PROS: Elegant and aesthetic design Powerful quad 50MP camera system Large 5,500mAh battery despite thin profile IP68 ratingCONS: No wireless charging Telephoto camera only supports 2x optical zoom Limited global availabilityRATINGS:AESTHETICSERGONOMICSPERFORMANCESUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITYVALUE FOR MONEYEDITOR'S QUOTE:The Vivo V40 Pro builds on the brand's outstanding photography performance to deliver an even more powerful experience in a stylish design.Cameras have become one of if not the most important aspects of a smartphone these days. Of course, the display is functionally the most critical component, but other than being large and crisp, people tend to gravitate to the best smartphone camera their money can buy. Unfortunately, the best ones are often reserved for the most expensive handsets as well, leaving the majority of consumers, especially the younger generation, dreaming of better days. Vivos V series of smartphones has always aimed to make smartphone photography more accessible, and last years Vivo V30 Pro definitely put more expensive devices on notice. Can the Vivo V40 Pro top that or has the brand already reached its peak? We take Vivos latest and greatest V series phone for a spin to find out.Designer: VivoAestheticsRight off the bat, we can already say that Vivo has outdone itself with the design of the Vivo V40 Pro. Last years flagship was already a looker, but it suddenly feels a bit lacking compared to its younger sibling. You still have a sleek appearance, smooth curves, and a thin profile, but the real winner here is the camera design. That Vivo was able to fit three 50MP cameras in such a compact space is already a marvel, but the way it managed to make the design look appealing is a rare feat these days.Vivo calls it a Gemini Ring Design, which is a fancy term for what looks like a curvy keyhole. Two of the three cameras are enclosed in a circle that sits on top of a pill-shaped elevation. Inside that is another oblong enclosure housing the third camera and the Aura Ring flash. There is a subtle beauty to the play of balance and asymmetry in this design, and it definitely gives the Vivo V40 Pro a unique visual character.The company didnt pull punches in the different colors and materials available for both the Vivo V40 and the V40 Pro, and all of them are beautiful in their own way. The Sunglow Peach colorway with its warm hues and dynamic magnetic ink is quite an eye-catcher, and our review units Moonlight White with its pale blue streaks has a soothing and calming effect. Other than the camera bump and the small vivo branding at the bottom, there are no distractions on the back of the phone, allowing you to appreciate the beauty of these designs.At only 7.58mm, the Vivo V40 Pro is already thin, and the curved edges of both the screen and the back panel make it look even thinner. This could be a divisive decision in 2024, though, with many seeing curved edges as a thing of the past. It definitely still has appeal and it perfectly matches the smoothness of the rest of the phone.ErgonomicsThe Vivo V40 Pro is not a small phone by any means so that thin profile helps offset the size of the device. Its incredibly light as well at only 192g, especially considering what it packs inside, like a very generous battery. All in all, its difficult to hold it up for long periods of time, though the glass material on its back could prove to be slippery for some hands.The debate around flat versus curved edges continues here as well. With part of the screen curving off to the sides, theres always the possibility of accidental touches in those areas. There isnt much surface area or sharp corners for your hand to grip either, and you might find yourself straining a bit just to hold the phone tight. Its partly personal preference and partly the shape of your hand, but thankfully Vivo ships a protective case with the phone just in case.PerformanceIt might not be part of Vivos top-tier X series, but the Vivo V40 Pro definitely packs quite a punch, starting with the MediaTek Dimensity 9200+, the chipmakers flagship silicon. Its paired with up to 12GB of RAM, as was the case in our review unit, which can be boosted with another 12GB. That said, it takes some of that from the 512GB internal storage, which isnt expandable like many phones these days. All in all, the Vivo V40 Pro performs like a champ for any use case, whether its social media, watching videos, or playing games. The latter is helped by an Ultra-Large VC Cooling System that keeps the phone running at a stable pace without throttling.More impressive, however, is the 5,500mAh battery the phone