Smartphones & Tablets | September 19, 2023
The vivo V29 Lite has just arrived, a smartphone that, although the company has put a lot of care into it and aims to make a strong impact in its segment, is still not well-known to the general public. But that might change soon, as it certainly has strong arguments in its favor. Its main strengths are its large battery, a design reminiscent of more expensive devices, and a camera with optical stabilization that helps images and videos look better despite movement.
we’ve had the chance to test this phone in its darker version, and the truth is that there are reasons to believe that the features it offers, combined with its price of 399 euros, make it one of the most attractive smartphones on the Spanish market.
Furthermore, it’s one of the phones that vivo will update to Android 14, so it provides certain guarantees in terms of software and features. Additionally, its photographic performance makes it a trustworthy choice for capturing moments during vacations or in daily life.
The vivo V29 Lite is a device with a considerable size. Its curved screen measures 6.7 inches, though due to its efficient use of the front, it’s slightly less bulky than other models with the same diagonal size. This panel has a Full HD+ resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate, providing noticeable smoothness when gaming or performing tasks.
Its maximum brightness is 1300 nits, and when we took the phone outside on a sunny day, there were no issues with visibility on the display. When watching multimedia content or gaming, it performs exceptionally well. Users can also adjust the screen colors, temperature, and intensity according to their preferences.
In terms of design, this phone stands out due to its curves. The curvature of the screen gives it a premium appearance and minimizes the visibility of side bezels, which are barely noticeable. This is a matter of personal preference, but the curvature on the back enhances its ergonomics, making it more comfortable and easier to hold with one hand.
At the back, there’s only the vivo logo and the camera module. Within this module, you’ll find its three photographic sensors and the LED flash. The company has grouped the macro sensor and the depth sensor within the same circular design, resulting in a more symmetrical look compared to having each sensor separate.
The processor, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695, offers a good day-to-day experience, both in terms of using applications and gaming. It’s not a high-end chip, so there are occasions when it might slow down during heavier tasks. However, this only happens occasionally, as the device performs quite well the rest of the time.
We haven’t encountered any issues while gaming with the majority of titles. In more graphically demanding games, you might need to slightly reduce image quality for better performance. Nonetheless, you can generally play without any problems or frame drops.
This processor also provides 5G connectivity to the device, which is great news for the future, as it will handle the transition to this new form of mobile connection, which is gaining more coverage.
With 8 GB of RAM, there’s no issue with multitasking and opening multiple apps simultaneously. Additionally, it features virtual RAM, allowing up to 8 GB to be added from the internal storage, enhancing performance in this aspect.
The Chinese company didn’t cut corners when it came to choosing the battery, and it’s powerful enough to provide energy throughout the day, even with its high refresh rate. It has a capacity of 5,000 mAh and can hold up even with intensive use.
By reducing the refresh rate to 60 Hz and utilizing the different battery-saving modes it offers, it’s possible to extend its life to two days, although this depends on individual usage patterns. In our case, by the end of the day, the battery usually remained at around 30% to 40% with intensive use.
The battery, in itself, performs well, but considering it’s also compatible with 44 W fast charging, which can charge the phone in a little over 60 minutes, it becomes even more appealing. Moreover, this charger is included in the box, so there’s no need for an extra expense.
In terms of software, it comes with Android 13, the latest version of the operating system, running under FunTouch OS, the manufacturer’s custom UI. It’s not a minimalist UI by any means, but it comes with the advantage of integrating a range of options, such as expandable folders and the ability to clone apps. This vivo V29 Lite will be updated to Android 14 after the new version is announced, as promised by the company.
The camera performance of this phone is quite competent. It’s not a device that stands out for its versatility in this regard, but it can boast that what it does, it does quite well. It features a 64 MP primary sensor and two additional 2 MP sensors for macro and depth. The front camera has a resolution of 16 MP.
One of the key features of this camera is its optical image stabilization (OIS), which makes capturing images smoother and reduces the impact of movements when capturing an image or video.
When taking photos, there’s a lower chance of blurry shots, and in videos, natural movements made while holding the phone are much less noticeable. The stabilization isn’t apparent in the preview on the screen, but it significantly influences the final video outcome.
In well-lit conditions, the smartphone delivers good detail and quickly captures photos, making it ideal for situations where you want to snap a quick shot. In low-light conditions, the results aren’t as impressive, but it can make good use of available light sources. To improve the results, it’s recommended to keep the device as stable as possible.
Thanks to the resolution of its primary sensor, it’s possible to zoom in on images without losing too much detail. There’s an option for a 2x zoom, though not through an optical sensor but by cropping the 64 MP image.
For portrait shots, the focus sensor makes it easier for the phone to distinguish the foreground from the background, although it tends to overuse the watercolor effect. The macro sensor can be useful for close-up shots, though there are instances where its low resolution affects the outcome. Overall, it’s a phone that makes it easy and quick to capture images and videos, which greatly enhances the user experience.
The vivo V29 Lite is a device that clearly knows its strengths, which include design, camera, and battery, and the company has put effort into highlighting these features. The battery can easily provide a day’s worth of autonomy, and this figure can even extend to two days if the battery-saving mode is occasionally activated and some features like the 120 Hz screen are turned off.
Its primary camera is quick, allowing easy control over aspects like color intensity, and it also offers a high level of detail, making it ideal for photography enthusiasts. At least in this price range, where it’s challenging to find phones equipped with optical image stabilization like this. While it might not have a camera as versatile as that of a flagship phone, for the 399 euros it costs and considering its strong performance in other areas, it’s a strong contender for being crowned the king of the mid-range segment.
