Vivo V40e Review: A Slim Beauty with Stellar Battery Life and Photography Potential

The Vivo V40e was introduced in India in late September, establishing itself as the most budget-friendly choice in its series, which also features the standard V40 and the V40 Pro. I suspect the ‘e’ in the model’s name stands for ‘economical,’ although Vivo might not concur. The V40e is a mid-tier smartphone that primarily promotes its aesthetics and claims to be the slimmest phone housing a 5,500mAh battery. Vivo asserts that it excels in capturing portrait shots with the help of Aura light.

Commencing at a price of Rs. 28,999, the Vivo V40e presents a compelling option for those searching for a device with an expansive battery, a slender form factor, and strong portrait photography capabilities. But is it really worth it? Continue reading to find out.

Vivo V40e Design: Aesthetic Appeal

• Dimensions — 163.7 × 75 × 7.49mm
• Weight — 183g
• Colours — Mint Green, Royal Bronze

As advertised, the Vivo V40e provides a sleek and fashionable appearance. With a thickness of just 7.49mm, the phone feels even slimmer due to its curved edges on both the front and back. The corners are rounded, and it boasts a glossy plastic frame, although the top and bottom are flat. The pill/keyhole-shaped camera module features a top oval that protrudes and a lower unit that sits flush alongside the Aura Light LED on the back. Our review unit in Royal Bronze features a matte-finish rear panel without any designs. However, it is susceptible to fingerprints and scratches, so using a case is advisable.

The phone maintains a thickness of just 7.49mm despite housing a 5,500mAh battery

 

The device feels pleasantly weighted and gives off a more luxurious vibe than its price might suggest. The right side features the volume and power buttons. On the bottom, you will find a microphone, loudspeaker, SIM tray, and a USB Type-C port, while an additional microphone is located at the top. The V40e carries an IP64 rating, and there’s a rubber seal found inside the SIM card slot.

Vivo V40e Display: Spacious and Curved

• Size — 6.77-inch, full-HD+ resolution
• Type — AMOLED, 120Hz
• Protection — SCHOTT Xensation Up glass

The large screen on the front features curved edges, contributing to a slimmer appearance for the phone while also making the side bezels seem narrower. The bezels are consistent on the top and bottom. The display is sufficiently bright for indoor settings and remains usable outdoors, provided the day isn’t excessively bright.

The display is capable of a 120Hz refresh rate

 

In terms of refresh rate, the screen supports up to 120Hz, with an option for Smart Switch that allows toggling between 60Hz and 120Hz. HDR10+ is supported, and there are three colour settings available: Standard, Professional, and Bright. Additionally, the device carries an SGS low blue light certification, making the display on the Vivo V40e an excellent choice for consuming media and gaming.

The in-display fingerprint sensor is positioned lower

 

The display further features an in-display fingerprint scanner, which, though occasionally missed, performed well and quickly during my experience with the smartphone.

Vivo V40e Software: Smooth Yet Cluttered

• OS — Android 14
• UI — Funtouch OS 14
• Latest security patch — October 1

Running Android 14 with Funtouch OS 14 right out of the box, I received numerous updates throughout the review period. Vivo has committed to delivering three years of OS upgrades and four years of security updates. The software experience is typical of many mid-range Vivo smartphones, featuring several pre-installed third-party applications that can be uninstalled, though some Vivo apps like the Browser persistently send notifications and cannot be removed.

The Aura Light on the back can serve as a notification indicator

 

There are, however, some beneficial features included. An AI eraser is available in the Gallery app and functions reasonably well. An AI Photo enhancement tool is also offered, aiming to remove blur, beautify images, and reduce noise, though its performance was average in practice. Notable features include a Smart sidebar that exploits the curved display, Dynamic light that utilizes the Aura light for notifications, Ambient light effects that use edge lighting for alerts and create light shows during music playbacks, among others.

The software experience is generally fluid, but the persistent notifications from built-in apps are quite bothersome.

Vivo V40e Performance: Satisfactory

• SoC — MediaTek Dimensity 7300
• RAM — 8GB LPDDR4X
• Storage — Up to 256GB UFS 2.2

The MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset is an octa-core 4nm processor accompanied by the MediaTek NPU 655 and an Arm Mali-G615 GPU. For everyday tasks, I didn’t encounter any lag. Applications open quickly, multitasking is seamless, and the animations throughout the user interface are smooth. The camera application functions without issues, with no significant shutter delay. Overall, this phone is highly recommendable for daily use.

Gaming performance is adequate, and the device remains cool even during extended sessions

 

I conducted several benchmarking tests to compare it with devices in a similar price range, and the results indicated that the Vivo V40e tends to lag behind in performance in many instances. However, it’s important to note that benchmark scores do not necessarily equate to real-world performance, which can vary significantly.