crams inside its thin and light body. Its definitely one of the largest capacities available in a phone thats barely 7.6mm thick, allowing it to easily support all your shutterbug adventures. With an 80W charging speed, you can quickly top up to full in around 30 minutes, at least with the right charging brick. Unfortunately, Vivo hasnt yet decided to put wireless charging on its V series phones, but maybe that will change next year.The real stars of the show, however, are the cameras, all of them with 50MP sensors. Yes, that includes the selfie camera with a Samsung ISOCELL JN1 sensor and a wide 92-degree field of view for those wefies or groufies. If that sounds familiar, then you might have heard of the Vivo V30 Pro last year. In fact, in almost all but one case, its nearly the exact same set of 50MP cameras, like the 50MP Sony IMX816 telephoto shooter and the 50MP Samsung JN1 119-degree ultra-wide camera.Whats different this year is the new 50MP Sony IMX921 with a larger 1/1.56-inch sensor. That means it is able to take in more light information even in darker environments, improving its overall quality. In fact, the entire ensemble is actually commendable in their output, delivering super images bolstered by AI and computational photography. Of course, these cameras have optics tuned by ZEISS, so theres little surprise there. And one cant forget Vivos signature Aura Light that takes the regular flash and turns it into a mini ring light for softer and more natural lighting. Its most recent incarnation includes Electronic Control Technology that lets you adjust the brightness of the light depending on the distance of the subject.In essence, the Vivo V40 Pro builds on the success of its predecessor and adds some extra value with upgraded specs and improved software. Unfortunately, it also carries over the flaws, most notably the short optical zoom range of the telephoto camera. It only goes as far as 2x zoom, but Vivo is heavily advertising what it calls 50x ZEISS Ultra HD Zoom, which is a mouthful that really means software-assisted digital zoom.SustainabilityJust like the Vivo V30 Pro last year, the brand is sadly silent on any of its efforts in using even a fraction of sustainable materials for this years V series flagship. It also hasnt stopped shipping chargers in its boxes, which is unsurprising since it wants to make sure that its phones use the right 80W charger for the fastest speed they can support. Were still holding out hope that Vivo will take the lead in this area soon.That said, it does have some good news when it comes to keeping the Vivo V40 Pro away from the trash for as long as possible. Its the first in the V series to reach an IP68 rating, ensuring that its protected from dust and water which can mean the end for many smartphones. It also advertises a 50-Month Smooth Experience guarantee that basically says the phone can run for over four years without losing its fluidity and performance. Unfortunately, it doesnt translate to having four years of updates, and Vivo has made no promises on that matter.ValueIts perfectly clear from our time with the Vivo V40 Pro that it delivers everything it promises on paper. The Quad 50MP Camera System it carries over from last year continues the tradition of excellent mobile photography, but this time with a larger 5,500mAh battery that better supports all those photo and video content creation. Even better, the phone comes in a sleek, slim, and light design that makes you feel like youre holding an art object rather than a cold piece of technology.In other words, the Vivo V40 Pro would have been perfect if not for the fact that some people might not even be able to get their hands on it. The $560 price tag it carries (converted from Indian figures) isnt that heavy, but global availability is still undisclosed at the moment. Hopefully, it will fare better than the Vivo V30 Pro which didnt get a wider distribution that would have spread the word of its amazing camera chops.VerdictSmartphones are getting more powerful and so are their cameras. But with this increase in technical performance, designers are often forced to make many compromises to fit all of them inside a product that should still fit our pockets. In that regard, the Vivo V40 Pro is quite a feat, cramming not only four 50MP cameras but a large 5,500mAh battery inside a body thats as thin and as light as it can be. Its a beautiful phone with impressive performance and an accessible price point, and it deserves to be made available to more markets this time.The post Vivo V40 Pro Review: Prime Mobile Photography Arrives in a Sleek Package first appeared on Yanko Design.