Vivo V29 Solid display, Camera & Specs

Vivo has been quietly making waves in the smartphone market. The company even overtook Samsung to secure the top spot in one of the world’s major smartphone markets and is also gaining attention in Europe and Latin America. One of the big reasons for their success is that they offer fantastic cameras and a great experience, all without asking for crazy high prices.

Vivo’s V series smartphones are known for offering excellent cameras at an affordable price. The vivo V27 got a lot of praise from our sister-site Pocket-Lint, for being a great budget phone with excellent cameras. The vivo V29 is the company’s latest offering, bringing an even better Aura ring light experience and a unique design.

We’ve been using the vivo V29 for the past few weeks and are impressed. This review deepens into everything the vivo V29 offers and sees if it’s worth your money.

Price and availability

vivo is playing it a bit mysteriously when it comes to the pricing of the vivo V29. They haven’t yet spilled the beans on how much it will cost. Even though the company claims the device has been “launched,” it’s not up for grabs now. However, the device will be hitting the shelves soon.

Vivo says the V29 will be on sale in a total of 39 countries all around the world, including most of the big markets in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Based on what we know about the phone’s features and the track record of V series smartphones, we expect the price tag to be probably under €500. But, to be clear, there’s no official word on this yet.

We will update this review as and when more information becomes available.

Design

• Dimensions: 164.18 × 74.37 × 7.46 mm
• Weight: 186g
• Colours: Starry Purple, Peak Blue, Noble Black, Velvet Red
• Build Materials: Unique-looking 3D Magnetic Particles / Fluorite AG Glass / Color Changing Glass / IP68

The vivo V29 shares a lot of design language with its predecessor, the V27. It has a curved screen in the front and a curved back with a rectangular camera module in the top left corner. The system now includes a giant primary camera, an ultra-wide sensor, and a much larger Aura Ring Light, which we’ll discuss below. There’s also a tiny 2MP monochrome sensor next to the flash.

The back has a unique finish, especially the Peak Blue version we tested. This unique look draws inspiration from mountain peaks and features about 15 million micron-sized magnetic particles that reflect the light especially, creating a unique look. If you like glossy finishes, the Peak Blue V29 will surely catch your eye.

The Starry Purple version also features this distinct finish. The V29 comes in Velvet Red too, which looks more like purple and features a smooth gradient look. But if you prefer something more straightforward, the V29 is also available in a Noble Black variant. While the latter two models have a Fluorite AG Glass back, the others, like Peak Blue and Starry Purple, use a plastic back that feels surprisingly high-end.

The layout of the phone is standard. A USB-C port, a speaker grill, and a SIM tray are at the bottom. The power button and volume rockers are on the right side, while the top and left sides are blank. Despite its slim profile and dual-curved back and front, Vivo has ensured the buttons on the V29 are tactile and easily reachable.

The vivo V29 is a joy to use thanks to its sleek design and comfortable in-hand feel.

On the whole, the vivo V29 has a very good in-hand feel. The curved back and screen make it a sleek package that’s a joy to use. It is also lightweight, weighing around 186 grams, and doesn’t cause fatigue during prolonged usage. It’s a bit slippery, so having the included clear TPU case helps. But even with the case on, the phone stays slim and easy to handle.

Durability-wise, the vivo V29 is on-par with most modern-day flagships as it is IP68 dust and water-resistant — something we rarely see in budget smartphones. Vivo even claims that the V29 can take up to a 1-meter-high roll and drop test, although we didn’t try that ourselves.

Display

• 6.78-inch, 2800 × 1260-pixel resolution, AMOLED, 120Hz, 452 PPI
• Curved Edges
• Under-display fingerprint scanner

Moving on to the display, the vivo V29 features a big 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. This screen features 2800 × 1260-pixel resolution, 452 PPI, and supports HDR10+ playback. It is curved on the sides, and even though it isn’t quad-curved like the HONOR 90, I have to say that it is one of the most beautiful-looking displays that I have seen in this segment. The bezels on the sides are minimal, and even the top and bottom bezels are minimal.

If I had to sum up my experience with the vivo V29’s display in one sentence, I’d say it’s an absolute delight to use.

The colour reproduction is excellent, and the sunlight visibility is also excellent. Playing games, surfing the web, watching videos, and reading were enjoyable experiences on the vivo V29. The 120Hz refresh rate made the experience smooth and fluid. Vivo also includes several display technologies to reduce harmful blue light and screen flickering to protect your eyes.

Camera

• 50 MP primary camera sensor with OIS and f/1.9 aperture
• 8 MP ultra-wide angle + 2MP monochrome sensor
• 50 MP selfie camera with auto-focus
• Aura Ring Light wit Smart Color Temperature Adjustment and even lighting

And now, onto what makes the vivo V29 shine – its cameras. The vivo V29 packs a similar camera setup as its predecessor, featuring a 50 MP main camera, an 8 MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2 MP monochrome sensor. The selfie camera remains at 50 MP on the front but now has auto-focus and a wider f/2.0 aperture for better-lit selfies.

