vivo V29e 5G Review: Is this mid-range phone rightly priced?

November 05, 2023, 10:20 AM
by Shahriar Rabab

UNB News
Publish- November 05, 2023, 10:20 AM
Shahriar Rabab
Update- November 05, 2023, 10:42 AM

vivo V29e 5G

vivo smartphones have always been about strong camera performance. Since its initial days, vivo has expanded the V series to include mid-range as well as flagship-grade smartphones that offer exclusive camera perks. Recently, the brand launched the V29e 5G in Bangladesh on 29th October 2023 on a pre-order basis. The V29e brings 5G capability to the latest entry-level mid-range V series smartphone. Let’s find out what changed from last year’s V27e and what exciting new features the V29e has to offer.

Key Specifications of vivo V29e 5G

Design and Build Quality

There was a time when every new release from vivo would mean a complete design overhaul. However, the brand has been subtly moving towards uniformity considering the last two iterations of the V series have seen only incremental updates. The V29e has also seen slight design changes compared to the V27e.

The device comes in at 162.35 mm by 74.85 mm by 7.69 mm with 190 g weight. The weight is kept low thanks to the plastic front and the glass back. The V29e comes in three color variants, Forest Black, Rose Gold, and Ice Creek Blue. However, only the Forest Black and Rose Gold variants are available in Bangladesh.

The choice of ports and buttons are the same with the power button, volume rocker, speaker, and Type C charger in their usual place. However, unlike the V27e, the shared sim slot cannot be used as a micro SDXC slot anymore. The device is also IP54 dust and splash-resistant.

The Display

The display on the vivo V29e is a 6.67-inch almost-symmetrical AMOLED panel. The large display has a new exciting addition this time. The 120 Hz refresh rate is coupled with 1150 nits of peak brightness making it perfectly legible under direct sunlight. The 2400 × 1080 pixel render asserts a 394 ppi density. The E4 light emitter ensures deep blacks and sharp contrast even when the display is dimmed. Users will be getting a 100% DCI-P3 color gamut and a 107% NTSC color saturation.

Out of the box, the display shows a cooler tone. But it can easily be calibrated from the settings. The 88.3% screen-to-body ratio makes for an impressive screen real estate which doesn’t fare pretty well for its price point.

vivo V29e 5G

The Camera

vivo moved to a dual camera setup on the V29e from last year’s triple camera setup on the V27e. It doesn’t have much of an implication given that two of the sensors were 2 MP depth and macro sensors.

The main camera on the V29e is a 64 MP f/1.79 aperture with PDAF and OIS. The secondary camera is an 8 MP wide-angle shooter with f/2.2 aperture. There’s also a 50 MP f/2.0 aperture front camera on the V29e. Understandably, vivo went all out on the camera department with the V29e. Another new addition to the V29e is the improved ring-LED flashlight called the Aura Light. It has a dual color temperature which can be adjusted based on the shot.

Speaking of shots, the picture taken under direct sunlight came out pretty well. The subject was well in focus with decent background blur in portrait shots. Wide-angle shots were able to capture a good amount of dynamic range. However, one thing that stood out is that the camera tends to overprocess certain pictures at times.

Pictures of flowers had a pop of green, red, and orange colors which at times looked unnatural. The same color pop is noticed on night mode images as well. Although the exposure balance and focus provide great quality to the low-light pictures.

The videography on the V29e is rated at 1080p at 30 fps. The OIS aids in video stability and greatly improves its quality. Not to mention, the lack of 4K video footage recording may dishearten many users.

Photos and videos taken with the front camera also brought great details and clarity thanks to the high MP count.

Processor and Performance

The processor on the V29e is Qualcomm SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G based on the 6 Nm architecture. With the 7 Gen series bringing premium mid-range experience, the 695 is now the true mid-range processor of the lot. The V29e also sees a shift to Qualcomm as the V27e features a MediaTek processor.

The processor has an octa-core 2x2.2 GHz Kryo 660 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 660 Silver chip layout with Adreno 619 GPU onboard. The processor is complemented by 8 GB RAM, UFS 2.2 internal storage, and Type-C 2.0 connectivity.

Leading titles like PUBG, Asphalt 9, and Genshin Impact were tested on the V29e and produced mixed results. 3D games were able to churn out constant frame rates at a step below the max options. But at the same time, the device got heated pretty soon. Thermal throttling also kicked in at about an hour into gaming.

For day-to-day usage, the V29e 5G is an excellent choice. Funtouch 13 based on Android 13 has its good share of bloatware. Overlooking that, the user experience was smooth with immersive transitions and fast app opening and closing speeds. Overall, the performance of the V29e 5G isn’t really geared towards gaming. Rather it's best suited as a daily driver smartphone.

Battery and Charge Time

The battery on the V29e 5G is 4800 mAh. The charging speed on the device is 44W wired. It has no facility for wireless charging and reverse charging. In the test, the battery was able to last 6 to 8 hours of continued usage at full charge.

vivo V29e 5G

Pros and Cons of vivo V29e 5G

Pros:

- Brings 5G support
- Excellent FHD+ AMOLED display
- 120 Hz refresh rate
- Above-par camera with 50 MP front shooter
- 44W wired fast charging
- Decent processing power.

Cons:

- Bloatware filled OS
- Lack of Gorilla glass protection
- Lack of 4K video capacity
- No wireless charging
- No reverse charging.

Price of vivo V29e 5G Price in Bangladesh

The vivo V29e 5G is available only as an 8/256 GB variant. The official price in Bangladesh is 37,998 BDT.

Verdict

The vivo V29e 5G is a worthy increment over the V27e with its useful additions in the form of an updated camera setup, display, and processor. All of these components come together to present a device that feels almost perfect.

On the downside, its OS can be a bit overwhelming for Android purists. For anyone who has previously used a vivo phone, may feel right at home. But users of stock Android or other skins may require some time to get used to.

Lack of 4K video recording feature, wireless charging and reverse charging capacity are also disappointing. In this price range, other competitors like Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro offer better deals.

So, who is the V29e for? Well, it's for regular users who need a solid daily driver that can take some amazing photographs. vivo V29e 5G isn’t meant for gaming but this device is able to handle casual gaming now and then.