vivo V29e 5G Review | Geek Lifestyle

The vivo V29e 5G is a promising mid-range smartphone from vivo as it aims to be a Portrait Master at a more affordable price point.

Previously, we reviewed the vivo V29, and it is the brand’s premium V-series offering with a focus on portrait photography. Soon after the V29’s launch, vivo unveiled the V29e 5G, a more wallet-friendly version of its newest premium mid-range phone.

Despite the more affordable price tag, this phone still promises to be a great portrait photography partner as it also comes with vivo’s signature Aura Light Portrait system. On top of this, the phone has a processor that should be capable of playing today’s popular games. All of this while having a large AMOLED screen with a high refresh rate.

It’s definitely a winner on paper, but is the vivo V29e 5G a phone that delivers in actual use? Find out here in our review!

Geek-sthetic

In the looks department, the vivo V29e shares some design elements with the standard V29. Both phones feature a similar-looking camera module, though the V29e has two cameras instead of three. In its Forest Black colorway, the V29e also has a matte finish that’s still eye-catching when light hits the back in certain angles.

What sets it apart is the phone’s flat edges. For comparison, the standard V29 has curved edges. In terms of in-hand feel, the flat edges give the V29e a nice grippy feel, so we have no complaints when it comes to user experience on the design front. The flat sides also makes the phone easy to grip when playing games or watching videos horizontally.

For its display, vivo went with an AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate. It also comes with a holepunch notch at the top which is barely noticeable given how small it is.

Even though it’s a more affordable model, it’s nice to see that vivo packed a vibrant AMOLED screen with a fast refresh rate as it gives the phone better value, not to mention a more premium experience. After all, the 120Hz refresh rate helps a lot in making the phone feel fast and snappy in daily use.

The phone’s front also has an under-display fingerprint scanner which is another nice touch. We expected the phone to have a side-mounted one, but the under-display scanner is a nice touch as it makes for more natural unlocking (at least in our experience as we typically prefer the placement of under-display fingerprint scanners for our daily drivers).

Binge-Watching Factor

Speaking of its display, the phone’s 6.67-inch screen has a Full HD+ resolution, meaning it looks sharp for 1080p content. This on top of the screen being AMOLED makes the phone an excellent partner for watching movies and shows while on the go. The AMOLED panel means the phone has vibrant colors, perfect for watching your favorite anime.

As for audio, the phone has a single speaker with decent quality which is serviceable for watching short videos if needed. It can also get quite loud, up to 150% volume in fact with the Audio Booster feature. We don’t recommend it though as it makes the audio sound tinny and harsh.

Thus, as we always say, using headphones or external speakers are recommended. Though do take note that this phone lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack. This means you’ll need a wireless audio device to get the best binge-watching experience.

Gaming Prowess

Now we move on to the phone’s gaming capabilities. The vivo v29e 5G is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor that’s paired with 12GB of RAM. The 6-series Snapdragon processor may not be the most powerful processor out there, but it’s definitely capable for today’s popular titles as we had no issues running MOBAs and FPS games.

To start, we tried out League of Legends: Wild Rift which was able to run smoothly on the Medium graphics setting and at 60FPS. You can turn the framerate up to take advantage of the 120Hz refresh rate screen, but you may need to turn the graphics settings down. Plus, 120 FPS may be a bit too much for this phone to handle.

Meanwhile, Call of Duty: Mobile ran smoothly at the High graphics settings. For other FPS games, you should also have no issues.

As this phone isn’t a gaming-focused device, you may want to temper your expectations when it comes to gaming performance. But if you’re someone who typically plays popular multiplayer games, you should have a good time with this phone.

Geek Photoshoot Capabilities

For its cameras, the vivo V29e has a dual rear camera setup consisting of a 64MP main shooter with OIS and an 8MP ultrawide. Moving to the front, the phone has a 50MP selfie camera which seems to be similar to the one in the V29.

What is similar for certain is the phone’s Aura Light Portrait system. The vivo V29e 5G also packs the mini-ring light Aura Light module which can be changed to emit a warm or cool light for more creative night portrait photos.

Before we get into the portrait capabilities, first let’s check out the phone’s main camera quality.

Images taken with the main 64MP camera are of great quality in daytime and indoors with a lot of light. Photos have a natural look to them, with colors appearing vibrant while still being fairly natural.

At night, the phone’s main shooter does not disappoint as images are sharp and clear, complete with vibrant colors. This is thanks to the phone’s Night Mode for photography as well as its OIS for less shaky shots.

Now, here are some portrait samples:

In daytime, portrait photos look good with a natural bokeh effect. At night, the Aura Light Portrait system helps in making the portraits look bright and clear. The color temperature adjustment is also nice if you want a more dramatic shot.

Moving to the ultrawide, this camera can take pretty good photos. Of course, nighttime images do see a bit of a dip in quality, but that’s to be expected. At least you can use the Night Mode for ultrawide photos to make them better.

Finally, the 50MP selfie camera does not disappoint as it captures high quality selfies both in daytime and at night. Just remember to tweak the beautification setting which can be a aggressive by default.

Everyday Reliability

The Snapdragon 695 5G that powers this phone has enough power to keep the V29e running smoothly in everyday use. In our tests, the phone didn’t really slow down much when switching between apps, scrolling through emails, and more.

Of course, this is not a flagship processor, so you’ll still want to temper your expectations, but for many users, the V29e should have plenty of power to make it a fast, snappy, and reliable daily driver.

What also helps make it a reliable daily partner is its 4800mAh battery. With this, the phone can easily last for a day of use, even with its high refresh rate screen. In our time with it, the V29e was able to handle our daily needs while still having some juice left.

For charging, the phone has 44W wired fast charging support, meaning it should get hours of use after just a few minutes of charging. This is useful if you forget to charge the phone the night before and need to go out soon.

Final Geek Lifestyle Verdict

With its combination of reliable performance, good cameras, and great display, the vivo V29e 5G is another compelling mid-range option.

Based on our experience with the phone, while it may not be the perfect fit for avid mobile gamers who prioritize gaming performance, it should be a great partner for users who are into photography, especially for portraits with its Aura Light Portrait system.

At its original PHP 18,999 SRP, the v29e 5G is worth looking at for users who were eyeing the V29 but want to save a bit without compromising when it comes to its portrait photography capabilities.

vivo V29e 5G specs:

• 6.77-inch (1080 x 2400) AMOLED display, 120Hz refresh rate
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor
• 12GB RAM
• 256GB storage
• Rear cameras: 64MP main + 8MP ultrawide dual 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
• 4800mAh battery with 44W wired Fast charging
• Android 13 with Funtouch 13
• Price: PHP 18,999