TL; DR
- vivo X500 series will launch in China on September 21.
- MediaTek is expected to unveil its next flagship Dimensity chip on September 15.
- The standard X500 gets the same 50MP main sensor used on the X300 Pro.
- The X500 Pro Max is expected to bring a 200MP telephoto and 2nm Dimensity 9600 Pro.
- An India launch is expected in October.
vivo has confirmed that the X500 series will launch in China on September 21. The announcement was made at the company’s Creator Festival in Yantai, where vivo also talked about its upcoming camera hardware, computational photography, video features, color science, and creative tools.
The timing is interesting because MediaTek is holding its 2026 Dimensity Flagship New Product Launch Conference on September 15, just six days before vivo’s event. The new chipset is expected to be the Dimensity 9600 series, which is rumored to power the X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max.
vivo X500 Series Specifications
Leaks suggest MediaTek will have two flagship chips this year. The Dimensity 9600 Pro is expected to use TSMC’s 2nm N2P process, while the standard Dimensity 9600 could remain on 3nm. The standard X500 is expected to use the 3nm chip, while the Pro and Pro Max are tipped to get the 2nm Dimensity 9600 Pro.
ALSO READ: vivo Confirms X500 Camera Specs: Same Main Sensor as X300 Pro, New Telephoto
vivo has already confirmed some of the standard X500’s camera hardware. It gets a 50MP Sony LYT-828 1/1.28-inch main camera with CIPA 5.5 stabilization, the same sensor used on the X300 Pro.
The telephoto camera is a 64MP Sony LYT-610 periscope with CIPA 5.5 stabilization and support for a 200mm Zeiss teleconverter. Both cameras can record 4K video at 120fps. The same telephoto hardware is also present on the X500 Pro.
The X500 Pro Max sits at the top of the lineup with a 50MP Sony LYT-910 main camera, marketed as the BluePrint LightGuard 900. It is rumored to support up to 17 stops of dynamic range and 3-degree gimbal-style stabilization. A 200MP Samsung HP0 telephoto could handle long-range shots, with CIPA 7.0 stabilization and support for a 400mm external teleconverter.
ALSO READ: vivo X500 Pro and Pro Max Telephoto Sensors Confirmed
Video is also expected to get more attention across the lineup. The series is tipped to support 10-bit 4:2:2 recording and ACES color, while the Pro Max could add 4K 120fps 10-bit Log, 4K 240fps slow motion, and 4K 120fps HDR recording.
The standard X500 is rumored to have a 50MP ultrawide and 50MP autofocus selfie camera, along with a roughly 7,000 mAh battery, 90W charging, and a 6.59-inch 1.5K flat OLED display.
The X500 Pro Max could feature a 6.85-inch 2K 144Hz LTPO OLED display from BOE, along with Zeiss color calibration. It is expected to use the Dimensity 9600 Pro, 90W charging, and USB 3.2.
vivo X500 Launch
vivo has only confirmed the September 21 China launch. The company is expected to announce the X500, X500 Pro, and X500 Pro Max alongside the vivo Watch 6 and new ear-clip earbuds.
The India launch is expected to follow in October, based on vivo’s usual gap between its China and India launches. Indian pricing and the exact models coming to the country have not been confirmed yet.
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