Vivo X500: specs, price and full review

The Vivo X500 is the entry model in vivo’s new flagship series, unveiled in China on 21 September 2026, and it is arguably the smartest buy of the three. For 5,499 yuan, or about €715 (about 469,000 FCFA), it packs a 7,500 mAh battery, a 64MP Zeiss periscope telephoto and a flat 144 Hz display. It is aimed at people who want a long-lasting camera phone without paying Pro money. One big obstacle remains: it is only sold in China, and vivo plans to bring just the X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max to Europe.

Introduction: where the Vivo X500 sits in the range

Vivo skipped the number 400 and went straight from the X300 to the X500. The series has three phones: the standard X500 covered here, the more compact X500 Pro, and the X500 Pro Max, the camera showcase with its 200MP telephoto. The base model is no longer the small one in the family: at 6.59 inches, it is now bigger than the Pro, a 6.36-inch compact.

Pricing starts at 5,499 yuan for 12GB + 256GB, or about €715 (about 469,000 FCFA) before taxes. The X500 Pro starts 1,000 yuan higher. In exchange for that saving, buyers accept a chip one step down, the Dimensity 9600M, and an LTPS screen instead of an LTPO panel. What they get in return is a much bigger battery.

This Vivo X500 page is based on the specifications published by the brand and on launch coverage. Our team has not handled the phone, and full reviews are still scarce outside China.

Verdict in brief: our take on the Vivo X500

Three figures sum up this table. First, the 7,500 mAh: the X300 offered 6,040 according to Notebookcheck, and yet the Vivo X500 weighs only 211 g. Next, the 64MP of the periscope telephoto, where many rivals settle for a basic 2x zoom. Finally, the 144 Hz, above the category’s usual 120 Hz.

Design: the Vivo X500 is a large, flat and well-protected phone

Vivo keeps the lines of the previous generation: flat back, straight sides, no curve to the screen. The camera housing changes, though. The X300’s large central disc gives way to a smaller circular island, shifted to the left and set on a rectangular base, with the flash outside it.

Dimensions and handling

The Vivo X500 measures roughly 157 x 74.5 x 8.15 mm and weighs 211 g, or 213 g in black. One-handed use will take some finger gymnastics. The thickness is still remarkable given the battery inside. If you are after something pocket-sized, look at the 192 g X500 Pro instead.

Water resistance, colours and practical details

The phone carries both IP68 and IP69 ratings. The first covers immersion, the second high-pressure hot water jets. That is real insurance against tropical rain and dust. In the documents we consulted, vivo has not specified the type of protective glass or the frame material.

Four colours are listed in China: a white, a pink, a grey and a black, according to press reports. The fingerprint reader is a 3D ultrasonic sensor under the display, more forgiving of damp fingers than an optical one. An infrared emitter lets you control a TV or an air conditioner.

Display: 6.59 inches at 144 Hz, but no LTPO

The Vivo X500 has a flat 6.59-inch OLED panel with a 1.5K resolution, meaning 2,750 x 1,260 pixels and 459 pixels per inch according to the official page. The refresh rate goes up to 144 Hz, which benefits scrolling as well as compatible games.

On brightness, the brand quotes 4,000 nits of local peak, measured on 20% of the surface, and 2,000 nits in high brightness mode. The second figure is the one that matters in direct sunlight, and it is excellent.

The concession lies in the panel technology: an LTPS screen, whereas the Pro models move to LTPO. In practice, the display does not drop to 1 Hz on a still image and draws a little more power with the always-on display. Given the battery, the impact should stay marginal. PWM dimming at 2,160 Hz limits flicker at low brightness.

Performance: how good is the Vivo X500’s Dimensity 9600M?

The Vivo X500 is the first phone with MediaTek’s Dimensity 9600M, paired with vivo’s own Blueprint V3+ imaging chip. All three versions share 12GB of LPDDR5X Ultra RAM and UFS 4.1 storage of 256GB, 512GB or 1TB.

A chip close to the previous generation

Do not be fooled by the name. The 9600M is built on a 3 nm process, peaks at 4.21 GHz and uses a Mali-G1 Ultra MC12 graphics processor. Those are, point for point, the specifications of the Dimensity 9500 in last year’s X300 phones. MediaTek’s real novelty, the 2 nm Dimensity 9600 Pro, is reserved for the X500 Pro and Pro Max.

