vivo V40 5G Full Review: A Game-Changer in Photography and Performance
The vivo V series has consistently been one of the top choices in the mid-range smartphone market. Known for its standout photography, the phones have only improved over time. Now, vivo Philippines has launched the V40 series, and today we’re focusing on the V40 5G. Let us find out if it is worth making the switch, especially if you already got the V30 Pro earlier this year? Keep reading to find out.
Table of Contents
vivo V40 Specifications
| OS: | Android 14, Funtouch 14 |
|---|---|
| Processor: | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 |
| Display: | 6.78″ 120Hz HDR10+ AMOLED |
| Wireless Connections: | 5G, Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, BDS |
| Memory: | 12GB, 256GB |
| Connectors: | USB Type-C 2.0 , OTG |
| Cameras: | Rear Camera: (Main) 50 MP, f/1.8 (Ultrawide) 50MP, f/2.0 Front Camera: 50 MP, f/2.0 |
| SIM Card Slots: | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) Shared microSD card slot |
| Battery: | 5500mAh 80W wired |
| Price: | 8GB+256GB: Php 25,999 12GB+256GB: Php 26,999 12GB+512GB: Php 29,999 |
What’s Inside the Box?
The vivo V40 arrives in a sleek black box designed to catch your eye. The front proudly displays the brand, model name, and the fact that it’s co-engineered with ZEISS. Inside, you’ll find the vivo V40 5G. The package includes everything you need: clear documentation, a SIM ejector pin for quick setup, and an 80W fast charger for speedy charging. A USB Type-A to Type-C cable ensures reliable connectivity, while the purple silicone case adds both style and protection.
Its Appearance
The vivo V40 Pro 5G dazzles with a sleek, galaxy-like shimmer that gives it a truly premium feel. Its slim, elegant design not only looks great but also feels comfortable in hand. The biggest design update is in the camera island—it now has a rounded shape, with the dual-rear camera at the top and vivo’s signature Aura Light below, along with the Zeiss logo, adding a touch of sophistication. The triple-camera setup, surrounded by a ring light, gives it a fresh, modern vibe.
Thanks to its curved body, the phone feels natural and easy to hold, even with one hand. The volume rocker and power button are conveniently placed on the right side, right where your fingers naturally rest, making it easy to use.
At the bottom, you’ll find the USB-C port, dual-SIM card slot, and a loudspeaker. The left side and top remain clean like before, but now the earpiece doubles as a loudspeaker, giving the Vivo V40 dual speakers at last.
The color of the V40 5G is stunning as well. Our unit comes in the Nebula Purple colorway, which beautifully complements vivo’s new Gemini Ring Design, adding an extra touch of style to the overall look.
The Vivo V40 5G comes with an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, which we tested out during the current typhoon season.
Its Display and Features
The vivo V40 sports a stunning 6.78-inch curved AMOLED 1.5K Ultra Clear Sunlight Display with a resolution of 2800 x 1260 and HDR10+ support. The display showcases vibrant colors and deep blacks, especially noticeable in darker scenes. The slim, nearly borderless design adds to the immersive viewing experience. Additionally, it’s SGS-certified for reduced blue light, low flicker, and other eye-comfort features, and is protected by durable Schott Alpha glass.
With a 4,500-nit local peak brightness, the display excels in outdoor visibility, even under direct sunlight, making it easy to capture and view content wherever you are. The 120Hz refresh rate makes everything smoother, whether you’re navigating menus, browsing, or watching shows and most especially we enjoyed it while playing games.
A standout upgrade in the vivo V40 5G is the new dual stereo speakers—something fans have anticipated since the V27. With its Immersive Sound Revolution and Closed-Box Dual Stereo Speakers, the vivo V40 in its series now delivers rich, surrounding sound that elevates your gaming and audiovisual experience.
Its Performance
The vivo V40 5G is powered by a Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor and comes with 12GB of RAM, plus another 12GB of extended RAM for a total of 24GB. That’s pretty impressive! You can get up to 512GB of internal storage, which should be more than enough for all your apps, photos, and videos. Just keep in mind that there’s no MicroSD card slot for adding extra storage, so you’ll want to choose your storage option wisely.
