The vivo V40 has been available for over a month now, and if you’re still wondering if it’s worth your money, let me walk you through my experience with this smartphone and what makes it a great contender in the midrange market.
Design and Build Quality
Starting with the design, the vivo V40 brings a fresh, premium feel to the midrange lineup with its sleek build and lightweight frame. This smartphone is incredibly thin and light, making it easy to handle and carry around.
The vivo V40 weighs 190 grams and has a glass back, so you might want to handle it with care; I would also recommend using the silicone case that comes in the box to add extra protection. The matte finish on the back is a welcome touch, perfect for people with sweaty hands like me, as it’s far less prone to smudging than a glossy finish.
vivo has released it in three stunning colorways: Nebula Purple, Stellar Silver, and Sunglow Peach. The model I have here is the Nebula Purple, which is not only visually striking but also has a trendy appeal, particularly for those who want a fashionable touch to their device.
Based on the photos I’ve seen from other media reviews and creators, the Sunglow Peach and Stellar Silver options are equally eye-catching, though I think the purple shade is especially suited for those looking to add a stylish edge to their daily look.
The sides of this phone are thin and elegantly curved, giving it an appealing, streamlined look. On the right side, you’ll find the volume rockers and power button, while the left side remains free of any controls.
The bottom houses the dual nano SIM tray, microphone, USB-C port, and main stereo speaker, while at the top, there’s a secondary microphone and the words “Professional Portrait” subtly written onto the frame.
Camera Quality
One of the most impressive features of the vivo V40 is its camera, which continues the V-series tradition of excellence in mobile photography.
This device packs a 50MP Samsung ISOCELL GNJ main camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), a 50MP ZEISS ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 50MP ZEISS group selfie camera, each designed to deliver high-quality images with the precision and clarity we’ve come to expect from vivo’s partnership with ZEISS.
Portrait shots, in particular, are a pleasure to capture with the vivo V40, thanks to its flexible bokeh settings that let you adjust the blur effects to your liking. The subject-background separation is clean, making portraits look almost as if they were taken with a professional camera.
Additionally, the portrait mode’s maximum F0.95 aperture means you can achieve a stunning background blur effect. You can even fine-tune the bokeh in the gallery after taking the shot, allowing for an impressive level of control.
The ultra-wide-angle camera and AI Group Portrait feature make it easy to capture great group photos, so you won’t miss any moments with family or friends. One of the newer features I enjoyed is the AI Erase tool, which lets you quickly remove unwanted elements from your photos, like photobombers or distracting objects.
For video recording, the vivo V40 can capture up to 4K at 30fps and 1080p at 60fps with both the rear and front cameras. The ZEISS Cinematic Portrait Video mode offers an array of options to help you achieve a cinematic look. You can enable and adjust movie-style bokeh, utilize ZEISS focus transitions, and select from various cinematic LUTs to enhance your footage.
The video quality is excellent, making the V40 a reliable choice if you enjoy recording high-quality content on your smartphone.
In short, if photography and videography are a priority for you, the vivo V40’s advanced camera system and features make it a standout choice. It captures stunning, professional-looking photos and videos that take full advantage of the vibrant display for a highly enjoyable viewing experience.
vivo V40 other camera samples
Display and Multimedia Experience
Speaking of display, the vivo V40 excels in this area as well. Its screen is vibrant and sharp, with colors that pop, which made social media browsing, movie watching, and photo viewing truly enjoyable.
The 6.78-inch Ultra Clear Sunlight Display offers a large screen real estate and higher 1.5k resolution, making text and graphics appear exceptionally crisp.
The viewing experience outdoors is equally impressive. The display has a maximum brightness of 4,500 nits, which means you’ll have no trouble reading it even in direct sunlight.
Additionally, the screen is SGS-certified for low blue light, reduced flicker, and minimized motion blur, making for a comfortable and healthier viewing experience over long periods.
Audio performance is another strong point of the vivo V40. It has dual stereo speakers that produce clear, 3D stereo sound with balanced audio and full-bodied bass, avoiding the tinny sound you sometimes get with other phones.
Overall, the multimedia experience on the vivo V40 is solid, whether you’re watching videos, listening to music, or gaming.
Performance
Moving on to performance, the vivo V40 is powered by a 4nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 octa-core chipset, delivering the power needed for seamless multitasking, gaming, and productivity. Whether you’re using this phone for day-to-day apps or more demanding tasks, it performs smoothly and efficiently.
