vivo V40 In-Depth Review
Last month, we unboxed the vivo V40 and shared our first impressions. In this review, we will explore the features of this smartphone in detail to help you determine if it’s the right choice.
The vivo V40 presents notable improvements over the V30, featuring professional-grade optics with a dual ZEISS camera setup on the rear and a ZEISS front selfie camera. It packs a large 5,500mAh battery and an enhanced 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, IP68/69 protection, stereo speakers, and a sleek design. The V40 also retains key elements from the V30, including the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB or 512GB storage options.
Design and Walk Around
As we discussed during the unboxing and first impressions of the device, the vivo V40 showcases a new Gemini Ring Design inspired by the symmetry of the Gemini constellation.
In the Philippines, the vivo V40 is available in three colors: Nebula Purple (which I have), Sunglow Peach, and Stellar Silver. The Nebula Purple variant utilizes Fluorite AG, giving its greyish-purple back a subtle shimmer that shifts with the play of light, adding an air of mystery to the phone's appearance. Additionally, the Gemini Ring Design of the rear camera module enhances the overall aesthetic, providing the phone with a high-end, luxurious feel. I appreciate this design, as it is less prone to fingerprint smudges and scratches.
The vivo V40 is a dual-glass curved phone with a plastic frame, weighing only 190g and measuring 7.58 mm in thickness. Despite its slim design, the V40 is equipped with a 5,500mAh battery, making it one of the slimmest phones in vivo's lineup that boasts such a large battery to date.
The front side of the phone boasts a large 6.78-inch 1.5K (1260 x 2800) AMOLED display, protected by a curved "Schott Xensation Alpha" glass, along with a pre-installed screen protector. The top portion of the screen has a centered hole-punch camera, and the earpiece that also functions as a speaker is subtly etched above the display. Additionally, the fingerprint reader is positioned below the screen.
At the back, there is a new camera island module featuring a dual-camera setup: a 50MP ZEISS main camera and a 50MP ZEISS ultra-wide-angle camera. A new ring-shaped Aura Light adds to the camera’s capabilities.
The volume rocker and power button are located on the right side, while the top of the phone is clean, with only two holes for the secondary microphone present. At the bottom of the vivo V40, you'll find a USB Type-C charging port, a downward-firing speaker, a microphone, and a dual SIM card tray. Unfortunately, the phone does not come with a 3.5mm audio jack.
Additionally, the vivo V40 boasts IP68 and IP69 ratings for dust and water resistance. The IP68 rating means the device is completely dust-tight and can be submerged in water up to 1.5 meters deep for 30 minutes. The IP69 rating offers enhanced protection against high-pressure water jets, adding to its durability.
Display and Multimedia
The vivo V40 is a smartphone that features a large 6.78-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1260 x 2800 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate, making it an excellent choice for multitasking.
The AMOLED display produces vivid colors and offers excellent viewing angles. It has a peak brightness of 4,500 nits, automatically adjusts and remains bright even when used outdoors. The maximum overall brightness can reach up to 1,200 nits.
For the first time in the vivo V series, the vivo V40 features dual stereo speakers. The audio quality is very good, and the volume can get quite loud. For an enhanced audio experience, using headphones or an external speaker is still recommended.
Camera
Rear Cameras
The vivo V40 camera, continuing the legacy of its V series predecessors, delivers professional-quality portraits with significant enhancements thanks to ZEISS Optics.
The device features a dual-camera setup, including a 50MP F1.9 primary camera equipped with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF), and a 1/1.56-inch Samsung ISOCELL GNJ sensor. Additionally, there’s a 50MP F2.0 wide-angle camera with autofocus. The vivo V40 boasts an upgraded Aura Light, providing a 33% increase in brightness compared to its predecessor.
In collaboration with ZEISS, the vivo V40 introduces the ZEISS Multifocal Portrait feature, which incorporates professionally recognized portrait focal lengths in Portrait Mode: 1x (24 mm), 1.5x (35 mm), and 2.2x (50 mm). The V40 also offers various ZEISS Style Portraits, including Biotar, Planar, Distagon, Sonnar, Cinematic, and Cine-flare Portrait, each providing unique bokeh characteristics.
In bright lighting conditions, the rear cameras produce impressive results with vibrant colors, sharp details, and excellent dynamic range.
Furthermore, the vivo V40 excels in low-light and nighttime photography, capturing images with vivid colors and considerable detail.
Front Selfie Camera
The front-facing camera, with its 50MP F2.0 aperture and autofocus, takes detailed and sharp photos that reflect real-life colors and natural skin tones. While the background blurring for portrait selfies isn't flawless, it is still quite effective.
