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Vivo has upgraded the camera on the X200 Pro and also offered it with a new set of hardware but does that make it a solid flagship choice?
The new Vivo X-series premium phone features a 200MP periscope lens
The Vivo X-series has excited us, purely because the company’s association with Zeiss Optics has dished out some quality camera phones. The X100 Pro was one of our picks last time around, so it was obvious that we would try out its sequel the X200 Pro which now gets a more powerful telephoto lens.
Vivo has become a strong force in the market with some quality products across different price bands but the X-series has a different vibe, mostly because of its weight (quite literally) and emphasis on the cameras. The new X200 Pro is priced at Rs 94,999 which will surely raise eyebrows so we went on a mission to find if that price tag flatters or tells us something that appeals to more people.
Let’s Start With Cameras
Vivo has opted against using a 1-inch sensor this year but you do get a 200MP periscope telephoto lens that was introduced with the X100 Ultra (China-only) earlier. This new sensor delivers some high-quality, detailed and natural shots. Some of the best we’ve seen and captured to be fair. Using the phone’s camera forced us to step out more and observe things like the DSLRs used to make us do.
The main camera is a Sony LYT sensor which is no slouch either. You get crisp visuals in both day and low light conditions and you will have very little to complain about. But the biggest focus is on portraits with the 200MP lens and it shows the value of having a bulging camera module (more on that later). Vivo has added a wide array of filters and modes to experiment with and yes, it makes the whole experience fun and educative.
Phone Built On A Camera?
Samsung used to have these Galaxy phones, or even the yesteryear’s Nokia Lumia 1020 that was more of a camera and less phone. The X200 Pro fits somewhere into that equation but even then you cannot say this phone lacks on the performance front. Vivo has once again gone with the MediaTek Dimensity chipset, the 9400 version this year, that has enough power and raw force to get all the tasks done and more. We have used this chipset on a few more phones and have been relatively impressed, including its benchmark scores that show its capability.
You have the lone 16GB RAM model in the country that gets 512GB storage so that you can click as many photos or shoot videos as you want. We never saw the phone get strained, but in Delhi’s Winter that might be an easy thing to face. Even then we feel the hardware is tuned well to never feel overpowered.
The Software Touch
One of our only gripes with Vivo has been related to its software and Funtouch OS 15 tries to address some of them to some extent. Yes, the OS still has pre-loaded apps but definitely not that many but still in the low double digits if you include the Vivo set of apps. Most of them do not throw notifications that are turned off by default. The company doesn’t push AI on our face which we appreciate. The OS performs well in most cases, which is expected with the power under the hood and it is tuned to deliver smooth and fluid results.
Vivo is only giving 4 OS upgrades for its premium device, which means it will support up to Android 19 but we would have liked to get at least 6 if not more OS versions.
Feels Premium
Vivo has not made any cut backs on the design front either. The metal-like glass finish at the back for the giant camera module gives you the ideal visual balance. The dimensions of the X200 Pro can be subjective if you purely go by the numbers. The phone weighs 228 grams but we never felt it while using the device, which comes with 8.2mm thickness that is quite manageable. The flat body and lack of a curved panel does help with the grip and comfort of the device. The X200 Pro also gets IP68 + IP69 ranking that allows you to easily clean the phone with water.
The display also gets a mention, not only because we need to but it has its own positives. The 6.78-inch AMOLED gets LTPO tech along with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. The 120Hz refresh rate smartly switches according to the apps and content. The Widevine L1 certification lets you watch shows in high resolution. The screen gets Armor glass protection which seems to hold quite well.
The New Battery Era
Vivo is using the new battery tech as well which allows the X200 Pro to pack a 6,000mAh battery and still support 90W wired charging speed but only 30W in the wireless mode. The battery life on the X200 Pro will keep most people happy, even if you indulge in the heavy tasks and push the device to its limit. You can easily get it to run for a day and more.
Vivo X200 Pro is a solid upgrade from the brand and one that deserves its name among the best that has come out in 2024. The Zeiss Optics does its magic once again but even then this is a phone that shows its worth, even if you find the Rs 94,999 price tag on the higher side. Some more tweaks with the next version (OS mostly) and Vivo is truly onto something.