Hasta La Ideas

It’s that time of the year when people find themselves scrambling to check shopping and wish lists, trying to figure out the best gifts to give others as well as themselves for the upcoming year. It’s a time when people are looking not just for the best products but also for the best value they can get for their money’s worth. That includes the latest gadgets like smartphones that will accompany their new owners to the next year and beyond.

There’s no shortage of designs to choose from in this market, whether in terms of aesthetics, features, or price. Many try to appeal to brand loyalty while others resort to gimmicks and extravagant designs to stand out from the crowd. While this may work for some, not everyone is in the market for a novel smartphone that will end up quickly losing its charm after a few months. In contrast to these, the Vivo X200 looks like a familiar face that is ready to support an old friend, so we take it for a spin to see if it can really deliver that sense of confidence despite its unassuming appearance.

Designer: Vivo

Aesthetics

If you’ve seen the Vivo X100 that was launched late last year, you might feel a sense of deja vu. The Vivo X200 looks almost exactly like its predecessor, though there are definitely some improvements here and there, most of which you won’t be able to immediately notice. That’s not to say that it looks dated, because there are definitely significant changes to the design that prove it’s still a step forward, small as it may be.

The edges, for example, are now flat, matching the current design trends in the smartphone market. The 6.67-inch screen is somewhat flat as well, though the bezels do curve down to the midframe. This is mirrored on the fiberglass back plate whose curve is now less pronounced. In other words, the Vivo X200 exudes a modern and stylish design that keeps in touch with minimalist trends.

The circular camera bump is still large, but that, too, is becoming more common. Large as it may be, it offers not only visual symmetry but also balance that prevents the phone from wobbling on tables. This symmetry is also reflected in the arrangement of the cameras that point in the cardinal directions rather than a square. One of those black circles isn’t a camera, though, but it’s a smart design decision rather than leaving the arrangement a bit odd, literally and figuratively. The metal Sunburst Ring surrounding the camera is still there, along with a knurled surface that gives it the semblance of a luxury watch bezel or a camera lens focus ring.

All in all, the Vivo X200 offers a simple yet stylish design that embodies the strengths of minimalism. There are very few unnecessary details, aside from the ZEISS branding in the center of the cameras and the triple LED flash in the corner. Rather than pushing boundaries and presenting a new but unfamiliar face, it prefers to offer something more recognizable and comforting, bucking the common business sense of changing designs every year.

Ergonomics

In a way, the Vivo X200 seems to combine the best of both design worlds. It has flat edges that some argue give a better grip, but the screen and backplate still curve a bit so they don’t exactly bite into your skin. That said, the matte glass surface of the phone’s back might be tricky for some who find the material slippery, despite the advertised benefits of the artificially crafted texture.

With a weight of around 197g (6.9oz) and an average thickness of 8mm (0.31 in), the phone isn’t exactly the lightest nor the thinnest among this year’s flagships. It isn’t the worst, either, so you’re not exactly taking a loss. It has a nice balance in your hand and feels solid enough to give you confidence when you hold it. It definitely has a premium feel to it that matches its sleek and elegant appearance.

Performance

Unlike some other smartphone brands, Vivo opted to place its bets on MediaTek for its X-series flagships. This particular batch utilizes the new Dimensity 9400 5G, promising a notable jump in performance in gaming and AI. It’s paired with 16GB of RAM, which you can extend up to another 16GB from storage, and 512GB of that fixed storage capacity. In other words, the Vivo X200 is quite the beast, handling any task you throw at it with finesse. Benchmarks put it head-to-head with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, though take it with a grain of salt as that is last year’s Qualcomm flagship.

Thanks to the use of solid-state battery technology, Vivo is able to cram no less than a 5,800mAh battery inside such a compact body. With average use, it can easily last up to two days before needing a charge, and when it comes time to plug it in, just half an hour is enough to get it up to 80% with its 90W charging speed. As great as battery performance sounds, Vivo has chosen to leave out wireless charging yet again, falling behind its peers and rivals in this modern convenience.

The phone’s 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED screen is very bright and colorful, easily the highlight of the Vivo X200’s face. It has a fast 120Hz refresh rate that makes games responsive and the UI fluid, but it can only switch between 60Hz and 120Hz. It does boast a 2,160Hz PWD dimming that is touted to be as eye-friendly as you can get on screens. There’s really not much else to say about the phone’s display other than how great it looks even under bright outdoor light.

