Vivo X500 Pro Max officially: First with Dimensity 9600 Pro, 8000mAh and 200MP

vivo introduced a whole lineup of X500 phones in three sizes right away. The top model, the X500 Pro Max, is also the most interesting: it comes with a 200 MP periscope telephoto lens and an 8000 mAh battery—something that until recently hadn’t been seen in phones with this kind of camera hardware. Pro and Pro Max are also the world’s first phones to feature MediaTek’s new flagship chip.

Three models and the debut of the Dimensity 9600 Pro chip

The series has three models. The base X500 runs on the Dimensity 9600M chip, which is actually a reworked version of last year’s Dimensity 9500. The X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max models, on the other hand, are the very first phones to use the new flagship Dimensity 9600 Pro. Vivo has secured a chip premiere even before competition gets to it.

All three phones have the same durability IP68 and IP69, along with identical charging: 90 W via cable and 40 W wirelessly. They run OriginOS 7 built on Android 17. The differences are elsewhere: display size, the battery, and mainly the cameras.

The cameras are the main reason we’re talking about this series

Both Pro models received a new main sensor, the Sony LYTIA L910, with a 1/1.28-inch sensor size. Vivo developed it together with Sony. It has a fixed f/1.57 aperture, covers a 17 EV dynamic range, and carries a Zeiss T* coating. The difference between the siblings is in stabilization: the Pro Max has so-called gimbal optical stabilization with a three-stop range, while the Pro is limited to 1.5 stops.

The Pro Max’s telephoto lens deserves the most attention. It’s a 200 MP periscope with a Samsung ISOCELL HP0 sensor sized 1/1.4 inches, with stabilization rated at CIPA 7.0. The X500 Pro has a 64 MP Sony LYTIA 610 sensor in the same position. Both models can work with the optional Zeiss Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra, which gives them a 400 mm equivalent.

In video, Vivo goes even further. Both Pro models handle 4K at 240 frames per second, while Pro Max also supports 8K at 30 frames per second. There’s also 10-bit recording with 422 encoding and support for the ACES color system used in film post-production. The base X500 has a main 50MP Lytia 828 sensor, a 64MP telephoto lens with an equivalent 72 mm, and a 50MP ultra-wide lens—still a very solid setup on paper.

Displays and batteries from compact to 8,000

Of the trio, the X500 Pro is the smallest. It has a 6.36-inch LTPO AMOLED with 2K resolution and a 144 Hz refresh rate. Its predecessor, the X300 Pro, measured 6.78 inches, so Vivo has made “Pro” feel compact this time. Pro Max goes the other way with a 6.85-inch display, while the base X500 lands in the middle at 6.59 inches. The Pro models use BOE panels—generation Q11—and peak brightness is expected to reach up to 4500 nits.

Battery capacity order is surprisingly reversed. Logic says Pro Max should be the biggest: 8000 mAh with a silicon-carbon technology. The second-largest is the base X500 with 7500 mAh, while the most compact X500 Pro gets the smallest battery at 6510 mAh. It’s exactly the same capacity as its predecessor.

According to Vivo, both Pro models support HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, and they handle peak brightness up to the level of one nit in hardware, which comes in handy when reading in complete darkness.

Colors, prices, and when the phones will go on sale

The base X500 will come in white, grey, and black, while both Pro models also add an orange option. Open sales in China start September 24. The cheapest X500 configuration with 12 + 256 GB costs 5499 yuan, i.e. about €715. X500 Pro starts at 6499 yuan (around €845), and Pro Max at 6999 yuan (around €910). The conversions use the ECB exchange rate as of September 21, 2026.

Web GSMArena notes that Vivo has so far said nothing about a global launch. Portal Notebookcheck, on the other hand, expects that both Pro models will reach beyond China soon.

This is good news for us, because unlike some other Chinese brands, Vivo hasn’t left Slovakia. The predecessor of the X300 Pro is still commonly sold here in brick-and-mortar stores with a two-year warranty, and its price in the 16 + 512 GB version on Heureka is around 1100 €. If the X500 series reaches Europe under a similar setup, you should expect European prices to be significantly higher than those in China. That was also the case with the previous generation.

The following table summarizes how the three models differ from each other.

Follow the China Planet website, subscribe to our monthly newsletter, and be sure to check out our Facebook page, the China Planet group, and join our Telegram, where we add the best offers and coupons from China every single day.