vivo V29 Review | Geek Lifestyle

The vivo V29 promises to be an even better Portrait Master.

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In our vivo V29 review, we try out the newest V-series device to see if it’s worthy of the Portrait Master moniker.

Over the years, vivo has delivered some interesting premium mid-range devices through its V series. Just a few months ago, vivo launched the V27 which brought an innovative Aura Light Module for enhanced portrait photography. Now, vivo is back with the new V29, and it promises to be an even better Portrait Master.

Specifically, the vivo V29 also comes with an Aura Light module, but its version is bigger and has a couple of enhancements. Along with this, the phone also has other new additions, including 88W fast charging as well as a higher resolution OLED screen.

While great on paper, does the new vivo V29 deliver in actual everyday use? Find out here in our review.

Geek-sthetic

Before we get into the phone’s performance and photography capabilities, let’s first take a look at the design. For this new mid-ranger, vivo gave the phone a striking look. The Starry Purple colored V29 that we got to try out has a gradient with glittery elements, making it an eye-catching phone when viewed up close. From afar, it’s also quite a nice-looking device thanks to its color scheme that’s easy on the eyes.

The phone does come in a Magic Maroon color that’s a bit more striking as it features vivo’s Fluorite AG process to give it a color-changing back. How it works is that if you put it under sunlight or UV light, the back of the phone changes color.

Even though you won’t get the color changing back in the Starry Purple colorway, you can still enjoy the phone’s curved edges that feel great to hold in hand. While it might seem slippery, it does give a good amount of grip. If you do need extra grip (and protection to boot), the phone comes with a clear case inside the box.

Moving to the front, the vivo V29 has a 3D Curved OLED Screen with 120Hz Refresh Rate that promises to be the best screen ever on any vivo V series devices. Based on the specs sheet, the phone’s screen definitely in the series as it has a 1260 x 2800 pixel resolution. For reference, previous phones in the series sported 1080 x 2400 resolution screens. This should make it look sharper as it has a higher pixel density.

The V29’s screen is also quite a looker thanks to the 3D curved edges and slim bezels. Its front camera is also found on a holepunch notch which is tiny enough to not be distracting, even when watching videos.

Binge-Watching Factor

Speaking of watching videos, the vivo V29 is a great partner for binge-watching your favorite movies, shows, anime, and more. This is thanks to the OLED screen which not only has a higher resolution than average, but it also outputs vibrant colors and deep blacks. With this, your favorite movies/shows will look excellent, meaning you’ll get a great viewing experience anywhere you go. It also helps that the phone’s screen can get bright enough even if you’re in a place with a lot of sunlight.

As for audio, the phone has a single bottom-firing speaker that outputs decent audio. In a pinch, this speaker is fine enough; say for instnace, you want to watch a short YouTube video or some reels. But it would’ve been nice for vivo to make the phone’s onboard audio stereo.

Though for the best experience, headphones or external speakers are very much recommended as the audio quality from the speaker at max volume isn’t the best. If you want to connect another audio device though, you’ll need a dongle or a wireless device as this phone does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Gaming Prowess

Now we move on to gaming performance. Interestingly, the vivo V29 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G processor. While it’s not the newest or most powerful SoC out there now, it should still be capable of playing today’s popular games with no issues.

In our tests, this turned out to be true as we had no problems running games such as League of Legends: Wild Rift and Call of Duty Mobile on the device, even at higher graphics settings. During our tests, MOBAs and FPS titles like these ran at a smooth 60FPS with no real noticeable slowdowns or hitches.

The same can be said for games like Diablo Immortal which also ran at the High resolution graphics setting and at 60FPS. Essentially, you can play most popular titles on the V29. Of course, you’ll want to temper your expectations for the most demanding games as titles like Genshin Impact can struggle on anything other than the lower graphics presets.

So, if you play games casually on breaks or on your downtime, the vivo V29 should pose no issues. Plus, the 5G connectivity means you can enjoy faster download speeds and lower latency if you’re on a place with a 5G network.

