The year 2025 marked significant advancements for Vivo as the company continued to innovate and enhance its impressive lineup of devices. However, it also encountered challenges in distributing its exceptional phones globally, particularly outside of China and India. Overall, while Vivo enjoyed a strong performance in many areas, there were notable setbacks as well.
Winner and Loser: Vivo X200 Ultra
Just like its predecessor, the X100 Ultra, the Vivo X200 Ultra stands out as one of the finest smartphones on the market. Unfortunately, its vast capabilities were not available to most consumers outside of China.
The X200 Ultra retained the winning features of its predecessor while making significant improvements in several areas: it boasts the latest chipset, an upgraded battery with faster charging, a brighter lens over its 200MP zoom camera, and essential innovations in camera technology, establishing it as one of the best cameraphones available.
A 35mm main camera complements the standard 24mm camera, and the X200 Ultra features the largest imaging sensor in an ultrawide layout, making it particularly attractive to mobile photographers. Additionally, its practical performance was impressive! However, the fact that most consumers worldwide could not access the X200 Ultra will overshadow its potential.
Loser: Vivo X Fold5
We had high expectations for the Vivo X Fold5, the successor to the highly regarded X Fold3 series, which holds a special place in our hearts here at GSMArena. On paper, the X Fold5 seemed formidable—lightweight and slim, yet equipped with large displays and a substantial 6,000mAh battery. The camera specifications appeared promising as well.
However, the X Fold5 was launched with an older Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, the same as its predecessor. We were disappointed to find that the camera performance failed to meet expectations, which is especially surprising for a Vivo device, particularly one branded by Zeiss. Compounding this issue was the limited global availability; therefore, the Vivo X Fold5 couldn't fully capitalize on its potential.
Vivo X Fold5 5G
| 512GB 16GB RAM | ₹ 149,998 |
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Winner: Vivo X200 FE
The Vivo X200 FE emerged as a globally-available compact flagship featuring outstanding cameras, a massive 6,500mAh battery for impressive longevity, and exceptional performance. It leaves little to be desired!
Vivo X200 FE 5G
| 512GB 16GB RAM | ₹ 59,998 | |
| 256GB 12GB RAM | $ 721.14 | € 659.00 |
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Winner: Vivo V60
The Vivo V60 is an excellent addition to the stylish upper midrange V series by Vivo. While it may appear similar to its predecessor, the V40, the subtle enhancements are certainly valuable—upgrading to a Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 from the Gen 3 and increasing the battery size to 6,500mAh. Additionally, it features a triple camera system equipped with a noteworthy 73mm telephoto camera (the V40 Pro had only a 50mm zoom).
Its unchanged aspects, such as the remarkable 50MP selfie camera, the eye-catching (and durable, IP68/IP69) design, and an excellent display, required no upgrades.
Loser: iQOO 15
Similar to the X Fold5, the iQOO 15 initially appeared to be a stellar upgrade over its predecessor; however, our testing revealed inconsistencies. The iQOO 15 introduced the typical improvements—a newer flagship Snapdragon chip, an enhanced battery, and an improved zoom camera. However, it surprisingly featured slower 100W charging (down from 120W), underwhelming zoom camera performance, and poorer sustained performance in comparison to the iQOO 13. This underperformance is a disappointing situation for a gaming flagship.
Additionally, the iQOO 15 is another Vivo device with restricted availability, as it is only purchasable in China or India, further limiting its reach.
Vivo iQOO 15 5G
| 256GB 12GB RAM | ₹ 72,999 |
| 512GB 16GB RAM | ₹ 79,999 |
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Winners: Vivo X300 and X300 Pro
The Vivo X300 carved out its own identity, distinguishing itself from its predecessor. Unlike the X200, which was merely a diluted version of the X200 Pro, the X300 stands as a distinct model with a remarkable triple camera, a powerful chipset, and an impressive battery capacity.
The Vivo X300 Pro successfully builds on the already excellent X200 Pro. Enhancements including a much-needed upgrade to the selfie camera, increased battery capacity, and new chipset complement its flagship-level camera system.
Although we are deducting points for reduced battery capacity in the EU, this is not enough to disqualify either the X300 or X300 Pro from the winners' category.
Vivo X300 5G
| 256GB 12GB RAM | € 949.35 | ₹ 75,999 |
| 512GB 12GB RAM | ₹ 81,999 | |
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Vivo X300 Pro 5G
| 256GB 12GB RAM | $ 1,099.00 | $ 819.00 |
| 512GB 16GB RAM | $ 1,099.00 | € 1,399.00 |
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