The primary camera is the star of the show. It takes excellent photos with plenty of detail and sharpness. The colours are lively, leaning towards a more vivid side, especially when compared to the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but not oversaturated. The images are crisp, with a broad dynamic range and hardly any visible noise. Even when dealing with tricky lighting, the V29 captures a wide range of details — something even the best flagship smartphones fail to do.

Even in low light or areas with artificial lighting, the camera manages to impress. It captures a good amount of light even without using the Aura Ring Light, thanks to the built-in optical image stabilization (OIS). The Ring Light is handy for low-light situations where using the flash isn’t ideal. It evens out the lighting on your subject, and the automatic colour adjustments work seamlessly.

The vivo V29 has one of the best primary cameras in the midrange segment.

However, the ultra-wide angle camera and the monochrome sensors are underwhelming. You’ll notice a drop in quality, sharpness, detail, and colour. However, if you don’t use the ultra-wide camera often, it should do the job for occasional shots. Sticking to the primary camera and selfie shooter is your best bet for the best results.

Talking about the selfie shooter, the V29 features a 50 MP selfie shooter with auto-focus f/2.0 aperture. Like the previous model, the V29 delivers some of the best front-facing shots. Selfies are full of detail and sharpness and consistently impressive in quality. On the whole, if selfies are your thing, the V29 won’t disappoint.

The vivo V29 might have the best camera of all the midrange smartphones, but don’t just take my word for it – look at the sample pictures below and decide for yourself.

Camera samples

Daylight

Comprehensive vs Ultra-Wide vs 2x

Low/Artificial Light

Hardware and software

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G processor
• 8GB + 128/256GB or 12GB + 256/512GB
• Funtouch OS 13 (based on Android 13)

Moving onto the internals, the vivo V29 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G chipset, the same chipset that powered the last year’s Nothing Phone (1). The chip has one Cortex-A78 clocked at 2.4GHz; three Cortex-A78 clocked at 2.2GHz, and four Cortex-A55 at 1.9GHz. Adreno 642L handles the phone’s graphics and comes in 8/12GB RAM and 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage.

In everyday use, the Snapdragon 778G works well. It handles multitasking, switching apps, and some games without a hitch. There were a few instances when animations stuttered, especially during the initial setup when there were lags, but once everything was settled, the phone felt fast and responsive most of the time.

However, this might not be your best bet if you’re into gaming. Games like Call of Duty, Asphalt 9, and Battlegrounds Mobile India (the Indian version of PUBG Mobile) had to be set to lower graphics for smooth play. But, if your usage involves scrolling Instagram, texting on WhatsApp, browsing, and similar tasks, this phone is pretty capable.

On the software side, the vivo V29 comes with Funtouch OS 13 straight out of the box. It looks like stock Android but has a few (useful) added features, such as multi-window gestures, customizable animations, and themes. Vivo promises two major Android OS updates and three years of security updates for the V29.

The vivo V29 can handle everyday tasks quickly, but it might not be the top choice for serious gaming.

If I had to nitpick on the hardware side, the speakers aren’t the greatest. They’re straightforward and loud, but lack bass and only one speaker, so we don’t get any stereo effect. As for the software side, it seems the Funtouch OS lowers the animation refresh rate quite aggressively to save battery life, but we managed to force 120Hz and still got good battery life. And speaking of battery…

Battery

• 4,600 mAh battery
• 80W fast wired charging
• No wireless charging

The vivo V29 has a 4,600 mAh battery, which might not be the biggest compared to other midrange phones. But it performs pretty well. I managed to get through a whole day with no issues – that involves using the phone for email, surfing the web, taking photos, and playing games – and I consistently got screen-on-time (SoT) of more than 6 hours on a full charge.

For those days when you need a quick charge, the V29 comes with a super fast 80W FlashCharge. Vivo says the smartphone can go from 0 to 50% in less than 18 minutes, and I found that true. Plus, the charging adapter is still included in the box. If I had to find a minor issue, there would be no wireless charging, which would be disappointing. But honestly, I didn’t miss it because the battery life is impressive.

Verdict

So, should you buy the vivo V29? Well, if you are looking for a lightweight smartphone feels good in your hand, has a fantastic display with software that complements it well, and boasts exceptional camera capabilities, all without having a price that doesn’t break the bank, the vivo V29 is your best bet.

The only slight drawback might be its performance, but if you’re not into heavy graphics-intensive gaming, that might not bother you. Plus, the battery life is solid, and charging times are short. If you’re looking for a mid-range smartphone with impressive camera features, the V29 won’t disappoint.