Vivo V30 Pro review

Vivo’s V-series telephones come at reasonably priced value factors, and over the previous couple of years, they’ve developed a status for delivering among the finest selfies round. With the launch of the V30 Professional, it appears that evidently’s one thing that can proceed, however this time, the rear cameras are getting a critical improve, too. 

Not solely does the V30 Professional sport a triple 50Mp digicam array on its rear matched by a 50Mp selfie digicam, however it’s additionally the primary V-series telephone to learn from Vivo’s partnership with Zeiss. This implies it has Zeiss-approved optics and picture tuning, in addition to unique picture kinds which can be usually reserved for the model’s expensive flagships, just like the X100 Professional.

As ordinary, this handset is unlikely to land within the UK or US markets. It has initially launched in Thailand and Indonesia, and it’ll be coming to different areas within the close to future, too. It carries an MSRP of 19,999THB in Thailand, which equates to about £440/$550. That’s a critically low value for such a succesful set of cameras.

I wished to seek out out if the Vivo V30 Professional provides among the identical photographic prowess as its dearer siblings, and what corners needed to be reduce to hit such an aggressive value level. After dwelling with it in my pocket for per week, right here’s all the pieces I discovered.

Design & Construct

• Very slim and light-weight
• Curved edges back and front
• IP54 licensed

Vivo usually provides its V-series gadgets an eye catching look, and this newest mannequin follows swimsuit.

I’ve the Bloom White variant in for testing, and it has a singular 3D petal sample throughout the rear panel. It’s to not my precise style, and it form of jogs my memory of fancy rest room tiling, however some persons are certain to adore it.

The panel is roofed with Vivo’s ordinary AG glass coating, which has an opulent velvety really feel to it, however it’s slippery, so that you’ll most likely wish to use a case. Fortunately, the usual clear TPU affair is included within the field.

The opposite color choices are fairly placing, too. Waving Aqua has a shimmering glittery wave sample on the rear panel that shifts as the sunshine hits it, whereas the Lush Inexperienced variant is UV-reactive and adjustments color in direct daylight. Noble Black is way more reserved, it’s principally all black and can look the half in a extra skilled setting.

The Vivo V30 Professional is a really slim telephone, and pronounced curves on the perimeters of the show and rear panel make it really feel slimmer nonetheless. There’s barely a digicam bump to talk of both, and this implies you’ll barely really feel it in your pocket. It’s fairly refreshing once you’re used to lugging round a chunky flagship telephone.

The haptic motors on this telephone are disappointing. They’re highly effective sufficient, however they really feel imprecise they usually’re very audible. It virtually sounds and feels such as you’re getting a telephone name should you sort shortly. If you happen to care about haptics, you’ll wish to steer nicely clear.

Luke Baker

The telephone carries an IP54 ranking for mud and water resistance. This implies it’s not absolutely waterproof, however can stand up to sprays of water from all instructions. If you happen to get caught out within the rain, the telephone can be completely advantageous, however you’ll have to be cautious round swimming swimming pools and ponds.

Display screen & Audio system

• 6.78-inch AMOLED show
• 60-120Hz adaptive refresh fee
• Single speaker

The Vivo V30 Professional has a big and vivid show, measuring 6.78-inch and supposedly in a position to output as much as 2800 nits at peak brightness. In regular use, it gained’t be hitting such hovering figures, however it’s greater than vivid sufficient to compete with sunny summer season days.

Luke Baker

The show has an adaptive refresh fee that can dynamically swap between 60- and 120Hz relying on what’s being displayed on the display.

It’s not fairly as efficient as an LTPO panel, which may swap right down to as little as a 1Hz refresh fee, however it’s nonetheless good to have. It means navigating the OS and enjoying video games at all times seems clean and fluid, with out making your battery life undergo within the course of.

