Vivo T3 Pro Review: T3riffic battery, Pro Performance

The Vivo T3 Pro stands out as one of the most eye-catching phones I’ve ever used. It’s changing what we expect from Vivo’s ‘T’ series. In the past, their focus was on making affordable phones with great performance and reliable batteries. But with the T3 Pro, it’s clear that design has become a major priority.

So, the big question now is: Has Vivo balanced its focus on design with attention to other important features? And if so, can the T3 Pro hold its own against competitors like the Infinix GT 20 Pro and the OnePlus Nord CE4? Let’s explore this in our review.

Vivo T3 Pro Review: Pricing and Availability in India

The Vivo T3 Pro is available for purchase on Flipkart, Vivo’s official website, and at retail stores across India. You can also get an instant bank discount of ₹3,000. Here’s a breakdown of the prices for each variant:

Variant Pricing:

  • 8GB RAM + 128GB Storage: ₹24,999
  • 8GB RAM + 256GB Storage: ₹26,999

Vivo T3 Pro Review: Design and Build Quality

The Vivo T3 Pro boasts an impressive design that’s hard to ignore. While the 5,500mAh battery adds a bit of heft, bringing the phone to 190 grams, the weight is well-distributed. This makes it surprisingly comfortable to carry around despite its slightly heavier feel.

Design and Build Quality

The Vivo T3 Pro has a sleek, eye-catching design that enhances the overall user experience. Its slim profile, just 7.99mm thick, adds to its appeal, though the tall aspect ratio might make one-handed use a bit tricky for those with smaller hands.

Design Specifications:

  • Weight: 190g
  • Thickness: 7.99mm
  • IP Rating: IP64
  • Ports and Buttons:
    • Bottom: SIM tray, primary microphone, USB port, and speaker grille
    • Top: Secondary microphone
    • Right Side: Power button and volume buttons

The back panel of the Vivo T3 Pro is equally impressive, featuring a vegan leather finish that helps resist smudges. However, if you’re prone to spills or stains, it’s a good idea to use a cover, as the material can be susceptible to marks.

You can choose between two striking colors for the Vivo T3 Pro: Sandstone Orange and Emerald Green. The Sandstone Orange is vibrant and sure to turn heads, while the Emerald Green offers a more understated elegance. Both options feature tasteful golden accents around the camera island and along the edges, which enhance the phone’s overall look.

The T3 Pro is IP64-rated for dust and water resistance, which provides decent protection. However, it doesn’t match the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion’s IP68 rating, which offers superior protection and comes at a more budget-friendly price.

Vivo T3 Pro Review: Display and Audio

Like many contemporary smartphones, the T3 Pro features a curved display. However, it sports a more subtle curve compared to some of its peers, which I personally find quite appealing.

Additionally, I thoroughly enjoyed watching hour-long gameplay videos of Black Myth Wukong on YouTube with the Vivo T3 Pro. The display delivered crisp picture quality with vibrant, accurate colors and impressive consistency. Out of the box, the phone supports Widevine L1 certification, allowing it to stream 1080p videos on services like Netflix. Even better, it can handle HDR content on Netflix, adding an extra layer of visual appeal.

Display Specifications:

  • Size: 6.77 inches
  • Type: AMOLED
  • Resolution: FHD+ (1080 x 2392)
  • Refresh Rate: 120Hz
  • Peak Brightness: Claimed 4500 nits, Tested 1545 nits
  • Minimum Brightness: 7 nits
  • Display Protection: Schott Glass
  • Other Features: Wet Touch Technology

The screen of the Vivo T3 Pro performed well indoors, remaining bright enough even at 50% brightness. Outdoors, it was easy to read and use without any issues.The phone’s speakers also impressed me with their performance. They deliver loud, clear audio, even at 75% volume. However, there were a few moments when the speaker struggled with higher frequencies, which affected the overall clarity of the highs.

Vivo T3 Pro Review: Performance and Software

I’m pleased that Vivo chose the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 for the T3 Pro. It’s a robust chipset, and its performance is clearly evident in the synthetic benchmark results.

Additionally, Vivo has done a commendable job managing the thermals of the T3 Pro. The CPU throttling test yielded an exceptional result, showing no signs of throttling. While the phone scored well in the AnTuTu benchmark, it did fall just short of the similarly priced Infinix GT 20 Pro.

