Tag Archives: vivo

Oppo and Vivo Are Both Building Gimbal Cameras To Take On DJI’s Osmo Pocket Series

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Somewhere inside BBK Electronics, two product teams are independently building the same camera. Oppo has a pocket gimbal codenamed “Fuyao” in development. Vivo has the “Vivo Pocket,” reportedly fitted with a 200MP Sony sensor, headed for a late 2026 launch. Whether BBK’s leadership views this as healthy internal competition or an organizational blind spot depends entirely on your read of how the conglomerate actually operates. What’s undeniable is that both devices are aimed squarely at the same target: DJI’s Osmo Pocket series, the device that has owned the pocket gimbal category for years.

The timing, whether coordinated or coincidental, lands at a genuinely vulnerable moment for DJI. Regulatory pressure in the US has made retailers and creators skittish about long-term investment in the DJI ecosystem, and Insta360, the most credible challenger until now, is going aggressively upmarket with its Leica-partnered Luna Ultra. That leaves a real gap in the premium-but-accessible bracket, and BBK, intentionally or otherwise, has two horses racing toward exactly that gap simultaneously.

Designers: Oppo & Vivo

AI Representational Concept

Oppo’s Fuyao centers on a 3-axis stabilized gimbal in a compact form factor, with the brand leaning heavily on its AI-driven video computational technology to bridge the gap between high-end smartphone imaging and dedicated vlogging hardware. That’s a credible pitch. Oppo’s Find X9 Ultra stuffed two 200MP cameras and a sophisticated computational pipeline into a phone chassis, so the engineering muscle is demonstrably there. The question is whether that expertise translates cleanly when the form factor constraints change and the buyer’s expectations are shaped by years of DJI’s famously polished shooting experience.

Vivo is taking a more overtly spec-aggressive approach, with its prototype packing a 1/1.1-inch Sony LYT-901 sensor capable of 200MP stills, a significant departure from the current gimbal camera standard of 1-inch sensors with lower megapixel counts. That sensor is the same one powering Vivo’s current flagship phones, which means the lossless zoom headroom and low-light performance should be genuinely competitive. Vivo is targeting DJI-level hardware quality, suggesting a premium build rather than a budget-friendly entry point, and content creators are reportedly already getting early units for testing.

The deeper strategic story here is what BBK is actually betting on. DJI’s regulatory headaches in the US aren’t going away quietly, and Insta360’s Luna Ultra, co-developed with Leica and priced accordingly, is drifting toward a buyer profile that everyday creators can’t comfortably afford. That middle ground, premium imaging credentials at a price that doesn’t require a business justification, is exactly where Oppo and Vivo are parking. Whether BBK planned this pincer movement or stumbled into it, the instinct is sound. The execution is all that’s left to prove.

The post Oppo and Vivo Are Both Building Gimbal Cameras To Take On DJI’s Osmo Pocket Series first appeared on Yanko Design.

Oppo and Vivo Are Both Building Gimbal Cameras To Take On DJI’s Osmo Pocket Series

Posted on by

Somewhere inside BBK Electronics, two product teams are independently building the same camera. Oppo has a pocket gimbal codenamed “Fuyao” in development. Vivo has the “Vivo Pocket,” reportedly fitted with a 200MP Sony sensor, headed for a late 2026 launch. Whether BBK’s leadership views this as healthy internal competition or an organizational blind spot depends entirely on your read of how the conglomerate actually operates. What’s undeniable is that both devices are aimed squarely at the same target: DJI’s Osmo Pocket series, the device that has owned the pocket gimbal category for years.

The timing, whether coordinated or coincidental, lands at a genuinely vulnerable moment for DJI. Regulatory pressure in the US has made retailers and creators skittish about long-term investment in the DJI ecosystem, and Insta360, the most credible challenger until now, is going aggressively upmarket with its Leica-partnered Luna Ultra. That leaves a real gap in the premium-but-accessible bracket, and BBK, intentionally or otherwise, has two horses racing toward exactly that gap simultaneously.

Designers: Oppo & Vivo

AI Representational Concept

Oppo’s Fuyao centers on a 3-axis stabilized gimbal in a compact form factor, with the brand leaning heavily on its AI-driven video computational technology to bridge the gap between high-end smartphone imaging and dedicated vlogging hardware. That’s a credible pitch. Oppo’s Find X9 Ultra stuffed two 200MP cameras and a sophisticated computational pipeline into a phone chassis, so the engineering muscle is demonstrably there. The question is whether that expertise translates cleanly when the form factor constraints change and the buyer’s expectations are shaped by years of DJI’s famously polished shooting experience.

Vivo is taking a more overtly spec-aggressive approach, with its prototype packing a 1/1.1-inch Sony LYT-901 sensor capable of 200MP stills, a significant departure from the current gimbal camera standard of 1-inch sensors with lower megapixel counts. That sensor is the same one powering Vivo’s current flagship phones, which means the lossless zoom headroom and low-light performance should be genuinely competitive. Vivo is targeting DJI-level hardware quality, suggesting a premium build rather than a budget-friendly entry point, and content creators are reportedly already getting early units for testing.

The deeper strategic story here is what BBK is actually betting on. DJI’s regulatory headaches in the US aren’t going away quietly, and Insta360’s Luna Ultra, co-developed with Leica and priced accordingly, is drifting toward a buyer profile that everyday creators can’t comfortably afford. That middle ground, premium imaging credentials at a price that doesn’t require a business justification, is exactly where Oppo and Vivo are parking. Whether BBK planned this pincer movement or stumbled into it, the instinct is sound. The execution is all that’s left to prove.

The post Oppo and Vivo Are Both Building Gimbal Cameras To Take On DJI’s Osmo Pocket Series first appeared on Yanko Design.

vivo X300 FE Review: The Compact Flagship That Earns Its Keep

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PROS:


  • Compact, comfortable, and premium design

  • Powerful 50MP main and telephoto cameras

  • Large battery with fast wired and wireless charging

  • Long-term software support

CONS:


  • Mediocre 8MP ultra-wide camera

  • Uncommon horizontal camera design

  • A bit pricier than most "small flagships"

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The vivo X300 FE proves that a compact phone doesn't have to feel like a lesser one.

Premium smartphones have been trending bigger, heavier, and more visually imposing for years. It’s reached the point where “flagship” is almost synonymous with large, and carrying one all day feels less like convenience and more like a commitment. The compact phone hasn’t disappeared, but finding one that doesn’t sacrifice performance, battery life, or camera quality in exchange for a smaller footprint has been genuinely difficult.

That’s the gap the vivo X300 FE is aiming to fill. It pairs a 6.31-inch flat display with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, a 6,500 mAh battery, and a ZEISS co-engineered camera system, all within a compact design that stays remarkably light for its class. On paper, it reads like a phone that shouldn’t be this compact. But does it actually work in practice? We give it a spin to find out.

Designer: vivo

Aesthetics

The X300 FE follows a flat-design language that’s become increasingly standard among more expensive flagships. There aren’t any curved glass edges or aggressively contoured surfaces, just a clean, rectangular form with ultra-narrow bezels, an aerospace-grade aluminum frame, and a front face that looks symmetrical and composed. The centered punch-hole is small and unobtrusive, and those slim borders give the display a neat, purposeful presence that doesn’t need theatrics to feel premium.

Our review unit came in white, which turns out to be a great choice for a phone this carefully considered. The matte rear panel uses vivo’s Metallic Sand AG glass treatment, giving it a soft, slightly chalky texture that resists fingerprints well and picks up ambient light in a way that shifts subtly between warm and cool tones. It doesn’t try to be eye-catching; it just looks well-made.

The flat aluminum frame wraps cleanly around the body, with edges that make it comfortable to grip without feeling sharp or slippery. The white model measures 8.10mm thick and weighs 192g, a hair more than the other colorways, but those differences don’t register in hand. What does register is the overall sense of a phone that’s been assembled with genuine attention to detail.

The camera module deserves its own mention. Rather than going for the oversized circular island that’s become visual shorthand for “serious camera phone,” vivo opted for a horizontal bar that spans the upper portion of the back. Three lenses are arranged neatly across it, with a ZEISS badge centered between them. It’s recognizable and distinctive without domineering the rest of the design. Admittedly, it’s going to be a divisive design, but it at least lets the vivo X300 FE easily stand out from the competition.

Ergonomics

At 150.83mm tall and 71.76mm wide, the X300 FE sits firmly in one-handed territory. It isn’t trying to be a miniature phone. It’s simply sized more sensibly than most flagships on the market. You can reach across the screen without adjusting your grip, slip it into a front pocket without thinking, and hold it for extended periods without the wrist fatigue bigger phones tend to bring.

The 192g weight for the white model falls in a range that feels present without being burdensome. There’s enough substance here to reinforce the premium feel of the materials, but not so much that you’re constantly aware of it. The 8.10mm profile isn’t exactly wafer-thin, though that’s a reasonable trade-off for a 6,500 mAh cell packed inside a frame this compact.

The flat-sided frame also contributes more to the ergonomic experience than it might seem. It gives your palm a stable, consistent surface to press against during typing and scrolling, which feels more controlled than on rounded-edge designs. The compact footprint, flat back, and balanced weight distribution all work together to make this a phone that feels designed around how it’s actually used.

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 inside doesn’t need much introduction. It’s a flagship-class mobile processor, and the X300 FE puts it to good use. The 12GB RAM, expandable with another 12GB taken from the generous 512GB storage, clearly marks it as a class above your typical mid-tier compact phone. It runs Origin OS 6, based on the current Android 16 release, embracing a more minimalist and flat aesthetic that perfectly matches the phone’s design.

Day-to-day tasks feel completely effortless, from switching between apps and browser tabs to occasional gaming sessions, and nothing about the experience suggests the compact body is in any way holding the hardware back. Thermals are pretty impressive, given the vivo X300 FE’s size, but its compact form factor might work against it when it comes to how you hold it during those long periods.

