When you think of a top-notch camera phone, your mind probably jumps to the usual suspects. There’s of course the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, Apple's latest iPhone 15 Pro series and Google's reliable Pixel 8 lineup.
These are all solid choices, no doubt. But imagine a scenario where a certain Chinese brand outshines all these heavyweights.
Vivo X100 Pro Review
Meet the Vivo X100 Pro- a true marvel in the realm of mobile photography. This device isn't just another entry in the smartphone market; it's a game-changer, especially for those who prioritise camera quality in their mobile devices.
Let's take an in-depth look at this smartphone in our Vivo X100 Pro review.
Vivo X100 Pro Price
The Vivo X100 Pro price in India is set at ₹89,999 for the exclusive variant that boasts 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, and comes in an attractive Asteroid Black finish.
Vivo X100 Pro Unboxing
The Vivo X100 Pro's unboxing experience reveals a well-thought-out package. Alongside the phone, you'll find a robust 120W charger capable of rapid charging, ensuring your device gets powered up in no time.
Accompanying this is a sleek and protective case, designed to not only safeguard your phone but also to enhance its aesthetic appeal. Additionally, the box includes a high-quality USB cable, essential for both charging and data transfer.
Vivo X100 Pro Camera
It's unmistakably clear from the get-go that the Vivo X100 Pro is all about its cameras.
That massive circular bump on the back and the Zeiss branding are dead giveaways that this phone is designed for snapping photos.
Sure, you could say the same about its predecessors, but the X100 Pro adds something extra special – a 100mm periscope telephoto camera with a floating lens.
This lets you focus on both close-up subjects and those far away, making it incredibly versatile.
Vivo X100 Pro Camera specifications
Besides the zoom, the X100 Pro also packs a main camera that's decked out with all the bells and whistles you'd want to see on a flagship.
It's got an oversized 1-inch Sony IMX 989 sensor, optical image stabilization, dual-pixel phase detection autofocus, and laser autofocus.
The wide f/1.8 aperture allows for a shallower depth of field, and there’s picture processing handled by a dedicated V3 imaging chip.
Then you have the ultrawide camera, which features autofocus and a 119-degree field of view. However, the best part is that all three cameras I've mentioned – the periscope, the main, and the ultrawide – boast a generous 50MP resolution.
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Vivo X100 Pro Camera Performance
In well-lit conditions, the main camera captures crisp photos with excellent dynamic range and vibrant colours. But, if you prefer more colour accuracy, there's the option to switch on the Zeiss Natural Colour mode, which offers more neutral tones.
Even when zoomed in to 2x, the image quality stays consistent, with no noticeable increase in noise compared to the 1x zoom.
Night photography is exceptional too, and the main camera does a great job of brightening up the darker areas in photos. Interestingly enough, the phone has both an auto night mode and a dedicated night mode you can switch on manually.
I found that turning off the ‘dim light’ feature didn’t make a huge difference in colour and brightness, but photos taken with ‘dim light’ on were a bit over-sharpened and had more noticeable noise in them.
I also took some samples with the dedicated night mode and while it’s better at reducing noise, it tends to add an annoying blue tint to every picture.
Despite these quirks, this phone remains my top choice for capturing low-light shots. The large sensor size also means that it behaves a bit more like a DSLR camera, offering a shallower depth of field, even without using the portrait mode.
Speaking of portraits, I've got to say that the X100 Pro has quickly become my go-to camera phone for capturing them. Shots look very natural and lively with near-accurate skin tones. At times, the background blur can be a bit aggressive, but you can adjust that easily enough.
Plus, you have five focal lengths to choose from - 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 100mm. The first four are courtesy of the main camera, while the 100mm is provided by the periscope telephoto lens.
I found the 85mm length perfect for getting the best results, but I was also quite taken with the portraits at 100mm. You'll get the same high-quality representation of your subject as the main camera but with some extra depth and warmer colours. It's amazing how much distance it covers while maintaining quality.
And this brings me to the Vivo X100 Pro's zoom capabilities. It might not have the 10x optical range of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, but its 4.3x optical zoom is quite remarkable in its own right.
The images are sharp, the colours are lovely, and the dynamic range is spot-on. It also performs very well up to a 10x digital zoom, capturing superb shots without significant loss in detail.
The close-up shooting capabilities of this periscope camera are outstanding as well. It offers significant magnification, ensuring a high level of clarity, and creates a distinct separation between the subject and the background.
For even closer shots, the periscope lens doubles as a macro shooter with an 18cm focus distance, allowing you to capture fine details without being too close to the subject, and it supports up to 8.6X zoom.
As for the ultra-wide camera, I'm mostly happy with what it delivers. Its 119-degree field of view isn't the widest I've seen on a smartphone, and there's a bit of distortion near the edges, but overall, the results are pretty good.
Another exciting feature is the ability to shoot 4K cinematic portrait videos using both the main and periscope cameras, a first for a Vivo phone. This is made possible by the new V3 imaging chip, resulting in very crisp edge detection.
The phone is capable of 8K video recording too, though it's limited to the main camera and tends to eat up a lot of storage space. Sticking to 4K at 60FPS might be more practical, and the good news is, it's available on all three cameras.
