Vivo V29 Pro review: Design-oriented smartphone with novel camera features

Recently, Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo introduced the Vivo V29 Pro in the Indian market. The Vivo V-series has long been associated with a focus on design and imaging capabilities, and the V29 Pro continues the legacy. Let us delve deeper to know if the Vivo V29 Pro is noteworthy at Rs 39,999.

Design

The Vivo V29 Pro boasts a sleek and stylish design, setting it apart from the more generic offerings of its competitors. The Himalayan Blue colour variant, the unit under review, has a multi-layered pattern on the back cover, creating a gradient texture. This design element may be a matter of personal preference, but it undeniably distinguishes the phone in a positive manner. On the front, a two-sided curved display with slim top and bottom bezels contributes to a premium near-bezel-less appearance. The device's slim profile and lightweight construction enhance its ease of handling and operation.

 

Display

The Vivo V29 Pro features a 6.78-inch FullHD+ AMOLED display of up to 120Hz refresh rate. The display is bright and offers good visibility in direct sunlight. However, the adaptive brightness feature, which adjusts the display brightness based on ambient lighting conditions, operates somewhat sluggishly. Nevertheless, the display delivers vibrant colours and strong contrast. With its two-sided curved display, the device facilitates the use of gesture navigation. However, it is worth noting that not all apps are optimised for curved displays, leading to issues such as the timeline bar overlapping with the curved edges. The Vivo V29 Pro features an in-display fingerprint scanner that is both fast and accurate. While Vivo has included several animation options for fingerprint scanning, it functions most effectively without them.

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Software

The Vivo V29 Pro runs on the Android 13 operating system with the Funtouch OS 13 interface layered on top. Funtouch OS offers personalisation options, privacy features, and controls. However, it comes with several pre-installed apps and includes folders with apps like the game folder. The interface is a mixed bag, featuring some highlights alongside a few shortcomings.

Camera

The V29 Pro impresses with its imaging capabilities, largely due to the value-added features and tools provided by Vivo. Notable features include the Aura Light, a ring of LED lights that can be adjusted for brightness and tone. It can also operate automatically for a smoother experience. This is in addition to the regular flash. The phone also includes a Pro Sports Mode for capturing fast-moving objects with background motion blur. This feature excels in well-lit conditions but struggles in low-light settings.

Other noteworthy camera features include Wedding Portrait, Astro mode, and Super Night video mode. The rear camera delivers sharp contours and fine bokeh in various lighting conditions, while the front camera encounters challenges in low-light portrait photography. Both front and rear cameras support 4K video recording at 60fps. The phone offers Ultra stabilisation for the rear camera, although it reduces the resolution to 1080p at 24fps.

Performance

Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8200, the Vivo V29 Pro delivers good performance. Although it is not a dedicated gaming smartphone, it can handle gaming tasks. Extended gaming sessions may result in occasional frame drops, but a brief pause restores optimal performance. It is worth noting that the phone can become warm after extended graphic-intensive activities, indicating the need for a break.

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Battery

The Vivo V29 Pro delivers a modest on-battery time. With moderate usage, the device lasts a full day, but processor and graphic-intensive tasks such as gaming and 4K video recording deplete the battery quickly. To mitigate this, the Vivo V29 Pro includes an 80W fast charger, capable of fully recharging the battery in approximately one hour.

Verdict

The Vivo V29 Pro is a design-focused smartphone with novel imaging features. While it does not compromise on core aspects like performance and battery life, it does cut corners on essentials such as dual stereo speakers, ingress protection, and a clutter-free user interface. With its price tag of Rs 39,999, the Vivo V29 Pro is not without flaws, but it presents a good option in the premium midrange segment for those seeking novel camera features in a slender form factor.