on the primary camera and selfie shooter is your best course of action.
Speaking of the selfie shooter, the Vivo V29e boasts a 50MP front-facing camera equipped with auto-focus and an f/2.45 aperture. This smartphone consistently delivers great front-facing shots. Selfies are full of details and sharpness, consistently leaving a positive impression with their top-notch quality. All in all, if selfies rank high on your priority list, the V29e will undoubtedly meet and exceed your expectations.
Battery
The Vivo V29e is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, and its performance is truly great. During my usage, I easily sailed through an entire day without facing any difficulties. This comprises using the phone for activities such as emailing, web browsing, taking photos, and playing videos. Much like the standard capability of most modern smartphones, the V29e comfortably offers a full day’s worth of usage for the majority of users.
Impressively, the V29e provides fast charging support at 44W. To be precise, it can go from completely flat to fully charged in just under 45 minutes.
If I had to find a small drawback, it’s worth noting the absence of wireless charging, which can be somewhat disappointing. However, in all honesty, I didn’t find myself missing it too much due to the genuinely great battery life that the V29e delivers.
Verdict
So, considering whether to invest in the Vivo V29e? If your criteria include a lightweight device that provides a comfortable grip, showcases an impressive display complemented by well-integrated software, and features outstanding camera performance – all without a steep price tag – then the Vivo V29e can be your ideal choice.
Also Read | Vivo T2 5G Smartphone User-Oriented Review: Packs All Punch In Budget?
