Highlights

• The V29e features a premium design with a dual-tone back, weighing just 180.5g and 7.49mm slim
• It has stunning 6.78-inch 10-bit curved AMOLED display with HDR10+ support
• Dual rear camera setup led by a 64MP primary shooter
• Robust 5,000mAh battery with 44W fast charging for extended usage

The Vivo V29e, the latest launch by Chinese giant Vivo, can be considered a stylish contender in the crowded mid-range smartphone market.

It immediately captures attention with its premium design and striking display. Priced starting at Rs 26,999 this device aims to offer a comprehensive user experience that places it among the frontrunners in its segment.

In this review, we’ll delve into the various features of the Vivo V29e to provide you with a comprehensive understanding about the device.

From its design and display to its camera capabilities and battery performance, we’ll explore whether it lives up to its premium positioning in the market.

Verdict

Undoubtedly the Vivo V29e is a package of premium design and robust camera capabilities. While it may not set new performance benchmarks, the device offers a balanced user experience that mostly justifies its price.

Key Specs

• Display: 6.78-inch 10-bit curved AMOLED, FHD+, 120Hz 
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 695
• RAM and Storage: 8GB + 128GB, 8GB + 256GB
• Rear Cameras: 64MP primary, 8MP wide-angle
• Front Camera: 50MP 
• Battery: 5,000mAh with 44W fast charging
• Software: FunTouchOS 13 based on Android 13
• Other Features: USB Type-C port, in-display fingerprint reader
• Pricing: Starting at 26,999

Pros and Cons

Design

When it comes to aesthetics, the Vivo V29e is an epitome of premium design. As you hold it, you’ll feel an airy lightness in your hands, which is quite unexpected given its comprehensive feature set.

The phone measures at 7.49mm in thickness and weighs 180.5g, arguably making it the thinnest and lightest in its market segment.

The dual-tone back is an appealing visual feature, heightened by a glossy patterned stripe running through the left side of the device. This stripe also carries Vivo’s branding for camera features.

The rear camera assembly protrudes modestly from the back, with an LED flash positioned to the right of the camera cutouts. The side buttons are more slits than actual buttons, beautifully integrated into the phone’s slim form.

Both the Artistic Blue and Artistic Red colour options offer a luxurious feel, although the latter has a slightly more posh appearance. Overall, it’s an eye-catching device that could easily be mistaken for a flagship.

Display

The Vivo V29e comes equipped with a 6.78-inch 10-bit curved AMOLED display, boasting a 120Hz refresh rate and an FHD+ resolution of 1260×2800 pixels. The panel also supports HDR10+ capabilities.

On first glance, the screen delivers a remarkably smooth and vivid experience. The premium touch of curved edges and minimally thin bezels amplifies the richness of the display.

Interestingly, the device offers three colour profiles: Standard, Bright, and Pro, although our preference has been the second option.

While the display showed a maximum luminance of 900 nits, its sunlight visibility can be considered less than ideal.
The display’s limitation lies in its inability to support HDR content on YouTube, which could be a deal-breaker for some.

Camera

Vivo’s reputation in camera technology finds further validation in the V29e, which brings a compelling dual-camera setup to the table.

The primary 64MP sensor is the star of the show, delivering images that are sharp and filled with detail. The wide dynamic range ensures that both highlights and shadows are well-balanced in most scenarios.

Portraits, a highlight of this phone, are especially well-executed, offering striking details and near-perfect edge detection. The phone makes use of computational photography techniques to bring out details in the subject while keeping the background adequately blurred.

On the flip side, the 8MP ultra-wide camera delivers acceptable but not outstanding performance. While it allows for more expansive shots, it suffers from colour temperature inconsistencies when compared to the primary lens.

This often results in a less cohesive photo experience when shifting from one lens to the other.

Moreover, the focus appears to be unevenly distributed across the frame, and some fringing is visible at the edges. Another aspect where the V29e impresses is the front-facing camera, which sports a 50MP sensor.

The camera offers the flexibility of capturing pixel-binned 12.5MP photos for quick social media uploads and full-resolution shots for those seeking higher detail. Though skin tones can sometimes appear unnaturally light and oversharpened.

Video capabilities on the V29e are functional but don’t set any new benchmarks. The device supports 4K video recording at 30fps, offering decent video quality but nothing revolutionary that distinguishes it in a crowded market.

Low-light photography remains a chink in the V29e’s armour, with performance deteriorating under suboptimal lighting conditions.

While the device does have some software tricks to improve low-light shots, the output tends to be hazy and lacks the crisp detail that the primary camera otherwise delivers. Occasional halo effects around light sources were also noted.

Overall, while the camera setup is strong in many areas, it does have room for improvement in specific aspects.

