TL;DR
- Digital Chat Station tips the Vivo X500 Ultra for a March or April 2027 launch window.
- Leaks point to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, announced on September 22.
- Leaks suggest a 50MP main camera and a 200MP periscope telephoto with a sensor up to 1/1.2 inch. For comparison, the X300 Ultra used a 200MP main camera.
- Expect a flat 6.85-inch 2K, 144Hz BOE LTPO panel. Battery rumors range from 7,000mAh to 8,000mAh.
I can already see the next Vivo Ultra taking shape, and it’s just four to six months out. DCS tips the Vivo X500 Ultra for a March or April 2027 launch with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6. That timing lines up with the X300 Ultra, which hit China in March 2026 and landed in India by May 6. Vivo hasn’t announced the X500 Ultra yet, so everything here is still a leak.
The X500 Ultra is the only X500 phone without a MediaTek chip
Vivo launched the X500 series in China on September 21. The X500 Pro and Pro Max run MediaTek’s 2nm Dimensity 9600 Pro, and the standard X500 uses the Dimensity 9600M. If the leak holds, the Ultra takes Qualcomm’s chip instead, as the X300 Ultra did with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
If you care about emulation, long-term driver support, or games that run best on Adreno, this matters. The Ultra will ship about six months after its chip was announced. But if you’re like me and keep your phone for three or four years, that gap means less than a quick spec-sheet comparison might suggest.
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The camera leak: 50MP main, bigger telephoto
DCS’s latest posts, relayed by GSMArena and Notebookcheck, describe an engineering sample with a 50MP main camera at a 35mm focal length. Reports point to Sony’s Lytia L910 sensor. The telephoto is a 200MP periscope with a sensor as large as 1/1.2 inch, up from the 1/1.4-inch Samsung sensor in the X300 Ultra.
At first glance, dropping from 200MP to 50MP on the main camera looks like a downgrade. But it’s not that simple. Larger pixels pull in more light, which matters most for low-light shots. DCS leaks from July said Vivo tested three 200MP telephoto sensors and dropped a separate 10x periscope in June. DCS also says the phone won’t use three 200MP cameras.
How much to trust a leak this early
With four to six months to go, the chip and launch window are usually safe bets. Camera sensors are where things can still change, and even DCS’s posts show Vivo is weighing its options. I’d treat the chipset and launch window as likely, but keep the camera specs in the maybe pile.
Will the Vivo X500 Ultra launch in India?
Possibly, which is a change; the X300 Ultra launched in India on May 6, 2026, starting at ₹1,59,999, with sales from May 14. Launch coverage described it as the first Ultra Vivo to arrive in the country. Vivo teased the X500 series for India on November 5; tipsters point to November 25, and all three models have reportedly appeared on BIS certification. None of that mentions an Ultra.
Price is the other half of the story. The X300 Ultra launched at CNY 6,999 in China, about ₹96,000 then, but cost ₹1,59,999 in India. If Vivo sticks to that pattern, the X500 Ultra in India will land well above its China price. That’s worth knowing if you’re planning to save up.e saving up.
What we don’t know
- Whether the main camera is final at 50MP.
- Which 200MP telephoto sensor Vivo picks, and whether it’s 1/1.12-inch or 1/1.2-inch.
- Whether the battery is 7,000mAh or 8,000mAh.
- Ultrawide details, which reports contradict.
- The price in China and India.
- Whether Vivo plans an X500 Ultra for India at all.
FAQ
When will the Vivo X500 Ultra launch?
March or April 2027, according to DCS. Vivo has not confirmed a date.
What chipset will the Vivo X500 Ultra use?
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6, according to DCS. The X500 Pro and Pro Max use the Dimensity 9600 Pro, and the standard X500 uses the Dimensity 9600M.
What are the Vivo X500 Ultra’s camera specs?
Leaks point to a 50MP main camera and a 200MP periscope telephoto with a sensor up to 1/1.2 inch. Nothing is official, and the sensors may change before production.
Will the Vivo X500 Ultra launch in India?
It’s not confirmed. The X300 Ultra launched in India on May 6, 2026, at ₹1,59,999, but Vivo has not mentioned an X500 Ultra for India.
How does the X500 Ultra compare with the X300 Ultra?
Based on leaks, it adds a newer Snapdragon chip, swaps the 200MP main camera for a 50MP one, and gets a larger telephoto sensor. The launch window is similar.
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