Videos
When it comes to video capabilities, the vivo V40 supports up to 4K resolution at 30fps for both the rear and front cameras. The device features the Aura Light Portrait Video, which enhances video clarity in low-light scenarios. Additionally, Hybrid Image Stabilization (OIS + EIS) ensures smooth footage. Videos captured with the main camera are notably good, with low noise and abundant detail.
Funtouch OS, Apps, and Security
The vivo V40 smartphone has a heavily customized user interface called Funtouch OS 14, which is based on the Android 14 operating system. Funtouch OS 14 offers numerous features and vivo promises that the system's intelligent control over background tasks will ensure smooth operation for up to 50 months without any major slowdowns. Additionally, the phone comes pre-installed with the standard vivo and Google suite of apps, as well as some bloatware apps.
In terms of security, the vivo V40 features an in-display fingerprint scanner and facial recognition to unlock the device. Both methods work well, with the fingerprint scanner being notably fast and accurate. However, the face unlock feature can be slower in low-light situations.
Hardware and Performance
The vivo V40 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 mobile platform, which is made using a 4nm process. It has one Cortex-A715 core clocked at 2.63GHz, three Cortex-A715 cores clocked at 2.4GHz, and four Cortex-A510 cores clocked at up to 1.8GHz. It also comes equipped with an Adreno 720 GPU.
The performance of the vivo V40 is exceptionally smooth, and it can easily handle resource-intensive apps. When it comes to gaming, it provides a seamless gaming experience and supports a wide range of games. Additionally, it features Game Boost mode, 4D Game Vibration, and a Vapor Chamber cooling system.
The vivo V40 supports Extended RAM 4.0 technology, which allows you to expand your phone's RAM virtually by using the phone's internal storage. The device can use up to 12GB of its internal storage, giving it up to 24GB of total RAM.
The vivo V40 is available in the Philippines in two storage variants - 256GB and 512GB. Unfortunately, the device does not support microSD expansion.
Below are the benchmark scores from this device:
- AnTuTu v10.3.6 – 819,018
- AnTuTu Storage Test v10.3.6 – 54,027 (998.7 MB/s Seq. Read, 830.3 MB/s Seq. Write)
- Geekbench 6.3.0 – 1,149 (Single-core), 3,171 (Multi-core)
- PCMark – 10,860 (Work 3.0)
- 3DMark – 5,442 (Wild Life), 5,560 (Wild Life Unlimited)
Battery Life, Charging, and Connectivity
The vivo V40 boasts a massive 5,500mAh battery, which is the largest battery capacity in the V Series thus far, and can last an entire day with moderate usage without requiring an additional charge. According to the PCMark Work 3.0 Battery Life Test, this device scored around 18 hours and 50 minutes.
Moreover, the vivo V40's 80W FlashCharge enables the 5,500mAh battery to be charged from 0 to 100 percent in just 46 minutes. Additionally, vivo has included smart battery charging as part of the battery optimizations.
In terms of connectivity, the vivo V40 offers your usual features such as dual-SIM (nano-SIM), 5G Connectivity, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, GPS, and USB Type-C.
vivo V40 Specifications
6.78-inch 1.5K (1260 x 2800) AMOLED display, 453ppi, 120Hz Refresh Rate
Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, 4nm
Adreno 720 GPU
12GB RAM
256GB/512GB of internal storage
Dual-rear cameras (50MP F1.9 main + 50MP F2.0 wide-angle)
50MP F2.0 front camera
ZEISS Optics / Aura Light
Dual-SIM (nano) / 5G Connectivity
WiFi 6 / Bluetooth 5.4
GPS, A-GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS
USB Type-C / Fingerprint scanner (in-display)
IP68/IP69 Dust and Water Resistant
Funtouch OS 14 (Android 14)
5,500mAh Battery with 80W Fast Charge
164.2 x 75 x 7.58 mm (dimension)
190g (weight)
Colors: Nebula Purple, Sunglow Peach, and Stellar Silver
What’s inside the box
If you haven't seen the unboxing of the vivo V40 yet, the box contained the smartphone itself, SIM card ejector tool, quick start guide, important information (including the Warranty Card), USB power adapter, USB type-C to USB-A charging cable, and silicone case.
Price and Availability
The vivo V40 comes in two variants: one with 12GB RAM and 256GB ROM, priced at Php26,999, and another with 12GB RAM and 512GB ROM, priced at Php29,999. You can buy the vivo V40 from any vivo concept stores or kiosks and online via the vivo website, Shopee, and Lazada.
Verdict
Are you looking for the perfect smartphone? Even with a slight price increase compared to its predecessor, the answer is a resounding "YES." The vivo V40 introduces numerous enhancements to the midrange category, featuring a distinctive design, strong hardware, a powerful camera setup in collaboration with ZEISS, the long-requested dual stereo speaker, IP68/IP69 ratings, and an impressive battery life.
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