vivo T4 Review: Great Battery But Does it Check the Other Boxes?

Large batteries are in the trend right now, and vivo seems to know it. The new vivo T4 joins the trend with a massive 7,300 mAh battery. But that’s not all. This phone packs a punch with what seems to be one of the only quad-curved displays in the segment, 90W fast charging, and the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 SoC.

On paper, it may seem like one of the most loaded phones under ₹22,000. But how well does it hold up in real life? How long does the battery actually last? Let’s dive into the full review and break down every little detail.

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vivo T4 Specifications

• Display: 6.77-inch AMOLED, quad-curved, 120 Hz, 5000 Nits peak brightness, 1300 Nits HBM, FHD+ (2392 x 1080), 387 PPI, P3 color gamut
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 (4nm, 2.5GHz x 1 + 2.4GHz x 3 + 1.8GHz x 4)
• RAM: 8GB / 12GB LPDDR4X
• Storage: 128GB / 256GB UFS 2.2
• Main Camera: 50 MP Sony IMX882, 1/1.95-inch, f/1.79, 26mm, OIS, AF, 4K30
• Depth Camera: 2 MP, f/2.4
• Front Camera: 32 MP GalaxyCore GC32E1, 1/3.1-inch, f/2.0, 23mm/27mm (cropped), fixed focus, 4K30
• Speakers: Single speaker
• Battery and Charging: 7,300 mAh, 90W FlashCharge
• IP Rating: IP65
• Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 2.4GHz/5GHz, Bluetooth 5.2, USB-C 2.0, GPS, OTG, IR blaster
• Biometrics: In-display optical fingerprint, 2D face unlock
• Weight and Dimensions: 199g, 163.40 x 76.40 x 7.89 mm (Emerald Blaze) / 7.93 mm (Phantom Grey)
• Build: Composite plastic back, Shield Glass front, pre-applied screen protector 
• OS: Funtouch OS 15 based on Android 15

vivo T4 Review: Unboxing

Unboxing the vivo T4, you get the phone itself, a clear case, a 90W USB-A charger, a USB-A to USB-C cable, a SIM ejector tool, and the usual paperwork. The phone also comes with a pre-applied screen protector, so you’re all set to start using it right out of the box.

vivo T4 Review: Design and Build

The vivo T4 looks and feels nothing like a typical 7,300 mAh battery phone. It’s surprisingly slim at just 7.89 mm and lighter than even the OPPO K13, despite having a bigger battery. That 9-gram difference in weight doesn’t sound like much, but it really adds to the comfort when you’re holding it for long sessions. 

The 40° Golden Arc design actually does what it promises. The phone sits well in the hand, and the subtle curves on the front and back make it feel more like a premium phone than a budget one. The waistline frame also adds a neat finish that elevates the overall in-hand feel.

I have the Phantom Grey variant here, and it keeps things simple and classy. It’s got a slight metallic sheen, nothing flashy, but still looks polished. The rear has a circular camera ring that adds a bit of character, though it sticks out a little. It’s a plastic back, yes, but it resists fingerprints well, and the pre-applied film on the front glass is nice to have out of the box.

Moreover, you get IP65 certification, so dust and splashes won’t be a worry. It’s also passed military-grade MIL-STD-810H tests, which include drop and temperature endurance. The “Shield Glass” on the front is supposed to be 150% tougher, and there’s internal cushioning to absorb shocks better. 

Button placement is good, and having an IR blaster is always a bonus in phones like this (it’s in the camera module, by the way). The dual nano-SIM tray, single speaker, and USB-C port sit on the bottom, while the top houses just the secondary mic. The left side is clean.

vivo has nailed the basics with this design. It looks good, feels even better, and brings ruggedness that most phones in this price range don’t even try for.

vivo T4 Review: Display

The vivo T4’s display looks wild on paper. A 6.77-inch quad-curved AMOLED with 120 Hz refresh rate and 5000 Nits peak brightness sounds like something from a flagship lineup. It really grabs attention at first glance, thanks to those super-slim bezels and the curved edges that give it a “floating” screen look. 

