The smartphone market has been stagnant for quite some time. Manufacturers keep promising groundbreaking innovation, but in reality, most devices feel very similar to what we saw last year – with a slight camera upgrade or a minor screen improvement. Now it’s vivo’s turn to try its luck again: After a relatively quiet period, the company is returning to Israel with two new models, with the X200 Pro leading the way. Big promises here too: A photography experience unlike anything we’ve seen before, thanks to a collaboration with Zeiss. But such promises have almost become the default – we recently reviewed the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, which boasted a partnership with Leica – and the real question isn’t what logo appears next to the lens, but whether you can actually feel the difference in practice.
For those less familiar, vivo is not an independent brand but part of the Chinese BBK conglomerate, which also owns OPPO, OnePlus, and realme. A conglomerate that produces many devices coming off the same production line, with slight changes in design and specs tailored to each brand and region. In a sea of models that struggle to truly stand out, vivo is trying to prove that this time it has something different in hand.
Is the X200 Pro worth its hefty price tag? We received the device for review from Banda, the official importer, and here are our conclusions.
Design
In terms of design, vivo chose a relatively conservative approach compared to what we’ve seen in recent years. There’s no attempt to innovate or reinvent the wheel – the lines are clean, the structure standard, yet it feels refined. The back is made of glass with a pleasant matte finish and looks good, in a “Titanium Gray” shade that mimics titanium, though it’s actually aluminum. The feel in the hand is premium, although slightly slippery – especially because the curved back merges with a slightly curved front, which creates a less secure grip without a case.
The camera array is placed inside a prominent circular bump at the top center of the back – a design that doesn’t shy away from drawing attention and is reminiscent of professional cameras. But not everything is perfect: The camera bump is very noticeable, and when the device is placed on a table, it clearly doesn’t lie flat – the top rises upwards. It’s not critical, but noticeable, especially if you’re used to using your phone while it’s lying on a surface.
On the plus side, build quality is impressive. The buttons on the right side are well-placed, with a precise and satisfying click feel. In terms of durability, the device doesn’t disappoint, with IP68 and IP69 ratings that promise protection even against high-pressure water.
Screen
If there’s a design element that disappointed a bit, it’s found at the front of the device. While almost all manufacturers have already moved to completely flat screens, vivo still equips the X200 Pro with a slightly curved screen on the sides – and that’s a miss. Flat screens offer a clearer viewing experience, without edge distortion, and with less chance of accidental touches. Additionally, they’re more durable in case of a drop, simply because less screen area hits the ground. Here, however, the curvature is still present – not dramatic, but definitely felt – and it feels like a step backward.
The screen itself is very impressive in terms of specs: A 6.78-inch AMOLED panel, high resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and about 90% screen-to-body ratio. It’s a sharp, bright, and fluid screen for daily use. It also supports a peak brightness of 4,500 nits (for HDR), offers three color calibration options, an adaptive mode that adjusts the picture to the environment, and a smart blue light filter that tries to maintain natural colors while reducing eye strain.
Performance
It’s hard to find a smartphone today that doesn’t work well. The mobile industry has advanced to the point where even mid-range devices offer a smooth user experience, with operating systems and processors that understand exactly what the user needs and when. Therefore, when talking about flagship devices, the importance of technical performance tests has significantly declined in recent years. Most users won’t feel a real difference between a phone that costs 2,000 shekels and one that costs twice as much – at least not in regular daily use.
Still, vivo chose to equip the X200 Pro with impressive hardware: A MediaTek Dimensity 9400 processor, built using a 3-nanometer process – MediaTek’s first in this category. On paper, this is a full-fledged flagship processor, and the performance certainly feels accordingly. Daily use is smooth, fast, and seamless, with no lags, stutters, or annoying issues.
In fact, paired with 16GB of RAM, the result is felt from the very first second. Every action, from the simplest to running particularly heavy apps or demanding graphic games, is performed completely smoothly. No stutters, no freezes, and no moments where it feels like the device is "struggling" too much. Even under pressure – multiple apps open simultaneously, heavy task switching, or hardware-intensive games – the device remains stable and gives a sense of reliability.
Operating System
At first glance, the name Funtouch OS doesn’t sound very serious, but in practice, it’s one of the more successful operating systems. Vivo took Android and layered it with a feature-rich interface that looks good and feels very modern – with transparent elements, smooth animations, and everything associated with contemporary UI design. The system is based on Android 15 and includes the full Google suite, including access to Gemini. Despite the slightly polished design and subtle Chinese vibe, at its core, it’s Android through and through.
Photography
This might sound like a marketing slogan, but the X200 Pro really delivers exceptional photography results. The photos – especially from the main camera – are among the most impressive we’ve seen in the smartphone market lately. The level of detail is high, the colors are accurate (even if slightly enhanced at times), and the dynamic range is wide. What this means in practice is that even in difficult lighting – strong daylight or low light – the device manages to maintain a proper balance between bright and dark areas without losing depth or sharpness.
To view all photos in full quality click here
The auto mode does an excellent job for anyone who just wants to pull the phone out of their pocket and shoot, but those who take the time to dive into pro mode can get much more out of it. The collaboration with Zeiss doesn’t feel like just slapping on a logo — there are serious tools here for manual control, color and tone profiles developed with Zeiss, and results that feel much more cinematic for those who know how to work with them.
The zoom is impressive – especially at 3.7x and 10x shots, which still manage to maintain sharpness and detail. Beyond that, quality depends more on conditions. But that’s just a bonus – not the main story. What really stands out in the X200 Pro’s camera isn’t how close it gets – but how good the images look even from a regular distance: Accurate, balanced, and... just really good.
Bottom Line
The X200 Pro is one of the most impressive flagship devices we’ve seen recently. It doesn’t try to reinvent the smartphone, but almost everything it does – it does at a high level: Photography, performance, screen, and operating system. There are a few minor compromises, mainly in the design and some of the secondary sensors, but overall it’s a device that offers an excellent user experience, especially for those who prioritize photography. vivo might not be the first name that comes to mind when thinking of premium brands, but the X200 Pro is a clear reminder that it knows how to make top-tier devices.
As of now, only the X200 Pro model is sold in Israel, through Shekem Electric Duty Free, at a price of $1,150. It’s not cheap, but considering what you’re getting here – it’s justified.