That is not a flaw in itself: this level of power runs every demanding game and will be enough for several years. The Kimovil and NanoReview databases list between 3.6 and 3.9 million points on AnTuTu 11. Treat those scores as orders of magnitude, not as independent measurements.

Gaming, heat and memory

Vivo adds second-generation bypass charging (Bypass Charging 2.0): when plugged in, the phone is powered without going through the battery, which cuts heat during long sessions. Real thermal behaviour remains to be measured, all the more so because temperatures in Douala or Abidjan are not those of a lab.

The choice of a single RAM option is probably down to soaring component prices, which we cover in our article on the RAM shortage. For ordinary use, 12GB is enough. Those chasing raw performance will look at the iQOO 16 instead, from the gaming-focused sister brand.

Camera: three Zeiss sensors and a proper telephoto

This is where the X series is expected to deliver, and the standard model has not been short-changed. The Zeiss partnership covers all three rear cameras on the Vivo X500, and all of them are usable: no decorative 2MP sensor here.

50MP main sensor and ultra-wide

The main camera is built around a 50MP Sony LYT-828 in the 1/1.28-inch format, behind an f/1.68 lens. It is the sensor that was fitted to the X300 Pro last year. Optical stabilisation reaches level 5.5 on the CIPA scale, which allows long handheld exposures and helps a great deal at night.

The ultra-wide offers 50MP, a 15 mm equivalent focal length and an f/2.0 aperture. Its smaller sensor suggests a gap in quality in low light, as on every phone in this segment. On the front, the selfie camera is also a 50MP unit.

64MP periscope telephoto and teleconverter

Zoom is the strongest argument for this Vivo X500. The 64MP Sony LYT-610 sensor sits behind a 72 mm equivalent periscope, an optical magnification of about 3x, with the same CIPA 5.5 stabilisation. Focus goes down to 15 cm, which also makes it a close-up lens: flowers, insects or the detail of a fabric, without casting a shadow on the subject.

Vivo offers two optical accessories that attach in front of this camera: a compact teleconverter called Lipstick 200 and the Zeiss Teleconverter G2, which takes the focal length to 200 mm. Notebookcheck mentions about €130 (about 85,000 FCFA) for the latter. It is genuinely useful for sport, concerts or wildlife, less so day to day.

Video: 4K at 120 frames per second and 8K “Live”

For video, the phone records in 4K at up to 120 frames per second, enough to produce clean slow motion. Vivo also highlights a native “8K Live” mode, presented as a first, and cinema-inspired colour profiles.

Without full independent reviews, there is no way to judge colour rendering or night processing. The track record speaks for the brand: the X200 and X300 were among the best camera phones of their generation, particularly for portraits and telephoto shots.

Battery life and charging: 7,500 mAh to last two days

The 7,500 mAh battery uses a fifth-generation silicon anode, according to the official page. That denser chemistry explains how the Vivo X500 stays at 8.15 mm. Compared with the 5,000 mAh still common in Europe, the energy reserve grows by half.

No independent measurement is available yet. Two days of everyday use looks like a realistic target. For readers who live with power cuts, the benefit is concrete: the phone can get through a long outage without a power bank.

Wired charging reaches 90 W and wireless charging 40 W. Vivo has not given charging times in the documents we consulted. The 90 W figure assumes the brand’s proprietary charger, and the Chinese version ships with a plug built to local standards: plan for an adapter.

Software: OriginOS 7 and Android 17, Chinese version

The Vivo X500 runs OriginOS 7, based on Android 17. The interface adopts “liquid” visual effects and new animations. Vivo promises smoothness maintained for 72 months, which is a commitment on ageing and not a promise of updates.

On that last point, caution is in order. Several databases list five years of updates, but we found no firm commitment from the brand for the Chinese version.

What the Chinese version means day to day

A phone imported from China needs a few adjustments, and it is better to know them before you pay:

• Google services are not preinstalled; on the brand’s previous Chinese models, the Play Store could be installed without any risky tinkering, but nothing is guaranteed for this version;
• the interface is offered in Chinese and English, and other languages such as French are not guaranteed;
• contactless payment with Google Wallet and some banking apps may refuse to work;
• notifications are sometimes delayed by aggressive background app management, which has to be adjusted app by app.

