Vivo V27e Review: Should you buy it for Rs. 42,000?

Vivo recently launched Vivo V27 and Vivo V27e in Nepal. The Vivo V27 has already been reviewed. So here, we will review the Vivo V27e, a mid-range smartphone available at a price of NPR 42,000 for the sole 8/128 GB variant available in Nepal. Vivo always focuses more on design & camera and this is no exception looking at its stunning back panel and 64 MP camera. However, is this smartphone truly worth its price tag? In this review, we will delve into the details and evaluate the Vivo V27e to determine if it justifies its cost and provides a satisfying user experience.

Vivo V27e Specifications:

• Body: 162.51 × 75.81 × 7.70 mm, 185gm, Glass front, Plastic back/frames, IP54
• Display: 6.62-inches AMOLED panel, 120Hz refresh rate
• Resolution: 2400 x 1080 pixels, 398 PPI, 20:9 aspect ratio
• Chipset: MediaTek Helio G99 4G (6nm mobile platform)

• CPU: Octa-core:

  – 2x Cortex-A76 (2.2 GHz)
  – 6x Cortex-A55 (2.0 GHz)
• GPU: Mali-G57 MC2
• Memory: 8/12GB RAM, 128/256GB Storage (fixed)
• Software & UI: Android 13 with Funtouch OS 13 on top
• Rear Camera: Triple (with “Aura Light” LED flash); – Wide: 64MP Sony IMX766V, f/1.79, PDAF, OIS – Depth: 2MP, f/2.4 – Macro: 2MP, f/2.4
• Front Camera: 32MP, f/2.0 sensor (hole-punch cutout)
• Audio: Mono speaker, No 3.5mm headphone jack, Hi-Res Audio
• Security: In-display fingerprint sensor (Optical), AI face recognition
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Light, E-compass, Gyroscope, Proximity
• Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 5 (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.2, GPS / Galileo / Glonass / QZSS / BDS, USB-C, NFC, 4G LTE (VoLTE)
• Battery: 4600mAh with 66W fast charging (66W adapter provided)
• Color Options: Lavender Purple, Glory Black, Lively Green
• What’s Inside The Box: Vivo V27e, USB-A to USB-C cable, 66W power adapter, SIM ejector tool, Transparent case, User manual, and other documents
• Price in Nepal: NPR 41,999 (8/256GB)

Vivo V27e review

Design and Display

• Glass Front, Plastic Back
• 6.62-inches AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate
• 2400 x 1080 pixels, 20:9 aspect ratio

It shares a similar design with its sibling, the V27, featuring a boxy form factor. The back panel of the V27e in the Lavender Purple variant stands out with an attractive feathery design. The camera module looks clean and premium, while the flash comes with a unique feature called the Aura Ring Light. However, it lacks a headphone jack.

  The V27e boasts a 6.62-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The AMOLED panel offers deep blacks and vibrant colors for content watching, but the screen quality could have been much better. Although it provides a bright viewing experience, the colors are not as rich as expected. Nevertheless, the 120Hz refresh rate ensures a smooth performance overall.

Performance

• Octa-Core MediaTek Helio G99 4G (6nm mobile platform)
• Mali-G57 MC2
• 8/12GB RAM, 128/256GB Storage (fixed)

Under the hood, the V27e is powered by the MediaTek Helio G99 chipset, a mid-range 4G chip. This kind of chipset is found in phones like Poco M5, and Realme 10 which we can buy for just Rs. 30,000. In terms of performance, it offers decent value for day-to-day tasks, ensuring a lag-free experience.

However, when it comes to gaming, the V27e may struggle with more demanding titles like PUBG and Call of Duty Mobile. In PUBG, the device can only achieve 40fps, while in Call of Duty Mobile, it is limited to 30fps at the lowest graphics settings. The overall gaming experience could be better for the price we pay. For a more immersive gaming experience, other phones in the same price range, such as the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G with its MediaTek Dimensity 1080 chipset, offer better performance.

• Also Read:
  • Vivo V27 Review: Some Flash and Some Substance
  • Vivo X Note unveiled with a 7-inch display, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor
  • Vivo V27 Pro official with MediaTek Dimensity 8200 SoC

Software

• Android 13 with Funtouch OS 13 on top

Regarding the software, the V27e runs on FunTouch OS. While some users including me are not huge fans of this user interface. However, the overall UI experience is relatively clean. Vivo has kept the pre-installed apps to a minimum, with only a few additional apps like LinkedIn, TikTok, and Spotify alongside the Google proprietary apps. This helps to avoid excessive bloatware unlike in that of Realme. Thus, V27e gives a decent UI usage overall.

Camera

• Triple-camera setup at the back
• 64MP main, 2MP depth, 2MP macro
• 32MP selfie camera

Getting to the optics, the V27e features a triple camera setup. It includes a 64MP primary sensor and two useless 2 MP Macro & 2MP depth lenses.

Daylight

The daylight shots from Vivo V27e are mostly at the saturated sides with slight reddish tones. The dynamic range is decent while the details are not too intriguing.

Portrait

Moving to the portrait shots, I found the outputs to be not so appealing. The skin tone is not correct most of the time. The slight reddish tone also follows here throughout.

Night

The phone offers a dedicated night mode that can slightly brighten the shots. Given that it has OIS, I didn't find it much helpful here though. Overall, the shots are just okayish.

Selfie

Talking of selfies, V27e can capture decent selfies. The white balance is a bit off here but the details are just okay.

Video

In terms of videos, the smartphone lets you capture up to 1080p 60fps. But the stabilization only kicks in for the 1080p 30fps mode which is kinda disappointing. Overall, the EIS doesn't seem that smooth as well. Do expect some glitters!

Battery

• 4600mAh Battery
• 66W Fast charging

The battery life of the Vivo V27e is decent. Because of its slim and trim design, it is equipped with a 4500mAh battery. It typically lasts a day with medium usage. The charge does not last long on heavy usage, but thanks to the 80W fast charger included in the box that charges the device from 0 to 50% in just 19 minutes. A full charge takes less than an hour. But do note that this phone only supports charging up to 66W.

In terms of 4G bands, the Vivo V27e supports Band 3 and Band 20. This means that you can use NTC's 4G network in rural areas where these bands are available. Additionally, the phone supports VoLTE, allowing you to make HD-quality calls on both NTC and Ncell networks.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Vivo V27e is a decent mid-range device, if only the pricing had been more competitive. The design is appealing, and the camera performance is okayish. However, in this price range, there are better options available for gaming enthusiasts, such as the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G and Realme 9 Pro 5G. Vivo could have provided a more powerful chipset to deliver a significantly better gaming experience. That being said, if you have a limited budget and you don't engage in heavy gaming, the V27e can still meet your daily needs.

Vivo V27e Review: Pros and Cons

Pros

• Attractive Design
• 80W fast charger in the box
• Ad and Bloatware Free OS

Cons

• Average Price to Performance Ratio
• Average front and back camera
• Single Speaker

Meanwhile, check out our review of Vivo V27.