Benchmark	Vivo V40e	OnePlus Nord 4	Infinix Zero 40	Nothing Phone 2a Plus
Geekbench 6 Single	1,030	929	1,096	1,204
Geekbench 6 Multi	2,886	3,817	3,601	2,658
AnTuTu v10	693,086	1,074,178	956,927	762,955
PCMark Work 3.0	10,454	12,336	15,466	12,663
3DM Slingshot Extreme OpenGL	5,090	Maxed Out	Maxed Out	Maxed Out
3DM Slingshot	6,492	Maxed Out	Maxed Out	7,243
3DM Wild Life	3,140	Maxed Out	6,362	4,779
3DM Wild Life Unlimited	3,154	11,588	6,454	5,038
GFXBench T-Rex	94	60	144	60
GFXBench Manhattan 3.1	51	60	92	58
GFXBench Car Chase	29	60	52	35

The smartphone also handled gaming adequately, remaining cool even after a lengthy 45-minute session of BGMI at HDR graphics and Ultra frame rates without any noticeable lag. I also tested Genshin Impact and COD at medium settings, and they generally performed well.

The device is equipped with a dual speaker system adequate for inside use. While it lacks substantial bass, there is a volume booster feature that enhances sound output. Call quality and connectivity are satisfactory, with clear audio from both the microphone and ear speaker, and I didn’t experience any significant network issues within my locale.

Vivo V40e Cameras: Not Quite the Pro It Claims to Be

• Main rear — 50-megapixel, OIS, Sony IMX882 sensor, f/1.79 aperture
• Secondary — 8-megapixel ultrawide, f/2.2, 116-degree FoV
• Selfie — 50-megapixel, auto-focus, f/2.0, 92-degree FoV

The V40e is fitted with two rear cameras and two LED flash types. The Aura light is particularly designed for portrait photography but may also serve creatively as a fill light.

The device features two distinct LED flash options

 

The primary camera performs well in daylight but can yield decent shots in low-light conditions as well. Images captured provide good detail, color accuracy, and white balance. Low-light photos with adequate lighting reveal some noise but maintain detail.

The secondary 8-megapixel ultrawide camera is acceptable for daylight photographs but reveals color discrepancies between the two rear sensors. Shots taken in low-light conditions with the ultrawide lens tend to be blurry and exhibit a watercolor-like quality.

It’s puzzling why Vivo promotes this phone as having a professional camera for portraits, given the absence of a depth sensor. Instead, it relies on the main camera, allowing users to choose between a 1x or 2x crop. The results can be pleasant, showcasing a decent blur effect, although the edge detection could be improved. The Aura light indeed enhances portrait shots taken at night.

Portrait taken with Aura Light active

 

Turning to the front camera, the 50-megapixel Samsung JN1 sensor with autofocus captures excellent selfies. Skin tones are mostly accurate, the colors are vibrant, and there is ample detail. However, selfies taken in low-light settings tend to underperform.

In terms of video performance, both the rear and front cameras can record at 4K 30fps. While stabilization is present and does a reasonable job of minimizing shakiness, it can get janky during panning movements. Video quality is acceptable in well-lit conditions, showcasing slightly more vibrant colors, but I found the dynamic range and white balance to be inconsistent.

Vivo V40e Battery: Remarkable

• Capacity — 5,500mAh
• Charging speed — 80W
• Charger — 80W included

The Vivo V40e’s battery performance is impressive, as noted in the subheading. The 5,500mAh battery comfortably lasts over a day with normal usage. In the HD video loop test, the phone lasted more than 32 hours on a full charge with the refresh rate set to 120Hz, a feat not many competitors in this price range can achieve.

Charging is a swift process

 

Charging is rapid, thanks to the supplied 80W charger, with a full from 0 to 100 percent taking roughly one hour. It also remains relatively cool during the charging process.

Vivo V40e Conclusion

While the Vivo V40e may not be the best choice for portrait photography enthusiasts, I would recommend it for those seeking superb battery life and an attractive design. The Royal Bronze variant is visually appealing, and the rounded edges enhance gripability. The phone also features a large, vibrant screen suitable for various environments. Sound quality is decent, the main rear camera and front camera perform well in daylight, and overall performance is satisfactory.

For alternative options, consider the Nothing Phone 2a Plus (Review) for a more distinctive design and enhanced performance. The OnePlus Nord 4 (Review) is also an excellent alternative if you desire improved camera capabilities and superior performance. Additionally, you may explore the Infinix Zero 40 (Review), known for its higher performance and strong main rear camera.