The vivo V29 5G is the latest smartphone from the Chinese brand, following the success of the vivo V27 5G. The mid-range phone aims to offer a premium midrange experience with a sleek design, a stunning display, and a versatile camera system.
The device launched in the Philippines on Friday, September 22, and is expected to release in the country soon. But how does it stack up against the competition in this segment? Let’s find out in this review.
Design & Display
The vivo V29 5G sports a similar design to its predecessor, the vivo V27 5G, with a glass front and back with an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.
The device has the upper hand with a curved-edge 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 1.5K resolution of 2800×1260 pixels, a 20:9 aspect ratio, and a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera.
The display is sharp and bright, with a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and a peak brightness of 1300 nits. It also has an under-display fingerprint scanner, which we found to be fast and responsive.
The vivo V29 5G comes in two color options: Starry Purple and Magic Maroon. The former has a serene and elegant look with a 3D magnetic particle effect, while the latter has a dark red hue that changes with the light thanks to the fluorite AG process and nano-scale photo-etching.
The device has a thickness of just 7.46 mm and a weight of 186 grams, making it one of the slimmest and lightest phones in its class.
The vivo V29 5G has a triple camera setup on the back, along with a circular multi-tone LED flash that can also act as a mini ring light for selfies. The camera module has a rectangular shape, which we think gives the device a distinctive look.
The phone has a USB Type-C port and a mono speaker grille, which shouldn’t be the case today. The power button and volume rocker are on the right side, while the left side is bare.
Cameras
The vivo V29 5G has a triple camera setup, consisting of a 50MP main camera with an f/1.9 aperture, autofocus, and optical image stabilization (OIS); an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera with an f/2.2 aperture and a 120-degree field of view; and a 2MP macro camera with an f/2.4 aperture.
The primary camera can capture detailed and sharp photos in daylight, with accurate colors and dynamic range. The camera also performs well in low-light conditions, thanks to the OIS and the dedicated night mode.
It can also record up to 4K videos at 30fps, with OIS and electronic image stabilization (EIS) for smooth footage.
Like its predecessor, the phone excels in portraits, thanks to the Aura Light multi-tone mini-ring light system. Portrait photos look pleasant, thanks to the Aura Light ring flash (which you can now use in other camera modes). It creates a warm skin tone and helps with the separation from the background while improving edge detection which puts focus on the subject.
The vivo V29 5G has a 50MP selfie camera. The aperture is slightly larger at f/2.0 aperture, compared to its predecessor’s f/2.5. It also retains its AF function.
The selfie camera can capture pleasant selfies with good details and skin tones. It also supports portrait mode, beauty mode, and various filters for enhancing your selfies. Used sparingly, it gives selfies a natural boost.
Performance
The vivo V29 5G is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G 5G chipset, a mid-range processor based on a 6nm process from 2021. The chipset has an octa-core CPU with four Cortex-A78 cores clocked at up to 2.4GHz and four Cortex-A55 cores clocked at up to 1.9GHz. It also has an Adreno 642L GPU for graphics performance.
The vivo V29 5G comes with either 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage or 12GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. There is no storage expansion via a microSD card slot.
The vivo V29 5G runs on Android 13 with Funtouch OS 13 on top. As with other vivo models, the user interface is clean and smooth, with various customization options and features. The device also supports 5G connectivity, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and GPS.
The vivo V29 5G delivers a smooth and fast performance for most tasks, such as browsing, social media, streaming, and multitasking. It also handles gaming well, in reasonable graphics settings and frame rates for titles like PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty Mobile, and Asphalt 9. The device does not heat up much during gaming.
Here are the benchmark scores. Although its aging processor got lower scores compared to newer chipsets like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 and MediaTek’s Dimensity 7200, the differences are not that far apart.
Battery Life
Like its predecessor, the vivo V29 5G has a 4600mAh battery that can provide a decent battery life for a day of moderate usage. However, the 4nm processor of the vivo V27 5G gives it an edge in endurance, should you want to push its usage to its limits.
The device also supports up to 80W of fast charging technology. vivo says it can charge the battery from 0% to 50% in just 18 minutes, which we confirmed during testing. Charging from 0% to 100% took around 55 minutes. The device does not support wireless charging or reverse wireless charging.
Final Remarks
If you are looking for a mid-range smartphone that can deliver a stunning visual experience and a versatile photography performance, the vivo V29 5G might be the one for you. The vivo V29 5G is a sleek and stylish device with a 1.2K display that offers a sharp and vivid picture quality.
The camera system is also impressive, with a 50MP main camera combined with the Aura Light ring light system. Moreover, the 50MP front camera is also capable of capturing stunning selfies.
However, the vivo V29 5G is not without its drawbacks. The difference between the V29 5G and the V27 5G is not that significant, considering the latter has a newer chipset and better battery life, but with a slightly lower screen resolution and a slower charging speed.
The vivo V29 5G is priced at ₱24,999 for the 256GB variant and ₱26,999 for the 512GB variant in the Philippines. You can find the phone in vivo online and offline stores, e-commerce platforms Shopee and Lazada, the TikTok Shop, and on the SM Malls Online app.
vivo V29 5G specs
| Display | 6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED display, 2800×1260, 120Hz refresh rate |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G |
| RAM/Storage | 12GB+256GB 12GB+512GB +8GB extended RAM |
| Rear Cameras | 50MP main, OIS 8MP ultra-wide 2MP macro Aura Light Flash |
| Front Camera | 50MP |
| Network | 5G, 4G LTE, eSIM support |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS |
| Others | In-display fingerprint sensor, USB-C, IP68, VC Bionic Cooling System |
| OS | Funtouch OS 13.1, Android 13 |
| Colors | Magic Maroon, Starry Purple |
| Battery | 4600mAh Battery, 80W Fast Charging |
