Vivo V40 Pro Review: Slim Design & Strong Performance, Pricey Too

The premium smartphone market is undoubtedly a fiercely competitive arena. This isn't solely because manufacturers offer top-notch hardware at this price range, but also due to frequent price reductions on higher-tier devices, which often tip the scales against newly launched models in the sub-Rs. 50,000 segment. The Vivo V40 Pro finds itself at a disadvantage for two reasons. First, its launch price feels steep. Second, it must contend with established premium contenders like the iQOO 12, which debuted at Rs. 57,999 last year but is now available for Rs. 49,999. Vivo's V40 Pro starts at Rs. 49,999 for the 8GB + 256GB variant, while the higher-end 12GB + 512GB model comes in at Rs. 55,999. After spending time with the device, it became evident that the pricing isn’t its only challenge.

Vivo V40 Pro Features,Price

Vivo V40 Pro Design: Sleek and Sophisticated

The Vivo V40 Pro undeniably exudes the look and feel of a premium smartphone. Its rounded design features curved-edge glass on both the front and back, while the polycarbonate frame is flat on the top and bottom, with smoothly curved sides and rounded corners for a comfortable grip. The Ganges Blue variant we reviewed stands out with its striking bluish hue and a textured finish inspired by the Ganges River. The gradient-like appearance resembles a topographical map when viewed at an angle, adding a unique aesthetic.

Despite housing a high-capacity battery, the phone remains impressively slim. However, the standout feature—or potential eyesore—is the keyhole-shaped camera module. This raised, flat-sided module feels somewhat out of place, almost as if it were an afterthought in the design process. It also houses the Aura Light, a signature feature of Vivo’s V series for years.

Vivo V40 Pro Display: A Premium Visual Experience

Vivo continues its tradition of curved-edge displays with the V40 Pro, a design choice that contrasts with the current trend favoring flat screens. This curvature not only enhances the phone's premium appeal but also gives it a sleeker and more compact look by minimizing bezels and maximizing screen real estate.

The display offers excellent brightness for outdoor use and supports HDR10+, allowing users to enjoy high-quality content on streaming platforms. While it doesn’t feature an LTPO panel, Vivo incorporates its Smart Switch technology, which adjusts the refresh rate between 60Hz, 90Hz, and 120Hz based on usage to optimize battery life.

Color accuracy is commendable, particularly in the Standard color mode, eliminating the need for manual adjustments. That said, the software offers extensive customization options for those who prefer to tweak their display settings. The in-display finger

Vivo V40 Pro Software: Classic Vivo Experience

While we anticipate significant changes with the arrival of Android 15, the Vivo V40 Pro currently operates on Android 14 with Vivo’s Funtouch OS. The software offers a smooth and lag-free experience, but it retains the classic Vivo quirks. Out of the box, the phone comes preloaded with numerous third-party apps like Snapchat, Amazon, LinkedIn, Netflix, PhonePe, Facebook, and Myntra. Additionally, native apps like the Internet browser bombard users with spammy notifications—even if the app hasn't been opened.

A notable downside is the redundancy in apps, with two file managers, two gallery apps, two browsers, and two app stores pre-installed, which can create confusion for less tech-savvy users.

Customization remains a key focus in Funtouch OS. While some AI-driven features are expected in the Android 15 update, there’s no clear timeline for their release.

Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9200+, the Vivo V40 Pro proves to be a capable performer. In benchmark tests, it holds its own, delivering solid results. While it doesn’t quite match the raw power of the iQOO 12 with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, it keeps pace with competitors like the Realme GT 6, which features a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC.

Gaming performance is particularly impressive, thanks to robust CPU and GPU capabilities. The device handles heavy 3D games with ease, and overheating is largely a non-issue—except when using the camera app intensively. The vapor chamber cooling system ensures consistent performance even under demanding tasks.

A long-awaited addition, the stereo speakers on the Vivo V40 Pro, deliver balanced, loud, and immersive audio, enhancing gaming and video-watching experiences.

