Vivo gives half-yearly updates to its V-series of smartphones. Earlier this year, I reviewed the V27 Pro and found it to be quite a capable smartphone.
However, with the V29 Pro already out, the question arises: do these rapid updates really bring meaningful changes?
Vivo V29 Pro Design
The in-hand feel of the new V29 Pro echoes that of the V27 Pro, which is to say that it is sleek and feels quite premium.
The extended camera island also makes a comeback from the V27 Pro, however, the camera and flash arrangement is different this time around.
Gone is the unique matte finish with its colour-shifting magic from the older version. What you get instead is a new Himalayan Blue colour with a glossy back panel. It is loaded with 3D particles that grant the V29 Pro a shimmery aesthetic.
However, it does attract fingerprints now.
The smartphone is pretty well balanced and the curved front and back makes it feel slimmer than it really is.
However, the drawbacks from the V27 Pro remain as well: that large camera island not only makes the phone wobble on a flat surface, but it can also take some time getting used to while holding.
Then, the frame of the device is still made out of plastic, which may not be appreciated by everyone.
But overall, Vivo knows how to make good looking phones, and the V29 Pro is further proof of that!
Vivo V29 Pro Display
The V29 Pro boasts a lovely curved AMOLED screen, measuring in at 6.78 inches with a resolution of 1.5K and a refresh rate of 120Hz.
This screen's peak brightness is 1300 nits, and its colours are vibrant from virtually any angle.
But surprisingly, when the refresh rate is set to auto, it runs at 90Hz most of the time, including in the UI. To get 120Hz in any app, I had to force it to 120Hz.
This is something Vivo must address with a software update as it doesn't let you take advantage of the highest screen refresh rate by default.
Vivo V29 Pro Utility
You get two 5G SIM card slots in the V29 Pro and there is no room for storage expansion.
The in-display optical fingerprint scanner on this device worked really well in my experience.
Strangely enough, while the global V29 gets an IP68 rating, it is conspicuously absent on the Indian model.
It is also high time that Vivo added stereo speakers to its V-series. A mono-bottom firing speaker is not cutting it for an upper mid-ranger in 2023.
Vivo V29 Pro Cameras
The V29 Pro elevates its camera game, setting it apart from its predecessor. Vivo has eliminated the 2MP macro nonsense and instead given three functional rear cameras this time around.
The camera setup consists of a Sony IMX766 main sensor, an ultrawide sensor, and a telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom.
The primary camera delivers images that are notably high-quality. The photos are devoid of noise, and showcase refined detail areas, paired with accurate colour processing, as long as you have the Natural Colour mode enabled.
While the V29 Pro handles low-light conditions reasonably well, it occasionally leans towards exaggerated colour tones.
Videos from the main camera get a decent saturation boost. However, the phone occasionally fumbles with white balance in tricky situations. Notably, 4K 60FPS recording lacks stabilisation.
The 12MP telephoto camera is a welcome addition to this phone, and the results from it are quite good, with its colours matching with that of the main camera.
This sensor can take some pretty awesome portraits with accurate edge detection.
But, the telephoto sensor is quite sensitive to light. The moment there is no ample natural light, this phone switches to a 2x crop from the main camera.
This brings me on to V29 Pro’s party trick: the updated Aura flashlight. In this iteration, this flashlight comes with temperature tuning. As a result, there's a lot of flexibility in how your low-light portraits turn out.
The V29 Pro can also do 20x zoom in normal mode and up to 30x in supermoon mode.
The ultrawide sensor, though functional, isn’t quite on the level of the other two sensors. Its colour science lacks consistency.
Selfies on the V29 Pro are catered to by the robust 50MP front camera, which consistently delivers vibrant and detailed selfies across various lighting conditions.
Vivo V29 Pro Performance & Software
In terms of performance, the V29 Pro remains identical to its predecessor. It is powered by a Dimensity 8200 chipset and comes with up to 12GB of RAM as standard.
The Dimensity 8200 is a very capable chipset in isolation, but it is no match for the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 that you get on similarly priced or cheaper smartphones.
But then again, Vivo’s V-series has never been gaming-focused anyway, so this is something that can be overlooked.
General performance of this phone is quite strong. It runs on Funtouch OS 13 based on Android 13, and it is quite a fluid software overall.
But, there's a hiccup - the age-old issue of bloatware and spammy notifications on Funtouch OS. You can manually delete and disable most of these nuances, but for the price, the software should be tidier out of the box.
On the flipside, Vivo promises 3 new android updates and up to 5 years of security updates on the V29 Pro, which is pretty good.
Vivo V29 Pro Battery Life
The V29 Pro comes with a 4,600mAh battery, which, while decent, is a bit below the current 5,000mAh standard.
However, the efficient Dimensity 8200 chipset ensures you get about 7 hours of screen time from mixed tasks, and that’s sufficient for a day's work.
On the charging front, the device offers an impressive 80W speed. Notably, Vivo still includes an in-box power adaptor, a welcome gesture in today's trend of omitting chargers.
Vivo V29 Pro Review
The Vivo V29 Pro, at a starting price of ₹39,999, does have a lot of appeal. Its camera system does pack a punch: it certainly is not perfect, but pretty versatile and fun nonetheless.
Add the phone’s premium design to the mix and you do have an impressive, if not the most feature-rich smartphone.
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