Vivo has launched the X500, X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max in China. The two Pro models use MediaTek’s Dimensity 9600 Pro, while the X500 Pro Max adds an 8,000mAh battery and a 200MP ZEISS telephoto camera.
The new series puts camera hardware and video recording at the centre of vivo’s flagship range. It also gives MediaTek’s 2nm smartphone chip its first phones, according to GSMArena’s launch report. The standard X500 uses the Dimensity 9600M, built on a 3nm process, so the three models do not share the same platform despite their family branding.
Three phones, two chip tiers
The X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max run the Dimensity 9600 Pro. vivo’s official X500 Pro Max specifications list an eight-core processor with peak clock speeds of 4.55GHz for two cores, 4.35GHz for three cores and 3.1GHz for three cores. The phone comes with 12GB or 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of UFS 4.1 storage.
The regular X500 uses the Dimensity 9600M on a 3nm process. It remains a large phone with a 7,500mAh battery, up to 1TB of storage and a 144Hz display, but its processor is a step below the two Pro models. That distinction is relevant when comparing the phones for gaming, sustained workloads and on-device AI.
The Pro Max is built around its camera system
The X500 Pro Max has a 50MP main camera, a 200MP ZEISS APO telephoto camera and a 50MP ultrawide camera. Its main camera uses a vivo and Sony LYTIA L910 sensor, while the telephoto camera supports optical image stabilisation and can work with vivo’s optional ZEISS Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra for a 400mm-equivalent focal length.
The Pro models support 4K recording at 240 frames per second for slow motion, 10-bit 4:2:2 video and 17 EV TrueDynamic Log Video. The Pro Max also supports 8K recording at 30 frames per second. These are launch specifications rather than independent camera or performance test results.
Battery capacity is unusually high for a flagship
vivo lists a typical 8,000mAh battery for the X500 Pro Max, with 90W wired charging and 40W wireless charging. The X500 Pro has a 6,510mAh battery, while the standard X500 reaches 7,500mAh. All three phones run OriginOS 7 based on Android 17 and include IP68 and IP69 protection, according to GSMArena.
The China launch prices start at CNY 5,499 for the X500, CNY 6,499 for the X500 Pro and CNY 6,999 for the X500 Pro Max. GSMArena reports that the X500 and X500 Pro Max go on sale in China on September 24, while the X500 Pro follows on September 29. Prices for other markets should not be inferred from the Chinese listings.
Availability outside China is still limited
vivo has not published a complete global launch schedule. SoyaCincau reports that vivo Malaysia expects the X500 series to arrive there toward the end of October 2026, but local pricing and exact dates remain unconfirmed. Buyers in the United States and Europe will need to wait for market-specific announcements before treating the China specifications or prices as purchase information.
Sooraj Raj is a programmer, blogger and professional developer with an interest in technology research and publishing. He writes about technology developments and shares information in a clear, straightforward way.