Thankfully, the display backs that up well. It’s a 6.31-inch LTPO AMOLED panel with an adaptive refresh rate of 1 to 120 Hz, a 1.5K resolution at 460 PPI, and a local peak brightness of 5,000 nits. The 2,160 Hz PWM dimming also makes prolonged reading and scrolling noticeably more comfortable on the eyes, a detail that matters far more than most spec sheets would have you believe.

Then there’s the battery, arguably the X300 FE’s most impressive engineering accomplishment. A 6,500 mAh cell in a phone this slim and light isn’t something you see every day, and in practice, that capacity means genuine all-day endurance with room to spare. The 90W wired and 40W wireless charging mean you’re rarely stuck waiting long when it runs low, at least with the appropriate chargers.

The camera system is led by a 50 MP ZEISS main camera and a 50 MP ZEISS super-telephoto camera, with an 8 MP ultra-wide rounding out the rear. The main and telephoto cameras handle portraits, street photography, and concert scenes with real confidence. An optional telephoto extender accessory also exists for those who want extended reach, though it’s firmly in niche territory.

The results are impressive, especially when starting to zoom in on subjects. Even without the telephoto extender, you can enjoy clear and detailed shots, even at night. The 8MP ultra-wide, though usable, is a bit of a letdown, but vivo had to cut some corners to bring down the price and differentiate this model from its more powerful and more expensive siblings. You do have a ton of settings to tweak to get your perfect shot, but even the defaults are good enough to make fleeting moments more memorable.

Sustainability

The X300 FE carries IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance ratings, alongside an SGS five-star drop resistance certification, giving it a reassuring level of durability for daily use. It also carries an SGS five-star drop resistance certification, which gives it more formal durability credentials than most phones in its class. Together, those ratings make a convincing case for a phone built to survive daily life without requiring any particularly careful handling.

Software longevity is where the X300 FE makes its strongest long-term case. On that front, vivo is committing to five years of OS upgrades, seven years of security maintenance, and a five-year smooth experience promise. That support window is competitive with the best in the Android space, and it signals that this phone is meant to be genuinely used for years, not replaced the moment something newer comes along.

Value

At around €1,000, The X300 FE isn’t a budget phone, and it doesn’t try to be. It competes in the premium compact flagship space, where the particular combination it offers is harder to find than you’d expect. A current-generation chipset, a genuinely large battery, fast wired and wireless charging, ZEISS-branded imaging, and a durable premium build in a package that remains notably light for a flagship is a rare and coherent offering.

The person this phone is designed for isn’t shopping for the biggest or most spec’d-out device available. It’s someone who wants a phone that keeps pace with their life without dominating it, one that fits in a jacket pocket, lasts a full day, and still takes genuinely good photos. Frequent travelers, urban commuters, and anyone who’s tired of unwieldy flagships will feel right at home here.

Verdict

The vivo X300 FE is the kind of compact flagship that doesn’t feel like a compromise once you’re actually using it. The design is restrained and coherent, the battery is frankly impressive for the size, the chipset handles everything you throw at it, and the camera does its best work in exactly the situations most people find themselves in, out in the world rather than on a lab bench.

What the X300 FE offers is a phone that’s easy to carry, genuinely long-lasting, and capable enough for the photography and day-to-day demands you’ll actually encounter. It’s well built, well supported, and clearly designed with a specific kind of person in mind. That clarity of purpose is refreshing, and for the right buyer, it’s exactly what makes this phone worth serious consideration.

The post vivo X300 FE Review: The Compact Flagship That Earns Its Keep first appeared on Yanko Design.

vivo X300 FE Review: The Compact Flagship That Earns Its Keep

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PROS:


  • Compact, comfortable, and premium design

  • Powerful 50MP main and telephoto cameras

  • Large battery with fast wired and wireless charging

  • Long-term software support

CONS:


  • Mediocre 8MP ultra-wide camera

  • Uncommon horizontal camera design

  • A bit pricier than most "small flagships"

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The vivo X300 FE proves that a compact phone doesn't have to feel like a lesser one.

Premium smartphones have been trending bigger, heavier, and more visually imposing for years. It’s reached the point where “flagship” is almost synonymous with large, and carrying one all day feels less like convenience and more like a commitment. The compact phone hasn’t disappeared, but finding one that doesn’t sacrifice performance, battery life, or camera quality in exchange for a smaller footprint has been genuinely difficult.

That’s the gap the vivo X300 FE is aiming to fill. It pairs a 6.31-inch flat display with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, a 6,500 mAh battery, and a ZEISS co-engineered camera system, all within a compact design that stays remarkably light for its class. On paper, it reads like a phone that shouldn’t be this compact. But does it actually work in practice? We give it a spin to find out.

Designer: vivo

Aesthetics

The X300 FE follows a flat-design language that’s become increasingly standard among more expensive flagships. There aren’t any curved glass edges or aggressively contoured surfaces, just a clean, rectangular form with ultra-narrow bezels, an aerospace-grade aluminum frame, and a front face that looks symmetrical and composed. The centered punch-hole is small and unobtrusive, and those slim borders give the display a neat, purposeful presence that doesn’t need theatrics to feel premium.

Our review unit came in white, which turns out to be a great choice for a phone this carefully considered. The matte rear panel uses vivo’s Metallic Sand AG glass treatment, giving it a soft, slightly chalky texture that resists fingerprints well and picks up ambient light in a way that shifts subtly between warm and cool tones. It doesn’t try to be eye-catching; it just looks well-made.

The flat aluminum frame wraps cleanly around the body, with edges that make it comfortable to grip without feeling sharp or slippery. The white model measures 8.10mm thick and weighs 192g, a hair more than the other colorways, but those differences don’t register in hand. What does register is the overall sense of a phone that’s been assembled with genuine attention to detail.

The camera module deserves its own mention. Rather than going for the oversized circular island that’s become visual shorthand for “serious camera phone,” vivo opted for a horizontal bar that spans the upper portion of the back. Three lenses are arranged neatly across it, with a ZEISS badge centered between them. It’s recognizable and distinctive without domineering the rest of the design. Admittedly, it’s going to be a divisive design, but it at least lets the vivo X300 FE easily stand out from the competition.

Ergonomics

At 150.83mm tall and 71.76mm wide, the X300 FE sits firmly in one-handed territory. It isn’t trying to be a miniature phone. It’s simply sized more sensibly than most flagships on the market. You can reach across the screen without adjusting your grip, slip it into a front pocket without thinking, and hold it for extended periods without the wrist fatigue bigger phones tend to bring.

The 192g weight for the white model falls in a range that feels present without being burdensome. There’s enough substance here to reinforce the premium feel of the materials, but not so much that you’re constantly aware of it. The 8.10mm profile isn’t exactly wafer-thin, though that’s a reasonable trade-off for a 6,500 mAh cell packed inside a frame this compact.

The flat-sided frame also contributes more to the ergonomic experience than it might seem. It gives your palm a stable, consistent surface to press against during typing and scrolling, which feels more controlled than on rounded-edge designs. The compact footprint, flat back, and balanced weight distribution all work together to make this a phone that feels designed around how it’s actually used.

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 inside doesn’t need much introduction. It’s a flagship-class mobile processor, and the X300 FE puts it to good use. The 12GB RAM, expandable with another 12GB taken from the generous 512GB storage, clearly marks it as a class above your typical mid-tier compact phone. It runs Origin OS 6, based on the current Android 16 release, embracing a more minimalist and flat aesthetic that perfectly matches the phone’s design.

Day-to-day tasks feel completely effortless, from switching between apps and browser tabs to occasional gaming sessions, and nothing about the experience suggests the compact body is in any way holding the hardware back. Thermals are pretty impressive, given the vivo X300 FE’s size, but its compact form factor might work against it when it comes to how you hold it during those long periods.

Thankfully, the display backs that up well. It’s a 6.31-inch LTPO AMOLED panel with an adaptive refresh rate of 1 to 120 Hz, a 1.5K resolution at 460 PPI, and a local peak brightness of 5,000 nits. The 2,160 Hz PWM dimming also makes prolonged reading and scrolling noticeably more comfortable on the eyes, a detail that matters far more than most spec sheets would have you believe.

Then there’s the battery, arguably the X300 FE’s most impressive engineering accomplishment. A 6,500 mAh cell in a phone this slim and light isn’t something you see every day, and in practice, that capacity means genuine all-day endurance with room to spare. The 90W wired and 40W wireless charging mean you’re rarely stuck waiting long when it runs low, at least with the appropriate chargers.

The camera system is led by a 50 MP ZEISS main camera and a 50 MP ZEISS super-telephoto camera, with an 8 MP ultra-wide rounding out the rear. The main and telephoto cameras handle portraits, street photography, and concert scenes with real confidence. An optional telephoto extender accessory also exists for those who want extended reach, though it’s firmly in niche territory.

The results are impressive, especially when starting to zoom in on subjects. Even without the telephoto extender, you can enjoy clear and detailed shots, even at night. The 8MP ultra-wide, though usable, is a bit of a letdown, but vivo had to cut some corners to bring down the price and differentiate this model from its more powerful and more expensive siblings. You do have a ton of settings to tweak to get your perfect shot, but even the defaults are good enough to make fleeting moments more memorable.

Sustainability

The X300 FE carries IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance ratings, alongside an SGS five-star drop resistance certification, giving it a reassuring level of durability for daily use. It also carries an SGS five-star drop resistance certification, which gives it more formal durability credentials than most phones in its class. Together, those ratings make a convincing case for a phone built to survive daily life without requiring any particularly careful handling.

Software longevity is where the X300 FE makes its strongest long-term case. On that front, vivo is committing to five years of OS upgrades, seven years of security maintenance, and a five-year smooth experience promise. That support window is competitive with the best in the Android space, and it signals that this phone is meant to be genuinely used for years, not replaced the moment something newer comes along.

Value

At around €1,000, The X300 FE isn’t a budget phone, and it doesn’t try to be. It competes in the premium compact flagship space, where the particular combination it offers is harder to find than you’d expect. A current-generation chipset, a genuinely large battery, fast wired and wireless charging, ZEISS-branded imaging, and a durable premium build in a package that remains notably light for a flagship is a rare and coherent offering.

