Smartphones & Tablets | December 30, 2023
It’s no secret that mobile phone cameras have become a battleground where manufacturers seek to differentiate themselves. Some, like Google or vivo with their ISP processor, prioritize processing, while others like Samsung or Xiaomi prefer to focus on versatility.
We’ve reviewed the vivo V29, a phone that sets itself apart by offering a professional lighting system in its rear camera. Known as Aura Light, it’s one of the most striking features of this device and provides excellent performance in nighttime portraits.
This phone arrives two months after its Lite version and stands out not only for its unique camera feature but also for its design. It’s a well-balanced device and is already available for sale at a price of 549 euros.
The unit we reviewed is the black version, which suits it quite well and is uniform, without any gradients or details of another color. Both models feature a carefully crafted back, made with nanoscale photogravure. It offers a great feel and ensures that color takes center stage.
In its camera module, we find the main sensor and ultrawide in a larger size, positioned just above the lighting system. In the second column of this module, there’s the macro camera and the conventional LED flash. It has a smooth feel in the hand, but despite that, it’s not likely to slip, considering that its camera module is large enough to act as a stopper.
Furthermore, its 74.8mm width makes it easy to grip firmly with one hand. The display is curved, something that’s liked and disliked by many users in equal parts. In any case, it’s a design detail that neither improves nor worsens the user experience. Its brightness, on the other hand, is noteworthy as it can be viewed comfortably under sunlight, even in summer, thanks to its 1300 nits.
It’s an AMOLED technology display with a resolution of 2800 x 1260 pixels and a refresh rate of 120 Hz. It offers a very good experience and includes some options to personalize color representation. When it comes to viewing multimedia content, the experience has been excellent, and the same goes for its speakers; they are loud and clear.
Under the hood, it houses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G processor, providing 5G connectivity. It’s powerful and capable of running all sorts of games, in addition to delivering great performance in day-to-day tasks. Its 8 GB of RAM ensure smooth multitasking and the ability to keep apps open as long as necessary.
Vivo uses Google’s native apps like Photos, Calendar, or Phone, which is great to avoid the presence of duplicate applications. While it’s true that the brand has introduced some of its own apps to provide user support. Some external platforms like Spotify, TikTok, Snapchat, or Netflix come pre-installed but can be easily removed.
The user interface has been refined over the years, making it appear lighter and aligned with Google’s design principles. Nevertheless, it retains some unique features of the brand’s smartphones, such as the ability to choose the style of all animations. There are few complaints to be made about the software, and one of them is the design of the notification shade, which displays a single row of quick settings with six icons and departs from the minimalism of Material You, though this is a personal matter.
Regarding its battery, the device can easily last the whole day. It has a capacity of 4,600 mAh, and there’s no issue with using the smartphone intensively; however, it also supports fast charging if needed. Its power is 80 W, and it can charge half of the battery in just under 20 minutes, which is very convenient for emergencies. Additionally, the charger is included in the box. In conclusion, it manages to last the day almost always, and with moderate use, it can stretch until the next day.
The experience with this aspect is very positive, especially on occasions when there’s low light and the foreground needs highlighting. Aura Light achieves this in a more subtle and uniform manner than the conventional LED flash, which is also integrated into this Vivo V29. Color temperature can be manually selected or used automatically.
The image quality is quite good, especially in the 1x mode. When there’s sufficient light, the level of detail is quite acceptable. Zooming in causes a loss of detail as it’s digital due to the absence of a telephoto sensor. Nevertheless, it can be used occasionally. It’s also worth mentioning that it sometimes overuses the watercolor effect on the edges of some images.
In portrait mode, Aura Light takes on special importance, especially in situations where you want to play with lighting. It’s possible to give a completely different look to close-up shots. And not just due to improved lighting, but also because it allows modification of the color temperature to achieve the perfect white balance.
At night, without using the lighting, the images don’t stand out for their level of detail, although the main camera doesn’t produce bad results. Its ultrawide camera also has a resolution of 50 megapixels and can capture good detail in most shots. The camera app includes different modes, including one for capturing stars, another for food, and even one specifically for the Moon.
There’s no doubt that this vivo V29 is a step above the Lite model. In terms of design, the company has done a great job to make the device offer an experience close to the high-end, both in aesthetics and sensations. And it doesn’t fall behind in terms of battery either, as it’s one of the most reliable aspects of the device, especially with its 80 W fast charging.
Its main distinctive feature is Aura Light, its lighting system. Thanks to this, it can significantly enhance photos taken up close in low light conditions. It’s not an addition that can be used for capturing landscapes, but it’s indeed useful in many circumstances. For enthusiasts of this type of photography, this distinctive touch that improves the results of a conventional flash can be very worthwhile.
When it comes to gaming or simply browsing social media and sending messages, its performance is quite good, not just due to the quality of the processor but also because of the company’s software optimization. This is now cleaner and more aligned with Material You. It’s 5G-enabled, so it won’t fall behind with the transition to this technology.
The curved nature of its screen may be more or less appealing, but in terms of image quality, it’s a good panel. It takes advantage of all the benefits of AMOLED technology, like the always-on display function, while also featuring a good maximum brightness level for using the phone easily in bright conditions.
It’s an ideal phone for those who value the camera, especially for portraits, whether in low light or daylight. Its battery ensures the device can withstand a photo session away from home, and the rest of its features are well-balanced. Its price is 549 euros, so it’s worth considering how much you’ll use this feature.
