We’re barely into 2024, and it isn’t astonishing that the year’s first line of Android flagships has taken a significant step forward. Vivo, as a brand, has made clear its broader intention of drawing the first mover advantage (an impressive IQOO 12, the first part of the opera). The Vivo X100 Pro has its task cut out, since its succeeding impressive photography put forward by the Vivo X90 Pro. Along the way, you’ll notice some curious (and bold, since they do work) choices defining the X100 Pro. These will certainly have a bearing on how OnePlus, Samsung and Xiaomi respond, in the coming months.
Much like last year, when the X90 that kept things simple with one broad spec that went on sale (that was 12GB RAM and 256GB storage), the Vivo X100 Pro stays in tune with the times – 16GB and 512GB is what you get now. The unfortunate flipside of that simplification is, even the colour choice down to a grand total of one – Asteroid Black, and for now, India doesn’t get the Sunset Orange or Startrail Blue options. We can hope for course correction, at some point. The price is ₹89,999.
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Very little to complain about the design, beyond the lack of choice with colours. Camera modules on the back of smartphones are getting bigger and bigger. The Vivo X100 Pro’s circular island is larger than its predecessors, and it must be said that the designers have done a fair job of maintaining proportionality. This is a phone that’s good to hold, and yet doesn’t feel top-heavy despite the physical placement of the camera module.
Remember the curious choices I’d mentioned earlier? The standout one being the chip providing the power. It’s a MediaTek Dimensity 9300, which means the Vivo X100 Pro takes a completely different route to most Android flagships of the year that’ll depend on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for the grunt. From what I experienced laterally with the IQOO 12 that indeed has the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 under the hood, Dimensity 9300 isn’t inferior in even the slightest of margins. That is, with how you and I would use apps every day. That is what matters.
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This 6-nanometer process chip is MediaTek’s response to competition. Ably helped by Vivo’s choice of 16GB RAM (there’s more virtual RAM you can assign from the storage). Underlying improvements make the biggest impact, such as system cache size (it’s 10MB, the most by any chip thus far) and a new multi-thread process architecture. Not only does it match real-world usability with its main rival from Qualcomm, but there is significant improvement with thermals too (the X100 Pro remains quite a bit cooler than its predecessor) with typical stressful use cases such as prolonged video recording or navigation use.
That’s also one part of the improved power consumption, which means you’ll be able to get even more usable life per charge out of the 5400mAh capacity battery. It’s a redone cell architecture too, and Vivo says there’s as much as 8.3% higher energy density compared with the battery on the predecessor. With the 120-watt charger bundled (that’s increasingly becoming a rarity), there’s 100-watt wired charging available. Discharge the Vivo X100 Pro to the extent that it powers off, and about 5 seconds of being plugged in (the wired method, remember; Vivo claims 3 seconds) is enough to get the screen back on again. You can continue with whatever it is you were doing.
Much like before, it is the camera that takes most of our attention. Rightly so too. The troika at the back includes all 50-megapixel sensors, for wide, ultra-wide and telephoto with periscope. Vivo isn’t messing around with mediocre ultrawide or telephoto sensors, for the sake of saving a few bucks. What hasn’t changed is the photography company Zeiss’ layer of expertise, which definitely gives this an advantage in terms of how colours are treated, photos are processed, and a very usable periscope zoom.
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There’s a reason why I said what I said, that this is a camera with a smartphone bolted on. The camera app isn’t complex to get around yet holds within it multiple layers of options and features. You may want to keep High-Definition and Photo modes in quick access, because for some shots, the former’s larger files (these are each usually around 8-9MB, compared with the standard 4.5MB size) with more megapixels are worth it for the extra detailing). But one thing to note, the colour tone is ever so slightly warmer and richer in the former, while the standard Photo mode reverts of a colour temperature bordering on cool, yet not exactly that.
The capability spread of this camera goes much beyond most common photography and video shooting scenarios, for when you’d actually need it. Astro Mode, for instance, overlays stars and constellation on photos using AI – and we compared this with the Stellarium app for the iPhone as a reference points; Vivo’s AI and positioning data overlays are accurate. That’s two apps in one, something children would love to spend hours with.
It is true some of these photography scenarios may arise very occasionally, but well, the Vivo X100 Pro is readier than most phones. Macro photos with the telephoto zoom and the use of camera brand Zeiss’ anti-reflective coating, are just two examples of the smartness that this experience builds on.
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A floating telephoto camera not only means zoom up to 10x is incredibly good, but if you’re careful (read, stable hand and good lighting), even 60x and 100x photos can pull through more detailing than any other phone with 100x zoom, thus far. If you’re looking for extended levels of zoom for indoor photos, lighting and your actual distance from what you’re zooming in will be a factor. It is, nevertheless, a delight to use outdoors.
It’s been done before with lunar photography (success achieved to different degrees), but I’d opine that the Vivo X100 Pro’s moon photos retain more realism than many of its peers. But the company wants to now tackle sun shots, and it has, to a large extent. As long as you have clear sight of the sky and there is that gorgeous orange usually accompanying beautiful sunsets (that eliminates Delhi NCR from the list, immediately), the X100 Pro captures realism that’s close to nature. In High-Definition mode, the maximum zoom is very much an option and even in the default Photo mode, it is clear photos between 10x and 20x usually hit the sweet spot. More than that, and hand stability becomes a greater factor.
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For an Android phone with what is simply the best smartphone camera you can buy right now, Vivo’s Funtouch OS 14 is its weakest link. Mind you, there have been improvements in terms of reducing preloaded apps (that’s bloatware, simply put, and quite a bit remains) and more controls to rein in background apps and processes alongside some visual tweaks to make things look better. Some of that effort shows, interface smoothness and transitions being one aspect.
However, despite these improvements, this software still doesn’t have the level of sophistication and clarity of thought that a flagship phone buyer expects. It is something most Android phone makers struggle with – a one size fits all approach, that bundles affordable Android phones and flagship attempts, in the same software bucket.
There are examples of better software that are better positioned for a flagship phone experience, OnePlus OxygenOS and Samsung’s updated One UI being prime examples. Xiaomi’s incoming HyperOS may walk the path of minimalism too. Soon enough, Vivo may have to take some tough decisions.
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There is little doubt that the Vivo X100 Pro is by far and away the best camera in an Android flagship phone. It essentially sets the benchmark for 2024’s flagships to try and match, not just with the excellent camera, but also a very sophisticated design and performance that doesn’t elicit any complaints. The software is the only real weak link in this chain, and luckily for Vivo, those preferences can be subjective. While you may or may not get used to the software and its eccentricities, what you’ll get used to quite easily is having the Vivo X100 Pro’s almost faultless camera. It won’t be an easy switch to another phone then.