The person this phone is designed for isn’t shopping for the biggest or most spec’d-out device available. It’s someone who wants a phone that keeps pace with their life without dominating it, one that fits in a jacket pocket, lasts a full day, and still takes genuinely good photos. Frequent travelers, urban commuters, and anyone who’s tired of unwieldy flagships will feel right at home here.

Verdict

The vivo X300 FE is the kind of compact flagship that doesn’t feel like a compromise once you’re actually using it. The design is restrained and coherent, the battery is frankly impressive for the size, the chipset handles everything you throw at it, and the camera does its best work in exactly the situations most people find themselves in, out in the world rather than on a lab bench.

What the X300 FE offers is a phone that’s easy to carry, genuinely long-lasting, and capable enough for the photography and day-to-day demands you’ll actually encounter. It’s well built, well supported, and clearly designed with a specific kind of person in mind. That clarity of purpose is refreshing, and for the right buyer, it’s exactly what makes this phone worth serious consideration.

The post vivo X300 FE Review: The Compact Flagship That Earns Its Keep first appeared on Yanko Design.

vivo X300 Ultra Review: Putting the Camera at the Center of Everything

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PROS:


  • Excellent photography performance even without accessory

  • Modular photography ecosystem with extenders, grips, and cages

  • Simple yet stylish design

  • Flagship performance now avialabe globally


CONS:


  • Quite heavy for one-handed use

  • Premium pricing might only appeal to mobile shutterbugs


RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The vivo X300 Ultra is a camera platform that happens to run Android, built for people who shoot with purpose and want their phone to keep up.

The premium smartphone market has gotten very good at producing flagships that look and feel essentially identical. Brighter displays, larger sensors, and faster chips are standard expectations now, and while the results are impressive, they rarely feel purpose-built for a specific kind of user. The phones that genuinely stand out tend to commit to a clear identity and organize everything, from hardware to aesthetics, around it.

The vivo X300 Ultra is making its global debut right now, the first time vivo’s top-tier X Series flagship has launched outside of China. It arrives with a clear, photography-first premise built around the ZEISS Master Lenses Collection, offering professional creators unprecedented creative freedom through pioneering telephoto solutions, three prime-equivalent focal lengths, and a modular telephoto system that turns the phone into something closer to a portable camera platform than a smartphone that happens to have good cameras.

Designer: vivo

Aesthetics

The X300 Ultra doesn’t hide what it’s about. The rear is dominated by a large circular camera module, a bold black disc rimmed in polished metal with ZEISS T* branding at the center. It’s a confident, unapologetic choice that reads as a statement of intent rather than a feature shoehorned into standard smartphone form. The module doesn’t merely support the design; it is the design.

Our review unit is the white colorway, and it’s a particularly considered finish. The back panel has a subtle, almost etched texture beneath the surface, giving it more depth than you’d expect from a white phone. The polished frame and classic split design, inspired by the hues of unprocessed film, create a striking visual contrast while maintaining a slim, premium presence without relying on glossy flash or loud visual contrast.

The camera-inspired detailing rewards a closer look. The device features a metal “biscuit-style” camera bump with a knurled texture and engraved lettering on the sidewall of the camera bump, adding a precision-tool quality you feel the moment you hold it. These aren’t details that show up in a spec sheet, but they make a real difference in how the phone feels to own and carry every day.

The front takes a different approach entirely. The 6.82-inch 2.5D flat screen sits behind slim, even bezels with a small centered punch-hole for the 50MP front camera, and the whole face feels clean and uncomplicated. That contrast with the expressive rear works in the phone’s favor, keeping the display experience neutral and focused while the camera side carries all the personality.

Ergonomics

The first thing you notice when picking up the vivo X300 Ultra is the weight. At 237g, the white model is among the heaviest flagship phones currently on the market, and the substantial camera module adds to that presence both physically and psychologically. The Unibody 3D Glass Fiber Design of the Black edition results in a lighter 232g, but regardless of colorway, the flat-sided metal frame distributes the weight well, making the phone feel grounded and deliberate rather than awkwardly front-heavy.

One-handed use is possible, but not the most comfortable for extended periods, which is expected for a device of this size. The flat sides help with grip, giving you a firm hold, and the 8.49mm slim profile feels justified by the optical hardware packed inside. It’s a noticeable phone in the pocket, though that’s really true of any flagship with serious camera ambitions.

The ergonomics shift noticeably when the telephoto extenders enter the picture. The protective case becomes a functional necessity, as the lens mount system requires it to interface with the accessories. Once a telephoto extender is attached, the modular grip moves from optional to practically essential, providing the stability and comfort that the added length and weight demand.

Performance

At the core lies the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, paired with vivo’s own Pro Imaging Chip VS1+ and up to 16GB of RAM with up to 1TB of storage. Day-to-day performance is exactly what you’d expect from a 2026 flagship: fast, fluid, and unfazed by demanding tasks. OriginOS 6, based on Android 16, keeps things running smoothly with an Origin Smooth Engine that keeps the interface feeling responsive even after extended sessions.

The display is a 6.82-inch 8T LTPO panel running at 3,168 x 1,440 with a 144Hz adaptive refresh rate. It’s bright enough to review shots comfortably outdoors, with 4,500 nits of local peak brightness and certifications for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Netflix HDR. As a viewfinder for the camera system, it performs its job well, delivering accurate colors that reflect what the camera is actually capturing.

Battery life is solid for a phone with this level of imaging ambition. The 6,600mAh BlueVolt Battery supports 100W wired FlashCharge and 40W wireless charging, making it easy to top up quickly between shoots. Bypass charging with smart temperature control also keeps heat in check during longer sessions, which matters when you’re shooting all day.

The camera system is, of course, where the X300 Ultra makes its most interesting argument. Rather than organizing three cameras as “main, ultrawide, and telephoto,” vivo builds them around three prime-equivalent focal lengths, each treated as a dedicated imaging tool. The 35mm ZEISS Documentary Camera, equipped with a Sony LYTIA 901 sensor at a 1/1.12-inch sensor size and 200MP direct output, is the natural storytelling lens with a field of view close to the human eye. It’s ideal for portraits, street photography, and everyday moments, particularly in low light, where it delivers sharp, naturally detailed results.

Color Profile: Authentic

Color Profile: Vivid

Portrait Mode

Macro Mode

The 85mm ZEISS Gimbal-Grade APO Telephoto Camera is arguably the most technically ambitious of the three. Its 200MP sensor captures extraordinary detail even at high zoom levels, meeting ZEISS APO standards for optical precision. With 3-degree gimbal-level OIS and 60fps AF tracking in Snapshot mode, it handles fast-moving subjects with a composure that most telephoto cameras on phones can’t manage. Concerts, wildlife, and sports are where this lens makes the clearest case for itself, letting you track and capture decisive moments with confidence.

Telephoto Lens (No Mode)

Telephoto Lens (Pro Sports Mode)

Telephoto Lens (Pro Sports Mode)

Ultra-wide

The 14mm ZEISS Ultra Wide-Angle Camera rounds things out at 50MP, with a large aperture that makes it more capable than the typical ultrawide found on most flagships. It isn’t an afterthought; vivo positions it as a main-camera-grade lens designed for natural landscapes and broader compositional work, and that ambition shows in the results.

Main

Telephoto Camera (No Lens Extender)

The telephoto extenders add another layer to the whole system. The 200mm equivalent vivo ZEISS Telephoto Extender Gen 2 connects to the phone via the case’s lens mount and delivers optical-grade output at a focal length that no internal module can match, all at a more manageable 153g, refined down from 210g in the previous generation. The 400mm equivalent Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra takes things further still, built on a Kepler-inspired optical design with 15 high-transmittance glass elements and support for 200MP optical output. Both extenders support gimbal-grade OIS and up to 60fps AF tracking, and together they extend the X300 Ultra’s imaging range into territory that genuinely blurs the boundary between smartphone and dedicated camera.

200 mm ZEISS Telephoto Extender Gen 2

400 mm ZEISS Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra

Sustainability

The X300 Ultra is built to last, and that conviction shows in the hardware choices. Armor Glass protects the exterior, and the phone carries both IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance ratings, covering both prolonged submersion and high-pressure water exposure. These are meaningful standards for a device that’s meant to travel and shoot in varied conditions.

The strongest sustainability argument, though, is software longevity. vivo is committing to five years of OS upgrades and seven years of security maintenance, a support window that puts the X300 Ultra ahead of most Android flagships and signals genuine confidence in its long-term relevance. For a phone at this price point, that kind of assurance matters, extending the useful life of the device considerably.

Like most sealed flagship phones, however, the X300 Ultra isn’t particularly repair-friendly, and vivo doesn’t make any specific claims about recycled or sustainable materials in this build. That’s a common gap across the ultra-premium phone category, and the long support window and durable construction go some way toward compensating for it.

Value

The X300 Ultra sits squarely in the ultra-premium flagship tier, and it makes no attempt to be a broadly accessible phone. It’s a specialized, photography-first device with a modular accessory system, three prime-equivalent focal lengths, and a build quality that communicates its ambitions at every turn. The starting price in China begins at CNY 6,999, roughly in line with other high-end imaging flagships globally, though global pricing hasn’t been officially confirmed at the time of this review.

For the right buyer, that price feels well-matched to what the phone actually delivers. Photographers and creators who think in focal lengths, who want to shoot 200MP RAW files on a 35mm lens, track birds or performers at 85mm, and then extend to 200mm or 400mm with an optically serious external lens, will find it harder to justify a more generalist flagship. The X300 Ultra covers a lot of creative ground that most phones simply can’t.

That said, buyers looking for the lightest or simplest ultra-premium smartphone, something to carry easily through a full day without thinking twice about it, may find the X300 Ultra’s weight and accessory ecosystem a bit more demanding than they bargained for. It’s a phone that asks for a certain kind of engagement, and it rewards that engagement handsomely.

Verdict

The vivo X300 Ultra is one of the most coherent camera-first flagships to arrive in years. The design, the optics, the telephoto ecosystem, and the software are all pulling in the same direction, creating a product that knows its audience and delivers on their priorities with real conviction. The 237g weight and accessory dependency aren’t oversights; they’re the cost of a system this capable, and for the right user, that’s a perfectly reasonable trade.