With a 500mAh increase over its predecessor, the Vivo V40 Pro offers outstanding battery life. Under regular usage, the phone easily lasts more than a day and retains around 30% charge for the next. In a standard video loop test, it clocked an impressive 21 hours and 10 minutes.

Charging speeds are equally commendable. The phone reached 52% in just 30 minutes, 93% in an hour, and achieved a full charge in 1 hour and 3 minutes. This combination of excellent battery life and fast charging ensures that the Vivo V40 Pro is well-suited for power users.

Vivo V40 Pro Cameras: A Mixed Bag

Equipped with four high-resolution cameras, the Vivo V40 Pro promises impressive imaging capabilities for its premium price point. However, after testing all the cameras, it became clear that only the primary camera consistently delivers on expectations, leaving the overall performance somewhat underwhelming.

Telephoto Camera: A Learning Curve

The telephoto lens has a peculiar limitation: it only activates when the subject is at least five feet away. You’ll know it’s in use when the colors appear slightly muted, and the image sharpness improves noticeably. If you attempt to shoot within this range using the 2X zoom, the phone defaults to digitally cropping the primary camera’s output. The result is mediocre photos with smudged details, even in daylight. For optimal results, maintaining a proper distance from your subject is crucial to trigger the telephoto lens.

In good lighting, the telephoto lens delivers sharp images. Portrait shots also look decent under artificial lighting, but performance takes a hit in low-light scenarios. Without OIS support, zoomed-in images in dim settings often exhibit smudged textures and blown-out highlights.

Ultra-Wide Camera: Decent, But Not Outstanding

The ultra-wide lens captures passable daylight shots but suffers from overly saturated greens and blues. Fine details are noticeably lacking, and in low-light or dimly lit conditions, the results degrade further, making the images nearly unusable.

Primary Camera: Vibrant, Yet Imperfect

The primary camera produces vibrant photos with good detail retention in shadows. However, the HDR functionality often overcompensates, creating exaggerated skies that look unnatural. Regardless of the chosen color profile—Vivid, Textured, or ZEISS Natural—the camera tends to oversaturate reds and greens.

Daylight performance is solid, with good detail capture, but the quality drops in low light. Despite having OIS, the primary camera struggles to maintain stability in darker conditions, resulting in images with smeared and soft details.

Video Recording: Some Highs, Many Lows

The V40 Pro performs best in video recording at 4K 60fps, offering sharp footage with decent detail. However, the 4K 30fps mode struggles with dynamic range and noise issues, which significantly reduce quality. Similarly, 1080p 30fps videos are plagued by noticeable noise and lack fine details.

In low light, recording at 30fps yields noisy results, while 60fps videos appear cleaner but suffer from shaky stabilization. Steady hands or a tripod are necessary for smoother video captures at higher frame rates.

Selfie Camera: Daylight Performer

The front camera delivers detailed selfies in daylight, with passable edge detection in Portrait mode. However, low-light performance is less reliable. Standard selfies are decent, but Portrait mode compromises image detail significantly in dim settings.

Final Thoughts on Vivo V40 Pro

The Vivo V40 Pro delivers solid design, commendable performance, and reliable battery life, but its camera performance leaves much to be desired, falling short of expectations in this price range. While the inclusion of stereo speakers and an IP68 rating is a welcome upgrade, these features are now expected as standard in this segment.

With sub-₹60,000 smartphones frequently dipping into the sub-₹50,000 category, the iQoo 12 (starting at ₹49,999) emerges as a superior option across the board. Meanwhile, the Google Pixel 8a (₹39,999) may not be a gaming powerhouse, but it excels with cutting-edge AI features and outstanding still photography. Alternatives like the Xiaomi 14 Civi and Realme GT 6 offer comparable performance for ₹10,000 less, making it difficult to justify the Vivo V40 Pro's premium pricing.