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vivo V40 review: The All-Rounder Midrange ZEISS-Powered Portrait Smartphone


The all-new Vivo V40 series is back, and this time, it's aiming to be a serious competitor in the market by combining stylish design with powerful performance. Additionally, lenses powered by ZEISS, which were previously exclusive to the Pro model, are now included in the standard model.  So today we will examine the V40 in more detail in order to compare it to all of its rivals as well as its sibling model. 



Design


The V40 is meticulously crafted with an emphasis on elegance and ergonomics. The device features an ultra-slim profile with a dimension of 164.2 x 75 x 7.6 mm, giving it the best portability and convenience. Overall the phone still feels pretty solid and sits comfortably in the hand or pocket even with its lightweight and thin design.



The V40 comes in quite a few colour options, each with a distinct aesthetic appeal , including Moonlight White, Nebula Purple, Sunglow Peach, and Stellar Silver. A closer look to this Nebula Purple model that we received, the colour is inspired by mysterious and elegant hues found deep within the cosmos, which exudes a very premium feel.



With the use of Fluorite AG, the dark purple body shines with a rich finish that changes at different angles of the light, further adding an air of mystery to the phone’s overall appearance.



The rear camera module's Gemini Ring Design is a highlight on the minimalist body design, which gives it an aesthetically pleasant appearance while retaining a high-end opulent feel. And i really have to emphasise the fact that the body material does not attract fingerprints or stains easily is really a plus for me, making it look clean and sleek all the time.



Camera


The vivo V40 is equipped with a powerful dual-camera system powered by ZEISS, consisting of a 50 MP main camera and a 50 MP ultra wide-angle camera, to help deliver perfect shots for both amateur and professional photographers. 



The 50 MP ZEISS OIS Main Camera uses a 1/1.56-inch Samsung ISOCELL GNJ Sensor, and with the inclusion of Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) which boosts light intake, users would be able to capture clear and sharp photos, from expansive landscapes to detailed close-ups regardless of day or night.  The colour accuracy is also quite high as the photos captured are quite natural as seen by the human eyes.





The 50 MP ZEISS Ultra Wide-Angle Camera is something uncommon but yet super functional. We all know how painful it is when we need to sacrifice the quality when we want to capture a wider shot but on the V40, you can get the best of both worlds. With the high pixel count, users could capture more details on their wide landscape or group photos and this significantly enhances photography experience. 





The V40 Portrait Mode also features ZEISS Multifocal Portrait, which integrates professionally acclaimed portrait focal lengths for portrait photography. The focal lengths offered are  1x (24 mm), 1.5x (35mm) and 2.2x (50 mm), which could be a bit limited due to the lack of a telephoto lens, but is sufficient for full to half body portraits. The ZEISS Style Portrait feature pairs each of the classic portrait focal lengths with the array of ZEISS Style Bokeh to give every scenario its unique look, and with all the customizations it has, it's just up to you to unleash your creativity. 




The signature Aura Light of the V series also received an upgrade, which is now 33% brighter even though it gets smaller, and combined with ZEISS Style Portrait, this allows users to effortlessly capture portraits under low light conditions.



The V40 also features AI 3D Studio Lightning to supplement the Aura Light, which uses AI algorithms to analyse 3D facial light. This helps to provide virtual fill light accurately, which allows users to capture more natural portraits under low light or backlighting scenarios.



The 50 MP selfie camera is also powered by ZEISS which makes it as impressive as the others.  AI-enhanced beauty modes and filters from portrait mode are also available with the selfie camera so combined with the high resolution, you could expect the best of yourself in selfies and video calls.



Display


At the front is a near bezel-less 6.78-inch AMOLED 1.5K Ultra Clear Sunlight Display that operates at a 120 Hz refresh rate, delivering crisp and fluid visuals for all your photography and entertainment tasks. With a local peak brightness of 4500 and overall brightness of 1200, content would be easily viewable under the bright sunlight so you definitely would not need to worry about your outdoor shootings. 



The V40 display is also certified by SGS for low blue light, low flicker and low motion blur, and this helps to keep your eyes comfortable and healthy even under prolonged usage. The curved edges not only enhance the grip but also contribute to a seamless visual flow across the device. The glass utilises the high-performance Schott α glass and with the enhancement of a Comprehensive Cushioning Structure, the phone is designed with increased impact and drop resistance for improved durability.

 


Performance


Under the hood, the Vivo V40 is powered by the robust Qualcomm Snapdragon® 7 Gen 3 that ensures smooth and responsive performance across various tasks. Whether it’s your daily work multitasking, gaming, or media entertainments, the V40 handles everything seamlessly, thanks to its 12 GB + 12 GB Extended RAM, and the 256 GB storage also gives ample space for your photography needs. With the improved Ultra Large VC Smart Cooling System, the V40 is optimized to deliver faster load times and efficient power management even during the most intensive workloads.



Despite not having the best chipset like most flagship phones, photography lovers who are also gaming enthusiasts will not be disappointed as it is still capable of handling most popular games in the current market. Actual game testing with the hottest game in town, “Honor of Kings” shows that the V40 is able to deliver stable performance with minimal lag even over prolonged gaming periods. With BOOST mode on, the game is constantly running around 120FPS at FPS Max and HD Quality Graphics settings; whereas at FPS Ultra and Ultimate Graphics settings, the game is still running at 90 FPS consistently, so gamers of different preference could expect the same gaming performance.



Battery


The battery of the V40 is another highlight. Even with such a slim design, vivo is still able to pack in a 5500mAh BlueVolt Battery, offering users extended uptime without frequent recharges. The large-capacity battery utilizes a second-generation silicon-carbon anode with higher energy density, which gives it approximately 1000 mAh more capacity compared to other batteries of the same size, while being 16.5% smaller than other 5500mAh batteries.

 


The V40 is made to last all day, regardless of how you use it—for streaming videos, web surfing, or long gaming sessions. Actual testing done with video streaming and gaming further showcase the powerful battery. An hour plus long of video streaming at 1440p via wireless bluetooth earbuds uses up 7% of the battery.



For gaming it could be a little bit more heavy as testing was done under BOOST mode with FPS Max and HD Quality Graphics, where a 2 hour intese gaming session drains 35% of the battery, but I’m pretty sure with some tuning down on the settings will make it more power efficient without sacrificing your gaming experience.



The 80W FlashCharge fast charging technology further complements the battery’s endurance, allowing users to quickly top up their device when needed. It tooks 50 minutes from 0 to 100%, which is quite impressive for a 5500mAh battery.



One thing users would need to take note is that the Fast Charging mode would need to be enabled manually as by default the charging speed is designed to adjust intelligently with the phone temperature. Some might find this slightly troublesome but for me, I’m pretty happy with it as this definitely helps to enhance battery life and I can always turn it on if I’m in need of quick charging when short of time.


Verdict


Overall I found the V40 pretty well-rounded smartphone with a compelling mix of design, performance, and functionality, and for the price tag of RM 1999, I definitely couldn't ask for more. The build quality is premium, the ZEISS-powered camera system is versatile and the performance is quite up to expectation despite not packing the flagship chipset, not to mention the long-lasting battery life with the ultra-slim profile. The lack of telephoto lens might be a setback but if you are a photography lover which focuses more on portrait photography, the V40 is definitely an excellent choice. 



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