The vivo X200 Pro has the best smartphone camera I’ve ever used

The vivo X200 Pro smartphone just launched in South Africa, and it is an exceptional flagship on every front – from its long-lasting battery to its potent performance.

Its most outstanding feature, however, is its camera array, which is a true game-changer for the smartphone industry.

Based on our experience testing this smartphone and its impressive camera, vivo has set the bar incredibly high for other flagship smartphones still to launch in 2025.

Watch our review below and keep reading to find out more about the vivo X200 Pro.

DSLR in your pocket

After spending a few days putting the X200 Pro’s camera through its paces, I can truly say that it is the best smartphone camera I have ever used.

Using the X200 Pro felt like having a compact professional DSLR camera in my pocket – which is thanks to its partnership with world-leading optics experts ZEISS.

Together, vivo and ZEISS co-engineered an industry-leading imaging system that turned every moment into a masterpiece.

The rear camera comprises three lenses:

• 50MP ZEISS True Color Main Camera – with vivo x Sony LYT-818 Sensor.
• 200MP ZEISS APO Telephoto Camera – 100x HyperZoom.
• 50MP Ultra Wide-Angle Camera – 119-degree ultra-wide angle

A ZEISS T* Coating on these rear lenses reduced flare and reflections, delivering clear and colour-accurate images, while the advanced vivo V3+ imaging chip ensured fast processing every time I hit the shutter.

Thanks to these features, I captured professional-grade photos in low-lighting conditions at indoor events, and snapped stunning, professional-grade portraits.

The 200MP sensor with its 100x HyperZoom also enabled me to zoom long distances to capture elements I couldn’t even identify with the naked eye.

No matter the scenario, the X200 Pro delivered crisp, clear, colour-accurate, and true-to-life photos.

When I wanted to edit my photos, there were a variety of AI tools to help me do this.

A particular highlight was the AI Erase feature, which made it easy to remove unwanted elements in post-editing.

Content creators can also snap great videos on this device thanks to its 4K 60 FPS HDR Dolby Visions support – this truly is the ultimate smartphone for creative minds.

A smooth performer

While the X200 Pro’s camera is the star of the show, vivo didn’t miss a beat with its display, performance, and efficiency.

Continuing with the ZEISS theme, vivo equipped the X200 Pro with a ZEISS Master Colour Display that ensured crisp and colour-accurate visuals across any content.

The large 6.78-inch AMOLED display was also extremely smooth to use, thanks to its 120Hz refresh rate powered by the X200 Pro’s high-performance chipset.

vivo equipped the X200 Pro with the 3nm “All-Big-Core” MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset, which provided a substantial 28% increase in performance.

Paired with 16GB RAM and the efficient Funtouch OS, the result was a smooth user experience across every task – from extreme multitasking to big title gaming.

The Dimensity 9400 also offered a 40% increase in power efficiency, and when this was coupled with the vivo X200 Pro’s massive 6,000mAh battery, the result was a smartphone that offered up to 18 hours of video playback, over 9 hours of gaming, or 8.3 days of standby time.

When the battery eventually started to run low, 90W FlashCharge enabled us to top it up quickly.

A smartphone built for South Africans

Vivo has established itself in China, holding the position of number one smartphone brand in China – the world’s largest smartphone market – for the past four years.

These years of expertise developing leading smartphones have culminated in an exceptional device like the X200 Pro, which it has now brought to South Africa.

At the launch event at Vodacom World, Midrand, vivo PR Manager Faith Davids said the X200 Pro was built for South Africans – and she is correct.

“South Africans are looking for durability, performance, and battery life, and the vivo X200 Pro delivers on all of these fronts extensively,” said Davids.

AI features like AI Transcript Assist and AI Note Assist made the daily user experience a breeze, while the long-lasting battery life and an IP68 and IP69 durability rating speak to the needs of South Africans.

The vivo X200 Pro officially hits South African shelves on 7 February 2025, and will be available exclusively from Vodacom and Amazon South Africa.

Click here to learn more about the vivo X200 Pro.