Among the many Chinese smartphone brands active in the local market, ViVO has recently made a sort of comeback in Israel (through the official importer – Banda). ViVO is part of the large BBK conglomerate, which also owns the more well-known OnePlus brand in Israel, as well as Oppo and realme. ViVO shares similar technologies with some of these sister brands but also strives to maintain differentiation, such as its collaboration with the German camera manufacturer Zeiss — as opposed to OnePlus, which collaborates with Sweden's Hasselblad. The V40 model includes this Zeiss partnership and comes with a price that places it in the competitive mid-range category.
On the other hand, it’s worth noting that this is not a new smartphone — the V40 was launched in July of last year and only arrived in Israel at the end of February. This doesn’t harm its quality, but it’s worth keeping in mind.
Design: ViVO V40 – High Protection Standard for Sticky and Hot Liquids
Let’s start with the fact that the V40 is a good-looking smartphone, even a bit different — mainly because of its lens module, which is designed with a long shape and a large circle for the sensors. It comes in several interesting colors such as light blue and peach (which I couldn't find locally), purple, and a dull silver-gray version that I received for review. Its back has a matte coating meant to resist fingerprints, but smudges still accumulate. The phone is not overly heavy by today’s standards — 190 grams — and has a thickness of 7.6 mm, which is reasonably slim. It boasts protection that doesn't fall short of pricier devices: IP68 for water and dust, and also IP69, meaning it can handle hot water (up to 80 degrees Celsius), falls, or sticky liquids like juice.
As for screen protection, it features Schott Xensation Alpha glass, a type I don’t recall encountering before. Schott is a German company promising solid performance.
Display: ViVO V40 – High Brightness
This device features a large, curved display — 6.78 inches, AMOLED technology — offering rich, vibrant colors, a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth UI interaction, and peak brightness of 4500 nits, which is excellent. I had no trouble viewing the screen in sunlight, although the pre-applied screen protector requires cleaning to see clearly under strong direct sunlight.
Regarding the curved screen, I personally have no issue with it and can easily use gesture navigation with edge swipes. However, some users may prefer flat screens and might not find this design appealing.
Interface: ViVO V40 – Less AI, Fewer Updates
The V40 runs Android 15 with ViVO’s Funtouch OS 15 overlay. ViVO only promises two years of OS updates (meaning since it launched with Android 14, it will only receive up to Android 16) and three years of security updates (about two years remaining). There is a built-in AI tool for object removal in photos, which didn’t work well (you’d be better off using Google’s version). Call recording through Google’s built-in system includes an audible notification that the call is being recorded. Beyond that, there are no standout features — you get Android with both its strengths and limitations.
Hardware: Where’s the eSIM?
One notable drawback is the lack of eSIM support, which allows connecting to carriers without a physical SIM card. While most users in Israel might not mind this, if you travel abroad, using eSIM providers like Voye or Airalo is a must to avoid expensive roaming charges.
What is included? 5G cellular connectivity, WiFi Calling (tested on Partner’s network), NFC for in-store payments, Bluetooth 5.4, and WiFi only in version 6 (not critical, but an upgrade would have been nice). The stereo speakers are decent.
The processor is a mid-range Snapdragon 7 Gen 3, with a generous 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage (non-expandable). Performance was smooth — no lags or stuttering during use.
Camera: Zeiss Partnership Helps ViVO
Smartphone manufacturers — especially Chinese ones — love partnering with camera companies, and as mentioned, ViVO does so with Zeiss, with excellent results. Zeiss worked with ViVO on the lens design, color profiles, calibration, and overall image quality. The camera system features dual 50MP sensors: A main sensor with optical image stabilization and a wide-angle sensor (119°) with autofocus.
Photo results are strong, and the collaboration with Zeiss seems to benefit ViVO significantly. Zeiss’ natural photo profile produces lifelike colors, portrait shots are detailed and sharp, and overall I was happy with the image quality (for its category). Where does it fall short? Low-light shots were unimpressive and showed noticeable noise. Surprisingly, the night mode performs well, delivering clean and good-quality results.
The V40 also has an internal ring light on the back of the device, with adjustable yellow-white tones for better-controlled lighting — reducing glare in photos.
The selfie camera is also surprisingly equipped with a 50MP sensor with autofocus. It performs well in daylight. In lower light conditions, such as indoors using the wide-angle mode, results were mediocre.
Battery: Large Capacity and Fast Charging – Charger Included
ViVO included a large 5500mAh battery, claiming it’s 16.5% smaller than other batteries of similar capacity thanks to its second-generation silicon-carbon anode technology. In my use, it lasted from around 7 a.m. to just past midnight, with 5% battery remaining and a screen-on time of roughly 5 hours and 45 minutes. That’s solid — not amazing, but definitely good.
When the battery runs low, the device supports 80W fast charging and includes a compatible charger in the box. It charged to 25% in 15 minutes and 51% in 30 minutes. Unfortunately, wireless charging is not supported.
Price: NIS 2,000 (Official Importer: Banda)
Bottom line: On one hand, the V40 is an attractive smartphone with unusual, high-level protection, a large-capacity battery, solid imaging via its Zeiss collaboration, and good performance. On the other hand, it’s a phone that’s already been on the global market for a year, lacks long-term OS updates, and doesn’t support eSIM.