You can effortlessly switch between the ultra-wide, main, and periscope lenses, even zooming up to 10x, all while maintaining a smooth 60 frames per second in a single continuous video. This feature makes the X100 Pro an excellent choice for vloggers who might require this kind of versatility in their recordings.
There's also an ultra-stabilization video mode, which is very stable even when you're running. However, this mode is limited to 1080P and can only be used with the main camera.
But in many cases, you might not even need this mode, as the regular stabilization works perfectly fine, thanks to all three sensors being capable of shooting smooth 4K 60 FPS videos. Night time shooting isn't too bad either and the T* star anti reflective lens coating on the cameras helps in reducing flairs to some extent.
Alright, now let's move on to the front Camera. It sports a 32MP sensor and does a fair job of capturing pictures in both outdoor and indoor settings, and the edge detection in portrait mode is quite decent as well.
While skin colours might not be spot-on accurate and there's a slight shortfall in sharpness, the front camera still churns out respectable selfies. It's a bit of a letdown, though, that a phone of this calibre with such powerful hardware, doesn't support 4K video recording on the front camera.
Vivo X100 Pro Design
The first thing you'll notice about the Vivo X100, which I've mentioned before, is its huge camera module, which takes up a significant portion of the back, making the phone a bit awkward to hold as the bump shifts your grip downwards.
On the plus side, the camera module is now centrally positioned, unlike the off-centre bump on the X90 Pro from last year. This lends a more symmetrical look to the design and reduces wobbling when the phone is placed on a flat surface.
That said, I do find myself missing the vegan leather design of the X90 Pro, which offered a better grip. The X100 Pro opts for frosted glass, which, although smudge-proof can be slippery. Thankfully, Vivo includes a rubber case in the box that has provided sufficient protection and grip during my use.
Overall, this phone looks very premium. The polished metal frame and the curved edges contribute to its upscale vibe. And even though it is on the heavier side, weighing in at 225g, it's got a sturdy feel to it. There's also IP68 dust and water resistance here, so it can handle a bit of rough weather or accidental splashes.
Vivo X100 Pro Display
You might find this familiar: a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with curved edge glass, a 2800×1260 resolution, HDR10+ certification and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate
This setup puts the X100 Pro on par with last year's X90 Pro, which had a pretty fantastic screen.
So, it's great to see that the X100 Pro maintains this high-quality display, and even enhances it with LTPO technology for better battery efficiency.
It's a great screen for watching content too, and the well-tuned stereo speakers further elevate the viewing and listening experience.
Vivo's also cranked up the brightness big time, claiming a peak of 3000 nits. If I'm being honest, I didn't find it blindingly bright in everyday use, but it's enough to keep things clear and visible when I'm out and about in the sun.
Vivo X100 Pro Specifications (Hardware)
Trying out the Vivo X100 Pro with MediaTek's latest Dimensity 9300 chipset has been quite enjoyable. Day-to-day usage is snappy, and it can handle graphic-intensive games at the highest settings without getting too hot.
In terms of benchmarks, it's a bit behind the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 , but honestly, in real-world situations, you'd hardly notice any difference. Plus, with 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage and a solid 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, this phone is all set for speed and storage.
Vivo X100 Pro software
On the software side, the X100 Pro runs on Android 14, with Vivo’s FunTouch OS on top. FunTouch OS remains largely unchanged from its previous versions and while it's not the most streamlined Android skin around, it is quite feature-rich and functional.
However, there is quite a bit of bloatware, and some apps can't even be disabled, which is a bit disappointing for a phone in this price range. Vivo has also promised that X100 Pro will get 3 years of assured Android updates, which isn't too bad, but I'm hoping they'll soon catch up with brands like Google, who are currently offering up to five years of updates.
Vivo X100 Pro Battery
One of the more significant upgrades for the X100 Pro is the boost in battery capacity to 5,400mAh, a jump from the X90 Pro's 4,870mAh. It's not every day you see a battery that beefy, especially compared to the usual 5,000mAh ones out there.
And honestly, I'm not complaining – this larger battery comfortably supports all-day use, which in my testing included 4K video recording, binge-watching TV shows, and even some gaming.
The charging capabilities are just as impressive. Vivo packs a 120W charger in the box, though the phone itself supports 100W charging via USB-C.
This translates to a full battery charge in just half an hour, and a quick 15-minute charge can get you over 50% battery life. It also supports wireless charging at 50W, but to enjoy those high speeds, you'll need to use Vivo's proprietary wireless charger.
Vivo X100 Pro Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Exceptional camera capabilities with advanced features and specifications.
- Sleek and premium design with a sturdy build.
- Impressive display quality with high brightness and refresh rate.
- Powerful performance backed by MediaTek's Dimensity 9300 chipset.
- Large battery capacity with fast charging support.
Cons:
- The large camera module can make the phone awkward to handle.
- The front camera doesn't support 4K video recording.
- Software experience hampered by bloatware and limited Android update promise.
- High price point, making it less accessible for budget-conscious consumers.
Vivo X100 Pro Review: Verdict
The Vivo X100 Pro is a formidable flagship, to say the least – it's fast, powerful and long-lasting.
However, the real reason to choose this phone over more popular brands like Apple and Samsung is its exceptional camera system. It's like a photographer's playground that invites you to experiment, offering more than one way to capture the same photo.
And sure, it comes with a hefty price tag, but that's the cost of owning what's arguably the best camera phone as we step into the new year.
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