Vivo launches X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max in Spain and Italy with ZEISS cameras

A launch in Tenerife

Vivo, the Dongguan-based brand, unveiled its X500 series at the Magma Art & Congress Centre in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, choosing the island for an announcement built around cinematic filmmaking. The series had already been launched in China before the European rollout. Two phones reach Italy and Spain: the flagship X500 Pro Max and the more compact X500 Pro, which keeps much of the same camera hardware in a smaller body. Three audio accessories also debut alongside them: the Vivo Buds Ultra, the Buds Clip and the Headphones Studio over-ear headphones. Li Changjun, vice president Europe of vivo, spoke from the stage and said the aim was to turn ordinary moments into cinematic images with little effort.

Camera system

The X500 Pro Max carries a 200 MP ZEISS APO telephoto camera with a 1/1.4-inch sensor, an 85 mm equivalent focal length and CIPA 7.0 stabilisation. An optional Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra takes that reach to 400 mm equivalent, and the Pro Max supports automatic focus tracking up to 60 fps. The X500 Pro uses a 64 MP ZEISS APO telephoto camera, which extends to 200 mm with its own extender. Both models share a ZEISS TrueDynamic main camera that records natively in 4K at 240 fps. The Cinematic Pro Log Video mode offers a dynamic range of up to 17 EV, and the Pro Max adds gimbal-grade optical stabilisation.

Specifications and battery

Both phones run MediaTek's Dimensity 9600 Pro, made on TSMC's 2 nm N2P process, and ship with OriginOS 7. Storage tiers run from 256 GB to 1 TB, with 12 GB of RAM reported. The Pro Max has a 6.85-inch ZEISS Master Color 2K panel that refreshes between 1 and 144 Hz and peaks at 4,400 nits, while the Pro has a 6.36-inch screen rated at 4,500 nits. The Pro Max battery is rated at 6,750 mAh and the Pro at 6,510 mAh, and both support 90 W wired FlashCharge and 40 W wireless charging.

X500 Pro Max6,750

X500 Pro6,510

X500 Pro Max

6750 mAh

X500 Pro

6510 mAh

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Both are rated IP68 and IP69 for water and dust resistance. One hands-on review describes two days of intensive use on the battery, though the same reviewer says the chip is not the most powerful choice for gaming.

Prices in Spain and Italy

In Spain, the X500 Pro starts at 1,299 euros for 256 GB, with 512 GB at 1,449 euros and a 256 GB bundle with a 200 mm photo kit at 1,399 euros. The X500 Pro Max costs 1,499 euros in 256 GB, 1,599 euros in 512 GB and 1,899 euros in 1 TB. A 512 GB bundle with a 400 mm kit costs 1,699 euros, and the top bundle, with 1 TB storage, 200 mm and 400 mm kits and a shutter release, sells for 2,199 euros. Italian prices are higher: the Pro starts at 1,399.99 euros, the Pro Max is 1,599.99 euros in 256 GB and 2,199.99 euros in 1 TB, and the version with 200 mm and 400 mm telephoto lenses costs 2,499.99 euros.

X500 Pro 256 GB1,299

X500 Pro 512 GB1,449

X500 Pro Max 256 GB1,499

X500 Pro Max 512 GB1,599

X500 Pro Max 1 TB1,899

X500 Pro 256 GB

1299 euros

X500 Pro 512 GB

1449 euros

X500 Pro Max 256 GB

1499 euros

X500 Pro Max 512 GB

1599 euros

X500 Pro Max 1 TB

1899 euros

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Competition and reception

The series enters a crowded premium segment where Apple and Samsung are established, alongside Google's Pixel 10 Pro XL and Chinese rivals such as Oppo, whose Find X10 Pro Max was announced in October. Engadget sees the X500 Pro Max as a test of Vivo against its own X300 Ultra, calling it a clear upgrade over the X300 Pro and saying it bests the X300 Ultra in some areas. The new model uses a 50 MP Sony Lytia sensor with 17 stops of dynamic range and a 200 MP telephoto sensor with lossless zoom up to 10x. Engadget's testers praised the stabilisation of the video footage, while Xataka's reviewer advises against the phone for anyone who puts video first.