A little more than a month ago vivo launched the new X80 flagship line in China, bringing us three series 1 MediaTek-based models the X80, X80 Pro and X80 Pro Plus. Today vivo announced a new, equally diverse line, with the X500, X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max. Both lines are playing the hardware upgrade game, with improved cores and batteries, and larger memory and storage variants which in turn drives up the cost of these premium devices.
Pricing and availability the X500 series will be available in China starting at CNY 5,499 for the X500, CNY 6,499 for the X500 Pro. The flagship X500 Pro Max will be available starting at CNY 6,999. Availability for the series is slated for September 24 in China; pricing and availability internationally has not yet been revealed.
Pricing is a departure from the last-generation X300: the traditional X300 launched at CNY 4,399 in China and the X300 Pro from CNY 5,299. The starting prices of X500 series have jumped at a time when smartphone vendors are being pushed up in their component pricing for memory and storage.
Industry reports have suggested a significant increase in DRAM and NAND prices during 2026. A recent industry estimate indicated that memory and storage price for 12GB RAM and 256GB storage phone the price of vivo’s existing X300 Ultra had been surged by a substantial percentage – compared to a year earlier. vivo hiked the price of its current X300 Ultra in China just before the launch of X500, other evidence of cost pressure on vivo’s flagship business.
Although pricier, vivo has yet equipped the new series with big hardware improvements. The vanilla X500 gets a 6.59-inch 1.5K 144Hz screen, a Dimensity 9600M chipset and a 7,500mAh cell with 90W wired and 40W wireless charging. On the back, there is a rear-facing 50MP main camera, a 50MP ultrawide camera and a 64MP periscope telephoto module.
The X500 Pro arrives with a MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro chip and a 6.36-inch 1.5K 144Hz LTPO display. It features a larger 6,510mAh battery and a better camera system including a 50MP Sony LYT-L910 main camera, a 50MP ultrawide camera and a 64MP telephoto camera. The Pro model offers 4K [email protected] video recording.
Coming in at the top of the proceedings is the X500 Pro Max, which sports a 6.85-inch 2K 144Hz LTPO display and an 8,000mAh cell. This model is powered by the Dimensity 9600 Pro and features a triple-camera setup with the addition of a 200MP periscope telephoto camera. vivo also emphasizes the professional photography capabilities and ZEISS imaging technology as a main draw.
Video creation is a big focus on X500 Pro and Pro Max also. The Pro Max allows for 4K 240fps slow-motion recording. The camera system is complemented by the use of stabilization and high-dynamic-range technology that might be useful in challenging light conditions. The main camera on the Pro Max is based on Sony’s LYT-L910 sensor, and the company claims an overly broad dynamic range for phone photos.
This launch comes at a tough time for the smartphone sector. The need of memory by artificial intelligence applications has helped to increase the supply constraint on high-end memory products, but smartphone makers also face increasing components prices. Other Chinese smartphone brands have recently lowered the prices for certain products after increasing costs.