Geek Photoshoot Capabilities

Finally, we can explore the phone’s cameras which is the V29 5G’s highlight. This device packs a 50MP main + 8MP ultrawide + 2MP macro triple rear camera setup along with a 50MP front shooter.

First, here are some sample shots from the 50MP main camera in daytime:

As you can see, photos have vibrant colors and a lot of detail when using auto mode. While the results can be a bit vibrant for some, other users will appreciate them as they make for eye-popping social media shares.

The V29’s rear shooter is also great for low light shots, especially when using Night Mode. As you can see in the sample photos above, the phone can capture night shots with a lot of detail. Its addition of optical and electronic image stabilization also makes it easy to capture low light photos even when shooting handheld.

The phone has an Aura Light module which is basically a ring light-style flash that can be turned on or off as needed. The vivo V29’s Aura Light module is also noticeably bigger than its predecessor. But its killer feature is the ability to change color temperature from warm to cool. This is useful for portrait shots as it gives you more color options without the need for a filter.

The phone’s main shooter is excellent for portraits. As seen in the image above, the phone produces a nice bokeh effect that looks quite natural. Meanwhile, the next two portraits are at night using the Aura Light’s warmest and coolest options.

These two photos clearly illustrate how nifty the Aura Light module is. These settings dramatically changes both the colors of the subject and the background. Of course, these photos are taken at the extreme end of the color temperature setting to illustrate its effect, though you can opt to go somewhere in the middle depending on your preference. You can also simply set it automatically so that the phone will choose the best color temperature for your portrait photo.

Moving on to the ultrawide, this camera is also able to capture good photos in daytime, while low light shots are also quite decent when using the dedicated Night Mode.

Finally, selfies with the V29 are great as the 50MP selfie shooter captures high quality images, all while having a wide angle so you can fit a group in photos. Plus, the phone’s camera app has a screen flash that you can also change the temperature of, meaning you also have lots of flexibility with colors for your selfies.

Everyday Reliability

Aside from performing well for gaming, the vivo V29 is also a reliable phone for everyday use. Thanks to its SoC and 12GB RAM combo (complete with 8GB of extended RAM), the phone did now slow down during our time testing it. So, if you want a phone that will perform snappily for all your needs, the vivo V29 shouldn’t disappoint.

What’s also great is the phone’s battery life. In our time with it, the phone was able to last for over a day of use on a single charge. As always, your battery mileage may vary, but you likely won’t have to bring a power bank with you while outdoors. Unless of course you plan on heavy gaming or all-day photography/videography.

When you do need to charge, the vivo V29 has a fast 80W fast charging feature that can let it charge from 0 to 50% in just a bit under 20 minutes. This means a quick top-up can go a long way battery life-wise.

Finally, it’s nice that the vivo V29 has IP68 dust and water resistance as you won’t have to worry about spills on the device. An IP68 rating is something that many premium mid-range smartphones forgo, so it’s great that vivo decided to enhance the V29 in this regard.

Final Geek Lifestyle Verdict

With its hi-res display, great battery life, and excellent cameras (especially for portraits), the vivo V29 is a great premium mid-range option, especially at its starting price of PHP 24,999 price.

Though it could use a bit more power for gaming, most users who prioritize cameras, display, and design should be served well with this new vivo mid-ranger.

vivo V29 specs:

  • 6.78-inch (1260 x 2800) AMOLED display, 120Hz refresh rate
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G processor
  • 12GB RAM
  • 256GB storage
  • Rear cameras: 50MP main + 8MP ultrawide + 2MP macro triple rear camera setup (with Ring-LED flash)
  • Front camera: 50MP
  • 5G, LTE
  • Under Display Fingerprint scanner, USB Type-C port
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot, Bluetooth 5.2
  • 4600mAh battery with 80W wired Fast charging
  • Android 13 with Funtouch 13
  • Price
    • 12GB RAM + 512GB ROM variant – PHP 26,999
    • 12GB RAM + 256GB ROM variant – PHP 24,999