What makes it genuinely memorable, though, isn’t any single spec. It’s the feeling that the whole thing was designed by people who actually think about photography, not just camera marketing. The focal lengths are deliberate, the extenders are optically serious, and the hardware detailing reinforces the idea that this is a tool as much as it is a phone. For anyone who shoots with intent, that kind of commitment is exactly what a flagship should offer.

The post vivo X300 Ultra Review: Putting the Camera at the Center of Everything first appeared on Yanko Design.

Yanko Design’s Best of MWC 2026: When Engineering Gets Obsessive

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Every year, MWC arrives like a controlled flood of announcements, each one louder than the last. Cameras with more megapixels, batteries with bigger numbers, screens with higher refresh rates than the human eye can meaningfully appreciate. It’s easy to walk away from Barcelona with a head full of specs and no clear sense of what any of it actually felt like to hold, use, or live with. The products that matter don’t always win the spec sheet battle.

The ones worth paying attention to are the ones built around a specific, almost stubborn design conviction. A team that decided thinness wasn’t a compromise but the whole point. Engineers who spent years rethinking how a GPS antenna sits inside a running watch. Designers who asked what a laptop would look like if it finally adapted to the user instead of demanding the opposite. Those are the products that stopped people on the MWC 2026 show floor, and these are the design decisions that made them worth stopping for.

HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 Smartwatch

GPS watches for runners have always played both sides of a strange contradiction: the more seriously you take running, the more you end up wearing a small computer that weighs down your wrist and distracts you with irrelevant notifications. Huawei’s answer to that tension is the Watch GT Runner 2, a dedicated running watch built around the single question of what a wrist-worn device actually needs to do well for someone logging serious miles.

Five years of development went into the GPS architecture, which tells you where Huawei’s engineering priorities landed. The 3D floating antenna design, paired with an intelligent converged positioning algorithm, claims 20% better accuracy than its predecessor, holding signal through tunnels and tree cover where most watches lose the thread. The body itself is nanomolded aerospace-grade titanium at just 34.5 grams, with a 10.7mm profile that doesn’t fight the wrist wearing it.

Designer: Huawei

The Intelligent Marathon Mode is where the Huawei Watch GT Runner 2 really shines. Developed alongside the dsm-firmenich Running Team, it functions as an on-wrist coach with customized training plans, real-time pace charts, a digital pacer showing how far ahead or behind your target you are, and a personalized fueling reminder so you don’t bonk at kilometer 30. Performance prediction uses your Running Ability Index and physical data to estimate finish times, which either motivates you or quietly humbles you.

Health monitoring goes beyond the usual heart rate and step counts. ECG analysis triggers 30 minutes post-exercise, HRV is tracked throughout the day, and the PPG sensor can flag potential atrial fibrillation risks. Battery life reaches 32 hours in outdoor workout mode with GPS active, backed by a cell with 68% higher energy density than the previous generation. Curve Pay integration also lets you leave your phone and wallet behind on long runs entirely.

The Huawei Watch GT Runner 2 covers both ends of the spectrum, from amateurs wanting a smart training companion to athletes chasing records with lactate threshold and power metrics. At 34.5 grams with a breathable AirDry woven strap, it’s built to disappear on your wrist. What remains to be seen is whether marathon coaching calibrated with elite runners translates meaningfully to the rest of us.

MemoMind One AI Glasses

Most AI glasses have made the same mistake: designing around the technology first and hoping the wearability sorts itself out later. The result is eyewear that signals to everyone around you that something unusual is happening on your face. MemoMind, a new AI hardware brand incubated by projector company XGIMI, took the opposite approach with its debut product, building from a decade of optical engineering experience to make glasses that simply look like glasses.

The MemoMind One is the flagship of the lineup, combining integrated speakers with a dual-eye air display that layers information over your field of view without demanding your full attention. The multi-LLM hybrid operating system handles real-time translation, voice summaries, transcription, and contextual reminders, all accessible through head-motion controls and a conversational interface. Since its CES 2026 debut, software updates have expanded navigation integration and refined how the AI delivers information without interrupting natural interaction.

Designer: XGIMI

Personalization sits at the center of the MemoMind design philosophy in a way most wearable tech ignores entirely. Frames are fully customizable, temples are interchangeable, and the glasses support prescription lenses, meaning you can actually wear them as your everyday eyewear rather than carrying a second pair of frames. That design decision alone separates MemoMind from most competitors, where the hardware dictates the look and the wearer adapts accordingly.

The broader MemoMind lineup shows how deliberately the brand has thought through different user needs. The MemoMind Air Display weighs just 28.9 grams and uses a single-eye monocular display for a lighter-touch AI presence, aimed at commuters and minimalists who want information without visual density. The MemoMind Air goes further still, dropping the display entirely for a microphone-only model that makes the AI presence nearly invisible, present when useful and undetectable when not.

MemoMind One is set for preorder in April 2026, with the Air Display and Air models following later in the year. What XGIMI has built here is a clear and considered answer to the question of how AI should sit on your face: quietly, comfortably, and without announcing itself to the room. The design conviction behind MemoMind is that the best wearable AI is the kind you stop noticing you’re wearing.

Honor Robot Phone Concept

Smartphones have been flat rectangles for so long that the design conversation around them has largely shifted to cameras, refresh rates, and how thin the bezels are. Honor arrived at MWC 2026 with a genuinely different question: what if the phone itself could move? The Robot Phone concept puts a 4DoF gimbal system inside a handheld device, built around what Honor calls the industry’s smallest micro motor, with the motor size reduced by 70% compared to existing solutions.

Designer: Honor

The gimbal does two distinct things, and they pull in interestingly different directions. On the imaging side, three-axis mechanical stabilization works alongside an AI stabilization engine to keep footage steady through complex, dynamic movement. A double-tap locks the AI onto any subject, tracking it even through sudden changes or brief obstructions. Honor also introduced an AI Spinshot mode, supporting 90-degree and 180-degree rotations, a move that borrows directly from cinema camera rigs and scales it down to one hand.

The second application is where the concept gets harder to categorize. Honor has designed the gimbal to express what it calls embodied AI interaction, meaning the phone physically responds to what’s happening around it. It nods during agreement in video calls, adjusts its orientation to keep you in frame automatically, and moves to the rhythm of music playing through its speakers. These are features that a spec sheet cannot really describe, and that makes the Robot Phone one of the more genuinely curious things shown at MWC 2026, even as a concept still working toward a commercial release.

Xiaomi Vision Gran Turismo EV Concept

The Vision Gran Turismo program is where car brands go to design without consequences. No production targets, no crash tests, no accountants in the room. Ferrari has done it. Porsche has done it. Now Xiaomi, a company that started by selling smartphones and rice cookers, has become the 36th brand to join and the first technology company ever invited. Gran Turismo producer Kazunori Yamauchi extended the invitation personally at the GT World Series in London.

Designer: Xiaomi

The design problem Xiaomi decided to obsess over is one every hypercar team faces: low drag gives you straight-line speed, high downforce gives you corners, and optimizing hard for either one usually compromises the other. Xiaomi’s answer was to eliminate the trade-off entirely by building aerodynamics into the body itself. No bolted-on wings, no add-on splitters. A teardrop cockpit, airfoil-shaped structural members, and embedded channels that guide air from nose to tail. The Accretion Rims are the detail worth pausing on: magnetically held wheel covers that stay perfectly still while the wheels rotate beneath them, cooling the brakes through internal turbine fins while cutting drag from spinning surfaces.

Inside, Xiaomi replaced the usual carbon-and-leather tension of a hypercar cockpit with something it calls the Sofa Racer, a continuous loop of dashboard, doors, and seating upholstered in 3D-knitted fabric pulled from sportswear manufacturing. The Xiaomi Pulse system reads driver state through sensors and responds through light and sound rather than screens and alerts. It all connects to Xiaomi’s broader Human x Car x Home ecosystem, which is either a genuinely interesting idea about how cars fit into a connected life, or a lot of ecosystem language wrapped around a very beautiful virtual concept car.

TECNO Modular Magnetic Interconnection Technology

The modular phone idea has been attempted before, most famously by Google’s Project Ara, which spent years promising a phone you could rebuild like Lego before quietly disappearing in 2016. The premise was compelling, and the execution proved stubborn. TECNO’s approach at MWC 2026 is different in one important way: rather than replacing the phone’s internal components, the Modular Magnetic Interconnection Technology keeps the phone slim and complete on its own, then lets you snap additional hardware onto it magnetically when you actually need it.

Designer: TECNO

The concept arrives in two visual flavors, ATOM and MODA, but the underlying system is the same across both. Over a dozen modules compose the Customizable Modular Suite, covering stackable battery packs, action cameras, telephoto lenses, and more, each attaching and communicating through the magnetic interconnection system. The scale and visual coherence of the accessory ecosystem is genuinely striking. Everything shares a design language, sits flush when attached, and reads as a single object rather than a phone with things stuck to it.

The ATOM edition makes the clearest design statement of the two, with its white and red palette, ribbed surfaces, and a camera module that looks pulled straight from a mirrorless system. TECNO’s core argument is that keeping the phone genuinely slim in daily use, while letting the modules handle the heavier lifting on demand, sidesteps the trade-off that has defined smartphone design for years. Add what you need, remove what you don’t, and the phone adapts to the moment rather than trying to anticipate every one of them in advance.

T10 Bespoke Luxury Custom IEM

There are 150 of these made each year. That’s it. Each one starts as a conversation, not a product listing, where you sit down with the team and work through finishes, metals, and sculptural forms until the result is entirely yours. The chassis is ceramic zirconium, machined to roughly half the volume of an AirPod and assembled with micro-screws and gaskets the way a Swiss watchmaker approaches a movement. Some configurations arrive in mirror-polished obsidian black YTPZ ceramic with 24k rose-gold plating over solid bronze. Others wear navy-blue Cerakote over polished zirconia with hand-rubbed tung-oil burl wood inserts. The newest collection reaches into diamonds, amethysts, and fine metals, with one-of-a-kind builds priced past $115,000. These aren’t earbuds that happen to look expensive. They’re objects you’d keep in a case and hand down.

