The Vivo V40 5G was launched a while back and its Lite variant, the Vivo V40 Lite, was also launched. As the name suggests, it is a toned-down version with major cuts in almost all the key components like the camera, display, speaker, etc., except for the design department, which is Vivo’s hallmark for its phones.
It is priced at Rs 37,000, which is higher than the last-gen V30 Lite that was originally launched at Rs 35,000 and on paper, both the siblings carry very similar specifications. I have been using this phone for about a week now and here’s everything I found, felt, and handled with the V40 Lite. But before we tackle the Vivo V40 Lite review directly, let’s take a look at its specifications first.
Vivo V40 Lite Specifications:
Design: Glass front, IP64 rating
Dimensions: 163.23 x 75.93 x 7.79 mm
Weight: 188 grams
Display: 6.67-inch E4 AMOLED, 120Hz, 394 ppi, 1800 nits
Resolution: FHD+ (1080 x 2400)
Chipset: Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 685 (6nm)
RAM: 8GB expandable
Internal storage: 256GB UFS 2.2
OS & UI: Funtouch OS 14 based on Android 14
Rear camera:
50MP, f/1.8, PDAF
2MP, f/2.4, (depth)
Front camera: 32MP, f/2.0, (wide)
Battery: 5000 mAh Li-ion battery 80mAh with 80W Super Fast Charging
Color Options: Titanium Silver, Emerald Green
Price in Nepal: NPR 36,999 (8/256GB)
Vivo V40 Lite Review
- Beautiful Design
- Glass Front, Plastic Back
- Plastic Mid-Frame
Vivo and a beautiful design? Well, it’s like the sun rising in the east – Vivo always emphasizes on building a phone that looks good aesthetically.
So, the V40 Lite is a great looking phone, and this Emerald Green variant is the one to go for! Meanwhile, the Titanium Silver variant is a bit too dull for my taste.
It feels soft and smooth to the touch, and overall, it’s quite elegant. When you flip it over to the front, you’re greeted with a notched display.
The bezels are decent all around, if not the best. Also, the IP64 rating is commendable here. Overall, I’d rate the Vivo V40 Lite 4.5 stars out of five for its design.
Vivo V40 Lite 3 Rear Design
- Infinix Note 40 Series Announcement
- How is the display?
- 6.67-inch AMOLED display, 120Hz refresh rate
- 2400 x 1080 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio
- Vivo V40 Lite Display
In terms of the display, the V40 Lite features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display, which is identical to the one found on its predecessor, the V30 Lite.
I would say it’s a pretty decent display but not exceptional. The colors are punchy and fair for videos, TikTok, and watching movies. But let me tell you, there’s no HDR support for Netflix or YouTube.
The refresh rate is still 120Hz, so in terms of scrolling, you get a smooth experience. You can also use the smart refresh rate option to save some battery here.
Meanwhile, the stereo speaker setup is basic and can cater to your personal space.
The in-display fingerprint scanner works as intended and readability in sunlight is also good with 1200 nits of HBM. So, overall, the Vivo V40 Lite’s display gets an A- rating from me.
Performance
Then, comes the part where I’m disappointed for obvious reasons! Firstly, it’s the same old Snapdragon 685 processor from the V30 Lite, and that too at a more affordable price!
Vivo could have priced this phone more effectively because if you look at the competition, we have much more powerful phones like the OnePlus Nord CE 3 with Snapdragon 782G, the Realme Narzo 70 Pro with Dimensity 7050, and even the Redmi Note 13 Pro 4G with Helio G99 SoC.
Vivo V40 Lite Benchmarks
Among this group, the SD 685 stands out as expected! It can give you basic performance and if you’re inclined to play some games, let me tell you – it’s only meant for casual gaming.
Don’t expect smooth PUBG action at 60fps, as it’s limited to 40fps while Call of Duty Mobile runs at 50fps. Then again, CODM is a highly optimized title and can run at the same fps on much cheaper phones as well.
Vivo V40 Lite PUBG Gameplay
PUBG Settings and FPS Score
So, you’re not getting any kind of performance boost from the predecessor. The UI side of things is FunTouch OS 14 which I’ve not really been a fan of since the early days.
Additionally, coupled with the middling performance of the Snapdragon 685, the UI experience does get sluggish at times, despite the phone packing 8GB of RAM.
Camera of vivo V40 Lite
- Dual camera setup on the back
- 50MP main camera, 2MP depth sensor, flash sensor
- 32MP selfie camera
- Vivo V40 Lite camera
Well, the camera department is basic here too, a 50MP main camera without OIS and a 2MP depth sensor. It’s the Deja Vu feeling from the V30 Lite again! However, the front camera has now been upgraded to 32MP from 8MP. Here’s what I found with the V40 Lite cameras.
Daylight
The V40 Lite takes good photos when the light source is plentiful. The output isn’t very strong and processed. It’s more on the natural side, I’d say! But it would have been really nice to add more colors
Selfies
Selfies are good from both sides. I found the colour tone similar to that of the V30 Lite which has a similar tint, which doesn’t look very natural to me.
Selfies
The 32MP camera takes good selfies most of the time, ready for social media, I’d say!
Low light
When the sun goes down, the dedicated Night mode comes into play to collect some extra light and provide you with usable samples.
Aura Light
And how could Vivo miss out on something as cool as Aura Light? It comes in handy when you choose to take a selfie in a low-light environment.
Videos
The video capture side is below average. Don’t expect smooth videos here despite having the stabilisation mode turned on. 1080p at 30fps is all you can do while surprisingly only 60fps is available at the old 720p resolution, which is disappointing!
Battery and Charging
- 5,000mAh battery
- 80W wired fast charging support
- Vivo V40 Lite charging
Moving further, the Vivo V40 Lite’s 5,000mAh battery should last you through the day as it should on moderate usage. Similarly, the 80W charger in the box can charge it up in an hour or so. Apart from that, Vivo claims a battery life of 4 years on this phone.
Vivo V40 Lite Review: Conclusion
Well, it’s time for a conclusion everyone! The Vivo V40 Lite has good looks, a decent primary camera and selfies, but the performance side could have been better considering its price. Similarly, there’s no ultrawide camera and no guaranteed update policy, making it an average offering at around Rs 35,000.
Vivo V40 Lite Back Design
Vivo V40 Lite 4G Review: Pros and Cons
Pros
– Sleek design and IP64 rating
– 80W fast charging
– Good selfies
Cons
- Average performance for the price
- EIS doesn’t work in videos
- Price could have been better