PULCHRITUDE STRIDE | Vivo V30e Review! [Part 4]

Final Part (Last) 1 v1 final final 2 for real this time 1

For the last part of this review, we will be tackling the other things that are not mentioned in the previous pages. Mainly, the audio profile of the phone. This is the shortest part of the review as well.

SPEAKER: Only One? At this Price Range?

For some reason, the Vivo V30 series (including the V30 Pro), only has one speaker. When we asked about it, Vivo said that users don’t primarily see the difference and that they are currently focusing on photos. While that is true, audio should not be compromised, as there are users who prefer taking videos for their livestreams and online videos. Moreover, the phone also has a decent display which can be used to watch movies with. Just having one speaker feels like being deaf in one ear and you don’t get to hear the full experience.

To “compensate” for that, Vivo uses an audio booster. This booster allows you to raise the volume beyond 100% (up to 300%) which, using software algorithms, should mimic stereo sound, wherein they could have just added stereo speakers and it would have been a lot more immersive.

Just like the V30 Pro, the sound sadly is not very immersive. Though, it is clear, but not very loud, even in 300%. It also feels distorted at this volume rather than it is “stereo-like”. This makes it feel like Vivo only increased the volume but not other important factors such as bass, mids, and highs. It’s alright to use it while watching a movie but don’t expect too much from it. Our Tecno Spark Go, thanks to its real stereo speakers, has a better clarity and richer sound experience.

THE VERDICT: For the Travelers!

The Vivo V30e is a smartphone intended for the travelers, probably unintentionally. It has everything a traveling photographer needs, such as a competitive camera, long-lasting battery life, and the IP rating. However, it misses out on other important aspects, such as portrait mode, performance, and ultrawide camera quality. Still, the phone is a massive improvement over last year’s V29e and comes with several noteworthy upgrades while keeping its price lower than it.

ALTERNATIVES:

The phone is pricey. PHP 18,999 is not the price we’ve come to see a phone having these specs. The V30e is released most likely to compete against the Honor X9b, which has similar features. However, that phone is slightly cheaper, at PHP 16,999. Another alternative is the Tecno Camon 30 Pro. While pricey for a Tecno phone; in general, it is affordable. It also has a more powerful Dimensity 8200 chipset and a Sony IMX890 sensor, which has OIS. This phone costs PHP 15,999 and comes with more RAM and storage (12/256).

Can it compete against its more powerful siblings? Sadly, no. However, we shouldn’t miss out on the Sony IMX882 which creates solid pictures and even video. While the Vivo V30e has impressive cameras and a surprisingly strong battery life, we suggest looking elsewhere, or outright just purchase the V30 Pro. Granted, it is costly at PHP 34,990, but then you get ZEISS-assisted lenses, a more powerful Aura Ring Light, better portrait shots, and of course, a more powerful chipset.

PROS:

• Bright and punchy OLED display, though it could have been brighter
• Competitive 50MP primary camera, thanks to the sensor, a Sony IMX882
• Absurdly long-lasting battery life
• Attractive design that feels smooth in the hands and does not smudge
• IP64 rating is perfect for the tough weather in the Philippines
• More affordable than last year’s V29e with numerous upgrades to the camera and chipset

CONS:

• The SoC, Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, fails to impress
• Heavily relies on AI to produce portrait shots, creating bleeds on subjects and making it feel unnatural
• Lacks stereo speakers

OVERALL RATING: 7.2/10

• DESIGN RATING: 8.5/10
• BATTERY RATING: 9/10
• CAMERA RATING: 7/10
• SOFTWARE RATING: 7/10
• PERFORMANCE RATING: 6/10
• PRICING RATING: 5.5/10

AVAILABILITY:

One good thing about Vivo (and by extension Oppo) phones is that they are practically available anywhere in the Philippines and you don’t need to go through the grey market just to get them. With that said, you can purchase the Vivo V30e via Vivo’s official Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop, and through their official third-party retailers such as Audionet and Rulls. You can get the phone physically simply by visiting the nearest Vivo kiosk or concept stores nationwide. The phone is valued at PHP 18,999 (8/256) but currently priced at PHP 17,999. It comes in two colours: Coco Brown and Cloudy White, both unique colours and the former is a continuation of the brown colour the V29 series have.

And now! End scene. Thank you for reading fellow techies. As you can see, for every review, we make quality-of-life improvements, such as a shorter conclusion section (now called “Verdict”) and a rating. Expect these to be seen on future reviews and we might also update some of our older reviews to have these new improvements!