Vivo T3 Ultra Challengers: Poco F6, OnePlus Nord 4, More
Vivo T3 Ultra Alternatives: Redmi Note 13 Pro+, Samsung Galaxy S23 FE, and more smartphones to choose from.
Vivo T3 Ultra Challengers: Vivo surprised many when it launched the T3 Ultra recently. While the brand's T series had been mainly focused on the Rs 15,000 - Rs 25,000 price zone, the T3 Ultra takes it into the premium mid-segment zone with a price that began at Rs 31,999. And it brings a lot to the table for those extra bucks - a 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display with 2,800 x 1,260 resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate and an extremely impressive maximum brightness of 4500 nits, a flagship level MediaTek Dimensity 9200 Plus processor, a 50 megapixel Sony IMX921 sensor with OIS on the back, a 50-megapixel selfie camera with autofocus in front, stereo speakers, and a massive 5,500 mAh battery with support for 80W fast charging and a charger in the box as well.
All of this comes in a sleek, 7.58 slim frame with Schott Glass in front and back, although the frame itself is carbonate. Add Vivo's FunTouch OS on top of Android 14 to the mix along with a very eye-catching (if very like the Vivo V40 series) design, and the Vivo T3 Ultra looks like a formidable proposition capable of taking on not just premium mid-segment phones but even budget flagships.
Vivo T3 Ultra Review: Want A Powerhouse Without Burning A Hole In Your Pocket? Go For Vivo
But it is not smooth sailing for it in these new price waters. Standing in its way are some well-specced, sleekly designed devices, of which these five phones could prove to be an ultra painful headache for the Vivo T3 Ultra:
Poco F6: Processor Powerhouse
Price: Rs 29,999 onwards
If power in a mid-segment phone is something that gets the ball rolling for you, then the Poco F6 is the device you should consider getting. The device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip which is a near flagship level processor, and this processor power is accompanied by speedy LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage which makes the Poco F6 an absolute powerhouse, be it power-hungry tasks like high-end gaming or routine ones like web browsing and social networking.
The phone also comes with a beautiful 6.67 inch 1.5K AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate. In the camera department, it brings a 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS, along with an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor, while a 20-megapixel sensor on the front handles selfies.
It runs on a 5,000 mAh battery which comes with support for fast 90W charging, and comes with Android 14 and Xiaomi’s new HyperOS. Rounding off this strong feature set are stereo speakers, IP64 dust and water resistance, and an IR blaster as well.
Some might not like its plastic back and rather basic design, but this is a phone for those seeking power.
OnePlus Nord 4: All-Rounder With Metallic Touch
Price: Rs 32,999 onwards
The OnePlus Nord series has been a pain for competition in every category of the mid-segment it steps into, and the Vivo T3 Ultra is not spared its competitive attention either, with the OnePlus Nord 4 going against it.
The phone brings a distinct design to the table, thanks to its metal back, and also packs in some very good hardware. It comes with a 6.74-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 2772 x 1240 and a refresh rate of 120 Hz, and runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3 chip, which may not be in the same league as the MediaTek Dimensity 9200 Plus on the Vivo T3 Ultra but remains a very capable processor.
Couple this with up to 12 GB with speedy LPDDR5X RAM and up to 512 GB UFS 4.0 storage (although the base 128 GB storage variant rather strangely comes with UFS 3.1 storage) and you have a smartphone that is a smooth sailer through most waters.
The dual camera setup on its back features a 50-megapixel Sony Lytia main sensor with OIS and an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor, while selfies are handled by a 16-megapixel sensor. The Nord 4 matches the 5,500 mAh battery of the Vivo T3 Ultra and comes with even faster 100W charging support.
Top this with the famous OxygenOS on top of Android 14, and you have a very good all-rounder.
Redmi Note 13 Pro+: The Premium Note
Price: Rs 29,499 onwards
The Redmi Notes are no longer sub-Rs 15,000 phones. We now see them going toe to toe and often embarrassing phones in the premium mid-segment too.
And the Vivo T3 Ultra has to face the most loaded Redmi Npte of them all, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+. While it does not have as powerful a processor as the T3 Ultra (it is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Ultra 5G processor), the phone is a smooth operator.
The phone has a curved 6.67 inch 1.5K resolution AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate which when combined with stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, make the phone a multimedia star. But the biggest USP of the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ is its main camera - the phone brings a 200-megapixel Samsung Isocell HP3 sensor with OIS, a large f/1.65 aperture and up to 4x lossless zoom.
This is backed by a relatively ordinary 8-megapixel ultrawide and a purely nominal 2-megapixel macro sensor, while on the front, you will find a 16-megapixel selfie sensor. The phone is powered by a 5,000 mAh battery with very fast 120W charging support.
While it comes with Android 13 and MIUI out of the box, it can be upgraded to Android 14 and HyperOS right away. The phone also comes with an IP68 rating and has a dazzling vegan leather design.
Nothing Phone 2a Plus: Lit, Literally
Price: Rs 27,999
Even though a relatively new brand, Nothing has managed to make major waves in the market, with some phones that have grabbed attention with their unusual design, and the one that goes against the Vivo T3 Ultra is the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus. An improved version of the Nothing Phone (2a) which was launched earlier this year, the Phone (2a) Plus also features an LED-laden back that helps most of Nothing’s phones stand out from the usual smartphone crowd. It also sports a 6.67-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and comes with Gorilla Glass 5 protection.
While it comes with a faster processor as compared to its predecessor– a MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro chip, it still does not match up with the Vivo T3 Ultra’s MediaTek Dimensity 9200 Plus processor. But 8 GB and 12 GB RAM combined with 256 GB storage help in making this a solid performer. The phone’s cameras are one of its biggest USPs – it comes with two 50-megapixel sensors, one main sensor with OIS, and another ultrawide which is an impressive combo in this segment.
A 32-megapixel sensor in the front handles selfies and video calls. The phone comes with Android 14 topped with Nothing OS, which is easily the cleanest interface out there. It is powered by a 5,000 mAh battery, with 50W wired charging support but you will not find a charger in the box.
What you will find on the phone though, are stereo speakers and an IP54 rating, making the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus a very good proposition for those who want a phone that stands out in the premium mid-segment crowd.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE: Old & Gold, Now With Galaxy AI
Price: Rs 34,999 onwards
It may be an oldie as compared to the other devices in the list but the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE still remains a phone that can give many premium mid-segmenters a run for their money.
It comes with a gorgeous 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x display with FHD+ resolution and with 120 Hz adaptive refresh rate. It also features a triple camera set up on the back comprising a 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS, backed by a 12-megapixel ultrawide and an 8-megapixel telephoto sensor with OIS that serves up 3x optical zoom, while selfies are handled by a 10-megapixel shooter.
Several shooting modes and the very popular Nightography feature from Samsung, make this phone one of the most capable and versatile camera phones in the list. The phone runs on Samsung’s powerful in-house Exynos 2200 processor, paired with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB and 256 GB storage options.
It loses ground in the battery department as it has a slightly smaller 4,500 mAh battery with relatively slow 25 W charging support and no charger in the box, but more than compensates with Android 14, with four generations of OS upgrades and five years of security updates, as well as the much-hyped Galaxy AI.
For many, it being a Samsung would be a massive factor too.
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