That visual immersion is true. It feels like the content is just hovering over the frame. It’s also slightly larger than usual, so watching content or just scrolling through apps feels a bit more immersive than what you’d get on flat panels in this price range.

Now about the brightness. The 5000 Nits peak brightness sounds insane, but that’s only in certain HDR scenarios. In day-to-day use, it’s more around 1300 nits, which is still solid. You can comfortably use it outdoors without squinting or trying to find shade, and that does make a difference in places with harsh sunlight. 

The contrast is good, but the color tuning felt a bit off. There’s this slightly greyish or muted tone across some backgrounds and apps. It doesn’t ruin the experience, but it’s noticeable compared to more punchy displays.

Scrolling is smooth, as expected from a 120 Hz panel. vivo gives you the option to lock it to 120 Hz or let the phone auto-manage between 60, 90, and 120 Hz depending on the app. In Smart Switch mode, I found it to be running at either 60 or 90 Hz most of the time. It stays at 120 Hz in High mode, though, that is after you enable the toggle for each app manually. 

Games and animations look fluid, and UI transitions are snappy. There’s no major jitter or stutter, and touch response is solid even when the screen gets a bit sweaty.

vivo’s also put in a lot of work on eye comfort. It’s got high-frequency PWM dimming at 3840 Hz, so the screen won’t flicker to an uncomfortable degree in low light. 

There’s blue light filtering with SGS certification and an AI eye protection mode that adjusts based on how sensitive your eyes are. It even has special tweaks for gamers, which you probably won’t use much, but it’s there.

The curved panel looks good when you’re watching something, and it’s HDR certified for YouTube, which is nice. That said, the display still holds up as one of the better ones in the segment… if vivo had pushed a bit more on color tuning, this could’ve easily been top-tier.

vivo T4 Review: Speakers and Haptics

The vivo T4 has a single bottom-firing speaker, not stereo, so the sound quality is just average. It’s loud enough for casual media and calls, but lacks depth and stereo separation. It also comes with an Ultra Volume Mode that boosts the speaker output to around 150 to 200 percent. It’s OK if you’re in a noisy environment or just want to hear vocals clearly, like during calls or voice notes. 

As for haptics, it uses a basic rotor motor. This is the kind of haptic you hear more than you feel. It’s good for call alerts, strong enough to be felt even in cargo pants, but not at all satisfying for typing or navigation. The feedback feels cheap and inconsistent across the UI.

vivo T4 Review: Software

Funtouch OS 15 on the vivo T4 starts off strong. It feels fast and smooth out of the box, with decent animations, good gesture response, and small touches like notification blur (there’s no app drawer blur though). 

The OS is based on Android 15, so you get the latest features, and vivo has included tools like a smart sidebar, split screen, and floating windows for multitasking (although not many apps support floating windows). There’s also a “50-month smooth certificate” that promises sustained performance over time.

But once you start using it more deeply, issues begin to appear. Switching between dark mode and light mode breaks the contrast in the control center, which looks visually off. The overall UI lacks refinement and polish, and the font customization is poor, which limits personalisation. 

The software also comes with bloatware. Apps like vivo Browser and vAppStore are pre-installed and cannot be disabled/uninstalled at all, even using ADB. Lock screen ads and content suggestions are enabled by default, but you can turn it off.

The vivo T4 comes with a modest number of AI features. First, you’ve got the AI Eraser, which works fine. But I found OPPO’s and Google’s eraser doing a better job. AI Photo Enhance boosts image clarity using scene recognition, but it only works on specific types of photos, making it a bit inconsistent.

AI Note Assist helps reformat long notes into structured lists, extracts tasks, and even translates content, making it genuinely useful for productivity. Circle to Search is Google’s feature that allows you to circle or highlight anything on screen for instant search or translation, and it works well.