As talked about, there are pretty pronounced curves on the left and right-hand facet of the show, which I’m not the largest fan of, however there’s no denying that they make this telephone really feel exceptionally slim. The same old curved-edge caveats apply, although. There’s some color shifting on the very fringe of the show, and it’s extra vulnerable to miss-touches than a flat-fronted display.

The V30 Professional helps HDR10 playback, and HDR content material from apps like Netflix and Prime Video seems beautiful on this panel. The highlights shine vivid, the lows are darkish and detailed and the colors are vibrant. There’s a very good degree of customisation, too, so should you choose a hotter tint, you possibly can simply obtain it by tweaking show choices within the settings menu.

Luke Baker

There’s solely a single speaker on this machine, positioned on the underside subsequent to the USB-C port.

It’s a bit disappointing to see, particularly when cheaper gadgets just like the Poco X6 Professional have a stable stereo setup. That stated, the speaker may be very loud and the sound is lots detailed, however for one of the best expertise, you’ll most likely wish to pair it with some wi-fi earbuds.

Specs & Efficiency

• MediaTek Dimensity 8200
• 12GB RAM
• 512GB storage

The Vivo V30 Professional packs the identical MediaTek Dimensity 8200 chipset as its predecessor, and the mannequin earlier than that, too. However given the speed at which Vivo pumps out V-series handsets, that’s not fairly as dangerous because it sounds.

This time, it’s paired with an ample 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, so it’s arrange for multitasking nicely, and you’ll seize pictures and movies to your coronary heart’s content material.

Luke Baker

The Dimensity 8200 is a sub-flagship chip, so that you gained’t be seeing this telephone anyplace close to the highest of benchmark charts, however regardless of that, it has greater than sufficient energy for most individuals’s wants.

The telephone ran easily all through my testing, apps opened shortly and navigating the OS was stutter-free. Relating to extra intensive duties, like gaming, the Vivo V30 Professional continues to carry its personal. It’ll simply run Genshin Influence at medium settings in 60fps, and excessive settings at 30fps. It’s nearly playable at most settings, too, however it’ll decelerate and stutter when there’s quite a lot of motion on display.

Even pushing the chipset with a graphically demanding title like this, the V30 Professional by no means turned too scorching and was at all times comfy to carry. That’s very spectacular stuff with a chassis this slim, Vivo will need to have thought fastidiously concerning the cooling association.

Luke Baker

There’s even a gaming overlay built-in, so you possibly can prioritise sport efficiency, block notifications and extra. It’s removed from probably the most in-depth that I’ve come throughout, that’s the place gaming handsets just like the RedMagic 9 Professional shine, however it’s good to have a bit of additional management over your gaming expertise.

Vivo V30 Professional benchmarks

Cameras

• 50Mp predominant sensor
• 50Mp ultrawide
• 50Mp 2x portrait lens
• 50Mp selfie digicam with autofocus

It’s clear from the “Skilled Portrait” branding on the highest of this telephone, in addition to the Zeiss emblem on the digicam array, that the Vivo V30 Professional is all about images. It’s additionally on this space that the V30 Professional finest differentiates itself from its predecessors and its cheaper sibling.

Luke Baker

Prior to now, we’ve seen Vivo’s V-series gadgets deal with the primary digicam and selfie snapper, that are often fairly good, however are joined by the unimpressive 8Mp ultrawide and 2Mp macro combo discovered on far too many mid-range and even finances telephones. The V30 Professional adjustments that, and with a 50Mp decision on each digicam, it seems to be a much better package deal.

I discovered the front-facing digicam to be probably the most spectacular of the bunch, it has a uniquely extensive FOV, which is known as 0.8x within the digicam app, however can even digitally crop to 1x and 2x as you see match. This makes it nice for group pictures, or taking selfies that showcase your environment, and the truth that it has autofocus means you’re at all times tack-sharp regardless of how far you stand from the lens.

Not solely is that this one of the best front-facing digicam you’ll discover on this value bracket, however it may be one of the best one on any present telephone. It’s actually much more spectacular than the selfie digicam on Vivo’s flagship X100 Professional, and I’d say it provides the Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely’s front-facing digicam a run for its cash, too.

