Vivo added a new entry-level variant to its midrange V30 lineup earlier this month. The Vivo V30e separates itself from the rest of the lineup with its unique design but seeks to replicate the camera performance of the higher variants. Vivo has made some tradeoffs to keep the price in check, something we were eager to check when this smartphone crossed our desks. Now that we’ve been using the V30e as our daily driver for the last week, we can assess whether it pulls ahead of its peers in this price category. Here is our in-depth Vivo V30e review.

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Vivo V30e Review: Design and Display

Here’s what you get inside the Vivo V30e retail box:

• Smartphone
• 44W power adapter
• USB Type-A to Type-C cable
• Clear plastic case
• SIM ejector
• Quick Start Guide
• Warranty Guide

There are two colour options on offer – Silk Blue and Velvet Red. We used the latter for this review.

There is a stark difference in the design of the V30e compared to the rest of the lineup. The back panel features a dual matte and gloss finish. The glossy strip running along the right side of the panel has a criss-cross pattern. The round camera cutout is a stark departure from the sleek, rectangular camera panel of the V30 and V30 Pro. It reminds us of Vivo’s X series smartphones of yesteryears. Despite these changes, the V30e has a slim form factor.

The plastic frame houses the volume rocker and side button on its right edge and the SIM tray, primary microphone, USB port, and speaker grille on the bottom edge. Up top lies the secondary microphone. The V30e does not have a stereo speaker, nor does it use the earpiece as the secondary speaker. The left edge of the frame is completely keyless.

The Vivo V30e sports the familiar 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display. This panel can hit a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz and its peak brightness has been capped at 1,300 nits. The other two V30 variants can reach a peak brightness of 2,800 nits while watching HDR content. The touch response on the V30e is smooth and the under-display fingerprint scanner is quite snappy.

We used the Vivo V30e as our primary media-watching device throughout the review period. Even though the Netflix app does not have HDR capabilities on this device, the viewing experience was very good. We streamed media on major OTT platforms like Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix, and Sony Liv and were happy with the detailed, vibrant images presented on the screen. The lack of a stereo audio output is certainly not ideal, but the primary speaker can reach a high level of volume.

Interestingly, the V30e has an IP64 rating, which is a slight upgrade from the IP54-rated V30 and V30 Pro. The smartphone was unfazed by water splashes when we used it in the rain. Water resistance against major dips still remains an issue for Vivo’s midrange offerings.

Vivo V30e Review: Performance and Cameras

Powering the Vivo V30e is the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC. There are two storage variants on offer – 128GB and 256GB. The latter fetches Rs 30,000. Both variants come with 8GB of RAM. On the Geekbench 6 test, the V30e scored 935 points in the single-core test and 2,720 points in the multi-core test. Meanwhile, the V30 Pro scored 1,155 and 3,384 points respectively.

The V30e handles everyday tasks with expertise. We did not experience any jitters or lags while loading multiple apps at once. Tasks like video calling, instant messaging, social media browsing, and media streaming were completed without any staggering issues.

Overall, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 is a decent chipset, but it falls slightly short when it comes to gaming. We played titles like Call of Duty Mobile and BGMI on the V30e. Our gameplay was marred by the odd frame drop and inconvenient lag. On the bright side, the smartphone did well to keep its internal temperature in check even though we used it during peak summer. The back panel got slightly warm after 30 minutes of gameplay, but we were able to continue the gaming session for another 30 minutes without any significant drop in performance.

Moving on, the OS duties on the Vivo V30e are handled by Android 14 out of the box. Vivo’s Funtouch 14 OS is still a mixed bag. We like it for its diverse range of customisation options; you can apply attractive effects to the charging animation, fingerprint scanner, screen lock, and even the weather and music apps. We also like the dynamic wallpapers that change their appearance as you get closer to your step goal. The privacy options for hiding and locking apps are quite handy as well. The default gallery app has a hidden folder too.

The downside of Funtouch OS is the bloatware and ads that come along with it. The V-Appstore and Browser apps routinely push ads disguised as notifications. The native browser app pushing fullscreen ads in its interface ensured that we switched to Chrome right away. While you can delete the bloatware from the device and limit the spam notifications, the out-of-the-box software experience does not make a good impression.

The 5,500mAh battery pack on the V30e is larger than the rest of the lineup. The smartphone easily lasts a full day on a full charge. During the week-long review period, our daily tasks on the Vivo V30e included video calling, social media browsing, instant messaging, photography, and gaming. After a day of heavy use, we were left with a 20-30% charge on the device. With more conservative usage, you can push its battery life to 1.5-2 days. The smartphone supports 44W charging and can be fully charged in under 90 minutes.

The camera performance is the strongest suite of Vivo’s V Series smartphones, and the V30e does not disappoint in this regard. The rear camera array on this smartphone comprises a 50MP Sony IMX882 primary sensor and an 8MP ultrawide lens. We like that Vivo has not included a depth or macro sensor for the ‘third lens’ gimmick. The circular Aura Light in the rear camera dial also doubles as the flash.

Pictures taken with the 50MP primary shooter live up to the V Series’ reputation. The images are vibrant and pack punchy colours. Even though it lacks Zeiss tuning like its Pro variant, the camera performance of the two smartphones is not too different. In outdoor conditions with optimum daylight, the V30e produces excellent pictures with good dynamic range and sharpness.

The 8MP ultrawide lens produces good results as well, but there is a visible shift in the colour profile. Images taken with this sensor appear softer and a little washed. It is a good standalone lens but it fades in comparison to the primary shooter. This is pretty common for smartphones in this price range.

We were surprised by the V30e’s performance in limited lighting as this is one aspect where smartphones in this category often fail to impress. The V30e, however, crushed the results, thereby proving to be a versatile camera smartphone. We particularly liked the accuracy of the colour tone that it assigned to the subject in limited lighting. Turning on the Night Mode smoothens the images but it tends to over-brighten the subject in some situations.

Portrait shots taken with the Vivo V30e are sharp and focused. The smartphone does a good job of separating the subject from the background. You also get all the portrait styles and filters that Vivo is known for. The Aura Light plays a pivotal role in filling the shadows and illuminating the subject while taking portrait shots in limited lighting. The front-facing 50MP camera takes vibrant selfies and can record 4K videos.

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Conclusion

In our opinion, the Vivo V30e is the best camera smartphone you can buy under Rs 30,000. It lives up to the V Series reputation by producing vibrant images in all kinds of lighting conditions. The slim form factor and curved display of the smartphone are incredible assets that are rarely seen in this price range. The Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC is a good processor for everyday use, but if you’re interested in full-throttle gaming, there may be better options for you.

Vivo V30e: Pros

• Slim form factor
• Curved AMOLED display
• Aura Light
• Excellent camera performance

Vivo V30e: Cons

• Lacks a secondary speaker
• Bloatware