Vivo X500 Series Arrives Sept 21: What We Know so Far?

After months of relentless leaks and mounting speculation, the picture is finally coming into focus. Chinese tech giant Vivo has scheduled a major hardware event for September 21 in China, where it will officially unveil its next-generation flagship smartphone lineup: the Vivo X500, X500 Pro, and the all-new X500 Pro Max.

Keen-eyed observers will notice the company is intentionally skipping the “X400” nomenclature. This is due to tetraphobia—a common superstition in Mandarin and Cantonese where the number four is associated with death. The phones won’t be sharing the stage alone; Vivo is also expected to debut the Watch 6 and a new pair of ear-clip headphones, supported by a massive marketing campaign featuring Taiwanese superstar Jay Chou.

Ahead of the highly anticipated launch, here is a detailed breakdown of everything we know about Vivo’s upcoming camera heavyweights.

Vivo X500: A Compact Body Hiding a Massive Battery

The standard X500 will serve as the most ergonomic, pocket-friendly option in the family. It features a stunning 6.59-inch 1.5K OLED display, but its biggest surprise lies under the hood: a mammoth 7,500mAh battery. This massive power cell will be supported by 90W wired and 40W wireless charging, defying the usual battery constraints of compact flagships.

On the optics front, the X500 inherits the impressive main sensor from last year’s X300 Pro—a 50MP 1/1.28-inch Sony LYT-828—stabilized by a Zeiss gimbal system boasting a CIPA 5.5 rating. The telephoto module gets a notable bump, borrowing the 64MP Sony LYT-610 sensor from the X500 Pro, complete with 4K 120fps slow-motion capabilities. Powering the device will be MediaTek’s freshly announced Dimensity 9600M chipset.

Vivo X500 Pro: The Next Evolution in Telephoto

Sitting in the middle of the pack, the X500 Pro places a heavy emphasis on optical reach. Vivo has confirmed the inclusion of a 64MP Zeiss APO super-telephoto lens with an 85mm focal length. According to the company, this lens is a direct, miniaturized evolution of the groundbreaking APO technology first introduced on the X100 Pro.

The camera system promises top-tier CIPA 7.0 stabilization, enhanced autofocus specifically tuned for zooming in on subjects, and 4K video recording at 120fps. While Vivo hasn’t officially confirmed the screen size, reliable leaks point to a premium 6.37-inch to 6.4-inch OLED LTPO panel.

Vivo X500 Pro Max: The Uncompromising Ultra-Flagship

The crown jewel of the series is the X500 Pro Max, a device that borrows the best concepts from the X300 Ultra and dials them up to eleven. It will sport a spacious 6.85-inch 2K display and draw its power from the beastly MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro, built on a cutting-edge 2nm process.

The photographic hardware here rivals dedicated point-and-shoot cameras. The main shooter utilizes a Sony sensor equipped with LOFIC technology, which uses a dedicated capacitor to store overflow light. This allows the sensor to capture an astonishing 17 stops of dynamic range, preserving flawless detail in overly bright conditions. It will also support 4K video at a blisteringly fast 240fps.

The telephoto setup is equally staggering, relying on a 200MP Zeiss APO sensor (a 1/1.4-inch Samsung HP0). It features 4x in-sensor hardware zoom and leverages Vivo’s Super Capture Engine to push a highly optimized 30x hybrid zoom, perfect for freezing fast-moving subjects.

Design-wise, the Pro Max adopts a flat metal frame, dual speakers, a dedicated action button, and a massive circular Zeiss-branded camera module. It will be available in striking orange and sleek silver colorways.

Pro-Grade Zeiss Accessories

For true photography enthusiasts, Vivo is taking the modular approach. The X500 Pro Max will support a new version of the clip-on Zeiss telephoto extender. Reaching up to 400mm, this accessory seamlessly snaps onto the phone and provides roughly 16.6x optical reach, complete with its own physical capture and zoom controls. Rumors also suggest a matching photography grip is in the works to complete the camera-replacement experience.

What Are We Still Waiting For?

While the hardware sounds spectacular, a few key details remain under wraps until launch day. Pricing across all three models is strictly guarded, as are the exact RAM and storage configurations.

On the software side, the devices are expected to run OriginOS 7 atop the upcoming Android 17, but Vivo has yet to showcase the new software features. Finally, global availability remains a mystery. Historically, Vivo’s flagship X-series takes several months to migrate from China to international markets, so a global rollout on September 21 is highly unlikely. For now, all eyes are on China as we await one of the biggest mobile launches of the year.