Vivo’s latest flagship, the Vivo X100 Pro, boasts an incredible camera system that combines computational photography and technology.
Rs. 89,999
I nearly forgot about a box full of ancient phones that I discovered over the weekend when tidying my room. I began charging each one separately and tinkering with their cameras. Hours went by, and I couldn’t help but wonder when we began using our phones’ cameras to identify ourselves. Now, the camera is the first thing I test when I get a new smartphone to evaluate, and I think you should do the same. I therefore naturally tended to look at the camera on the new Vivo X100 Pro before looking at the other features when Vivo asked me to review it.
People most frequently switch to new smartphones because of the camera, and Vivo is working to make the Vivo X100 Pro a more intelligent camera phone overall. It’s a phone, yes, but it feels more like I’m using a camera built right into the phone.
I had to make the difficult decision to give up my iPhone 15 Pro for a few days and use the Vivo X100 Pro instead as my main smartphone. This is the course of my experience.
The reviewed price of the Vivo X100 Pro in India is Rs 89,999.
The camera
I take so many pictures that my phone is currently holding 7,000 images. Since I adore taking pictures, I do it for myself. In addition, I utilize my phone’s camera in addition to my DSLR and point-and-shoot camera.
I’ve discovered throughout the years that no camera is flawless. The only way to determine what kind of photographer you are is to experiment. Sometimes I’m content to use my phone for photos, and other times I only use my DSLR. Therefore, it is quite difficult to categorize me.
I’ve been using iPhones for a very long time, so I’m naturally accustomed to the device’s interface, camera, and picture quality. However, I’ve always been willing to test out several camera phone models. I haven’t had the Vivo X100 Pro with me in a few days, even though I started using it last month.
I have traveled to Delhi, my birthplace, and Hong Kong with the X100 Pro for so many days. I came away from this with a ton of images and some really original viewpoints, and I can’t wait to discuss my impressions of the Vivo X100 Pro’s camera.
The Vivo X series has always been known for its cameras, and the Vivo X100 Pro is no exception. This is how the camera is set up:
- a 1-inch sensor on a 50MP primary camera
- 50 MP Ultra-wide, 4.3x Floating Telephoto, and
- 32 Megapixel Selfie Lens
Since the primary camera on the Vivo X100 Pro is identical to that on the X90 Pro from the previous year, it continues to employ Sony’s IMX989 sensor, which has an f/1.75 aperture and a 23mm equivalent focal length. Vivo claims to have improved the Zeiss T* coating, which has reduced reflectance by 50% and improved image clarity. With a 15mm comparable focal length, the ultrawide has been improved to 50MP from 12MP and is also marginally wider.
The new telephoto camera, which has a 50MP sensor with a 4.3x optical magnification and a lens similar to a 100mm, is, in my opinion, the real centerpiece of the event. Together with new Vario-Apo-Sonnar components, it includes Zeiss’ APO “floating design.” This basically means that the lens has backward and forward movement, which enables it to focus on objects at different distances.
The biggest noticeable distinction between the Vivo X100 Pro and other smartphones I’ve used recently is its 50-megapixel telephoto lens.
What it does is allow for crisper photos of distant things because of the 50MP zoom lens’s 4.3x optical zoom. I would kill for a phone that allowed me to shoot pictures with that longer lens because I travel so much. You might obviously agree or disagree with me, but I believe the X100 Pro is the photographer’s phone because of its telephoto lens. You might take a distant photo of your topic and use dramatic background elements. Also, the telephoto lens—which is extremely uncommon in smartphone cameras—performs admirably in low light.
Over time, phone cameras have improved. To obtain an improved camera experience, you don’t actually need to buy a new smartphone every year. But, if I may say so, the Vivo X100 Pro is wired differently. I would argue that it closely resembles a professional camera while appealing to a different demographic.
Furthermore, the images display sharpness and subtleties that are difficult for many people to comprehend. For instance, the zoom lens is quite fantastic, and the portrait photos you get are exceptional. It forces you to consider the lighting and angles before firing a shot. It’s entertaining and educational all at once.
