Vivo’s midrange V series enjoys a lot of success in the Indian market mostly due to its camera-centric approach and exciting form factor. Last year’s V29 Pro got a glowing review from us, as it was one of the few phones in its category to offer a telephoto camera instead of a futile macro sensor. So how has Vivo elevated its game this year? Well, in all the right ways. The telephoto and ultrawide lenses have received a significant upgrade – now rocking 50MP sensors. The front camera can now record 4K videos at 30fps. On top of that, the camera setup is now tuned by Zeiss and receives T* lens coating, much like the flagship X100 Pro (our review here). We used the smartphone for a week to decide if it is the clear winner among its midrange rivals. Here is our review of the Vivo V30 Pro.
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In This Article
Vivo V30 Pro review: Design and Display
Here’s what you get inside the Vivo V30 Pro’s retail box:
- Smartphone
- 80W power adapter
- USB Type-A to Type-C cable
- Clear plastic case
- SIM ejector tool
- Warranty Card
- Quick Start Guide
The new Vivo V30 Pro features a fresh design for the rear camera module. The rectangular camera panel houses two square-ish cutouts. The first one contains the three camera sensors along with the Zeiss branding while the other is bordered by the ‘Aura’ light with the LED flash inside. The smartphone gets two colour options for the back panel – the glossy Andaman Blue and the matte-finished Classic Black. We used the latter unit of the Vivo V30 Pro for this review.
The matte finish on the Classic Black variant ensures that the back panel does not register any fingerprints. However, it is a little slippery to hold. The back of the smartphone curves towards the frame, offering a good grip. The right edge of the frame houses the volume rocker and the side key. At the bottom, you will find the SIM tray, primary microphone, USB Type-C slot and speaker grille. The secondary microphone has been placed on the top edge of the frame. The smartphone still lacks a stereo speaker.
The 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display has a 1,260 x 2,800p resolution and sports a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. This panel can reach a peak brightness of 2,800 nits. It is perfectly legible under direct sunlight and does not require using your palm as a shield no matter the intensity of the surrounding light. The touch response on offer is remarkable. The display registers subtle touches with ease and provides a very smooth browsing experience.
The HDR10+ support is vital while watching video content on the device. Streaming content across OTT apps like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+ Hotstar, we were pleased with the picture composition and the vibrant, punchy colours produced on the screen. Even though the smartphone does not have a stereo speaker, the output from the main speaker grille feels more refined than its predecessor.
The Vivo V30 Pro is rated IP54 for dust and water resistance. This means the smartphone can withstand minor splashes of water. You can take the odd call on the phone while it is raining and expect it to function as intended. However, an IP67 rating would have been ideal in this price range.
Vivo V30 Pro review: Performance and Cameras
Vivo has stuck with the Mediatek Dimensity 8200 SoC on the V30 Pro, making it the third V Series smartphone in a row to rock this chipset. There are two RAM and storage variants on offer – 8GB + 256GB and 12GB + 512GB. The former costs Rs 42,000 while the higher storage and RAM variant fetches Rs 47,000.
The performance of the Vivo V30 Pro is on par with the previous two V Series smartphones. On the Geekbench 6 app, the smartphone scored 1,155 points in the single-core test and 3,384 points in the multicore test. Last year’s V29 Pro scored 1,179 points and 3,394 points respectively. Meanwhile, the V27 Pro attained 1,151 and 3,099 points.
We did not encounter a single glitch or hiccup while performing daily tasks on the V30 Pro. The smartphone kept firing on all cylinders even while running half a dozen apps at once. The back panel did heat up when the smartphone was recording 4K videos in bright daylight conditions, but it did not lead to any unexpected crashes or camera warnings.
For a camera-centric smartphone, the Vivo V30 Pro offers a very pleasant gaming experience. The Dimensity 8200 SoC is able to handle demanding titles like Asphalt 9 and Call of Duty Mobile. We played these titles in the highest settings and were happy with how the smartphone handled the graphics. There were no frame drops or stutters to be seen. The ‘Ultra Large Vapor Chamber’ keeps the smartphone’s internal temperature from reaching alarming levels.
