Vivo V40 Pro First Impressions

Vivo is back with a new V series just four months after the launch of its V30 series. The new phones are called the Vivo V40 and the V40 Pro, respectively and are priced between the mid-range and the premium smartphone segments. We have the Vivo V40 Pro with us, which packs top-end hardware and also looks the part when it comes to premium design. The phone is priced at Rs. 49,999 for the base 8GB RAM + 256GB storage variant and Rs. 55,999 for the 12GB RAM + 512GB storage variant. While the typical V series smartphone has always been about slim designs and aesthetics, Vivo took a slightly different approach with its V30 series, focussing on better camera hardware. With the V40, it now appears that it's aiming to be an all-rounder, with a focus on performance and battery life as well. So, let's take a closer look at what's new.

The Vivo V40 Pro has a slim and curved design with an official IP68 rating for dust and water resistance

We don't expect much from mid-year upgrades, but Vivo has gone with a refreshed design. Like recent models, the phone continues to have curved edges on the sides with a flattened top and bottom. The phone's durability has improved and now comes with an official IP68 rating versus the official IP54 rating of the V30 Pro.

The curved design also means that your typical 3D curved edge display is included. This one is a 6.78-inch, full-HD+ 120Hz curved edge AMOLED panel protected by Schott's Xensation Alpha glass. The curved edge rear panel is also made of glass, and our Ganges Blue review unit sure looks unique with its iridescent wave-like pattern, even though it does appear a bit similar to the V30 Pro's Andaman Blue finish. The phone is also available in a Titanium Grey finish.

The keyhole-like camera module looks a bit odd but has a familiar camera setup

What does stand out is the odd-looking keyhole-shaped camera module. Given that the rest of the phone is quite slim, the camera module protrudes quite a bit and consists of one circular module (housing the 50-megapixel ultra-wide and primary cameras), while the capsule-shaped bottom assembly holds the 50-megapixel (2X optical) telephoto camera and the aura light LED ring. As you can tell from the photos, the Aura ring light has been shrunk in size compared to the one on the V30 Pro. The selfie camera, just like the previous model, also has a 50-megapixel selfie camera with autofocus capability. In short, the camera setup is similar to its predecessor.

The Vivo V40 Pro's Ganges Blue finish looks unique

The phone runs Vivo's Funtouch 14 OS, which is based on Android 14 and also comes with some AI image editing features. The V40 Pro is powered by a 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 9200+ SoC, which is a good upgrade and comes with several improvements over the V30 Pro's Dimensity 8200 SoC.

The battery has been upgraded as well. The Vivo V40 Pro now gets a 5,500mAh battery that can be charged using the same 80W charger as before. Vivo has not included any wireless charging functionality with the new model.

The Vivo V40 Pro runs Funtouch OS 14 and has a few AI-enabled features

With solid upgrades mainly in the performance and battery departments, we expect Vivo's V40 Pro to get the much-needed push to make it stand out from the crowd of premium devices from Samsung and Google this year. These devices also come packed with AI features, which Vivo as a brand has yet to delve into with its premium offerings and currently seems reserved for its ultra-premium (Vivo X Fold 3 Pro) offerings only. If you are looking for a premium smartphone with a focus on photography, do stay tuned for our detailed review, which will be out soon.