With four focal lengths to select from—24, 50, 85, and 100—the X100 Pro is one of the most feature-rich camera smartphones I’ve encountered in a while. I believe the X100 Pro is suitable for both personal projects and leisure photography. The fact that skin, hair, and texture details are preserved in all objects—be they people, animals, or buildings—also struck me, and this was unexpected.
Create and present
The 6.78-inch AMOLED screen on the Vivo X100 Pro makes it a really huge phone—up to 3000 nits of brightness, to be exact. Whether or not you think that’s a good thing will depend on your own preferences.
I know people who won’t settle for a phone with a screen less than 6.5 inches, so it’s not to their liking, for sure. Anyhow, there are benefits and drawbacks to owning a big phone. It feels less ergonomic when texting or making phone calls, especially if you have little hands like I do. However, it works excellent for watching videos, playing games, taking notes, and looking at images.
The Vivo X100 Pro is also very difficult to cram into a jeans pocket. But these days, it’s the same narrative with every smartphone: pockets are becoming smaller and phones are getting bigger—pun intended. Nevertheless, there is no denying that the X100 Pro is high-end. With a glass back that seems to have a silky, smooth finish, it has a bold appearance. Despite weighing in at 225g, the dual-curved shape and stainless steel mid-frame give it a robust feel in the hand.
I have no complaints at all regarding the quality of these materials. Everything feels and looks excellent, and since high-end phones are expensive these days, the quality ought to be pretty superior. The circular camera island on the back with the Zeiss insignia in the center and a stainless steel ring encircling the camera housing is what drew my attention to the design the most.
The large camera module on the Nokia Lumia 1020 came to mind, but Vivo’s X100 Pro expands on that idea much further. The phone has an IP68 water and dust resistance rating, meaning it can survive 30 minutes submerged in 1.5 meters of water.
Battery and Processor
Despite the obvious premium phone feel, the Vivo X100 Pro becomes fascinating when it chooses the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 over a flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon chip. To be honest, I didn’t give the processor much thought until I happened upon the website’s information about it. Four sizable Cortex X4 cores and four Cortex A720 cores—you may disregard the latter if you’re not familiar with Cortex or cores—have allowed for lightning-fast performance.
My review unit has 512GB of storage and plenty of RAM—if my memory serves me correctly, it is 16GB. When using resource-intensive apps like Google Docs and LinkedIn and multitasking heavily, I haven’t seen any lag or stuttering. There is no overheating, and the gaming is responsive and fluid.
With its sizable 5400 mAh battery, the X100 Pro offers exceptional battery life. In the past few days, my phone has easily lasted more than a day on a full charge and hasn’t come dangerously close to dying on any of those days. The package from Vivo includes a 120W charger. It takes a little over 35 minutes to charge fully, and it only takes 12 or 13 minutes to reach the 50% threshold. But hauling the heavy charger around on a trip can be a pain.
Programs and upgrades
The user interface on Vivo devices has always been my major complaint. I feel uneasy about it, especially after discovering that the device has bloatware. The X100 Pro comes pre-installed with Funtouch OS 14, which is based on Android 14 and features a less cluttered user interface. This is encouraging, and I hope Vivo’s mid-range and low-end models will likewise get a cleaner user interface. The X100 Pro will receive long-term updates since the brand guarantees four years of software upgrades.
Is it wise to purchase the Vivo X100 Pro?
The Vivo X100 Pro appeals to me. It boasts an excellent CPU, rapid speed, amazing cameras, and a great look. Nevertheless, a lot also hinges on your willingness to pay Rs 89,999 for a top-tier Vivo smartphone. Not everyone wishing to purchase a high-end Android smartphone should get the X100 Pro. The X100 Pro is a specialized instrument meant for photographers who want to capture genuineness in their images. And Vivo was able to accomplish that. I’m hoping Vivo produces a more compact “pro” model of this gadget that has a similar array of cameras.