Even as a mid-range device, the vivo V40 has enough power to handle popular apps and even some heavier ones, making it a great value in its price range. I found its performance to be notably smoother compared to other phones priced around PHP 20,000 to PHP 30,000.
With up to 12GB of RAM and an additional 12GB of Extended RAM, the vivo V40 offers a total of 24GB of memory, providing a seamless multitasking experience. You can also store a bunch of your photos and videos with its up to 512GB internal storage.
After using vivo’s FuntouchOS again after several months, I noticed improvements that make the operating system feel more optimized. However, there are still some pre-installed apps that might feel unnecessary, though you can uninstall them if desired.
The vivo V40 scored an impressive 810,953 on AnTuTu, outperforming the HONOR 200 by 5,000 points, and achieved a score of 10,586 on the PCMark Work 3.0 Performance benchmark.
Gaming is a treat on this device; even heavy games like Genshin Impact are playable. While the phone does tend to warm up during extended gaming sessions, it’s nothing too concerning, as it cools down quickly during lighter tasks thanks to its ultra-large VC smart cooling system. Overall, for gaming and high-performance tasks, the vivo V40 more than holds its own.
Battery Life and Charging
Battery life is another area where the vivo V40 truly shines. It achieved an impressive result of 19 hours and 9 minutes on the PCMark Work 3.0 Battery Life benchmark, making it one of the longest-lasting phones I’ve reviewed recently.
Its 5,500mAh BlueVolt battery is designed to maximize performance while keeping the phone slim and light. According to vivo, this battery is 16.5% smaller than a typical battery with similar capacity, allowing them to create a thinner and lighter phone without sacrificing battery life.
The vivo V40 also supports 80W FlashCharge, which charges the phone quickly. From 20% to 100%, it took me around 40 minutes, which is fast enough for those on the go. This rapid charging capability makes it easy to get back to a full charge without waiting for hours.
Conclusion
Overall, the vivo V40 is a highly capable and stylish smartphone that delivers exceptional value for its price. It holds its own in the mid-range market, offering a powerful camera system that excels in both portrait and selfie photography. The phone’s sleek, curved design, glass back, and stunning color options add a premium feel that you wouldn’t expect from a midrange device.
With its robust Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset and optimized FuntouchOS, the vivo V40 ensures a smooth, user-friendly experience, whether you’re using it for gaming, multitasking, or creative tasks. Its display quality, audio performance, and impressive battery life make it a fantastic all-around device. If you’re looking for a stylish, performance-driven smartphone that can handle all your photography, videography, and daily needs, the vivo V40 is a fantastic option. But I highly recommend buying it when there’s a discount promo or voucher.
vivo V40 Specifications
- Display: 6.78-inch AMOLED, 1.5K resolution, 60 & 120Hz refresh rate, 4,500nits max brightness, 100% DCI-P3, 452 PPI, Schott Xensation Alpha protection
- CPU: 2.63GHz 4nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 5G octa-core processor
- GPU: Adreno 720
- RAM: 8GB, 12GB + 12GB Extended RAM
- ROM: 256GB, 512GB
- Rear Camera: 50MP Samsung ISOCELL GNJ (OIS) ZEISS+ 50MP ZEISS ultra-wide camera + LED flash
- Front Camera: 50MP ZEISS Group Selfie camera
- Battery: 5,500mAh, 80W FlashCharge charging
- OS: FuntouchOS 14, Android 14
- Connectivity: 2.4GHz & 5GHz WiFi, 5G, 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.4, GPS, Dual SIM (nano)
- Sensors: Accelerometer, compass, orientation, proximity, gyroscope
- Colors: Stellar Silver, Nebula Purple, Singlow Peach
- Weight: 190g
- Dimensions: 164.16mm (H) × 73.93mm (W) x 7.58mm (D)
- Others: In-display fingerprint sensor, AI face unlock, USB-C, IP54 rating, NFC, Hi-Res Audio, Dual speakers,
Price and availability
- 8GB/256GB – PHP 25,999 | Shopee link | Lazada link
- 12GB/256GB – PHP 26,999 | Shopee link | Lazada link
- 12GB/512GB – PHP 29,999 | Shopee link | Lazada link
We can buy the vivo V40 in all authorized stores of vivo nationwide online via vivo Official store on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop with a price starting at PHP 25,999.
