Vivo V29 review

introduction

vivo continues to roll out V-series updates twice a year, and the latest addition to the range is the V29, a competent midranger for the global market. It doubles the previous model’s “Aura light” concept with a dedicated color-changing illuminator on the back, offers an ultra-high-resolution display, and introduces dust and water resistance for the first time on a non-flagship vivo roster .

The new Aura light implementation includes a separate dedicated set of LEDs that can automatically adjust their own temperature based on the ambient light, and you can also change it manually if you like.

Next in the list of major updates is the display, which remains the same in size, with a diagonal of 6.78 inches. This is, however, an unusually high resolution panel: the 1260x2800px resolution guarantees a density of 453ppi, so you can count on extra sharpness.

And finally, something you won’t really see, but will probably really appreciate at least that time: the V29 features an IP68 rating. It’s an increasingly common feature, even in mid-range devices, and it’s nice to see vivo making the extra effort.

The new model comes with a different chipset: the Dimension 7200 gives way to the Snapdragon 778G. As we’ll see later, it’s a bit of a sidestep in terms of performance, but the 778G remains a solid choice.

vivo was adamant about keeping a thin line for the V29 and the thickness is 7.5mm. That means keeping the battery capacity at 4,600mAh, though if the V27 is any indication, that should be enough. Charging is now rated at 80W instead of the V27’s 66W spec, but these are pretty meaningless numbers, so we’ll keep our eyes peeled for charging speed. Another change of equally minimal importance is the removal of the ‘macro’ camera: the 2 MP camera will not be missing.

The specifications of the vivo V29 in a nutshell:

• Body: 164.2×74.4×7.5mm, 186g; Glass front, glass back; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 minutes).
• Screen: 6.78″ AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1260x2800px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 453ppi.
• Chipsets: Qualcomm SM7325 Snapdragon 778G 5G (6nm): Octa-core (1×2.4GHz Cortex-A78 & 3×2.2GHz Cortex-A78 & 4×1.9GHz Cortex-A55); Adreno 642L.
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM; UFS2.2.
• Operating system/software: Android 13, Funtouch 13.
• Rear camera: Broad (main): 50 MP, f/1.9, 1/1.56″, 1.0μm, PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 8MP, f/2.2, 1/4″, 1.12μm; Depth: 2MP, f/2.4.
• Front camera: 50 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), AF.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Drums: 4600mAh; 80W wired, 1-50% in 17 minutes (advertised).
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Dual SIM; WiFi 5; BT 5.2, aptX HD, aptX adaptive; NFC.
• Various: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical).

Live V29 unboxing

The vivo V29 arrives in a full-sized gray box that highlights the Aura feature with a large glossy circle around the phone’s name. A full set of accessories is included, starting with an 80W charger and an extra cable.

Even the retail bundle of the V29 doesn’t leave out protection. A factory-applied screen protector is bonded to a clear case to minimize concerns about the physical well-being of the laptop right out of the box.