vivo T4 Ultra is a mid-premium revolution with flagship zoom dreams

Every now and then, a smartphone comes along that reshapes your expectations, especially in the increasingly stagnant “mid-premium” segment. vivo’s T4 Ultra isn’t trying to be a flagship killer. Instead, it casually moonwalks into that bracket, armed with innovations you’d usually expect from phones twice the price. From a flagship-grade periscope telephoto lens that feels plucked from a DSLR enthusiast’s wishlist, to an AI suite that genuinely feels like it wants to assist rather than impress, the T4 Ultra is less about compromise and more about completion.

We put vivo’s boldest camera claims to the test at Digit Test Labs, and they held up. The T4 Ultra delivers a segment-leading 10x Telephoto Macro Zoom and what we can confidently call the best 3x periscope lens in its class.

We’re used to mid-range phones being the “almost” option – almost powerful, almost premium, almost flagship. vivo clearly didn’t get that memo. The T4 Ultra is built for the young power user: part photographer, part gamer, and all hustle. It’s slick, smart, fast, and, above all, bold about reimagining what a non-flagship phone can deliver.

Zoom beyond expectations

Here’s where the T4 Ultra doesn’t just flex but performs a full symphony. Cameras have long been the “sexy” spec to flaunt, but vivo earns its headline with execution, not just exaggeration. We say that because we have extensively tested the T4 Ultra camera in Digit Test Labs to verify these claims. 

At the heart of this setup is the segment-leading 10x Telephoto Macro Zoom, powered by real optical precision, not just digital crop illusions. It sounds niche until you realise how genuinely versatile it is. 

In our field comparisons, the T4 Ultra captured a bee on a millet head with stunning sharpness: every bristle visible from over two feet away. 

On a Casio watch dial, even the fine engravings and texture ridges came through clearly. Neither the Galaxy S24 FE nor the Realme 14 Pro+ could retain this kind of close-up fidelity. The former leaned into harsh contrast, and the latter softened out details altogether. Whether you’re an online seller needing razor-sharp product closeups or a casual user exploring nature and textures, this feature punches far above what we usually expect in this segment. 

1X vs 10X 

Then there’s the 10x Telephoto Zoom, which brings distant moments into intimate focus with a clarity that simply isn’t matched in the mid-premium segment. 

Where the T4 Ultra truly pulls ahead is stage photography at 10x, which is also one of the most challenging use-cases for any camera, let alone a mid-range phone. Capturing bands under shifting lights, it held focus even at extreme zoom levels like 70mm and 233mm equivalents. 

Highlights on instruments, performers’ faces, and colour gradients in stage lighting were retained without overexposing or crushing the shadows. The Realme overshot ISO and lost detail to noise reduction, and the S24 FE blurred motion and struggled with blacks. T4 Ultra, on the other hand, delivered photos that looked like they came off a dedicated zoom lens.

In Delhi’s Connaught Place, the T4 Ultra rendered the signage and building lines crisply at full 10x, where the S24 FE overexposed and the Realme 14 Pro+ showed artificial sharpness. From AC vents on a high-rise to ornate carvings at India Gate, the T4 Ultra’s zoom captured structural details with textbook contrast and natural colours — results the competition couldn’t match.

And at the critical 3x range, vivo’s segment-best 3x periscope lens based on the Sony IMX882 sensor steps up as the true specialist. 

This is a very capable camera for flattering, distortion-free headshots. In tests, it consistently produced clean subject isolation and accurate skin tones — even strands of hair remained sharply separated from complex backgrounds. Compared to the Realme’s artificially boosted output and the S24 FE’s tendency to smooth out textures, the T4 Ultra stood out for its realism and detail preservation, even in low light.

Even food photography at 3x gets an unexpected upgrade. On a close zoom into onion rings over curry, the T4 Ultra preserved crispy textures while the others either smudged or overprocessed the shot. 

All this is held together by vivo’s Origin Imaging Engine, which borrows from telescopic optical principles to ensure tonal consistency, clarity, and true-to-life colour across all focal lengths. Whether you’re capturing the soft glow of a concert, a textured wall under spotlights, or architectural detail from a moving car, the T4 Ultra responds with dynamic range and structure.

This is not just a camera built to impress in studio lighting. It’s one that’s been tested in the wild, in real-world challenges, and it quietly wins.

Flagship Muscle in Mid-Range

Let’s first get the spec drop out of the way. A MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chipset powers this phone, with an AnTuTu score that breaches 2.1 million. That’s not just fast, it’s borderline outrageous for a device in this price segment. Combined with up to 12GB RAM  (plus 12GB extended) and 512GB storage, the T4 Ultra delivers effortless performance from the very first swipe.