Designer: EAR Micro, Klipsch

What separates the T10 Bespoke from anything else isn’t just the materials. It’s what’s packed into that tiny chassis. An ARM primary processor runs alongside a dedicated co-processor, with twin Cadence Tensilica Hi-Fi DSPs handling the signal chain. You get selectable amplifier modes, Class D for efficiency, and Class A/B when you want the fuller analog character. The Sonion Balanced Armature driver, tuned with Klipsch from the X10 lineage, feeds from a signal path that supports Sony LDAC at 24-bit/96kHz. That resolution matters because the hardware can actually deliver it. The PCB inside spans less than 1.13 square centimeters, with folding wings to fit the geometry. It’s the kind of engineering that usually stays behind a rack somewhere. Here it’s in your ear.

The interaction layer is equally thoughtful. Bragi OS powers the whole thing, supporting touch controls, voice commands, and head-motion gestures so you rarely have to reach for your phone. Battery life runs 8 to 9 hours per earbud, stretching past 30 hours with the case, and a 15-minute fast charge gets you to 85%. ANC is tuned in-house, and the founder calls it best in class, which is a claim that holds up in context, given the hardware underneath it. The deeper point is that this isn’t a product built to a price point or a roadmap. The chassis is replaceable. The battery is replaceable. The shell is replaceable. You’re not buying a device with a two-year lifespan. You’re buying something designed to stay with you, improve over time, and still be relevant long after everything else has been recycled.

Lenovo AI Workmate Concept

Most AI assistants live inside a screen, which means interacting with them still involves picking up a device, unlocking it, and navigating to something. Lenovo’s AI Workmate Concept takes a different position, literally: it sits on your desk as a physical object, a spherical head on an articulated arm mounted on a circular base, designed to be always present and always on without requiring you to go looking for it.

Designer: Lenovo

The design is built around natural interaction rather than typed commands or app interfaces. It responds to voice, gesture, and writing, with on-device AI processing inputs locally for privacy. The more distinctive capability is spatial output: the Workmate can project content directly onto a nearby surface, turning a desk or wall into a temporary display for documents, presentations, or notes. It also handles practical business tasks like scanning and summarizing documents and assisting with content creation, positioned as a desk companion rather than a novelty.

The physical form is what makes the concept worth paying attention to as a design argument. The spherical head, articulated arm, and glowing base ring give the device a clear presence and orientation, somewhere between a desk lamp and a friendly robot, without tipping into either. It acknowledges you spatially rather than waiting to be summoned from a notification panel. Whether a desk companion with animated eyes and a projector becomes something people actually want next to their laptops is the real design question Lenovo is exploring here, and MWC 2026 was its first public test of that answer.

Huawei Mate 80 Pro Max

Huawei’s Mate series has always been the line where the company makes its clearest design statements, and the Mate 80 Pro Max carries that further with a body that steps away from the fiber-reinforced plastic back of the standard Pro in favor of an aluminum alloy construction throughout. The result is a phone with more physical presence and a slightly larger footprint. Both share the same Dual Space Rings camera module design that has become the Mate family’s most recognizable feature, two concentric rings framing the rear cameras in a configuration that reads as intentional rather than incidental.

Designer: Huawei

The display on the Pro Max stretches farther to 6.9 inches while keeping the same LTPO OLED panel with 1440Hz PWM dimming and Kunlun Glass 2 protection. Powered by the same Kirin 9030 Pro chipset in their top configurations, the Max differentiates itself through physical scale and materials rather than raw internals. The battery also steps up to 6000mAh, though paired with the same 100W wired charging. The color options shift too: where the Pro comes in Black, White, Green, and Gold, the Max trades the softer tones for Black, Silver, Blue, and Gold.

What the Mate 80 Pro Max represents is a familiar kind of product logic: take the established design, make it bigger, make the materials more premium, and add the battery capacity to match the larger chassis. The Dual Space Rings identity carries across both models intact, so the design conversation between the two is less about direction and more about degree. With a significantly higher price tag, the Pro Max is considered step up for buyers who want the full physical expression of what the Mate 80 series is about.

Honor Magic V6 Foldable phone

Foldable phones have spent years promising the future while feeling fragile, bulky, and anxious about rain. Honor’s design obsession with the Magic V6 was to solve all three problems at once without letting any of them compromise the others. The result is an 8.75mm folded profile, putting it in iPhone-thin territory, paired with a 6,660mAh silicon-carbon battery, the largest ever fitted into a foldable at this thickness.

Designer: Honor

That battery figure is where the real engineering story lives. Silicon-carbon cells pack more energy into less space than conventional lithium-ion, but higher silicon content creates expansion stress that can crack cells over charge cycles. Honor’s fifth-generation silicon-carbon material, developed with ATL, reaches 25% silicon content. That’s what allows the capacity and the thinness to coexist without one compromising the other.

The Magic V6 also carries both IP68 and IP69 ratings, a first for any foldable. IP68 handles submersion; IP69 covers high-pressure, high-temperature water jets. Getting both on a device with a moving hinge, a crease depth reduced by 44% over the previous generation, and a display reflectivity as low as 1.5%, reflects how much structural engineering went into something that still opens and closes hundreds of times daily.

Lenovo ThinkBook Modular AI PC Concept

Laptops have been making the same basic promise for decades: here is one device that does everything, carry it everywhere. The trade-off has always been that “everything” means compromises, a screen too small for real work, a body too thick for a bag, a keyboard that disappears when you want a tablet. Lenovo’s ThinkBook Modular AI PC Concept at MWC 2026 takes a different position entirely, built around a “carry small, use big” philosophy that lets a single 14-inch base system reconfigure itself depending on where you are and what you’re doing.

Designer: Lenovo

The modularity here is practical rather than speculative. A secondary display attaches to the top cover for face-to-face sharing or closed-lid use, sits alongside the base on an integrated kickstand as a portable travel monitor in portrait or landscape, or swaps with the keyboard to create a dual-screen setup stretching the combined workspace to roughly 19 inches. The Bluetooth keyboard detaches entirely. IO ports, including USB Type-A, USB Type-C, and HDMI, are interchangeable depending on what a given day requires. Pogo-pin connectors handle power and data transfer between modules, keeping the system stable and self-contained throughout all the rearranging.

What makes the ThinkBook Modular concept worth paying attention to as a design argument is the restraint behind it. Rather than trying to anticipate every scenario inside one fixed chassis, Lenovo accepted that the device itself should be the smallest possible useful thing and let the user decide what gets added to it. A laptop that adapts to the workflow instead of the other way around is an old idea that has never quite landed in a form people actually use. This concept is still exactly that, a proof of concept with no confirmed release date, but the underlying logic is more considered than most modular hardware that has come before it.

Leica Leitzphone by Xiaomi

Xiaomi has made plenty of capable camera phones, but the Leica Leitzphone takes a different approach entirely, treating the smartphone less like a spec competition and more like an extension of Leica’s century-old obsession with optical craft. The silver aluminum frame carries tactile knurling, a rotatable camera ring, and the iconic Leica Red Dot, sitting against a black fiberglass back pulled directly from classic Leica rangefinder design language.

Designer: Xiaomi x Leica

That camera system is where the conviction becomes most legible. A 1-inch sensor with LOFIC HDR technology handles the main shooting duties, alongside a 200MP telephoto at 75 to 100mm and a 14mm ultra-wide. The rotatable physical camera ring, assignable to focal length, focus, or bokeh, gives the experience a tactile dimension that touchscreen sliders simply cannot replicate. Thirteen Leica color styles and a dedicated Essential Mode recreating the Leica M9 and M3 look complete the package.

The rest of the hardware keeps pace: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, a 6.9-inch 3500-nit OLED display, and a 6000mAh battery with 90W wired charging. The Leica UX layer goes further than a cosmetic theme, reshaping system fonts, icons, and widgets into a coherent visual identity rooted in Leica’s design language. For anyone who has wanted smartphone photography to feel less like operating software and more like handling a real camera, this is the most direct answer yet.

TCL Tbot Smartwatch Desktop Companion for Kids

Kids’ smartwatches have gotten good at keeping children connected to parents while they’re out, but they go dark the moment they come off the wrist. That’s the gap TCL is trying to close with the Tbot, a magnetic desktop dock that pairs with TCL’s kids’ watches, like the MoveTime MT48, to keep the experience going at home during charging. Rather than letting the device sit idle on a nightstand, the Tbot turns that downtime into something more purposeful.

Designer: TCL

The companion functions as an AI assistant shaped around a child’s daily rhythm, setting wake-up alarms, bedtime reminders, and Pomodoro-style study timers through age-appropriate guidance. It also doubles as a learning partner for guided discovery, a sleep companion that tells bedtime stories, and a parental alert hub that sends configurable notifications when parents need to stay in the loop. The idea is continuity between the outdoors and the home, with the watch and dock working as two parts of the same connected experience.

TCL is positioning the Tbot as a concept for now, still in its development phase while the company works through applicable regulations around AI features for children. That measured approach actually makes sense given the audience, since parental permission and age-appropriate guardrails are built into its design from the start. Getting that balance right between a helpful AI companion and appropriate boundaries for kids is exactly the kind of design problem worth taking slowly.

Lenovo Yoga Book Pro 3D Concept

3D creation on a laptop has always involved a certain amount of peripheral management, between mice, styluses, and the occasional spacemouse bolted to the side of the desk. The Yoga Book Pro 3D Concept takes aim at that setup by building a glasses-free 3D display directly into a dual-screen laptop, letting creators view depth, form, and spatial relationships on screen without any additional equipment. Lenovo’s AI software handles 2D to 3D conversion on the upper PureSight Pro Tandem OLED display, and can even generate an environment around the converted object on command.

