The Vivo X100 Ultra is a standout Android smartphone, notable for its sleek design and powerful features, particularly its exceptional camera system, which rivals those of Apple and Samsung.
Chinese smartphone manufacturers have a history of emphasizing impressive specifications. Whether it’s screen resolution, RAM capacity, number of cameras, or megapixel count, they often surpass the offerings of Apple or Samsung.
While some of these high specifications might be superfluous, such as having more than 16GB of RAM or a 4K resolution display on a phone, the trend towards larger camera sensors is significant.
Vivo’s latest flagship, the X100 Ultra, features a 200-megapixel telephoto lens with an unprecedented 1¼-inch sensor, establishing it as a leader in zoom camera technology.
Design and Hardware
Aside from its massive camera module, the Vivo X100 Ultra resembles other premium Android phones with its curved OLED display at 120Hz and an aluminum frame. The design is familiar, but the device incorporates top-tier components, including a Samsung E7 2K AMOLED screen and Qualcomm’s ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner.
The phone boasts a slightly larger battery at 5,500 mAh and utilizes Zeiss’ T-Coating on the camera lenses to minimize flare.
Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and available with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM, the hardware is both powerful and standard for a flagship.
The standout feature is the camera system. Besides the 200-megapixel zoom lens, it includes a main camera with the latest 1-inch Sony LYT-900 sensor. Even the ultra-wide and selfie cameras are impressive, both offering 50-megapixel resolution.
On paper, this camera system surpasses that of the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, thanks to its larger sensors and faster apertures.
Camera Features
he Vivo X100 Ultra raises the bar for smartphone photography with its advanced camera system. It boasts a 200-megapixel telephoto lens with a large 1.25-inch sensor, offering remarkable zoom capabilities. The main camera is equipped with the latest 1-inch Sony LYT-900 sensor, delivering stunning image quality with incredible clarity and detail. Both the ultra-wide and selfie cameras have 50-megapixel resolution, ensuring every shot, whether wide-angle or close-up, is captured with exceptional precision.
This sophisticated camera system allows for lossless 85mm photos and digital zoom up to 235mm (10X zoom) without sacrificing image quality. The larger sensors and faster aperture speeds produce sharper, clearer photos with more depth and dimension compared to other flagship smartphones. The main camera’s built-in gimbal stabilizes movement, ensuring smooth video footage even during action shots.
Check out the gallery below to see the Vivo X100 Ultra’s impressive camera capabilities in action.
Software and Features
Running on Android 14 with Vivo’s OriginOS overlay, the software experience is unique. OriginOS offers extensive customization options, from app icon shapes to screen animation effects.
The camera interface is designed to complement the advanced hardware, featuring a wide array of modes. However, the “Humanistic Camera” mode for street photography, which operates like a separate app within the camera app, may be confusing for casual users.
Performance and Battery Life
The Vivo X100 Ultra’s camera system is exceptional. The zoom lens, capable of achieving up to 235mm (10X zoom), produces remarkably clean images. Compared to similar shots from the iPhone 15 Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, Vivo’s photos are sharper and less noisy, thanks to the higher pixel count and larger sensor.
Images captured with the Vivo phone also exhibit more depth and dimension due to the larger sensor size. The main camera, equipped with a mini gimbal for stabilization, ensures smooth video panning.
With the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and a large battery, the phone offers all-day performance. Additionally, it includes satellite connectivity for emergencies in areas with poor cellular coverage.
In the highly competitive Chinese smartphone market, the Vivo X100 Ultra currently holds the title of the best camera phone of 2024. It is unlikely that upcoming models from Apple or Google will surpass it in photography.
While the X100 Ultra doesn’t have significant flaws, it also doesn’t dramatically differentiate itself from other high-end smartphones, except in its imaging capabilities.
The Vivo X100 Ultra is available only in China, with prices starting at $898.
