Vivo V29 Pro: Vivo has made a good name for itself, particularly when it comes to photography centric phones. The Vivo V29 Pro comes as the latest attempt to offer a mix of good looks, good camera hardware, and good performance without stepping into flagship-level price points.
But in this age of stiff floating action camera competition, does the V29 Pro rise above the competition — or does it merely float in the mix?
Let’s examine what makes the V29 Pro tick — and where it drops a few beats.
Design and Display: Aesthetic That You Can See, Hold, and Feel
If there’s one area which Vivo has never failed at, it’s got to be the design — and the V29 Pro is no different. The slim, curvy glass design make the phone easy to hold. The back is available in snappy colours like Himalayan Blue and Space Black, though, there’s a subtle shimmer under light. It’s stylish but not too much.
On the front, there’s a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen with FHD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ support. Colors are rich, blacks are inky deep and scrolling feels buttery smooth.
Whether you’re playing games, watching Netflix, or just jumping around the bizarro world of social media, everything looks crisp and immersive.
Performing at: Fast, Frisky, Focused
Under the hood, the headliner here is the V29 Pro’s MediaTek Dimensity 8200 processor, with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage.
It’s a chip that has proven itself in many-a-mid-range device, providing good power efficiency and cool running.
From multitasking to gaming titles such as BGMI or Genshin Impact, the phone performs quite well with low lag and frame drops. FunTouch OS 13, which is based on Android 13, runs slick and light, with a smattering of bloatware still finding its way in — Vivo has cleared up a touch of the clutter over the extremely long timeframe it has taken to get to the Nex 5, but there’s a bit more polishing left to be done.
Camera system: Portrait king with some kick!
Vivo’s pitch for the V29 Pro is all about portrait photography, and it doesn’t disappoint there. The phone comes with a 50MP Sony IMX766 primary sensor paired with a 12MP telephoto portrait lens and an 8MP ultra-wide camera.
Photos from the primary sensor are sharp and well balanced, especially in well-lit conditions. But the headliner is portrait mode, bolstered by the Smart Aura Light on the rear that automatically dials color temperature up or down to give your shots a studio-style finish.
Low-light performance is quite respectable, too, with OIS and the bright f/1.88 aperture, though night photos can be a bit soft around the edges at times.
Its 50MP selfie camera doesn’t lack in performance either, rendering great skin tones and sharp details.
Battery & Charging: Power to Last the Day, Quick to Recharge
In terms of battery, the V29 Pro is powered by a 4600mAh battery that can provide a day’s worth of battery life under regular usage. With heavy gaming or camera use, you’ll probably need to plug in by the evening — that’s where the 80W FlashCharge solution comes into play.
It charges the phone from 0 to 100% in about 35 minutes, fast enough to get you back in action with as little downtime as possible.
Pros:
Slim and Stylish with a Comfortable Grip
Bright AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate
Good show by Dimensity 8200 on benchmarks
Notable portrait photography components
Fast 80W charging is a life saver
Good images under low light conditions
Cons:
No stereo speakers (only one bottom-firing)
Lacks IP68 water resistance
Still has some bloatware pre-installed
Not the best for hardcore gamers.
Vivo V29 Pro Final Thoughts: Doesn’t Sound Bad for the Style-First, Camera-Loving Set
The Vivo V29 Pro does not pretend to be the sexiest all-rounder ever, and that’s totally fine. What it doesn’t provide is high silicon specs, as the EIS is suitably pared down, but what you do get is very nicely designed, effective, portrait photography and great performance for a moderate price while living in a classy looking body.
So for your average Joe, who wants to record moments stylishly, this becomes a strong contender in the sub- ₹40K range. It might not satiate serious gamers or audiophiles, but will be enough for most everyone else right in the middle.