Designer: Lenovo

The dual-screen concept laptop also offers a rather interesting interaction feature. Zero-touch gestures read hand movements in front of the RGB camera, letting users zoom and rotate 3D objects without touching the screen at all. The lower display acts as a touch surface with snap-on physical pads that pop up adjustment controls, like lighting and viewing angle, wherever they’re placed. It’s a workflow designed to keep creators in the work rather than hunting through menus.

As a concept, the Yoga Book Pro 3D is still a proof of intent rather than a product you can buy, but it represents a genuinely specific design problem solved with unusual conviction. Glasses-free 3D displays have struggled to convince outside of niche applications, so how well the actual display holds up for extended professional use will be the real test when this moves closer to production.

Vivo X300 Ultra and Camera Cage

Most smartphone camera rigs are an afterthought, a collection of third-party mounts and adapters held together by optimism. Vivo is taking a different approach with the X300 Ultra’s dedicated Camera Cage, a pro-grade frame designed specifically around the phone rather than adapted from generic cinema accessories. Dual grip handles, cold shoe mounts, quick-release ports, and dedicated physical buttons for shutter and zoom come built into one coherent system.

Designer: vivo

The cage is also where the ZEISS Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra slots in, an APO-certified lens co-engineered with ZEISS that pushes the X300 Ultra to a 400mm equivalent focal length with full 200MP optical output. Gimbal-grade optical image stabilization and motion-tracking focus sit underneath all of that reach. An integrated multi-level cooling fan handles thermal load during extended video shoots, solving the problem that turns most “pro mobile video” sessions into a race against an overheating warning.

What makes the setup genuinely interesting is the conviction behind it. Vivo isn’t treating the cage as a novelty accessory but as the central argument for how a smartphone can function as a serious production tool. The phone alone is one thing; inside this cage, with the extender attached and physical controls in hand, it becomes a fundamentally different experience.

TECNO x Tonino Lamborghini TAURUS Mini Gaming PC

Gaming PCs have never been shy about their presence, big towers, aggressive angles, and enough RGB to illuminate a small runway. The Tonino Lamborghini TECNO TAURUS compresses all of that energy into a mini PC chassis, with an all-metal body, red-accented lighting, and see-through panels that put the water-cooling loop on full display. It’s unapologetically theatrical, and that’s clearly the entire point of the exercise.

Designer: TECNO

Under that showpiece exterior sits an Intel Core i9-13900HK with 14 cores running up to 5.4GHz, alongside an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 on the Blackwell architecture at 145W total graphics power. A roughly 10,000mm² pure copper water-cooled cold plate and triple-fan setup handle thermals in that compact body. A real-time performance monitor on the chassis lets you watch CPU and GPU loads without opening a single app, which feels very on-brand for a machine this self-aware.

TECNO’s first collaboration with Tonino Lamborghini positions this as a desktop you’d put on your desk rather than under it, treating the machine as a design object as much as a gaming rig. Fifteen ports and WiFi 6E keep the practical side well covered. What’s genuinely interesting is how much of the design budget went into making the cooling system the visual centerpiece, turning thermal engineering into the main aesthetic argument.

Unihertz Titan 2 Elite QWERTY Phone

Physical keyboard phones never really died; they just quietly retreated to a corner of the internet where people complained loudly about touchscreen autocorrect. Unihertz has been serving that corner for years with its Titan series, and the Titan 2 Elite is the most refined version yet. Gone is the chunky frame of its predecessor; in its place comes a slimmer 75mm-wide body, a 4.03-inch 120Hz AMOLED display with a punch-hole camera, and the same four-row QWERTY keyboard that the series built its following on.

Designer: Unihertz

The keyboard itself doubles as a touchpad, letting you scroll and navigate with a thumb swipe across the keys, a trick carried over from earlier Titans that still feels genuinely useful. Although nothing’s confirmed yet, it’s expected to run on a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, which is a solidly capable mid-range setup for a phone that’s really selling you on input, not raw performance. More notable is the software commitment: Android 16 out of the box, updates promised through Android 20, and security patches running until 2031, a rare five-year horizon for a device in this price range.

The Titan 2 Elite arrives at an interesting moment, with the Clicks pulling attention toward keyboard accessories for iPhones and Unihertz countering with a dedicated standalone device instead. There’s a meaningful difference between treating the keyboard as an add-on and building an entire phone around it, and that’s the bet Unihertz is making here.

The post Yanko Design’s Best of MWC 2026: When Engineering Gets Obsessive first appeared on Yanko Design.

vivo V70 Review: A Concert Photographer’s Phone in Mid-Range Clothes

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PROS:


  • Striking "Sunset Glow" Golden Hour design

  • 4K 60fps video recording on a mid-tier smartphone

  • Powerful 50MP ZEISS Super Telephoto Camera

  • Large 6,500mAh battery with super-fast 90W charging

CONS:


  • 8MP ultra-wide camera is decent but mediocre

  • No wireless charging

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The vivo V70 proves that a clear camera identity and premium materials still matter at this price.

The mid-range smartphone segment is crowded in ways that make individual products hard to distinguish. Specs converge, designs flatten, and most phones feel interchangeable within days. vivo’s V70 enters that space with a clear point of view: a ZEISS-co-engineered telephoto camera tuned for stage photography and travel, a large battery built for long days, and a physical design that genuinely tries to look and feel like something worth keeping.

The v70 also introduces the Golden Hour edition, the most visually expressive option in the lineup, with an etched glass back, an aerospace-grade aluminum frame, and a ZEISS camera module with serious hardware inside. Running OriginOS 6 on a Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, it promises a telephoto-first camera experience for concerts and travel, backed by a 6,500mAh battery. Does the full package deliver on all of it? Read on.

Designer: vivo

Aesthetics

Of all the V70’s color options, the Golden Hour edition is the one most worth talking about. vivo uses a specialized chemical etching process to form micron-scale texture on the back glass, creating a diffuse reflection that reads as refined matte from a distance but reveals subtle warmth in direct light. It’s fingerprint-resistant and smooth without feeling slippery, a noticeably more considered finish than the glossy or painted backs that dominate this price tier.

What’s more surprising is that the back doesn’t stay a single color. Depending on the viewing angle and ambient lighting, it shifts toward a cooler, slightly bluish hue you wouldn’t expect from a finish called Golden Hour. That unexpected chromatic movement makes it more visually engaging than a standard gradient, the kind of surface detail that keeps catching your eye without you fully understanding why.

Around the front, the aerospace-grade aluminum alloy frame wraps a flat display with ultra-thin bezels measuring just 1.25 mm on the sides. Rounded corners soften the silhouette without cheapening it, and the flat screen is a deliberate departure from curved-edge designs that can distort content near the edges. The overall impression is controlled and considered rather than flashy, which suits the V70’s personality well.

On the back, the camera module is a rounded metallic rectangle sitting just 3.29mm above the surface, low enough that the phone doesn’t rock noticeably on a table. Three lens rings and a ZEISS badge keep the composition clean without feeling crowded. It’s a well-executed rear panel that reinforces the premium identity without needing extra ornamentation to make the point.

Ergonomics

At 194g light and 7.59mm thick in the Golden Hour configuration, the vivo V70 feels present without being heavy. The matte AG glass provides enough grip for confident one-handed use without a case, and the flat sides and rounded corners make it comfortable to hold at its screen size. Weight distribution is balanced, which matters more for all-day carry than any single spec on a data sheet.

The 3D Ultrasonic Fingerprint Scanning 2.0 is one of the more underrated features here. It works reliably with damp fingers, meaning no frustrating tap-and-retry cycle after a workout or a skincare routine. Best of all, it’s located a good distance away from the bottom, so you don’t have to precariously shift your hand from its natural holding position just to unlock the phone.

Performance

Under the hood, the vivo V70’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 with LPDDR5X memory and UFS 4.1 storage handles everyday tasks and multitasking without hesitation, and a 4,200mm² vapor chamber keeps sustained performance steady during longer camera sessions. It’s not a chipset that headlines benchmark charts, but it delivers consistent, smooth day-to-day performance, which is more relevant to what the V70 is actually designed for than theoretical peak numbers.

The 6.59-inch 1.5K OLED runs at 120Hz with 459 PPI and peaks at 5,000 nits local brightness, which holds up well in direct sunlight and makes reviewing photos outdoors genuinely practical. Colors are rich without being oversaturated, and the 1.07-billion color depth makes gradient-heavy AI-edited shots look smooth rather than banded. It’s one of the better mid-range displays available at this price tier right now.

The camera system’s two stars are the 50MP main and 50MP periscope telephoto. The main uses a Sony LYT-700V sensor with a 1/1.56-inch surface area and OIS, delivering consistent, detailed portraits across daylight and mixed lighting. The telephoto uses a 1/1.95-inch sensor with its own OIS and a periscope structure that enables 10x zoom in a compact body. Both cameras consistently outperform what you’d expect at this price.

Of the three rear cameras, the 8MP ultra-wide is where things get more ordinary. It’s functional for casual wide shots, but the gap in detail and dynamic range between it and the main and telephoto cameras is noticeable. Given the vivo V70’s travel ambitions, wide landscape shots will come out looking more ordinary than portraits taken at the same destination. The phone’s real camera personality clearly lives in the other two lenses.

AI Stage Mode is a genuine differentiator if you attend live events regularly. At 10x zoom from 10m to 20m away, the AI Image Enhancement Algorithm and AI Style Portrait Technology combine to pull facial detail and expression clarity from performers under challenging stage lighting. It won’t replace a dedicated camera at that distance, but for a phone that fits in your jacket pocket, the results hold up surprisingly well.

Video gets a meaningful upgrade with 4K 60fps, the first time the vivo V series has offered this, and footage looks cinematic when lighting cooperates. AI Audio Noise Eraser in post-editing selectively reduces wind noise, crowd chatter, or ambient sound from recorded clips. It sounds like a spec sheet bullet point until you actually try cleaning up a concert recording with it, and then it becomes a feature you’d miss on another phone.

Battery life is a genuine strength. The 6,500mAh BlueVolt battery with 90W FlashCharge handles a full day of heavy use and then some, including heavy video playback. Wireless charging still isn’t part of the package, though, which will matter to those who’ve built it into their daily routine, but fast wired charging and a genuinely large battery soften that trade-off considerably.

