vivo X200 review

Competition

The vivo X200 is competing at a level that's a notch below the all-out cameraphone flagships and there's no shortage of other non-Pro high-end devices that are vying for your attention. The way the market stands, a few of its key rivals are also related to some extent.

The OnePlus 13, for example, is in a similar position of being a solid all-round package, but not quite up there with the ultimate photo and video powerhouses. The two are alike in many ways, but the OP has a superior display. The more tangible advantage in the X200's favor is its zoom camera that can do closeups. The balance isn't much different against the Find X8 - somewhat nicer display on the Oppo, more versatile zoom camera on the vivo.

A notch below the best, the Samsung Pluses could be framed as competitors to the X200 - the old Galaxy S24+ or the new S25+, depending on your budget and how much you value having the latest. We're yet to test the S25+, but the S24+'s battery life isn't as good as the X200's in most things, and the Galaxy's cameras aren't as versatile, though you will be getting better selfies with a Samsung. Early reports show that the new generation Galaxy cameras aren't going to change much. Depending on region, you might be able to find a last-gen Galaxy Ultra for X200 money and that could be worth looking into.

Maybe you can get a Pixel 9 Pro (or even the 9 Pro XL) at the X200's price point. You need to be a Pixel person to appreciate a Pixel though, and live with its subpar endurance and slow charging. Again, you do stand to gain a nicer display and possibly better selfies, plus some Google-only software features.

OnePlus 13 • Oppo Find X8 • Samsung Galaxy S24+ • Google Pixel 9 Pro

Verdict

The vivo X200's shortcomings aren't all that many, and where we find some, they're not quite in dealbreaker territory. Now, you might feel otherwise, if you're in Austria in particular, or the EU in general, but we're sure that even there you'll find a way to charge your new phone and you'll be fine without pressure washing it too.

Not quite top-tier are the X200's selfies, but that's not really exclusive to this model specifically - it's more of a standout result when we do get truly nice images out of a front-facing camera. The display, admittedly, is a minor letdown - it's plenty bright, but we kind of expected an LTPO panel at this price point.

Other than that, we were treated to an overall great experience. We got very pleasing camera results, with great low-light performance and close-up capabilities. Battery life was solid, charging was quick, the display was plenty bright.

Good enough. That's what we feel the vivo X200 is trying to be, and in our book it succeeds. It stops short of achieving true greatness, so that its fancier siblings have room to breathe, but it's also competent to such a degree that most people wouldn't even care that a Pro would give them anything on top of this.

Pros

• IP69-rated build (though market dependent).
• Bright 120Hz display.
• Dependent battery life (unless Austria, look below), fast charging.
• Nice-sounding speakers (if not the loudest).
• Versatile camera system that takes better pictures than the hardware suggests.
• 14cm close focusing on the telephoto camera.
• Wi-Fi 7; eSIM support (some versions); IR emitter.

Cons

• No charger in the EU.
• Non-LTPO display isn't very adaptive; it's also missing Dolby Vision support.
• Selfies aren't great.
• Austrian version in particular has a smaller battery (what?); IP69 rating missing in some countries.