Vivo X500 Series Official: Crazy, Crazier, Craziest
Three devices, up to 8,000 mAh and a 200MP telephoto lens, but the entry-level model skips Europe
Vivo has announced the X500 series in China, consisting of the X500, X500 Pro, and X500 Pro Max. The brand is skipping the X400 and moving straight to a 2nm chip, 8,000mAh batteries, and a 200MP Zeiss telephoto lens. Sounds too good to be true? There is one important caveat for the Netherlands: the cheapest model will not be available here. The big question is whether the massive battery will actually make it to Europe.
Vivo is apparently in a hurry. The X300 series isn’t even a year old yet, and the brand is jumping straight from 300 to 500 in its naming scheme. The number 4 is considered an unlucky number in China, so that leap isn’t as strange as it seems. What’s inside the devices, however, certainly is.
The lens attachment turns the Pro Max into a compact telephoto camera, but you’ll be carrying three separate components with you.
Three devices, three battery sizes
The lineup consists of three models that differ primarily in size, chip, and telephoto lens. The X500 Pro Max is the flagship model, featuring an 8000 mAh silicon-carbon (Si-C) battery and a 200MP Zeiss telephoto lens. The X500 Pro is the compact version and is significantly smaller than the X300 Pro, which had a 6.78-inch screen. The standard X500 falls between the two in terms of size, but has a larger battery than the Pro.
| X500 | X500 Pro | X500 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.59 inches, 144Hz | 6.36 inches, 144Hz | 6.85 inches 2K, 144Hz |
| Chip | Dimensity 9600M (3nm) | Dimensity 9600 Pro (2nm) | Dimensity 9600 Pro (2nm) |
| Battery | 7500 mAh | 6510 mAh | 8000 mAh |
| Charging | 90W wired, 40W wireless | 90W wired, 40W wireless | 90W wired, 40W wireless |
| Main camera | 50MP | 50MP (17 stops, Vivo claim) | 50MP (17 stops, Vivo claim) |
| Telephoto lens | 64MP, 3x | 64MP, 85mm | 200MP, 3.5x |
| Video | 4K/120fps | 4K/240fps | 4K/240fps |
| Software | Android 17, OriginOS 7 | Android 17, OriginOS 7 | Android 17, OriginOS 7 |
| Starting price China | ¥5.499 (approx. €660) | ¥6.499 (approx. €780) | ¥6.999 (approx. €840) |
According to Vivo, the Pro models are the world’s first phones to feature the MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro, manufactured on a 2nm process. What does that mean for you? In practice, it mainly translates to a more power-efficient chip, resulting in even longer battery life on top of those already substantial batteries. The 17-stop dynamic range of the new main camera is a claim made by Vivo; we’d like to test that ourselves first before accepting it at face value.
Pro Max is the new Ultra: 400mm lens attachment
If you look closely at the image, you’ll see that the X500 Pro Max features an accessory that was previously reserved for the Ultra models: the Zeiss Telephoto Extender, a lens attachment that you screw onto the device via a camera grip. Vivo calls this the second generation. The extender stretches the 200MP telephoto lens to a focal length of 400mm, which translates to approximately 17x optical zoom. For concerts, sports, or wildlife photography, that’s in a league of its own—though you’ll have to carry around a bag of separate parts.
OriginOS 7: Familiar territory for iPhone users
On the same day as the X500 series, Vivo announced OriginOS 7, based on Android 17, and this time it is also for the rest of the world. The X500 series comes equipped with it as standard. Anyone who has ever used iOS will feel right at home, because OriginOS is a shameless copy of Apple’s software, right down to Vivo’s own variant of Apple’s Liquid Glass.
Will the 8000 mAh model actually come to the Netherlands?
This is where it gets interesting. The European announcement is already set: on October 27 at 4:00 p.m., Vivo will present the X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max for Europe; pre-orders start that same day, and sales begin on November 5. Anyone who pre-registers will receive a €120 voucher.
One warning in advance: the Chinese X300 Pro had a 6510 mAh battery, while the European version had only 5440 mAh. More than 1000 mAh vanished along the way, and that’s no coincidence: European transport regulations limit a single battery cell to 20 Wh. As far as we know, those regulations haven’t changed. So whether the X500 Pro Max will actually arrive here with 8000 mAh is by no means certain. As long as Vivo hasn’t said anything about it, we are assuming the European figures will be lower.
Entry-level model skips Europe, and where is the Ultra?
The standard X500 is not included in the European announcement and will not be officially available here. That’s a shame, because that particular model combines a large battery with the lowest price. Anyone who still wants it will have to import it from China, with all the associated drawbacks: warranty, updates, and import costs.
The X500 Ultra is also missing, and it won’t be coming here for the time being either. Vivo announced that the Ultra won’t be released in China until March or April 2027, with a greater lead in camera capabilities than the Pro Max. This follows the same pattern as the X300 Ultra, which didn’t arrive in Europe until the spring. So anyone waiting for Vivo’s very best camera system will need to be patient for at least another half a year. In the meantime, anyone looking for a large battery and a powerful telephoto lens without having to wait can check out the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max or the OnePlus 15. We’ll be ready on October 27 for the European pricing.