Google Gemini is integrated for help across the phone. It replaces the Google Assistant on your phone. You can ask it questions, summarise content, and even access Gemini Live for real-time interactions. Oh, and vivo promises 2 years of OS updates along with 3 years of security updates.

Overall, Funtouch OS 15 brings a fast and promising start with useful multitasking tools and animations. However, the software still needs a lot of polish. Bugs, visual inconsistencies, and limited customization make the experience less reliable.

vivo T4 Review: Biometrics

The T4 features an in-display optical fingerprint scanner, which is fast and reliable but placed slightly lower than ideal. It requires a brief adjustment period but performs well in daily use. 

The 2D face unlock is quick in good lighting, with a brightness confirmation feature for low-light scenarios. However, it’s less secure and inconsistent in dim conditions, so you are better off using the fingerprint scanner.

vivo T4 Review: Performance

The vivo T4 is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 SoC. It’s paired with up to 12 GB LPDDR4X RAM and 256 GB UFS 2.2 storage. While UFS 2.2 is serviceable for some users, it’s disappointing that vivo used this slower storage on the T4, especially when the T4X ships with UFS 3.1. I have the 8 GB + 128 GB variant.

Thermals are kept in check by a high-performance pyrolytic graphite sheet that vivo claims has 21 percent better thermal conductivity than standard graphite. In practice, the phone maintains steady performance without major throttling during long gaming sessions.

Synthetic Benchmarks

In AnTuTu v10, the T4 scored 771901, which is decent for its price segment. Geekbench 6 CPU results came in at 1143 for single-core and 3122 for multi-core. On the GPU side, the OpenCL score was 3361 and Vulkan reached 4464.

3DMark Wild Life Extreme delivered a score of 1050 with an average FPS of 6.29. The Wild Life Extreme Stress Test showed a best loop score of 1060, a lowest loop of 853, and stability of 80.5 percent, which reflects consistent performance under load.

Storage performance isn’t particularly strong, with a score of 57557 in the storage test. Sequential read speeds hit 972 MB/s while write speeds reached 763 MB/s. Again, this is where UFS 2.2 feels like a limitation, especially compared to the OPPO K13 and T4X’s UFS 3.1.

Gaming Performance

In BGMI at Smooth + Extreme (60 FPS) settings, the T4 delivered an average of 49 FPS, with a peak temperature of 39.2 degrees Celsius. It’s good but not exactly class-leading for this price.

In Genshin Impact, at Highest + 60 FPS settings, the phone managed an average FPS of 34.3 and peaked at 42.4 degrees Celsius. On the 30 FPS setting, it averaged 29.9 FPS with a max temperature of 39.6. These results are decent, though not exceptional.

Despite the naming, Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 (inside OPPO K13) is a slightly underclocked version of the 7s Gen 3. And with UFS 3.1 onboard, the K13 feels quicker in real usage at times.

Day-to-Day Performance 

In daily use, the vivo T4 handles app launches, UI navigation, and background processes smoothly. You can edit photos, use AI features like Erase and Super Documents, and switch between a few apps with little to no lag. That said, storage speeds bottleneck performance when opening games, heavy apps, or editing vidoes.

vivo T4 Review: Cameras

The vivo T4 5G comes with a fairly capable camera system for the price, centered around a 50 MP Sony IMX882 sensor with OIS. This is paired with a 2 MP depth sensor, while on the front, there is a 32 MP wide-angle selfie camera. There is no ultrawide sensor, which is a clear omission, especially when many competitors are starting to include one even in this segment.

• Main: 50 MP Sony IMX882 1/1.95-inch f/1.79 26mm OIS AF 4K30
• Depth: 2 MP f/2.4  
• Front: 32 MP GalaxyCore GC32E1 1/3.1-inch f/2.0 23mm/27mm (cropped) fixed focus 4K30

Main Camera 

Starting with the main sensor, the 50 MP Sony IMX882 with OIS does a good job in most situations. In daylight, you get sharp images with decent dynamic range, and decent texture detail. The OIS definitely helps in reducing blur, especially in lower light and when shooting handheld. 

