The Vivo X200 Pro has arrived on the global stage, bringing with it some of the groundbreaking features seen in the X100 Ultra, which many consider the pinnacle of camera phones. While the X100 Ultra never left China, the X200 series makes a bold attempt to showcase Vivo’s advancements to a wider audience. However, it’s worth noting that this global launch doesn’t cover every region. Major markets like the UK and US are excluded, though the device is available in parts of Europe, South East Asia, and India. This selective availability may pose challenges for those eager to get their hands on it.
Despite these limitations, the Vivo X200 Pro stands out with its remarkable hardware, particularly in photography. Its camera setup includes the largest and highest-resolution telephoto sensor tested so far, alongside other impressive features like a massive battery and professional-grade video capabilities. These include 4K recording at 120fps and support for a LOG profile. With such specifications, this phone might just claim the title of the best camera phone of the year, or perhaps even the best smartphone overall. After spending a week using the Vivo X200 Pro, here is a detailed look at what it has to offer.
Design
The Vivo X200 Pro boasts a premium build with dimensions of 162.4 x 76 x 8.2 mm and a weight of 223 grams. Its design includes an aluminum frame and a glass back, ensuring durability and an elegant look. The device is also IP68/IP69 certified, making it resistant to dust and water, including hot water exposure, which is a step above standard protection.
On the back, the phone features a prominent camera island similar to its predecessor, the X100 Pro. However, this time, the camera bump is even more pronounced, reflecting the phone’s focus on photography. While this design choice emphasizes its photographic capabilities, it might not appeal to users who prefer slimmer profiles. The rest of the phone has a flat and boxy design, with symmetrical micro-curves that make it comfortable to hold. This approach resembles the Oppo Find X8 Pro but with an even bulkier camera unit.
The rear panel has a matte glass finish, which is resistant to fingerprints, especially in the Titanium color variant used for testing. Other available colors include a subtle Black and a striking Blue option with a swirling pattern.
Vivo also includes a transparent TPU case in the box, providing basic protection, along with a pre-applied screen protector. However, the protector tends to accumulate smudges and scratches, making it less practical for long-term use.
Screen
The Vivo X200 Pro features a 6.78-inch OLED display with a resolution of 1260 x 2800 pixels and a refresh rate of 120Hz. This screen is designed with quad micro curves, ensuring a flat panel with curved edges near the bezel for a smooth swiping experience. This design reduces reflections and color shifting while offering a premium tactile feel, although it adds to the phone’s overall thickness.
With a peak brightness of 4500 nits, the display ensures excellent visibility even in bright sunlight. It uses LTPO technology, allowing the refresh rate to adapt dynamically between 1Hz and 120Hz based on usage, which helps conserve battery life. Additionally, the display offers a staggering 2160Hz PWM dimming rate, making it ideal for users sensitive to screen flicker.
HDR content looks stunning on this screen, thanks to its brightness and color accuracy. Vivo’s partnership with Zeiss extends to display calibration, resulting in precise color reproduction in the default Zeiss Natural Color profile.
For users who prefer more vibrant visuals, the phone includes numerous customization options. These features make the Vivo X200 Pro’s screen one of the best in its class.
Cameras
The Vivo X200 Pro is equipped with a 50MP main camera, a 50MP ultrawide camera, and a groundbreaking 200MP telephoto camera with a 3.7x optical zoom. The selfie camera has a 32MP sensor but lacks autofocus, which is a minor drawback in an otherwise impressive setup.
The main camera uses a slightly smaller 1/1.28-inch sensor compared to its predecessor but still delivers excellent results, especially in low-light conditions, thanks to advancements in sensor technology. The telephoto lens, featuring a massive 1/1.4-inch sensor, is the star of the show. With its 200MP resolution, it captures incredible detail, even when cropping into images. This lens is perfect for street photography and close-ups, delivering a natural bokeh effect that mimics professional cameras.
The ultrawide camera, while less impressive, still performs well for landscapes and group shots. It has autofocus, allowing it to double as a macro lens for close-up photography. The selfie camera produces sharp and well-balanced photos, even in challenging lighting conditions. However, the lack of autofocus is noticeable, especially considering Vivo’s mid-range phones include this feature.
For video enthusiasts, the Vivo X200 Pro introduces a LOG profile for color grading and supports 4K recording at 120fps. Video stabilization is excellent, and the new autofocus algorithm, which includes eye tracking, ensures reliable performance during recording. These features make it a strong contender for creators looking for a versatile smartphone.
Performance
Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chip, the Vivo X200 Pro offers top-tier performance, complemented by 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. It is appropriate for intensive tasks like gaming and video editing because of this combination, which guarantees seamless multitasking and quick program launches.
In benchmarks, the Dimensity 9400 delivers impressive results, surpassing some Snapdragon processors in specific tests. Gaming performance is excellent, with the phone handling graphically intensive titles at maximum settings without issues. However, prolonged gaming sessions can make the device warm, though not to an uncomfortable level.
The phone includes a game mode with advanced features like frame interpolation, upscaling, and vibration effects. These tools enhance the gaming experience and are typically found only on dedicated gaming phones. Additionally, the dual stereo speakers provide clear and punchy audio, making the Vivo X200 Pro a great choice for multimedia consumption.
Software
The Vivo X200 Pro runs FunTouch OS 15, based on Android 15. This software has improved significantly over previous versions, offering a cleaner interface and better integration with Google services. Features like Circle to Search and Gemini assistant enhance usability, though the AI features are relatively basic compared to other manufacturers’ offerings.
One drawback is the pre-installed bloatware, which includes unnecessary apps and recommendations. While these can be removed easily, their presence on a flagship device is disappointing. Despite this, FunTouch OS 15 is user-friendly and offers plenty of customization options to suit individual preferences.
Battery Life
The Vivo X200 Pro is powered by a 6000mAh battery, one of the largest in its class. It supports 90W wired charging and 30W wireless charging, ensuring fast and convenient power-ups. However, to achieve maximum wireless charging speeds, a specific Vivo charger is required.
The battery life is impressive, easily lasting a full day of heavy usage, including gaming, streaming, and photography. While the charging speeds are slightly slower than the previous model, they are still fast enough to provide a 50% charge in under 30 minutes. This performance, combined with the large battery capacity, makes the Vivo X200 Pro a reliable companion for all-day use.
Conclusion
The Vivo X200 Pro is a powerhouse of a smartphone, offering top-tier performance, an exceptional camera system, and a stunning display. Its design emphasizes functionality and durability, while the software provides a smooth user experience despite minor flaws like bloatware.
With features like a 200MP telephoto lens, 4K 120fps video recording, and a 6000mAh battery, it caters to photography enthusiasts and heavy users alike. While its limited availability might make it hard to obtain in some regions, those who can get it will find the Vivo X200 Pro to be a worthy investment and a strong contender for the best smartphone of the year.