The vivo V40 handled everything I threw at it with ease. Whether it was day-to-day tasks or playing graphic-intensive games, it performed exceptionally well across the board.
I didn’t experience any drops in frame rates or lag spikes, even during long sessions while playing Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile and Honor of Kings. You can comfortably game on this phone for hours. In addition, there is a game boost mode that optimizes performance at the cost of battery life. It’s pretty impressive, especially considering this phone is primarily designed for photography. The best part? The phone stayed cool, even after an hour of gaming!
Here are the benchmark results of the vivo V40 5G:
Its Cameras
The V40 5G features a dual rear camera system. Also, it’s a good thing that Zeiss cameras are now available on the standard V40 5G, raising the bar for photo quality in this series.
The vivo V40 is packed with a powerful 50MP Zeiss main camera that boasts a remarkable 2.8x light intake. This feature significantly reduces blur and captures stunning details, making it a game-changer for low-light photography. Complementing this is a 50MP Zeiss ultra-wide camera, perfect for capturing expansive landscapes and dynamic group shots.
But that’s not all—when it comes to selfies, the V40 doesn’t hold back. It features a 50 MP front camera with a wide 92-degree field of view, enhanced by AI Multi-Person Face Recognition and an Ultra-Clear Algorithm. This means you can easily snap impressive portraits, vibrant landscapes, and great group photos, ensuring every shot is not just good but truly exceptional. The Vivo V40 really covers all the bases for photography enthusiasts.
The vivo V40 also comes with Aura Light to brighten up those dimly lit shots. Just a heads-up, though—it might still struggle in nearly pitch-black environments when Aura Light is your only source of illumination.
To truly showcase the capabilities of the V40 5G’s camera, Here are the actual photos that we have taken with the vivo V40 and see just how impressive it can be.
vivo V40 5G Main Camera Sample
When it comes to selfies, the V40 truly shines, providing excellent color accuracy for skin tones and a commendable level of detail. The photos are absolutely stunning, with a noticeable improvement in quality compared to its predecessor. You can look forward to sharper images, more vibrant colors, and beautiful bokeh, especially in portrait mode.
vivo V40 5G Front Camera Sample
The V40 5G’s cameras aren’t just for photos—they’re also great for capturing impressive videos. You can record in 4K at 30FPS, which is more than sufficient for content creation.
When recording at 4K resolution, the built-in stabilization does a great job of smoothing out your footage. There’s also an Ultra Steady mode, but that’s limited to 1080P, and you can really see the drop in quality when compared to 4K. Personally, I think the standard stabilization is pretty impressive, so I’d recommend sticking with 4K for the best results!
The Battery
Along with increasing the battery capacity to 5,500 mAh, vivo has implemented their BlueVolt Battery technology. This innovation helps keep the phone slim while boosting its efficiency, allowing for a larger battery without sacrificing form factor. Plus, it still includes 80W FlashCharging for quick recharges.
From our experience, I hardly ever had to charge the phone—it lasted me two full days before I needed to plug it in again, which really shows how battery life can depend on how you use it. When it’s time to recharge, the 80W FlashCharge feature makes sure you can quickly get back to using your phone. In our tests, it charged from 0% to 100% in under an hour.
Final Thoughts about the vivo V40 5G
In summary, the vivo V40 5G is an impressive smartphone that seamlessly combines high-performance capabilities with outstanding photography features. With its stunning 6.78-inch AMOLED display, powerful Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor, and robust camera system co-engineered with ZEISS, it caters to both content creators and gamers alike. The enhanced battery life and efficient charging ensure you stay powered throughout your day, while the sleek design and added IP68 rating make it a stylish yet durable choice. Overall, the Vivo V40 5G is a compelling upgrade for anyone seeking a versatile device that excels in all areas, making it a worthy contender in the mid-range smartphone market.
The vivo V40 5G is priced at Php 25,999 for 8GB+256GB, Php 26,999 for 12GB+256GB, and Php 29,999 for 12GB+512GB models.
