Today, vivo India introduced its latest mid-range 5G smartphone – the vivo T3 5G under its vivo T3 Series lineup and it’s the successor to the last year’s vivo T2 5G. The smartphone has been revamped from its predecessor, especially the performance (MediaTek Dimensity 7200 SoC), and camera (50 MP Sony IMX882 OIS alongwith a Flicker sensor). Other highlights and features include a 120 Hz AMOLED display with 1,800 nits peak brightness, 44W FlashCharge, FunTouch OS 14 based on Android 14, and more. Here’s more about the smartphone in our vivo T3 5G review.
As per vivo India, this is the fastest smartphone in the segment with an AnTuTu score of 7,34,000+. In addition, it is also the segment’s first smartphone in the country to feature a Sony IMX882 OIS sensor with 4K video recording. The vivo T3 5G is powered by a 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 7200 octa-core SoC clocked up to 2.8 GHz and a 50 MP f/1.79 primary camera utilizing the Sony IMX882 sensor with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), and 4k video recording (30 fps).
vivo T3 5G Specifications & Features
- Display & Design: 6.67-inch (16.94 cm) AMOLED display, Full HD+ resolution (2,400 x 1080 pixels), 120 Hz refresh rate, 1,800 nits peak brightness, IP54 dust and water-resistant
- Software: Android 14, FunTouch OS 14
- CPU: 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 7200 octa-core SoC clocked up to 2.8 GHz
- GPU: ARM Mali-G610 MC4 Graphics
- Memory: 8 GB LPDDR4x RAM, extended RAM feature
- Storage: 128 GB OR 256 GB UFS 2.2 internal storage, expandable up to 1 TB via microSD card
- Main Camera: Triple Cameras (50 MP f/1.79 IMX882 OIS main + 2 MP f/2.4 depth + Flicker sensor), 2x portrait zoom, 4k video recording (30 fps), LED flash
- Selfie Camera: 16 MP f/2.0
- Connectivity & Others: USB Type-C, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, in-display fingerprint scanner, dual stereo speakers
- Cellular: 5G network, dual-SIM, dual VoLTE
- Battery & Charging: 5,000 mAh, 44W FlashCharge fast charging
- Colors: Cosmic Blue, Crystal Flake
- Price: ₹19,999 (8 GB RAM and 128 GB Storage), ₹21,999 (8 GB RAM and 256 GB Storage)
- Availability: 27th March 2024 on Flipkart, vivo.com/in, and other retail channels
- Offers: ₹2,000 instant discount with HDFC, and ICICI cards, up to 3 months of no-cost EMI, free vivo XE710 Type-C earphones worth ₹599
Design, Display, & Build Quality
The vivo T3 5G comes in two color variants – Cosmic Blue, and Crystal Flake, we got the Crystal Flake as you can see in the images. It offers a sleek geometrical back design with patterns, and the overall build quality is good, however, you may find some phones with a glass finish back in this segment for a more premium design. It has a 7.83 mm sleek design and weighs about 188 grams.
On the front, it sports a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution (2,400 x 1080 pixels), 120 Hz refresh rate, 360 Hz touch sampling rate, and 1,800 nits peak brightness. The display has been upgraded from its predecessor i.e. a larger screen size (from 6.38-inch), a higher brightness (from 1,300 nits), and a higher refresh rate (from 90 Hz). The display quality is impressive and shines out in the segment, thanks to its AMOLED panel with high brightness and a smooth 120 Hz refresh rate.
Moving to the bottom of the smartphone, you get a USB Type-C port, a microphone, a loudspeaker, and a hybrid SIM tray with dual 5G SIM connectivity, support for VoLTE, and a microSD card slot on SIM2. No 3.5mm audio jack for earphones/headphones is available, you have to use a Type-C to 3.5mm converter (not provided in the box). With launch offers, you will get free vivo XE710 Type-C earphones which can be used for Type-C Audio.
Moving to the top side, you get another microphone while the right side has a power key and volume control and nothing on the right side. The fingerprint scanner is not on the side, rather under the display, you can unlock the phone using the in-display fingerprint scanner. It also has dual speakers, one at the earpiece for stereo effects.
Software, User Interface, & Features
The vivo T3 5G runs on the new Android 14 platform out-of-the-box with the vivo’s latest FunTouch OS 14 interface. With the new Android, it has a bunch of the latest features from the OS itself while it gets additional from the FunTouch OS 14. The Android security patch on the phone is dated as of 1st January 2024.
vivo India offers software support for the vivo T3 5G with a minimum of 2 generations of Android OS upgrades and 3 years of Android security updates. With this, you can at least expect to receive upgrades to Android 15, and 16 along with security updates for 3 years.
The new FunTouch OS 14 is fast, optimized, and improved over its predecessors (FunTouch OS 13 and older). The new version introduces improvements and a host of customizations and features compared to its predecessors. The vivo T3 5G performs smoothly due to its lightweight UI. In addition to the 120 Hz refresh rate, the interface is optimized for a smoother software experience.
Aside from all the stock Android 14 features, the FunTouch OS also enhances user experiences by offering additional features, customizations, optimizations, security, and more. The FunTouch OS 14 offers the ability to customize the lock screen, UI color, dynamic effects, and always-on display, aside from using gestures, ultra game mode, and various other built-in functionalities.
