vivo X500 Series Launched With 200MP ZEISS Zoom: Price and Specs

vivo has shared full details of its new X500 series, a family of three flagship phones built around ZEISS cameras and powerful zoom. The series includes the X500 Pro Max, the X500 Pro and the standard X500. The phones were first unveiled in China on September 21 and are now on sale there, while a launch in Europe is set for October 27. vivo Pakistan has not yet announced a local launch date or price.

The biggest talking point is the camera on the top model. The X500 Pro Max has a 200 megapixel ZEISS telephoto camera, and it can work with an optional lens attachment that gives it a reach equal to a 400 mm camera lens. vivo also says these are the largest batteries it has ever put in its X series phones.

Three Phones for Three Types of Buyers

The X500 Pro Max is the camera king of the family. Its 200 megapixel telephoto camera uses a large 1/1.4 inch sensor and a focal length equal to 85 mm, which is popular for portraits and distant shots. vivo says it has CIPA 7.0 level stabilisation, which in simple words means the camera stays steady for longer when you hold the phone by hand in low light, so pictures come out with less blur. Tech site Notebookcheck reports that this telephoto camera is largely carried over from the X300 Ultra, released earlier this year.

For people who want even more reach, the Pro Max supports vivo's new ZEISS Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra. This is a lens that clips onto the phone and brings the zoom to a 400 mm equivalent. It works in more than 10 camera modes, including Stage, Snapshot and Pro. The phone can also take sharp photos of moving subjects from far away at up to 30x zoom, which vivo calls Long Range Motion Snapshot.

The X500 Pro is the smaller option with a 6.36 inch screen. It uses a 64 megapixel Sony LYTIA 610 telephoto camera, also at 85 mm, and supports 20x motion snapshots. It works with a smaller 200 mm extender lens instead of the 400 mm one.

The standard X500 is aimed at everyday users. It has a 72 mm ZEISS telephoto camera and a 50 megapixel main camera with a 1/1.28 inch sensor, the same size used in last year's X300 Pro. It also gets a new Cinematic Portrait feature that adjusts lighting on faces in daylight, at sunset and indoors, plus a Color Palette tool to control tone, glow and grain in portraits.

A Strong Focus on Video

vivo is clearly aiming these phones at content creators. The Pro and Pro Max use a new main camera that vivo calls ZEISS TrueDynamic. It has a dynamic range of 17 EV, which means it can keep detail in very bright and very dark parts of the same scene, such as a face in front of a sunset.

Both Pro models can record 4K video at 240 frames per second for smooth slow motion. They also support Log video, a flat recording style that professional editors use because it leaves more room to adjust colours later. A new 4K Cinematic Portrait Video mode adds film style colours, including Sunny Day and Vibrant looks made with ZEISS. The Pro Max adds what vivo calls 3 degree gimbal grade stabilisation to keep video steady while walking.

A system called X-Track Engine keeps moving subjects in focus, even if they leave the frame for a moment or something passes in front of them. This is useful for sports, wildlife and concerts. For concert fans, Stage Mode 3.0 can record the singer and the person filming at the same time.

Chips, Batteries and Screens

The Pro and Pro Max run on MediaTek's new Dimensity 9600 Pro chip, made by TSMC on a 2 nanometre process. A smaller process usually means more speed and less battery drain. These are the first phones announced with this chip. The standard X500 uses the Dimensity 9600M, which reports say is built on a 3 nanometre process.

Battery sizes are where buyers should pay attention. vivo's announcement lists 7,800 mAh for the Pro Max, 6,510 mAh for the Pro and 7,500 mAh for the X500. However, reports from the China launch say the Chinese Pro Max carries an 8,000 mAh battery. An earlier listing in a European energy database also suggested smaller batteries for Europe, although vivo has not confirmed this. So the final battery size may depend on the country where the phone is sold.

All three phones support 90W wired and 40W wireless charging. vivo says the batteries use a second generation semi solid state design that keeps working in cold down to minus 20 degrees Celsius. A bypass charging feature powers the phone directly while gaming on charge, so the battery stays cooler.

The Pro Max has a 6.85 inch 2K display, the largest flat screen vivo has ever used on a phone. The Pro has a 6.36 inch screen and the X500 has a 6.59 inch screen. All screens reach up to 2,000 nits of full screen brightness. Every model is rated IP68 and IP69 for dust and water, and all have an ultrasonic fingerprint reader, USB 3.2 and an infrared blaster, which lets the phone work as a TV or AC remote.

OriginOS 7 Works With Apple Devices

The phones run OriginOS 7, which is based on Android 17. One surprising feature is closer support for Apple products. vivo says the phones can connect with AirPods and the Apple Watch, access iCloud, and share files with iPhones through a Quick Share feature that works with AirDrop. A tool called vivo Office Kit also links the phone with Mac computers.

There are several AI tools too. AI Recorder can identify different speakers, write a transcript and make a summary using six templates, such as meeting notes and lecture notes. Snap and Go reads information from screenshots, and AI Next Up turns dates it finds into reminders on the home screen.

Prices in China

The new phones cost clearly more than last year's models. According to Notebookcheck, the X300 Pro started at 5,300 yuan in China, while the new X500 Pro starts at 6,499 yuan. Here are the Chinese prices, with a rough rupee conversion at about Rs 41 per yuan. These conversions do not include Pakistani taxes or import costs.

The Creator Kit bundles the 1TB Pro Max with vivo's camera accessories. The X500 and X500 Pro Max went on sale in China on September 24, and the X500 Pro followed on September 29. The X500 comes in Dusk Black, Sunny White, Starry Gray and Dawn Pink, while the Pro models come in Moonlit Black, Sunny White, Starry Gray and Sunset Orange.

When Will It Come to Pakistan?

vivo's Austria website shows that the X500 series will launch in Europe on October 27, with sales starting on November 5. It is not yet clear if all three models will go to Europe. Indian media expect a launch there in late October or November, but this is not confirmed.

vivo Pakistan has not said when the X500 series will arrive or which models it will bring. The company did launch the X300 Pro in Pakistan earlier this year at around Rs 349,999, followed by the X300 FE, so at least one X500 model coming here looks likely. Because the new phones cost more than last year's in China, local prices are also expected to be higher, but no official figure exists yet. Any Pakistani price you see online right now is only a guess.

Buyers who plan to import a Chinese unit should remember that phones not sold officially in Pakistan must be registered with PTA, which means paying a sizeable tax on a phone in this price range. Chinese units may also come with Chinese software. For most people, waiting for the official launch with local warranty will be the safer choice.