OS duties on the Vivo V30 Pro are handled by the Android 14-based Funtouch OS 14. There is bloatware on the device, although not as much as other midrange smartphones. But the real letdown is the pesky notifications that manage to routinely flood the notification panel. This is something that Vivo needs to streamline so as to not inhibit the software experience. The volume of notifications from Vivo’s Appstore and Browser apps alone contributes to the majority of the spam. We didn’t find much use for the native browser app either and immediately switched to Chrome upon coming across ads in its interface.
Apart from that, we were happy with the customisation options offered by Funtouch 14. You get a good list of options for the watch face, fingerprint scanner, charging animation, and more. The app switcher screen can be aligned in two different layouts (standard carousel and dual rows). There is a helpful widget drawer next to the app drawer which lets you access the important functions with ease. The app encryption and hidden folder functions are quite useful as well.
The V30 Pro features a bigger battery unit compared to its predecessor. This is particularly impressive because the smartphone has retained its slim form factor as well. The battery performance offered by the 5,000 mAh is undeniably better. During the review period, we used the Vivo V30 Pro for tasks like emailing, video calling, social media browsing, gaming, and recording videos in 4K. We were able to get more than 5 hours of Screen On Time from the device. With more conservative usage, we were able to push the battery to a day and a half. The 80W charger provided in the box was able to fully charge the device in 45 minutes.
Let’s talk about the star of the show – the camera performance. All four cameras on the device now rock 50MP sensors. This includes the primary shooter, ultrawide lens, telephoto lens (with 2x optical zoom) at the back and the selfie camera up front.
In a nutshell, the camera performance here is exemplary. In bright daylight conditions, the primary shooter captures delightful images that pack great detail and vibrant colours. Like the Vivo X100 Pro, the Zeiss tuning comes in clutch on the V30 Pro and distinguishes it from other smartphones in this category. You can choose from three colour profiles – Vivid, Textured, and Zeiss Natural.
We were also impressed with how sharp the images taken with the main sensor turned out. The contrast and dynamic range levels were fine too. At night, the smartphone proves why it is worth its price tag. The images taken with the main sensor in limited lighting were well-lit and cleanly processed. However, once we turned on the Night Mode, things kicked up a notch. We were very impressed to see the richness of colours showcased in the images even in challenging lighting conditions. This is something we’ve only seen on flagship-grade smartphones, so the V30 Pro earns extra points from us.
The ultrawide sensor also replicates the punchy colours of the primary shooter. The images, while not as sharp as the ones taken using the main sensor, are colour-rich and pack a good amount of detail. At nighttime, the Night Mode works its magic on the ultrawide lens as well and produces excellent results.
Another thing we really like about the V30 Pro is that it is one of the few midrange smartphones to offer a telephoto lens instead of a macro sensor. This 50MP telephoto camera offers 2x optical zoom. This lens zooms up to 4x without losing any detail. We tried zooming into distant objects using 20x zoom and were pleased to find that the V30 Pro accurately processed the text and the colours.
The telephoto sensor can also be used to take 2x and 4x portraits, justifying its presence over a macro sensor. These portrait shots are detailed and focused, and everything you expect from the telephoto sensor. Portraits taken with the primary shooter are clean and well-focused as well. The smartphone does a good job of separating the background from the subject.
The Aura Light on the back panel acts as a small ring light. Its colour temperature can be controlled from the camera app. If you think this is a gimmick, you would be terribly mistaken because we found a lot of use for this light while taking nighttime portrait shots.
The 50MP front-facing camera on the V30 Pro can now record 4K videos at 30fps, much like the primary shooter at the back. This is one feature which has flown under the radar and deserves more attention. The selfies taken with the front camera are clear, vibrant, and retain the true skin colour tones.
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Verdict
There aren’t a lot of phones that stand out in the midrange segment quite like the Vivo V30 Pro. Its overall camera performance is a step above its peers. It is a low-light photography champ, delivering stunning pictures with extraordinary colour richness. Vivo has upped its game by bringing Zeiss tuning to its midrange offering as well. The telephoto lens is another great addition to the rear camera setup. Apart from the cameras, the smartphone’s sleek form factor and smart design are praiseworthy as well. While it may be using the older MediaTek Dimensity 8200 chipset, it still delivers a good performance.
Vivo V30 Pro: Pros
- Excellent cameras
- Zeiss optics
- Aura light
- Sleek form factor
Vivo V30 Pro: Cons
- IP67 would have been ideal
- Funtouch OS pushes a lot of unnecessary notifications