Vivo V29e Camera Shots

Performance and Features

In the increasingly competitive smartphone market, the Vivo V29e’s choice of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset is notable, especially given its nearly Rs 27,000 starting price tag.

This positions the device as one of the most expensive offerings equipped with this particular chip, raising questions about its value proposition. The benchmarking numbers add further fuel to these concerns.

Although not dismal, the scores from Antutu V10 and Geekbench 6 don’t exactly break any records either.

However, it’s worth mentioning that the V29e manages to maintain a consistent performance level even under stressful conditions, suggesting that the average consumer might not notice any lag in everyday tasks. You do get up to 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of storage.

When it comes to audio experience, the V29e makes do with a single bottom-firing speaker.
While the sound output is decent for most casual use-cases, the absence of a stereo setup feels like a missed opportunity to enhance multimedia engagement, especially at this price point. Connectivity and authentication, however, are strong suits of the device.

The in-display fingerprint sensor offers quick and reliable authentication. Moreover, the phone performs well on 5G networks, as tested on Jio’s Noida network, suggesting that it is future-proof to some extent in the networking department.

In summary, while the V29e may not be geared towards power users, it does offer a stable experience for the average consumer.
Still, its chipset choice and lack of a stereo speaker setup could be deal-breakers for those who demand top-tier specifications for the price.

Software

Navigating through the Vivo V29e’s interface is largely a smooth experience, thanks to the FunTouchOS 13, which is built on top of Android 13.

A notable improvement over its earlier versions, the UI comes with an elevated level of customizability that offers users more control over their device’s look and feel.

Features such as quick search functions and user-friendly elements add to the overall usability, ensuring that even those unfamiliar with FunTouchOS will find it intuitive.

However, despite these enhancements, the device doesn’t escape the long-standing issue plaguing many Android smartphones: bloatware.

Users will find themselves navigating through multiple pre-installed browsers and app stores, adding unnecessary complexity and consuming storage space.

This could be particularly vexing for those who prefer a cleaner, more streamlined software experience.

Moreover, the OS seems a bit too eager to seek permissions and tends to generate frequent pop-up notifications, especially for first-time users.

It’s worth mentioning that Vivo has committed to providing at least an upgrade to Android 14 for the V29e.

Battery and Charging

Battery life is also where the Vivo V29e shines. With a 5,000mAh battery supporting 44W fast charging, this device could easily last for more than 1 day even under heavy usage.

Remarkably, only a 4 percent battery drop was observed during a 20-minute BGMI Mobile gaming session at maximum settings. However, the 44W fast charging is a bit slower compared to competition, taking more than an hour to fully charge the device.

Final Verdict

The Vivo V29e positions itself as a strong contender in the mid-range smartphone market with its luxurious design and competent camera setup.

The device seems to prioritize aesthetics and camera capabilities over sheer processing power. While it doesn’t boast the most powerful chipset, it offers an experience that is generally smooth and responsive for everyday tasks, from web browsing to social media engagement.

Where the device truly shines is in its camera department. The dual rear camera setup, led by a 64MP primary shooter, ensures that you capture moments with sharpness and detail.

The phone also performs admirably in various lighting conditions, although there are some shortcomings in low light.

If you’re seeking a smartphone that melds an elegant design with a strong focus on camera capabilities, and you can compromise a bit on the raw performance aspect, the Vivo V29e might just be the device that fits your requirements.

My Mobile Rating

Design– 4/5

Display – 4/5

Cameras– 3.5/5

Performance– 3.5/5

Software- 3.5/5

Battery– 3.5/5

Overall – 3.5/5

VIVO V29E SPECIFICATIONS

Key Specs

General

Performance

Display

Design

Camera

Battery

Storage

Network & Connectivity

Multimedia

Sensors

FAQs

Ques) How does the camera on the Vivo V29e perform?

Ans) The device features a dual rear camera setup with a 64MP primary lens and an 8MP wide-angle lens. While it excels in capturing details and dynamic range, it shows limitations under low-light conditions and halo effects around lights at times.

Ques) What can users expect from the display?

Ans) The 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display offers FHD+ resolution and HDR10+ support. However, it lacks HDR content support on YouTube, and sunlight visibility could be better.

Ques) How does the Vivo V29e perform?

Ans) With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chip, it provides smooth UI and browsing experiences but is limited in heavy-duty gaming. Benchmark scores such as 455,157 on Antutu V10 and 2070 on Geekbench 6 multi-core test are not top-tier.

Ques) How long-lasting is the battery?

Ans) The device packs a 5,000mAh battery that supports 44W fast charging, providing more than 1.5 days of heavy usage. Charging takes slightly over an hour.

Also Read: Vivo V29e Set to Launch in India Soon: Sleek Design, High-End Display, and Advanced Camera Features Revealed

Also Read: Vivo V29e Leaks Reveal Curved Display, Dual-Tone Design, and More