vivo T1 5G Long Term Review – 1 Month of Gaming and More

I’ve been using the vivo T1 5G for over a month now and here are my thoughts about the device for using it long term.

The vivo T1 5G is actually not the newest device from vivo, but it is one of their mid-rangers that packs a bit of power. It is primarily marketed as a gaming phone, but how does it perform in mobile games and tasks? In this review, I’ll share how it fared on my 1 month of use.

Vivo T1 5G Unboxing

Let’s start with what accessories the device comes with out-of-the-box. Aside from the vivo T1 5G itself, it also comes with a power brick/charger with FlashCharge, a USB to USB Type-C cable, a SIM Ejector Pin, an included clear jelly case, and its user guide and warranty card.

Design, Build Quality, and Ergonomics

Checking out the device, we notice its interesting back design. vivo calls it their Turbo Engine Design. It’s a glittery design that changes color depending on the angle of the light source. It’s quite subtle but pretty to look at. It has a matte/flat finish which I personally like, and feels really nice to the touch. Since it has a flat finish, we don’t really need to worry about catching fingerprints. The back is also slightly curved along the sides, which makes for a very comfortable grip.

We also have a very noticeable camera bump. It protrude enough that the device will wobble when laid flat on the table. However, it does become stable when you equipped the included clear case.

Buttons and port layout are pretty standard. Its power/wake button and volume buttons at the right side of the device. At the top is a mic for video recording and noise cancellation. And at the bottom is where we’ll find the dual SIM Tray, mic, USB Type-C port, and single firing speaker. It also feature an optical fingerprint sensor that is found under the display. All the buttons, as well as the fingerprint sensor, are easy to reach even with my big hands which is a plus in ergonomics.

Display Quality

For an immersive viewing experience, the device sports a 6.44-inch AMOLED Fullsense Display. It produces vibrant colors and deep blacks. It also has thin bezels for more immersion when watching videos. The display is also large enough to enjoy playing games with.

Speaking of games, the display has an up to 90Hz of refresh rate. It could’ve been great if it went up to 120Hz, but 90Hz actually fine for gaming. It also feels smooth when scrolling through your apps. But what I don’t like is the waterdrop notch for the front-facing cam. It’s not that big, but I do sometimes find myself distracted by it.

Audio Quality

The audio normally complements the display for a great immersive experience. Its speaker is fine, it’s crisp and loud. But I do find it a bit lacking. It’s perfectly fine for watching videos, but somehow lacks a bit of bass when listening to music.

Despite it though, I was surprised that its volume can reach up to 150%. It’s loud enough that you won’t need a separate Bluetooth speaker. Even at 150% volume, the audio does not distort and still retain its quality.

If you are planning to use your favorite wired earphones/headphones though, well you can’t. The device doesn’t have a 3.5mm audio jack, so you’ll have to use wireless buds or use an adapter.

Performance and Gaming

The device is equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778 5G, which has been more than enough to power the device. It is paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The device also feature Extended RAM 2.0 that draws 4GB from your ROM and adds it to your RAM virtually. This ensures you can run multiple apps simultaneously without lag. And in my 1 month of use, I never really experience any lagging on my usual tasks. My only gripe though is that it doesn’t really have any storage expansion. Having 128GB of internal storage is quite fine, but it would have been better if I can add a 1TB MicroSD card.

Gaming has been a treat though. I’ve played Genshin Impact on this device multiple times. And each time it runs smoothly. It also doesn’t get as hot as much as other devices as well. This is thanks to its Vapor Chamber Cooling System. It also has Ultra Game Mode, which improves performance and gameplay experience. Overall, the device performs superbly on games and on daily tasks. You can also check my benchmark results below.

• AnTuTu v9 = 543,615 (CPU: 163,037, GPU: 160,455, MEM: 91,392, UX: 128,731)
• ATuTu v9 Storage Test = 45,398 (Seq. Read: 15,949, Seq Write: 12,572, Random Access: 16,877)
• Geekbench 5 = Single Core: 786, Multi-Core: 2,852, OpenCL: 2,315
• PCMark = Work 3.0: 9,114, Storage 2.0: 21,921
• 3DMark = Wild Life: 2,492, Wild Life Extreme: 692

Connectivity

As its name suggests, the device has 5G connectivity. Not only that, it also supports dual SIM with dual 5G standby. I often use it together with my Smart 5G SIM when working remotely, and find it incredibly fast.

Battery Life

Battery life is pretty decent. Its 4700mAh battery can last a full day of moderate use. The processor does a good job with power efficiency, but games still drain a lot of power. So if you plan to have long gaming sessions, have its charger nearby.

If you do find yourself in need of a recharge, you don’t have to worry. The device supports 66W of FlashCharge, which fully charges it in less than an hour. In my experience, I didn’t really found the need to recharge the phone until I get home.

User Experience

The device runs on Funtouch 12, which is based on Android 12. It’s not one of my favorite UIs, but it’s still pretty decent. It features vibrant round icons and its interface is very user-friendly. And like most midrange phones, it also comes with a few bloatware. I recommend just uninstalling them.

What I find annoying though is vivo’s own browser and the V-appstore. The browser keeps releasing notifications of trending news, and the V-appstore keeps on recommending apps. These quickly fill up your notifications which is quite annoying.

Cameras

For cameras, the vivo T1 5G sports a triple camera setup at the rear. It is composed of a 64MP main, 8MP ultra-wide, and 2MP macro. The cameras together actually capture great photos. It captures crisp photos with accurate color reproduction and high dynamic range. Wide-angle shots are pretty decent, but macro shots are not actually not that great. For the front, the device sports a 16MP camera which shoots sharp and clear selfies with accurate skin tones. You can check out the photos below.

For videos, it can shoot up to 4K at 30fps. But I would still prefer shooting at 1080p at 60fps. Quality is pretty much the same as with the photos, except it can’t shoot videos in ultra-wide. It also feature Dual View mode, which uses both the front and rear cameras simultaneously to shoot a video. I don’t normally use it myself, but I think it’s quite a useful feature if you like vlogging.

The Verdict

My vivo T1 5G review shows that it does perform admirable well. Not only in games, but in everyday tasks as well. It game-centric software and cooling really helps in games, providing an excellent gaming experience. Aside from a few of my personal gripes, the smartphone is an excellent device and would highly recommend for those into demanding games.

The device is priced at PHP 16,999, and comes in two colorways: Turbo Black, and Turbo Cyan. It’s a little bit on the pricier side of midrangers, but I think the specs and performance justifies its price tag.

Vivo T1 5G Specifications