Sustainability

vivo commits to four generations of OS updates and 6 years of security patches for the V70, placing it firmly in the category of phones worth keeping rather than replacing every two years. That’s the most meaningful sustainability argument a phone can make, applying regardless of materials or recycling programs. Longer software support means slower obsolescence, and slower obsolescence means less electronic waste accumulating on a shelf somewhere.

IP68 and IP69 ratings, combined with what vivo calls 10-Facet Drop Resistance, lower the anxiety of carrying a polished phone through real conditions. IP69 covers high-pressure water jets, going well beyond typical rain scenarios. That durability confidence changes how casually you handle the phone day to day, and there’s something genuinely reassuring about owning a device you don’t have to constantly worry about.

The material choices also support long-term ownership. Aerospace-grade aluminum and etched AG glass age more gracefully than glossy plastic, which yellows, scratches, and starts looking tired within a year of daily use. The matte texture stays presentable with minimal cleaning, and IP68/IP69 combined with drop resistance gives the V70 a realistic chance of surviving the accidents that typically end mid-range phones early.

Value

The V70 packages premium design, a ZEISS telephoto-first camera system, a strong OLED display, fast charging, and long software support into a price tier that usually demands more compromises. The Golden Hour finish gives it a visual identity that stands above most phones at its price, and the combination of AI Stage Mode with ZEISS Multifocal Portrait focal lengths makes it genuinely specialized rather than just generically capable.

The 8MP ultra-wide is the honest weak spot, and travelers who rely heavily on wide shots will feel that gap. Wireless charging is also absent. But what the V70 does well, it does consistently, and the combination of a premium-feeling design, a capable telephoto system, and 6 years of security updates makes it a phone that’s easy to justify and hard to grow out of quickly.

Verdict

The vivo V70 in Golden Hour is one of the more cohesive mid-range phones available right now. The etched glass with its unexpected bluish shift, the aluminum frame, the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, the bright 1.5K OLED, and the ZEISS telephoto and portrait system all work together in a way that makes the phone feel intentional rather than assembled from a spec sheet and a parts catalog.

The 8MP ultra-wide and the absence of wireless charging are unfortunate blemishes on what is otherwise a remarkably well-rounded package. Both are real trade-offs rather than dealbreakers, though, and the vivo V70 earns its place as a phone that’s genuinely hard to fault for what it costs, especially if portrait photography, concert shooting, and long battery life are what matter most to you.

The post vivo V70 Review: A Concert Photographer’s Phone in Mid-Range Clothes first appeared on Yanko Design.

Vivo X300 Review: Compact, But No Compromise

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PROS:


  • Compact, minimal design with a subtle camera module

  • Excellent ergonomics, light weight, and easy one-handed use

  • Versatile and powerful camera system

  • Large 6040mAh battery

CONS:


  • Camera system is a step down from the X300 Pro

  • Limited focus on sustainability and repairability

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

If you care most about a compact form factor, strong battery life, and one of the best camera setups in this size class, the Vivo X300 stands out clearly.

Vivo’s announcement of the X300 series brought a wave of excitement, especially around the powerhouse X300 Pro. Many in the tech world were eager to see how far Vivo could push flagship performance. But while the Pro model commands attention for its bleeding-edge specs, the X300 quietly carves out its own distinct appeal. 

This is not just a lesser sibling, though. The X300 emerges as a force in its own right, especially for those who appreciate a flagship phone that fits beautifully in the hand. Ergonomics meet modern design, with the X300 offering a balanced blend of style, substance, and everyday comfort. For anyone who wants top-tier features without the bulk, this device is ready to win hearts. In this review, we will see whether it truly delivers on that promise.

Aesthetics

The X300 embodies minimalistic beauty in every detail. Its frosted glass back panel exudes a soft, refined sheen, instantly presenting an air of quiet elegance. The camera bump stands out as a graceful, seamless circle, subtly rising from the surface without disrupting the panel’s smooth geometry. This camera design is noticeably more understated than the X300 Pro’s bold module, enhancing the X300’s visual harmony and contributing to its overall sense of balance.

Look closer, and the smaller design decisions start to stand out. The transition between the glass back and the frame is clean and controlled, with no harsh edges or visual clutter. The circular camera island sits perfectly centered within its own visual “halo,” making the back of the phone feel almost symmetrical even though it is not. Branding is minimal and tastefully placed, allowing the materials and shapes to take the lead instead of logos or text. It is the kind of design that does not shout for attention, but rewards you the longer you look at it.

Color choices further elevate the X300’s appeal. Vivo offers this flagship in four shades: Pink, Blue, Purple, and Black. The Pink variant, which arrived for my review, is especially enchanting. Its finish dances with light, revealing subtle undertones of purple, green, blue, and yellow depending on the angle. This shifting spectrum gives the phone a dynamic personality, catching the eye without crossing into excess. The result is a device that feels both modern and timeless, effortlessly fitting into a variety of styles and settings.

Ergonomics

Ergonomics often takes a back seat to camera prowess in flagship phones, but the X300 finds a sweet spot that deserves attention. While I’m usually unfazed by larger camera bumps if they promise outstanding photography, my experience with the X300 was a reminder of the joys of a truly compact device. Its proportions invite easy one-handed use, making daily interactions feel effortless and natural. 

Measuring just 7.95mm thick and weighing only 190 grams, the X300 offers a lightness that’s immediately noticeable. The slim profile means slipping it into a pocket is never a struggle, and extended use won’t leave your wrist or fingers feeling fatigued. Whether you’re navigating busy city streets, snapping photos on the move, or texting with a single thumb, the X300’s thoughtful design makes comfort a priority. This is a phone that proves you can have flagship features without sacrificing ease of use.

Unlike its big sibling, the X300 skips the customizable button on the left side, resulting in a cleaner and simpler design. However, it retains the convenient placement of the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, located about one-third of the way up from the bottom edge of the display. This thoughtful positioning makes it easy for your thumb to reach and helps ensure that unlocking the phone and jumping into your daily tasks feels quick and natural. It’s a subtle detail that quietly enhances the overall user experience.

Performance

Performance on the X300 is delightfully robust, thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chipset paired with 12GB or 16GB of RAM. Everyday tasks feel brisk and effortless, whether you’re juggling multiple apps, streaming high-definition video, or playing graphics-intensive games. The latest OriginOS 6, layered on top of Android 16, brings a modern, fluid interface with thoughtful touches that make navigation a pleasure. Animations are snappy, transitions are smooth, and the phone keeps up even when you push it hard.

The X300 features a 6.31-inch LTPO AMOLED panel with a super-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Every scroll and swipe feels effortless, while colors remain punchy and vivid in any setting. Thanks to the 2160Hz PWM dimming, the screen is gentle on your eyes, even during late-night reading sessions or long stretches of use.

The X300’s camera system is a bit of a step down compared to the X300 Pro, but it is still very powerful. Its 200MP main camera uses a 1/1.4-inch Samsung HPB sensor with an f/1.68 aperture, the same sensor used in the X300 Pro’s telephoto, promising flagship-level clarity. Complementing this is a 50MP telephoto lens featuring a 1/1.95-inch Sony LYT-602 sensor and an f/2.57 aperture, delivering crisp zoomed images with solid detail.

Rounding out the trio, the 50MP ultra-wide camera uses a 1/2.76-inch Samsung JN1 sensor with an f/2.0 aperture. On the front, the X300 uses the same 50MP 1/2.76-inch Samsung JN1 sensor with an f/2.0 aperture. All cameras, including the front-facing camera, can record video up to 4K at 60FPS, while the main camera can go up to 4K at 120FPS.

The Vivo X300 packs a large 6040mAh battery in a compact body. It actually has a bigger battery than my region-specific European X300 Pro, which comes with 5440mAh. In real use, the battery life is strong, unlike my experience with that X300 Pro variant, and easily keeps up with a busy day and more. On top of that, 90W wired and 40W wireless charging mean you are never stuck near an outlet for long. Short top-ups quickly turn into meaningful charges.

Sustainability/Repairability

The X300 does not present itself as an eco-conscious statement piece, and Vivo’s messaging around the device leans far more toward performance and imaging than sustainability. Even so, some of its design choices naturally support longer-term use. Its IP68 and IP69 ratings for dust and water resistance give it a level of protection that many compact phones still lack. That extra durability means everyday mishaps are less likely to be fatal, which in turn can delay the need for a replacement.

From a software perspective, the X300 launches with Android 16 and OriginOS 6, backed by Vivo’s promise of up to five major Android upgrades and seven years of security patches. This is a meaningful commitment for anyone who keeps a phone for a number of years, and it helps the X300 stay secure and relevant over time. What you will not find, at least in the official materials, is much emphasis on recycled materials, modularity, or easy repair. In that sense, the X300 reflects the broader flagship market, where sustainability is still more of an added benefit than a core design driver, even when the hardware itself is built to last.

Value

Vivo X300 is available in several markets, including Europe. In Europe, the price starts at around 1050 euros (roughly $1,140) for the 12GB and 512GB configuration. Vivo hit the nail on the head with the X300, a flagship in a compact size that many people have been waiting for. Although the camera setup is a bit of a step down compared to the X300 Pro, the X300 itself does not feel like a compromise. It delivers serious imaging performance, strong battery life, and fast charging in a smaller body.

In the compact flagship space, “small” usually means sacrifice. iPhone 17, Pixel 10, and Samsung Galaxy S25 all have noticeably weaker camera systems compared to what Vivo offers here. Xiaomi 15 might be the closest rival in spirit, but even then, the X300’s combination of a 200MP main camera and a capable front-facing camera in this form factor gives it a clear edge.

Verdict

Vivo set out to build a compact flagship without obvious compromises, and the X300 comes impressively close. It combines a refined, minimal design with excellent ergonomics, a bright 120Hz LTPO display, and a camera system that is powerful even if it sits just below the X300 Pro. Add in the large 6040mAh battery, fast 90W wired and 40W wireless charging, and long-term software support, and you get a small phone that consistently behaves like a big flagship.