This nice digicam is aided by a collection of software program enhancements, together with a particularly in-depth magnificence mode, tonnes of filters and a reasonably dependable portrait mode. The portrait mode advantages from Zeiss-inspired bokeh results, which give the pictures some further aptitude in comparison with the competitors. My solely gripe is you could’t modify the extent of blur after capturing on the front-facing digicam, you possibly can on the rear, so it appears odd to omit it right here.

Whereas all of the rear cameras now supply the identical 50Mp decision, it’s nonetheless the primary lens that steals the present. It has a comparatively massive 1/1.49-inch sensor, in addition to a large f/1.9 aperture, and this implies it outshines the opposite cameras every time the lighting will get a bit decrease.

The primary digicam is joined by an ultrawide and a 2x telephoto or “portrait” lens. Color consistency is nice throughout all the cameras, however the primary digicam simply seems a bit sharper and extra detailed in most conditions. That stated, these are very helpful focal lengths to have in your arsenal. As marketed, the 2x lens is nice for creating flattering portrait pictures, whereas the ultrawide is ideal for structure and landscapes. Each of those cameras have very brief minimal focusing distances, too, so that they work nicely for macro pictures.

The native digicam app additionally provides you a button to modify to 4x telephoto, which is a digital crop of the 2x lens. I used to be much less impressed with this selection, as you possibly can see an actual drop in picture high quality, particularly in low-light conditions. More often than not, you’d be finest sticking with the 2x lens and transferring nearer, if attainable.

The Vivo V30 Professional includes a square-shaped Aura Mild beneath its digicam array. So far as I’m conscious, this characteristic is exclusive to Vivo, and it was launched final yr on the V27-series gadgets. Primarily, it’s a bi-colour steady mild supply that can be utilized so as to add natural-looking fill mild to both pictures or movies.

By default, the Aura Mild will detect the ambient color temperature and modify the heat of this LED ring to match. Nonetheless, you too can management it manually. More often than not, pictures utilizing the Aura Mild aren’t probably the most flattering, however they undoubtedly look higher than a standard flash.

Plus, Vivo provides a standard LED flash, so you possibly can select which one fits the state of affairs higher.

Luke Baker

The V30 Professional can shoot video at as much as 4K/60fps on each digicam, however sadly, it lacks digital picture stabilisation at 60fps, so that you’ll wish to stick with 4K/30fps for probably the most half. If you happen to do, you’ll get great detailed movies with clean stabilisation.

There aren’t as many video choices as I’m used to seeing on flagships (there are not any guide controls, for instance) however for the informal shooter, the Vivo V30 Professional is well-equipped.

Battery Life & Charging

• 5000mAh battery
• 80W wired quick charging
• Charger included

Battery efficiency is one other space the place the V30 Professional excels.

In some way, Vivo has managed to cram a whopping 5000mAh pack into this slim chassis, and with the comparatively environment friendly MediaTek chip at its core, this is sufficient to see you thru the day, after which some.

Regardless of utilizing the telephone closely, capturing tonnes of pictures, streaming HDR content material and enjoying video games, the V30 Professional by no means didn’t see me to the tip of the day. Typically, I’d go to mattress with 20% or extra left within the tank.

Luke Baker

Charging speeds are nice, too. Vivo features a speedy 80W wall adapter within the field, and it says it will take you from fully drained to completely charged in as little as 46 minutes. What’s actually shocking, although, is that it solely took 41 minutes in my testing, and a 50% cost solely took me 20 minutes.

There’s no wi-fi charging help, however that’s common on this value bracket.

Regardless of the blazing quick charging speeds, Vivo may be very assured concerning the long-term reliability of its battery. After conducting inside testing, the model says you possibly can count on to retain 80% of the unique capability after 4 years of fixed use.

