- By Vikas Yadav
- Tue, 17 Oct 2023 11:12 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Vivo V29 Review: On October 4, Vivo launched its premium V29 series in India, consisting of the base V29 5G and V29 Pro 5G models. The review focuses on the vanilla model, which falls in the sub-Rs 35,000 category in the country. With the phone, Vivo aims to make waves in the territory already filled with established contenders, including the OnePlus Nord 3 5G, iQOO Neo 7 Pro, Honor 90, Samsung Galaxy A54 5G and more.
For starters, the Vivo V29 ships with a premium curved screen and a 50MP selfie camera, which the brand heavily broadcasts on its product listing. During my time with the phone, I found these features to be its core positives. But are these enough to shell out your cash? You will find the answer in this review. So, let us start with the design.
Design:
Straight out of the box, you'll notice how elegant it feels, thanks to the curvy design. The screen blends backwards to mimic non-existent bezels on the left and right. Once you turn it around, the shiny sandpaper-like setup delivers a premium in-hand feel. But mind you, the back is slippery. V29's rear glass changes colour to purple (on the Majestic Red model) in bright lighting conditions.
The slim and light profile of the V29 ensures it is comfortable in the hands. However, due to its exceptionally lean footprint, I did not develop the confidence to grip it without the protective case to mitigate unforeseen damage. For context, the phone has a thickness of 7.46mm (but the sides measure 2.4mm) and weighs 186g. Overall, the design is excellent. But a metallic frame could have made it unbeatable at this price point.
Display:
The Vivo V29 gets a 6.78-inch 1.5k 120Hz AMOLED screen with a 1.07 billion colour production capacity. The display looks pleasing to the eyes with razor-sharp text. It produces vivid colours and the quality of the panel is top-notch. Adding to this impressive experience is the optimised situation of false touches. It brilliantly manages to offset palm touches at the borders.
In bright sunlight, the peak brightness ensures even the smallest details are visible. However, I did notice oversaturated colours and slight banding in the sky during the 4K HDR video playback on YouTube. But it is not a deal breaker as such. I can confidently say the screen will not disappoint, be it daylight or colour production.
Performance:
Surprisingly, after the initial setup, I noticed slight jitters while multitasking on the Snapdragon 778G chip. Upon digging deeper, I discovered it was due to the auto refresh rate switching (Smart Switch). Forcing the setting to 120Hz solved the issue. Even with 30+ tabs opened in Chrome, switching between them and other apps was seamless.
Endless scrolling on social media was lag-free. General multitasking was satisfying on the phone due to the implementation of 'Dynamic Effects' animation throughout the UI. As for gaming, the device can handle games at medium to high settings. During my half-hour of Asphalt 9 Legends gameplay, it performed well but did get warm, which is acceptable.
During 4K HDR video playback on YouTube, the V29 fared well for the first 10-15 minutes but started dropping frames later. It is unclear whether this is due to the processor's limitations or the lack of optimisation, as the device managed to run performance-hungry games at medium settings with ease.
Software:
On the positive side, Funtouch OS 13 Global offers enough customisations and animations to deliver a smooth and personalised experience. It is well-optimised and has a plethora of options to tinker around. You can also use Vivo's native dialer as an alternative to Google's Phone app. However, the OS dilutes the premium experience to an extent.
During the setup process, you need to be careful with feature toggles. The software comes with pre-installed third-party apps, some of which can be uninstalled. Additionally, the V-Appstore sends promotional notifications to persuade users to download apps. In the guise of scanning a new app for threats, iManager displays app recommendations.
Battery:
Moving to the battery, Vivo V29 gets a 4,600mAh cell with 80W charging. I was about to churn out over six hours of screen on time with moderate to heavy usage, which included 4K HDR video playback, intensive camera testing, gaming and active Wi-Fi. You might clock around seven hours if you are a casual user.
The supplied charger tops the battery from 1 to 100 in about an hour, which is good for the price. Vivo also offers optimised charging in the settings to sustain good backup in the long run. In the battery department, I did not face any issues.
Vivo V29 Cameras:
Coming to the most awaited part, the V29 gets a 50MP OIS + 8MP UW + 2MP bokeh sensor. Speaking of daylight, the V29 clicks excellent shots with adequate details and sharpness. The photos have slightly boosted colours that look pleasing and social media-ready. Be it hard sunlight or dull surroundings in the evening, HDR processing is well-tuned on the V29. The same story repeats for videos. Plus, OIS ensures they are stable.
However, I noticed a glitch, which I don't know if it is restricted to our unit or is present on a larger scale. While switching to Aura Light, the V29 displays an error in around half a minute that the temperature is high and the light cannot be used.
Skipping to low light, it captures decent shots with controlled noise levels. But details are not as rich as you would expect in well-lit surroundings. The ultrawide lens captures decent details during the day, but the output is below average in low light. Moreover, it has different modes to satisfy your creative bugs. The 50MP front camera clicks arguably the best selfies you will get on a smartphone of this price range. From skin tones to colours, everything looks appealing.
1. Rear
2. Wide
3. Ultrawide
4. Portrait
5. 2X Zoom
6. Aura Light
Scope Of Improvement
One thing I craved while watching movies, listening to music and playing games on the gorgeous display was the lack of stereo speakers. The output from the mono unit is pretty average and could have been better. Secondly, spammy notifications and promotional banners can be restricted, considering it is an upper mid-range device.
Plus, the haptic feedback on the phone also feels pretty basic. I have experienced better implementation at a lower price. Lastly, while I did not face major lags or stutters, gamers must consider a more powerful chip for enhanced graphics and a flat panel.
Vivo V29 Price In India, Offers
Vivo V29 5G starts from Rs 32,999 for the 8GB + 128GB on Flipkart and Vivo's official channels. You can get the top-end model (12GB + 256GB) for Rs 36,999. It comes in three colour options: Space Black, Himalayan Blue and Majestic Red. As for the bank offers, Vivo is offering up to Rs 3,500 instant discount via select bank cards and up to Rs 3,500 additional exchange bonus with the device.
Vivo V29 5G: Should You Buy?
If you aim to grasp the best phone for selfies that also bundles a classy curved panel and good design but can adjust with a compromise in the software, the Vivo V29 is your phone. This is yet another device to flaunt my soft corner for curved screens. It offers ample features in the camera UI that will excite shutterbugs. For the ones exploring a device for gaming or better software, you can consider other options like the iQOO Z7 Pro or the OnePlus Nord 3.