Vivo T2: Solid Performance But Laden With Unwanted Software
The Vivo T series models prioritize value while maintaining high-quality features and performance. However, the T1 received criticism for slow charging and subpar cameras. To address these issues, Vivo has released the T2, which aims to improve upon its predecessor and stand out in a crowded market of phones under Rs 20,000. This review will evaluate whether the T2 can compete with its rivals and establish itself as the top choice in its price range.
Vivo T2 review: What’s cool?
It’s hard not to like the design and interior of the Vivo T2 right away. It has a flat body with rounded edges that support a weight of 172g and a thickness of 7.8mm, a rarity in this segment.
Compared to the T1, the rear panel camera module is different, it’s made of plastic, but you wouldn’t say it’s cheap quality.
Next, the 6.38-inch AMOLED display that now offers a 90Hz refresh rate catches our attention. The screen has a peak brightness of 1300 nits, which makes it easy to use in strong sunlight. The display panel offers vivid, juicy colors and fairly sharp details, whether it’s when watching movies or reading online content.
What’s also good is that the display supports HDR10 with Widevine L1 certification, which means you can stream content on apps like Netflix and Disney + Hotstar in HD quality. Using an AMOLED panel with custom refresh rates works well.
Vivo has played it safe with the T2’s hardware, as it used the same Snapdragon 695 SoC as its predecessor. You can choose between 6GB and 8GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage. However, the performance will keep you satisfied in most cases as long as you don’t expect to use the phone for heavy gaming. Everything else works without lag or problems.
Another big upgrade with the T2 is the 64-megapixel primary rear camera that gets OIS support. The image quality of the sensor surprised us a little. Photos taken in daylight produced details and did not lose sharpness. It’s hard to find quality cameras in this range, but the T2 gives us room to play.
Finally, the T2’s battery life has to be mentioned, which is 4500 mAh less than its predecessor, but it didn’t come at the expense of performance. We got more than 7 hours of screen time with heavy usage, so the amount can easily be up to 10 hours at the basic usage level. The 44 W charging support also helps to charge the battery quickly.
Vivo T2 Review: What’s Not So Great?
The screen is of high quality, but the phone has a notch, which is against the perforation trend of phones in this region. Vivo seems to have invested its budget in updating other features, but the notch makes the T2 look dated, at least from the front.
The camera is deceptively flattering in low light, and this was fully expected from a phone in this range, even though it supports OIS. It also seems that an ultra-wide-angle camera would have been more convenient than a macro camera. The phone has only one speaker, which is not the loudest in its class. Funtouch OS 13 version contains a lot of bloatware and it gets worse when you start getting notification ads from these apps. Vivo has improved its software experience, so hopefully future updates will help make the change.
Vivo T2 Review: Should You Buy?
Looking at the whole package, Vivo T2 manages to compete with other options like Redmi Note 12 and OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite in this segment. You have a bright and efficient 90 Hz AMOLED screen. The device remains the same but is very capable of providing you with solid performance for everyday use. The main camera surprised us a bit and the battery life will keep you satisfied. However, the software is full of bloatware, the secondary cameras are mediocre, and the screen notch may turn some buyers away.
