vivo unveiled the S50t in December, positioning it as a near‑clone of the flagship S50. The only divergence lies in storage: the S50 pairs with UFS 4.1, while the S50t sticks to the older, cheaper UFS 3.1. Aside from that, hardware, software, and camera setups remain identical. The change keeps the price gap narrow, giving buyers a cheaper option without sacrificing performance.

Both phones feature a 6.59‑inch 1260×2750 AMOLED panel at 120 Hz, a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor, 12 or 16 GB of RAM, and a 512‑GB internal store. Cameras stack a 50‑MP main sensor with OIS, a 50‑MP periscope telephoto, an 8‑MP ultrawide, and a 50‑MP front unit. A 6,500‑mAh battery supports 90‑W wired charging. The device runs on Android 13 with vivo's Funtouch 13 skin, targeting mid‑tier buyers.

Pricing starts at CNY 3,199 ($468) for the 12‑GB model and rises to CNY 3,499 ($512) with 16 GB. Each variant is CNY 100 cheaper than its S50 counterpart, making the S50t an attractive budget alternative for users who need flagship specs without the premium cost. The move underscores vivo’s strategy to offer near‑identical packages at lower price points. This tactic keeps competition fierce in the mid‑tier segment.