There is also a 50 MP high-resolution mode available, which can be used when you want to retain more detail, although processing time is slightly longer in that mode. You also have the Supermoon mode that enhances the moon artificially, if you are into that. With this mode, you can go beyond the 10X limit in the Photo mode, up to 20X.

There are some color inconsistencies worth pointing out. The camera app includes a Natural Color toggle, but the difference it creates is more about contrast than actual color tone. Sometimes it adds a bit too much contrast and makes the image feel off. vivo should refine this feature because, right now, it feels more like a filter than a proper color profile option.

Low light performance is a mixed bag. While the OIS and the night mode do help in boosting brightness and reducing motion blur, the final images still tend to have noticeable noise and a lack of fine detail. In extremely low light, the limitations of the sensor start to show, and the photos can appear soft with muddled textures. 

Like I mentioned earlier, you can zoom up to 10X digitally, but realistically, only up to 3X or 4X is usable. Beyond that, details start to break apart, and images become soft. HDR works decently most of the time, especially in backlit conditions, although it occasionally struggles with highlight clipping in tricky lighting. Pro mode is also available, and you can even shoot in RAW.

Portrait Mode

Portrait mode is one of the better parts of this camera setup. You can shoot at three focal lengths: 1X, 1.5X, and 2X. These translate roughly to 26mm, 38mm, and 54mm, respectively. All three focal lengths produce usable shots with good subject separation and nice background blur. 

You also have control over the depth blur level. Portrait shots are generally good with consistent edge detection. Even better, there is support for night mode in portrait mode, which is quite rare in this segment. Skin tones in portrait shots are not accurate, though and you can see a fair amount of smoothening even after turning off the beauty modes.

Selfies on the vivo T4 5G are quite good. You can shoot at 23mm or 27mm, and the 27mm looks better. No autofocus, but image quality is great for the price. Easily one of the best selfie cameras in the segment. Preview colors may be off, but final output is fine. I’m satisfied.

Videos 

The rear camera can shoot videos at up to 4K30, which is a good inclusion at this price point. The footage is a bit jittery but sharp enough for casual use. There is support for 60 fps at 1080p, but for the ultra stabilization mode, you have to switch to 1080p30.

The front camera captures a wide field of view, and it supports 4K 30 fps video recording as well. It performs well in daylight, with reasonably natural skin tones. The wide-angle lens is great for group selfies or vlogging. In low light, however, the details tend to get soft.

Extras 

Filters like the Wedding Style filter are available for portraits, and the camera app also includes modes like slo-mo and time-lapse. These extra modes are fun to use, especially the different LUTs.

Overall, the vivo T4’s camera setup delivers good performance in daylight plus decent video capabilities. Portraits are good, especially with three focal lengths and adjustable depth. Selfies are good too. However, the lack of ultra-wide, average low light performance, and inconsistent color tuning hold it back from being the best in its class.

vivo T4 Review: Battery Life and Charging

The vivo T4 comes with one of India’s biggest smartphone battery to date, packing a 7,300 mAh high-density unit that stands out not just for its size but also for the advanced battery tech inside. It uses third-generation silicon-carbon anode technology, which improves energy density over conventional batteries. 

In day-to-day use, the T4 delivers excellent endurance with screen-on time ranging from 10 hours to 12 hours depending on usage. Even during standby, the drain is minimal with only 0.75 percent per hour. It’s great for heavy users like gamers, frequent travelers, or power users. 

Charging is handled by vivo’s 90W FlashCharge, which takes the phone from 1% to 50% in under 35 minutes and reaches full charge in around 1 hour 10 minutes. It also includes Direct Drive Power Supply with bypass charging, which helps reduce heat during gaming sessions.