Hardware Specifications:

  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3
  • RAM: 8GB LPDDR4X
  • Storage: Up to 256GB UFS 2.2
  • Storage Test: 62,914
  • CPU Throttling Test: No throttling detected
  • Geekbench 6:
    • Multi-core: 2740
    • Single-core: 1118
  • Software Version: FuntouchOS based on Android 14
  • Connectivity:
    • Dual SIM
    • Dual-band Wi-Fi
    • Bluetooth 5.4
    • GPS
    • USB 2.0
    • BeiDou
    • GLONASS
    • Galileo
    • QZSS

Overall, the Vivo T3 Pro handled heavy games with impressive consistency. However, the newly launched Realme 13 Plus, which features a Dimensity 7300 chipset, can run BGMI at 90 fps. It would be great if Vivo could collaborate with BGMI to enable higher frame rates on the T3 Pro, enhancing the gaming experience for enthusiasts.

The Vivo T3 Pro runs on FuntouchOS 14, which is based on Android 14. The UI animations are impressively smooth, almost like MJ’s moonwalk. However, the experience is somewhat marred by bloatware, including the notorious “Hot Apps” and “Hot Games” sections, along with some annoying spam notifications.In line with current trends, the phone also features AI tools like the AI eraser and photo enhancement, which help to refine and improve your images.

Vivo T3 Pro Review: Camera

The Vivo T3 Pro features a dual-camera setup, though the design of the camera module might give the impression that there are three lenses.

Camera Specifications:

  • Primary Camera: 50-megapixel with OIS, ƒ/1.79
  • Secondary Camera: 8-megapixel ultrawide, ƒ/2.2
  • Selfie Camera: 16-megapixel, ƒ/2.45
  • Video Recording Capabilities: Up to 4K at 30 fps, with EIS and OIS for video stabilization

The primary camera on the Vivo T3 Pro captures crisp and detailed shots in bright daylight. However, it tends to use a slower shutter speed even in good lighting conditions, which might result in missed moments. Additionally, the HDR performance of the primary camera is currently problematic; it struggles to recover highlight details in photos with strong backlighting. We’ve notified Vivo about these issues, and given their track record for quickly addressing glitches, we anticipate that they will work on resolving these concerns soon.

The Vivo T3 Pro excels in portrait photography, delivering impressive results that I thoroughly enjoyed. When provided with adequate lighting, the camera consistently produces excellent photos and offers a great selection of presets that enhance portrait shots even further. For those who enjoy taking selfies, the front camera performs well in well-lit conditions, capturing clear and attractive images. However, it tends to smooth out skin tones a bit too much in dimly lit environments.

Vivo T3 Pro Review: Battery and Charging

One of the standout features of the Vivo T3 Pro is its impressive battery life. Despite its slim profile, Vivo has managed to fit a substantial 5500mAh battery into the device. It easily lasts more than a day with moderate use, whether you’re scrolling through reels, taking photos, or engaging in casual gaming.

Battery Specifications:

  • Battery Capacity: 5500mAh
  • Charging Adapter: 80W fast charging, charger included
  • Charging Time: 1 hour and 53 seconds
  • PCMark Battery Test: 21 hours and 36 minutes

In the PCMark battery test, it achieved a remarkable 21 hours and 36 minutes, setting a new high in our testing.

Adding to its impressive battery life, the Vivo T3 Pro includes an 80W fast charger that can fully charge the device from zero in just one hour.

Vivo T3 Pro Review: Verdict

The Vivo T3 Pro starts at ₹24,999, offering a fantastic blend of design, build quality, and performance. The AMOLED display provides an excellent viewing experience, while the camera excels in capturing impressive portraits. It handles everyday tasks and moderate gaming with ease, and its standout features include exceptional battery life and fast charging.

If this combination excites you, the Vivo T3 Pro is a great choice. However, be aware of a few minor drawbacks: the primary camera’s color reproduction could use some improvement, and the UI does include some bloatware.

For those who prioritize photography, the Vivo V30e might be a better fit. If a clean software experience is more your preference, consider the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion as a strong alternative.