Last time, we published our unboxing and first impressions of the vivo V29 5G where we only scratched the surface of this brand-new phone. Now, we can finally delve deeper into the device and determine if it’s worth considering as your next smartphone.
Table of Contents
vivo V29 5G Specifications
| OS: | Funtouch 13, Android 13 |
|---|---|
| Processor: | Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G |
| Display: | 6.78-inches 120Hz HDR10+ AMOLED |
| Wireless Connections: | 5G, Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Memory: | 12GB+128GB 12GB+256GB |
| Connectors: | USB Type-C, OTG |
| Cameras: | Rear Camera: Main – 50MP, f/1.9 Ultrawide – 8MP, f/2.2 Depth – 2MP, f/2.4 Front Camera: 50MP, f/2.0 |
| SIM Card Slots: | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM) and eSIM |
| Battery: | 4,600mAh 80W Wired Charging |
| Price: | 12GB+128GB: Php 24,999 12GB+256GB: Php 26,999 |
The Design
The vivo V29 5G has undergone subtle changes to its design and now offers two color options. The Starry Purple variant draws inspiration from the Milky Way, featuring a glossy finish surface. The unit we have is the Magic Maroon, boasting an elegant grainy maroon design with a photochromic feature, causing it to darken with a glittery effect when exposed to UV light.
Moving to the rear camera, it retains its rounded rectangle shape but has been elongated to accommodate changes in the Aura Light. The Aura Light 2.0 has shifted to the bottom of the camera array, and it’s notably larger, with a claimed 9 times larger light-emitting area. Additionally, they’ve eliminated the third camera hole and integrated the new depth lens to the right side, just below the newly added LED flash.
Handling the device remains consistent, as the size and weight stay virtually the same. It weighs 186 grams, a negligible difference from the previous generation’s 180 grams. The curved body design is retained to complement the curved display. The durability has got better as it is now IP54 dust and water-resistant which is missing from the vivo V27 5G.
When it comes to buttons and ports, you’ll locate the volume rocker and power button on the right side. Below the device, you’ll find the speaker grill, USB-C port, a microphone hole, and a SIM card slot capable of holding two nano SIM cards. It’s worth noting that the device now supports eSIM as well.
The fingerprint sensor on the Vivo V29 5G is conveniently located under the display, providing a seamless and secure unlocking experience. It remains impressively fast and reliable, allowing you to access your device swiftly while ensuring your data stays protected.
The Display and Speaker
The vivo V29 display still remains a 6.78-inch 120Hz HDR10+ AMOLED. The only upgrade it received is the resolution which is bumped to a higher 2800×1260 pixels from the previous generation which has 2400×1080 pixels.
The additional resolution it received made it slightly sharper looking which is still a welcome upgrade. Watching and browsing social media still continues to be an excellent experience in terms of the colors and the large display it has.
Sadly, it still utilizes a single down-firing speaker, which has become less common as the mid-range market increasingly adopts the use of dual-firing speakers. Despite of this, the vivo V29 5G maintains its reputation for delivering excellent sound quality, producing robust and loud audio for your music and content consumption.
The Performance
The vivo V29 5G is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G processor, which we find to be a peculiar choice, considering that the Dimensity 7200, found in the vivo V27 5G, is a newer chipset launched this year. The Dimensity 7200 utilizes a 4nm manufacturing process, whereas the V29 5G employs a 6nm process. We will see later how the performance of the Snapdragon 778 5G stacks up in the market.
As for RAM and storage, it boasts 12GB of RAM and offers internal storage options of 256GB or 512GB. It’s worth noting that the inclusion of a 512GB storage option is commendable, catering to users who find 256GB insufficient, particularly if they frequently install numerous apps and capture an abundance of photos and videos.
Here are the benchmark results we took with the vivo V29 5G.
The vivo V29 5G runs on Funtouch 13 which is based on Android 13. The experience of using it has a unique take from a stock Android. The device comes with numerous pre-installed bloatware, yet it offers seamless performance with no notable issues or challenges. Uninstalling the excess software is a straightforward process.