Contrary to what the design suggests, the Vivo X200 only has three cameras, all of them boasting 50MP sensors. This addresses one of the longest-standing problems with smartphone cameras where different lenses produce widely different results. They’re not all the same sensors, of course, but this at least narrows the gap considerably, ensuring that switching between focal lengths is no longer jarring nor disadvantageous. All three also use ZEISS T* coated lenses that reduce lens flares and reflections.

Main, 23mm

Ultra-wide, 15mm

Main, 23mm

Leading the trio is a 50MP Sony IMX921 sensor with an f/1.57 lens and a focal length of 23mm. This wide camera boasts the usual PDAF and OIS features, producing vibrant, detailed, and clear photos under any lighting condition. This is joined by an ultra-wide camera with a 50MP sensor and an f/2.0 aperture lens with a 119-degree field of view. With its highly detailed output and minimal distortion, it’s a welcome break from smartphone cameras that often leave this particular aspect lagging behind.

Main, 2x

Telephoto, 3x

Telephoto, 10x

The third member of the group is a 50MP Sony IMX882 with a f/2.57 aperture lens and a 70mm equivalent focal length. It’s capable of 3x optical zoom, which is quite good in terms of the level of detail, and 10x hybrid zoom which is actually still decent despite the noticeable loss of quality. The camera does seem to have some difficulty with indoor lighting at 3x magnification, leading to blurry and pixelated patches of color.

Telephoto, 3x, Indoor lighting

The really outstanding camera, however, is on the opposite side. In addition to a 32MP sensor, this front-facing ultra-wide camera can record in 4K at 30 or 60fps, which really upgrades the video quality of a camera that’s often overlooked. Not only will it make you look good in video calls, it will also give vloggers and influencers an edge over the competition, presuming their chosen social media platform supports high-quality video in the first place.

Sustainability

As the Vivo X200’s design looks familiar, so is the formula for its parts. In other words, the company hasn’t yet taken any big step forward in using more sustainable materials other than the usual metal or glass you’d find in any other smartphone. Instead, it focuses on making it last a little bit longer, whether because of its durability or its length of support.

More than just the usual IP68 rating, the Vivo X200 also boasts an IP69 certification, which means the phone can be washed with hot water without that much fear, though you’re not advised to do that anyway. The phone also runs FuntouchOS 15 that’s based on Android 15, and it’s promised to receive up to four major OS upgrades, which means you won’t have to worry about being outdated for another four years. With how fast people change their smartphones every two years or how quickly some are obsoleted, these features guarantee a long life for Vivo’s flagship.

Value

There are two ways to stand out in the rat race known as the smartphone market. Either you do something so radical that you turn people’s heads, or you do something so well that people can’t help but take notice. The Vivo X200 is clearly in the latter camp, preferring to prioritize substance over style. Not that it’s lacking style, either, with an elegant minimalist aesthetic that inspires familiarity and confidence, instead of opting for novelty that will quickly wear off.

The Vivo X200 delivers a solid all-rounder device that checks the right boxes without going overboard. The one box it does miss out on is its availability. Although it has recently launched in global markets, its reach is still few and far between. The price tag that goes around $700 to $800 makes it a more difficult choice to make when there are more affordable options available that offer nearly the same capabilities.

Verdict

Smartphones have evolved to become more than just a communication or productivity tool but also a reflection of ourselves. And just as not all of us need fancy designer items or extravagant accessories, not everyone needs a smartphone that screams for attention. Some prefer a minimalist aesthetic that extols the virtues of good design that encompasses color, material, finish, and, most importantly, user experience.

The Vivo X200 is one such design, bearing a simple appearance that belies the power it holds within. It has a well-balanced and solid set of features, empowered by AI, that is ready to handle any task you throw at it. It is by no means unattractive, but it is designed to appeal to people whose tastes go beyond flashy gimmicks and short-lived features. It is, at the end of the day, a reliable companion on life’s adventures.

The post Vivo X200 Review: Reliability without Fuss or Fanfare first appeared on Yanko Design.