Software program & Apps

• Funtouch OS 14
• Primarily based on Android 14
• Some bloatware to cope with

The Vivo V30 Professional ships with a skinned model of Android 14 known as Funtouch OS 14. It doesn’t stray too removed from the inventory Android expertise, navigation all works in a well-recognized method and there’s a Google Uncover tab should you swipe to the left.

Luke Baker

Aesthetically, it’s not my favorite pores and skin, however fortunately, there are a great deal of customisation choices to select from, so you possibly can simply tweak the styling to your choice. This contains all the pieces from the animations once you open an app, to the form of your app icons, you possibly can even change the fingerprint sensor and face unlock icons.

In use, it feels very responsive, and it’s straightforward to become familiar with however my predominant criticism is the quantity of bloatware that comes pre-installed.

On first boot-up, you’ll discover numerous first-party Vivo apps, in addition to folders stuffed with really helpful apps and video games. It’s considerably comprehensible, at such an aggressive value level, however cleansing up all this undesirable stuff is a trouble that I might actually do with out.

Luke Baker

Relating to long-term help, Vivo guarantees two main OS upgrades and three years of safety patches. It’s not the worst, however it’s removed from spectacular, particularly when rival gadgets just like the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G supply 4 OS upgrades and 5 years of safety patches.

Value & Availability

Probably the worst factor concerning the Vivo V30 Professional, significantly should you reside within the UK or the US, is that it’s going to be very troublesome to get your fingers on one.

For the previous couple of years, Vivo has centered its V-series efforts on the Asian market, and Europe doesn’t often get a glance in.

It initially launched in Thailand and Indonesia, and it needs to be accessible in India, the Philippines and Malaysia, too. Vivo instructed me the worth in Thailand, which is nineteen,999 THB or roughly £440/$550. It’s fairly nice worth, given what the telephone provides, however you gained’t discover any contract offers within the UK, so that you’d have to consider importing and discovering a very good SIM-only deal.

An apparent competitor at this value is the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G. With that telephone, you’ll get higher software program help and extra refined software program usually, however it’s a particular step down in picture high quality, and never fairly as fast, both. There’s additionally the Google Pixel 7a, which may seize equally spectacular pictures with its rear cameras however doesn’t come shut with the front-facing digicam.

Take a look at our choose of one of the best mid-range telephones for extra choices.

Do you have to purchase the Vivo V30 Professional?

If you happen to’re on the lookout for a photographic performer that doesn’t break the financial institution, the Vivo V30 Professional is a superb alternative. It’s very true should you prefer to take quite a lot of selfies, or portrait pictures of individuals, as that’s the place this Zeiss-backed digicam system actually shines.

The telephone is stable in different areas too, I wasn’t left wanting efficiency, the battery life is nice and it prices in a flash. There’s one thing to be stated for the slim construct, too. The styling isn’t precisely to my style, however I’m certain loads of individuals will adore it, and it undoubtedly stands out in a crowded market.

In fact, this solely applies if you will get your fingers on it. If you happen to can, it’s a little bit of a cut price, however in any other case, most individuals aren’t going to be prepared to go to the lengths of importing a mid-range handset. It’s an actual disgrace as a result of in any other case, it’s a really compelling choice for the worth.

Specs

• Funtouch OS 14, primarily based on Android 14
• 6.78in, 2800×1260, AMOLED, 120Hz, curved show
• In-display fingerprint sensor
• MediaTek Dimensity 8200
• 12GB RAM
• 512GB storage
• Cameras:
  • 50Mp, f/1.8 predominant digicam
  • 50Mp f/2.0 ultra-wide
  • 50Mp f/1.9 2x telephoto
  • 50Mp front-facing digicam with autofocus
• As much as 4K @ 60fps rear video
• Single speaker
• Twin-SIM
• Bluetooth 5.3
• 5000mAh battery
• 80W wired charging
• 164.36 × 75.1 × 7.45 mm
• IP54 licensed
• 188g
• Colors: Noble Black, Bloom White, Lush Inexperienced, Waving Aqua