When evaluating the processor’s performance, it excels in CPU-intensive tasks such as multitasking. While the processor shines in CPU-intensive tasks, its performance in handling graphics falls short in our tests. Everyday activities such as playing games like Mobile Legends and Farlight84 run smoothly. However, when tackling more demanding games like Genshin Impact at medium graphics settings with a 60fps refresh rate, occasional lag can be observed.
As for the thermal performance of the Vivo V29 5G, its CPU throttled down to 75% of its maximum performance during the CPU throttling test. During our gaming session, it felt slightly warm to the touch when playing less graphics-intensive games, but it heated up when running more graphics-intensive games.
The Camera
The vivo V29 5G retains its camera setup, with the exception of the rear macro camera, which has been replaced by a depth camera. The rear camera configuration consists of a 50-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide camera, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. On the front, there’s a 50-megapixel selfie camera.
However, despite maintaining the same megapixel count for the rear main camera, there’s been a change in the sensor. It now utilizes a Samsung GN5 sensor, while the vivo V27 5G featured the Sony IMX 766. As for the rear ultrawide and selfie cameras, they continue to use the same sensors: the OmniVision OV08D1 for the ultrawide and the Tetrapixel JN1 Samsung sensor for the selfie camera.
Taking pictures with the 50 megapixels main camera is pixel binned to a 12.48 megapixels image. To be able to use the full 50-megapixel sensor, you should select the high-resolution mode.
Reviewing the images taken with the vivo V29 5G’s rear camera, they appear impressive. Daylight pictures exhibit vibrant colors and decent details. However, in some instances, the skies may appear muted, and the foliage may lack a vivid green hue.
For nighttime photography, it’s advisable to use the night mode, as it enhances image quality. This mode may introduce a slight bluish hue, particularly noticeable in the skies when compared to the neutral colors in standard photo mode. Also, there may be minor flaring around bright light sources in the pictures.
When using portrait mode, it automatically sets to 2x zoom, but you can still switch back to 1x zoom. The subject detection is decent, but there are times when it fails to detect the subject, especially in scenarios with a crowded background. However, the blurs it produces when it perfectly detects the subject are great.
vivo is really invested in its Aura Light system, which received an upgrade for the vivo V29 5G. It’s now larger and offers improved lighting, thanks to its smart color temperature adjustment. After testing it, we can confidently say that it delivers well-balanced lighting for the subjects we photographed. It significantly enhanced the subject lighting in terms of contrast when using flash. Just take note that it tends to heat up easily and may turn off when it reaches a certain temperature.
Images captured with the ultrawide camera tend to have reduced detail and slightly less vibrancy compared to those taken with the rear main camera. Nonetheless, they remain suitable for social media posts.
Group selfies are now easier to capture, thanks to the wider field of view of the front camera. Upon reviewing images taken with the front camera, they exhibit crisp details, natural-looking skin tones, and improved contrast.
When taking video recording with the vivo V29 5G, it is able to record up to 4k@30fps and you need to step it down to 1080p if you want 60fps for its rear camera. However, the ultrawide camera is capped at 1080p@30fps even the front camera.
The Battery
The vivo V29 5G is powered by a 4600 mAh battery and can endure a long, busy day. In our 12-hour experience of using it for standard tasks such as browsing the internet, scrolling through social media, replying to messages, taking pictures, playing games, and listening to music, it successfully lasted the day with 22% battery remaining.
When the battery is depleted, it can be easily charged, thanks to its much faster 80W charging speed compared to the previous model’s 66W. In our test, it fully charges from 0% to 100% in under an hour.
vivo V29 5G Verdict
The vivo V29 5G has received a significant upgrade from the previous generation. The display now boasts a slightly higher resolution, an improved Aura Light system, and increased durability, having achieved an IP54 rating. Despite its strengths, the vivo V29 5G falls short in certain areas, including the continued use of a down-firing speaker and reliance on an older processor.
Nevertheless, it remains a compelling option, especially for those seeking a smartphone with excellent camera capabilities. Additionally, there are two storage options available.
The vivo V29 5G with 12GB+256GB storage is priced at Php 24,999, while the 12GB+512GB storage option is available for Php 26,999. You can purchase the vivo V29 5G at all vivo Concept Stores, authorized dealers, and kiosks nationwide, as well as on Shopee, Lazada, TikTok, and the official vivo website.