Some pre-installed apps come with the phone which you can remove, apps such as Amazon, Facebook, Snapchat, PhonePe, LinkedIn, Netflix, and apps from vivo are present on the phone. You will also see Hot Apps and Hot Games on the homescreen which downloads apps and games from third-party V-Appstore.
Hardware, Performance, & Gaming
Under the hood, the vivo T3 5G is powered by a 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 7200 octa-core SoC clocked up to 2.8 GHz paired with ARM Mali-G610 MC4 Graphics, 8 GB LPDDR4x RAM, and comes in two storage variants i.e. 128 GB UFS 2.2 OR 256 GB UFS 2.2 internal storage that expands up to 1 TB via microSD card.
The MediaTek Dimensity 7200 is a 4nm upper-midrange midrange SoC with eight cores. The SoC consists of eight ARM Cortex cores clocked up to 2.8 GHz – 2x ARM Cortex-A78 performance cores clocked at 2.6 GHz and 6x ARM Cortex-A55 power efficient cores clocked at 2.0 GHz.
The Dimensity 7200 SoC is fast, it closes at an AnTuTu score of at least 7,34,000 points, and this is superior to the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2, Dimensity 7050, and Dimensity 6080 chips which are usually found in the smartphones in this segment. vivo says the T3 5G is the fastest smartphone in the segment with its 7,34,000+ AnTuTu score. With that said, the vivo T3 5G emerges with a better position when it comes to speed, expect a faster CPU performance out of it in comparison.
The smartphone is further paired with 8 GB LPDDR4X RAM with +8 GB extended RAM and up to 256 GB UFS 2.2 storage. It comes in two storage variants, you get either 128 GB UFS 2.2 storage or 256 GB UFS 2.2 storage depending on the model you choose with the same 8 GB RAM. The system dynamically allocates virtual RAM based on resource requirements. For gaming, the ARM Mali-G610 MC4 serves as a fast midrange GPU, delivering notable gaming performance in the segment.
Cameras
The vivo T3 5G uses a triple camera setup on the rear side with the primary camera of 50 MP f/1.79 utilizing the Sony IMX882 sensor with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), and 4k video recording (30 fps). It is also the segment’s first smartphone in the country to feature a Sony IMX882 OIS sensor with 4K video recording. The triple setup includes a 50 MP main + 2 MP depth + Flicker sensor. The front side has a 16 MP f/2.0 selfie camera for selfie and video calling needs.
Digging more into the cameras, the camera mainly relies on the 50 MP f/1.79 IMX882 OIS sensor with the camera using a 2x Portrait Zoom and Super Night Mode capabilities. The two secondary cameras are a 2 MP f/2.4 depth camera for capturing portraits with bokeh effects along with a flicker sensor to minimize the flickering. No wide-angle camera is found on the phone. The flicker sensor is something new and that you don’t usually see on the phones. It detects the frequency of pulsed lights (fluorescent lights, LEDs) and adjusts shutter speed and ISO accordingly, so you don’t get banding effects in your photos or videos.
The camera interface offers a bunch of features and modes, including Night, Portrait, Photo, Video, 50 MP, Pano, Documents, Slo-mo, Time-Lapse, Supermoon, Pro, Snapshot, Dual View, and Live Photo for the rear camera, and Night, Portrait, Photo, Video, Dual View, and Live Photo for the selfie camera.
The camera performance is impressive for this segment, the results are stunning in the daylight and very good in the low light, the vivo T3 5G offers highly satisfactory image results. Overall, the camera stands out with its top-notch sensor, OIS support, flicker sensor (low-light), and camera optimizations. We captured some shots to see how it performs, have a look at them below.
vivo T3 5G Camera Samples
Battery Runtime & Charging
The vivo T3 5G is equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery with support for 44W FlashCharge fast charging. With the 44W fast charger, the battery can be charged from 0% to 50% in ~25 minutes. Combined with the FunTouch OS 14 and Dimensity 7200 CPU optimizations, you can expect up to 2 days of backup depending on your usage patterns. The vivo T3 5G can deliver as much as 67.78 hours of online music playback, 6.37 hours of gaming (PUBG), 17 hours of video streaming on YouTube, and 9.89 hours of browsing on Instagram (Shorts videos). The company says the battery has a 4-year life span retaining the battery at least 80% of its capacity after 1,600 complete charge cycles.
Verdict – vivo T3 5G Review
The vivo T3 5G is a solid contender with its top-notch CPU performance and reliable camera features. On top, you have the smooth 120 Hz AMOLED display, fast 44W charging, stereo speakers, in-display fingerprint scanner, and perks from FunTouch OS 14 that add to the overall features of the smartphone. That said, the vivo T3 5G is a great pick for those with a budget under ₹20,000 and are looking for a smartphone in the midrange segment with fast performance and reliable cameras.
vivo T3 5G – Where To Buy
The vivo T3 5G starts at a price of ₹19,999 for its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant and ₹21,999 for its 8 GB RAM and 256 GB storage variant. The smartphone will be available from 27th March 2024 on Flipkart, vivo.com/in, and other retail channels. The launch offers include ₹2,000 instant discount with HDFC, and ICICI cards, up to 3 months of no-cost EMI, and free vivo XE710 Type-C earphones worth ₹599.