It is not a perfect fit for everyone, especially at a price that puts it against Apple, Samsung, and Google. You do not get the strongest ecosystem story or the longest software support. However, if you care most about a compact form factor, strong battery life, and one of the best camera setups in this size class, the X300 stands out clearly. It feels less like a cut-down Pro model and more like a confident compact flagship in its own right.

The post Vivo X300 Review: Compact, But No Compromise first appeared on Yanko Design.

Vivo X200 Pro Review: A Flagship Reaching Further in Mobile Photography

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PROS:


  • Impressive telephoto camera performance

  • Massive 6,000mAh battery

  • Bright and vibrant display

CONS:


  • Complicated camera UI

  • Pronounced lens flare in some conditions

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

Vivo X200 Pro offers significant value for those prioritizing advanced photography and video features

I’ve had the privilege of reviewing many phones, and although each experience is unique, few excite me as much as Vivo’s flagship X series. Having extensively used the Vivo X100 Pro as my go-to device for mobile photography, I was keen to explore the advancements in the new Vivo X200 series.

Launched in Beijing on October 14th, the series includes the X200, X200 Pro, and X200 Pro Mini. While the devices are expected to be available in other markets, Vivo has not yet revealed the details of their availability. For this review, we’ll focus on the Chinese version of the X200 Pro.

Continuing its partnership with Zeiss for the camera system, the X200 Pro aims to capture the attention of tech enthusiasts and content creators alike. In this review, we will explore the various aspects of the device, from its design and ergonomics to its performance and value, to determine how it stands against its competitors.

Designer: Vivo

Aesthetics

The Vivo X200 Pro maintains the design language of the X series with subtle yet significant changes. The most prominent design element is, of course, the camera island. Now slightly larger, it features a perfectly symmetrical design, moving away from the off-centered ‘Halo’ ring.

Branding elements have been streamlined, with ‘Vivo/Zeiss Co-engineered’ relocated to the upper camera ring, enhancing the device’s minimalist appeal. Being the Chinese version, it is devoid of CE markings, emphasizing a sleek, uninterrupted design.

Available in Sapphire Blue, Titanium Grey, Moonlight White, and Carbon Black, the device offers both glossy and matte finishes. The Sapphire Blue review unit we received, inspired by ocean waves, is visually striking but prone to fingerprints, necessitating frequent cleaning. Aside from Sapphire Blue, the other variants lean more towards understated appeals.

Ergonomics

Embracing a micro-curvature design, the Vivo X200 Pro offers a comfortable grip despite its substantial dimensions – 162.36mm in length, 75.95mm in width, and varying thickness of 8.49mm for Sapphire Blue, Titanium Grey, and Moonlight White, and 8.20mm for Carbon Black.

With the large camera island, the Vivo X200 Pro is not a lightweight phone. The Sapphire Blue, Titanium Grey, and Moonlight White variants weigh 228g, whereas the slightly thinner Carbon Black variant weighs 223g. Despite its weight, the flat frame improves grip and usability, enabling larger power and volume buttons that further enhance overall ergonomics.

The quad-curved screen allows for seamless edge swiping, improving navigation. A repositioned ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, placed about 1.6 inches (or 4 cm) from the bottom edge, facilitates a smooth transition from unlocking to usage, exemplifying Vivo’s focus on ergonomic refinement.

Performance

The Vivo X200 Pro features a sophisticated triple-camera system co-developed with Zeiss, utilizing Vivo’s own V3+ imaging chip. The primary camera is a 50MP equipped with the Sony LTY-818 sensor, featuring a 1/1.4-inch sensor size, ZEISS T* coating, an f/1.57 aperture, and Optical Image Stabilization (OIS).

While this sensor, developed in collaboration with Sony, is smaller than its predecessor’s 1-inch version, Vivo claims improvements in power efficiency and HDR performance. Photos captured with the main camera showcase excellent dynamic range, vibrant yet natural color reproduction, and accurate white balance even in low light and challenging lighting conditions.

Main, 1x

Telephoto, 230mm, 10x

Telephoto, 460mm, 20x

The 200MP ZEISS APO periscope telephoto camera is a standout feature, boasting a 1/1.4-inch sensor, the largest currently available for a periscope camera, f/2.67 aperture, OIS, and ZEISS T* coating. The telephoto offers 3.7x optical zoom and doubles as a macro camera, providing flexibility for various photographic scenarios.

Main, 23mm, 1x

Telephoto, 85mm, 3.7x

Telephoto Macro, 230mm, 10x

Telephoto Macro, 85mm, 3.7x

The photos from the telephoto camera deliver the excellence you would expect from a Vivo flagship: rich color, excellent dynamic range, and great depth. However, computational sharpening becomes pronounced beyond 10x zoom. On the other hand, thanks to the short focal distance of telephoto macro mode, you can capture impressive macro photos without needing to get close to the subject.

The portrait mode at all focal lengths – 23mm, 35mm, 85mm, and newly added 135mm- takes stunning photos in most scenarios. The telephoto portrait camera exhibits a big improvement in sharpness and detail compared to the X100 Pro.

Telephoto, Portrait, 135mm

Telephoto, Portrait, 85mm

Telephoto, Portrait, 135mm (Night)

The ultra-wide 50MP camera, equipped with a 1/2.76-inch sensor and f/2.0 aperture, completes the system. The 15mm focal length ultra-wide camera has a somewhat narrower field of view. Because the field-of-view is not very wide, I imagine people would just use the main camera unless the ultra-wide is absolutely necessary.

Photos taken with the ultra-wide lens are decent but occasionally appear overly vibrant, leading to a slightly unnatural look in some conditions. This characteristic might appeal to users who prefer vivid images, but others may find it less desirable.

Despite its strengths, some users may notice significant lens flare when photographing under bright sunlight. This is not unique to the Vivo X200 Pro, as lens flare is a common issue across many cameras, including professional ones. However, it is notably pronounced in certain conditions with this device. Vivo may address this in future software updates.

The Vivo X200 Pro can record 4K 120fps on the main and telephoto cameras, while the ultra-wide and front-facing cameras can shoot up to 4K 60fps. The main camera can also record 8K 30fps but is limited to either 1x or 2x. The phone supports 4K 60fps 10-bit Log video recording. The video footage is well-stabilized and offers great dynamic range, even in low-light conditions.

While the Vivo X200 Pro excels in mobile imaging, the camera user interface is not very intuitive and could use refinement. For instance, the photo mode carousel lets you choose between Landscape mode, Portrait mode, Photo, Video, Portrait Video, and Pro mode, but accessing the humanistic street snap camera mode requires swiping up from Photo mode. Additionally, the feature to adjust video playback speed in 1/10x increments is appreciated, yet it is somewhat hidden within the “Trim” section of the video editing UI, which could be more accessible.

Vivo’s commitment to imaging goes beyond its camera system and extends to the display as well. The Vivo X200 Pro boasts a 6.78-inch AMOLED display that supports LTPO (0.1 to 120Hz). With a resolution of 2800 x 1260, a peak brightness of 4,500 nits, and a pixel density of 452 ppi, the display delivers exceptional clarity and vibrant colors in all lighting conditions. The display’s 2,160Hz PWM dimming feature aims to reduce eye strain, while the quad-curved design enhances aesthetics and ergonomics.

A 6,000mAh battery powers the device, providing ample energy for extended usage. The phone supports 90W wired charging for rapid power replenishment, as well as 30W wireless charging for added convenience. These features ensure that the device remains ready for prolonged use.

The device features MediaTek’s newest 3nm chip, the Dimensity 9400, coupled with LPDDR5X RAM of up to 16GB and UFS4.0 storage of up to 1TB. The Chinese version of the Vivo X200 Pro comes with OriginOS 5 and Android 15 right out of the box. This is particularly impressive, as the Pixel 9 series had not yet received the Android 15 update at the time of the X200 Pro’s release.

Sustainability

The Vivo X200 Pro incorporates features aimed at enhancing durability and longevity, reflecting a partial commitment to sustainability. An IP68 rating offers significant resistance to dust and water, helping to protect its internal components. The durable glass has an improved drop resistance, according to Vivo, potentially reducing the need for frequent repairs or replacements due to accidental damage.

While these features contribute to the device’s durability, there is room for improvement in overall sustainability. Vivo could consider using recycled materials in the device’s construction to better align with environmentally friendly practices. Overall, while the Vivo X200 Pro demonstrates some commitment to durability, enhancing sustainability efforts could provide additional value to eco-conscious consumers.

Value

The Vivo X200 Pro is positioned as a flagship device, offering a range of advanced features and robust performance. In terms of pricing, the Chinese version of the Vivo X200 Pro starts at 4,299 yuan (approximately $590 USD) for the 12GB+256GB configuration and goes up to 5,499 yuan (approximately $770 USD) for the 16GB+1TB configuration. This pricing places the device competitively within the flagship smartphone market, providing a compelling blend of cutting-edge technology and features at a relatively accessible price point.

Of course, we have to wait to see if Vivo maintains this competitive pricing for markets outside of China. Although the Vivo X200 Pro may not seem like a huge leap from the X100 Pro in terms of camera performance, for users looking to extend their telephoto reach, the Vivo X200 Pro’s advanced zoom capabilities make it an attractive upgrade.

Verdict

The Vivo X200 Pro is a standout in the flagship smartphone market, thanks to its advanced camera system co-developed with Zeiss. With versatile focal lengths, including a new 135mm option for portrait mode, and telephoto macro capabilities, it caters to mobile photography enthusiasts seeking creativity and flexibility in capturing stunning images. The vibrant 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display, a large and powerful battery, and the latest MediaTek Dimensity 9400 enhance the user experience for extended usage.

Competitively priced, the Vivo X200 Pro offers significant value for those prioritizing advanced photography and video features. Minor UI and ergonomic improvements could further solidify its position as a leader in mobile technology. Overall, the X200 Pro is an excellent choice for users seeking a high-performance smartphone with exceptional camera capabilities.

The post Vivo X200 Pro Review: A Flagship Reaching Further in Mobile Photography first appeared on Yanko Design.