In the fast-paced world of smartphones, Vivo's series-T has been a consistent player for the past two years, catering to individuals seeking feature-rich devices at an affordable price point. Last year's T1 Pro found a lot of takers, and its successor and the subject of this review, T2 Pro builds on its legacy with a slew of upgrades and an eye-catching design. But will the T2 Pro corner the market in the sub-₹25,000 segment? Read on.

Colour Me Smitten

The vivo T2 Pro is available in two colour variants — New Moon Black and Dune Gold. The latter is a subtle champagne gold with a splash of glitter that makes it look premium and classy. Needless to say, it's my favourite vivo phone released this year, looks-wise. It boasts the signature vivo design both the back and display curving at the edges to make for a superior ergonomic experience. And I cannot stop gazing at the back. It's a beautiful phone, period.

The smartphone is available with 8 GB of RAM and comes in two storage variants — 128 GB for ₹23,999 and 256 GB for ₹24,999. vivo sent me the 8/256 GB unit for review in the Dune Gold colourway.

But the design is not all that the T2 Pro has going for it this year. It is packed with impressive specs, especially in the camera department, for its asking price

The Cameras

vivo has always focussed on camera or photography capabilities in its smartphones, and the T2 Pro marks a notable evolution in this department, drawing inspiration from the brand's premium V-series — the V29 Pro is a camera powerhouse.

The T2 Pro is equipped with a 64MP primary camera with optical-image stabilisation (OIS) and 2MP secondary "depth" camera to boost portrait shots. On the front, there's a 16MP selfie camera housed in a hole-pinch cutout.

In optimal lighting conditions, the primary camera captures stunning images characterised by sharp details and accurate colours. It excels in contrast, though the dynamic range may falter in challenging scenarios. Portrait shots are particularly impressive with sharpness and precise edge detection, even in tricky lighting. The lack of an ultrawide lens, which has become a staple in most smartphones, is puzzling.

The inclusion of vivo's proprietary Aura Lighting has proved invaluable in illuminating dim scenes, yielding better night shots. Nevertheless, even with optical image stabilization (OIS), low-light images still lack the level of detail and sharpness desired. But then again, remember the price point in which this device is playing.

The 16MP front camera, it delivers decent results, with daylight selfies showcasing accurate skin tones but lacking in facial detail sharpness. Portrait mode on the front camera exhibits inconsistent edge detection.

One standout feature is the 4K 30fps video recording with OIS, ensuring sharp, detailed videos with minimal camera shake, even during handheld filming.

Performance

The T2 Pro impressed me with its performance. It is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 SoC and in benchmark scores, such as AnTuTu v10 (724,595) and Geekbench 6 (1157 – Single-Core, 2627 – Multi-Core), it goes toe-to-toe against competitors in its price range.

During gaming sessions, including demanding titles at their highest settings, the device maintained seamless performance in my experience. There was little to no lag or frame drops. In day-to-day usage, the device felt snappy, with the feature-rich FunTouchOS 13 giving me endless customisation options, so much so, I lost track of time setting up the phone just the way I liked it. The OS allows you to tailor animation effects, speed, and charging settings. Additionally, it integrates Android 13's colour palette, ensuring cohesive system icons and interface colours that match the device's wallpaper.

Display Brilliance

The T2 Pro's display is a standout. It boasts a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel with a Full HD+ resolution and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. The curved edges and slim bezels contribute to the device's premium aesthetics.

This display excels in delivering vibrant colours and excellent viewing angles. The higher refresh rate ensures smooth animations and gaming experiences. Furthermore, the impressive peak brightness of 1,300 nits ensures visibility even under direct sunlight, a rarity in this price segment. The lack of stereo speakers is a slight letdown, but the bottom-firing speakers are loud and rich enough that you may not even notice.

Design Aesthetics

The design of the T2 Pro bears resemblance to the V27 Pro, featuring a slim profile with curved borders for a comfortable grip. The back panel, while lacking in colour-shifting properties, more than makes up with the subtle splash of glitter and glossy finish. Moreover, its IP52 certification for dust splash resistance promises durability, though I do not typically take my smartphones into the shower, so I did not test this.

Battery

Equipped with a 4,600mAh battery, the T2 Pro delivers an impressive battery life. With my regular usage, the device comfortably gave me nearly 11-and-a-alf hours of screen-on-time, which is remarkable and a testament to the device's optimized software.

With more aggressive usage, the T2 Pro gave me approximately six-and-a-half hours of screen-on time, but even if you're a power user, the included 66W Flash charger can give you a quick top up — it can take the device from 0% to 100% in just 50 minutes.

The Verdict

The vivo T2 Pro is a compelling option for those seeking a stylish, premium smartphone at an attractive price point. It delivers consistent performance, surprising endurance, and decent charging speeds. While there is some room for improvement in low-light photography, the T2 Pro successfully strikes a balance between style and substance, making it a worthy contender in the competitive mid-range smartphone market.