Vivo X500 or X500 Pro: the differences that matter

The Vivo X500 Pro costs 6,499 yuan for 12GB + 256GB, or about €845 (about 554,000 FCFA) before taxes, 1,000 yuan more than the standard model. It stands out first for its size: 6.36 inches, 151.8 x 71.9 x 8.1 mm and 192 g. It is one of the few Android flagships this small.

It gets the 2 nm Dimensity 9600 Pro and an LTPO display rated at 4,500 nits. Its cameras move forward too: a Sony LYT-L910 main sensor with an f/1.6 lens, a 64MP telephoto with 3.5x optical zoom, CIPA 7.0 stabilisation and 4K video at 240 frames per second. The trade-off shows in the battery, limited to 6,510 mAh in China.

The standard model wins on battery life, screen size and price. The Vivo X500 Pro comes out ahead on power, video, compactness and, above all, availability: it will be officially sold in Europe, with a warranty and international software. For most readers in Europe, that argument will tip the balance.

Vivo X500 price and availability: China, Europe, Africa

Official prices in China

The Vivo X500 has been on sale in China since 24 September 2026, according to Beebom. Three versions are offered, all with 12GB of RAM:

• 12GB + 256GB: 5,499 yuan, or about €715 (about 469,000 FCFA);
• 12GB + 512GB: 5,999 yuan, or about €780 (about 512,000 FCFA);
• 12GB + 1TB: 6,999 yuan, or about €910 (about 597,000 FCFA).

These conversions are indicative and exclude taxes, shipping and the reseller’s margin. The full specifications are on vivo’s official page, in Chinese.

France and Europe: the standard model stays behind

There is no official price in France or anywhere else in Europe for this model. Vivo has confirmed a European launch event on 27 October 2026, with sales from 5 November, but it only concerns the X500 Pro and Pro Max. According to Gagadget, the base model is absent from European promotional material and from the EPREL database. Germany, Austria and Switzerland are named among the countries served; France is not at this stage.

That leaves importing, through specialist shops. Adding French VAT at 20%, shipping and the seller’s margin, we estimate the bill at between €850 and €950 (about 558,000 to 623,000 FCFA) for the 256GB version. That gets close to the X300’s launch price in Europe, €1,049 (about 688,000 FCFA), without the manufacturer’s warranty.

West and Central Africa: imports, warranty and networks

Vivo does not distribute its X series in Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire or Senegal. The phone will arrive through importers in Dubai or China, with only the seller’s warranty and parts that are hard to find locally. Before buying, compare the Chinese version’s 4G and 5G bands with those of your carrier.

Pros and cons

Pros

• 7,500 mAh battery in an 8.15 mm, 211 g body.
• 64MP periscope telephoto, usable for macro from 15 cm.
• Main sensor inherited from the X300 Pro, CIPA 5.5 stabilisation.
• Flat 144 Hz display with 2,000 nits in high brightness mode.
• Both IP68 and IP69 ratings, 40 W wireless charging.

Cons

• Sold only in China, with no warranty in Europe or Africa.
• Chinese software: Google services to install, language support uncertain beyond Chinese and English.
• LTPS panel, less frugal than an LTPO one.
• Chip technically very close to 2025’s Dimensity 9500.
• A single RAM option, 12GB.

These ratings are based on the spec sheet and the first published feedback, not on a review carried out by our team. The software score reflects the Chinese version as it reaches a buyer outside China.

The Pro Max is the logical option if you are set on the brand and a European warranty, at a much higher price. The Poco F9 Ultra can be bought in France and banks on its 8,050 mAh, but its cameras are in a different league. The iQOO 16 shares the same import constraint, with a faster chip. Among rival camera phones, the Oppo Find X9 Pro and the Galaxy S26 Ultra are useful benchmarks, and foldable fans will look at the X Fold 6.

Conclusion: should you buy the Vivo X500?

On paper, the Vivo X500 is the best-balanced member of its family. It takes the old Pro’s main sensor, adds a 64MP periscope and a battery that changes how often you charge, at a reasonable Chinese price. Its compromises, the LTPS panel and a recycled chip, will not show in daily use.

The problem is not the phone, it is the distribution. A buyer outside China has to deal with software designed for China, a warranty that comes down to the seller’s goodwill and an import price that wipes out part of the advantage. If you have never imported a phone, wait for 27 October and the Pro’s European pricing. If importing does not scare you, this model is one of the best deals of the autumn.

Vivo X500: frequently asked questions