And it’s not just about brute force. With intelligent cooling (thanks to a 50,000 mm² cooling area and high-conductivity graphite), the phone can handle long gaming sessions and 4K video shoots without heating up your palms. Memory optimisation systems like the Memory Ledger Mechanism and Virtual GPU 2.0 make app switching, background tasking, and multitasking a non-event. In fact, vivo promises up to 60 months of lag-free experience! 

Moreover, the 5500mAh Bluevolt battery, tucked into an ultra-slim chassis, offers a real-world sense of freedom. Thanks to vivo’s third-gen silicon anode tech and clever encapsulation, you get extended screen time. And when you do need to top up, the 90W FlashCharge feels less like charging and more like a pit stop. From 1% to go-time in minutes.

Flagship Display: Bright, Curved, Intentional

On paper, the 6.67” 1.5K Quad-Curved AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and a staggering 5000 nits of local peak brightness sounds like a spec enthusiast’s dream. But in hand, the real joy comes from how deliberately it’s designed. The equal 37° curvature on all four edges feels symmetrical, comfortable, and smooth, especially when doomscrolling or swiping during games.

There’s Edge Accidental Touch Prevention, crucial for gaming or editing photos on a quad-curve screen. Eye Care Protection further enhances sustained usability. Whether you’re editing reels or watching HDR content outdoors, the display adapts, delivers, and dazzles.

Design-wise, it’s no afterthought either. The T4 Ultra carries a 7.43mm ultra-slim body. With Meteor Grey and Phoenix Gold colourways that shimmer under sunlight and a dual-ring camera module that looks as elegant as it performs, this is a phone that’s meant to be seen and held. 

Smart and practical AI that works

It’s easy to be sceptical of AI on smartphones. For years, brands have dangled “smart” features that sound impressive on stage but vanish into the background of real-world use. With the vivo T4 Ultra, however, AI finds its footing as a reliable, thoughtful co-pilot for everyday tasks.

Take, for instance, the T4 Ultra’s ability to transcribe audio in real time. This can be a game-changer for students recording lectures, journalists conducting interviews, or even professionals summarising long business calls. The transcription is context-aware and accurate, thanks to vivo’s advanced neural processing engine.

Then there’s AI Note Assist, which reads through the noise of your notes and finds the thread of meaning. Whether you’re dumping raw thoughts after a meeting or scribbling grocery lists mid-commute, this feature intelligently organises, summarises, and even translates your notes. 

Another surprisingly useful feature is real-time call translation. In a world that’s more global and connected than ever, being able to speak to someone in another language and have both sides of the conversation translated, both as audio and text, can be really helpful. This makes the T4 Ultra feel like a travel companion or a business ally.

And for those spontaneous “what is that?” moments, Circle to Search lets you simply circle an object, phrase, or image on your screen, instantly pulling up relevant search results.

Even the network experience gets a helping hand. In low-signal scenarios like elevators, basements, or rural patches, vivo’s AI Network Enhancement steps in to stabilise your connection. This is helpful in moments when you really need to depend on your phone. 

Redefining the middle, quietly and completely

The Vivo T4 Ultra simply delivers the kind of experience that would usually demand a far steeper price tag. Whether it’s the remarkably refined camera system that transforms everyday moments into gallery-worthy shots, the fluidity of its performance that holds steady under pressure, or the intelligent touches powered by AI that gently elevate your daily routine, the T4 Ultra gets the fundamentals right and the extras just as right.

This phone isn’t about spectacle. It’s about substance. It’s designed for content creators, multitaskers, gamers, students, and young storytellers who expect their devices to keep up without compromise. Whether it’s juggling schoolwork and side hustles or capturing moments on the go, the T series is built to meet the pace of a generation that refuses to slow down.

vivo takes a confident, considered approach to what a mid-premium phone can be and then calmly exceeds those expectations.

The vivo T4 Ultra is priced at Rs. 37,999 for the 8GB + 256GB model, and Rs. 39,999 for the 12GB + 256GB model. The top-end 12GB + 512GB model costs Rs. 41,999. You can buy it from vivo.com, Flipkart and offline stores starting from June 18th.

And just to sweeten the deal, vivo is offering up to ₹3000 instant discount when you use HDFC, SBI, or Axis Bank cards, or an exchange bonus of up to ₹5000 if you’re trading in your old device. The T4 Ultra is also available with up to 9 months of No Cost EMI option.