17-stop camera range: vivo’s first Pro Max phone proves X300 Ultra still leads its league
Premium features, familiar camera
The X500 Pro Max joins a growing group of Pro Max phones from major Chinese Android makers, including Xiaomi, Oppo and Honor. It shares the X300 Ultra’s size and 1440p, 144Hz OLED display, while adding a 7,800mAh battery that can last two days. It supports 90W wired and 40W wireless charging.
The phone uses a MediaTek Dimensity 9600 Pro processor, which delivers roughly comparable performance to the latest Snapdragon chipset. Its periscope telephoto camera matches the X300 Ultra’s, and the phone costs €1,799, about $2,000.
A strong sensor, wider view
The X500 Pro Max’s 50-megapixel main camera has a smaller, lower-resolution sensor than the Ultra’s. But its Sony Lytia L910 sensor uses LOFIC technology to provide 17 stops of dynamic range, especially improving highlights.
The main camera’s 24mm focal length is a familiar wide-angle view. The X300 Ultra instead used 35mm, a narrower perspective that the reviewer found more distinctive and useful for portraits and deliberate framing.
Why the Ultra stands apart
The reviewer considered the X300 Ultra’s main camera and ultrawide among its defining strengths. The X500 Pro Max does not have either the 35mm main camera or the Ultra’s highly capable ultrawide, though it retains the same telephoto camera.
Using the 24mm camera and cropping in can waste part of the sensor and rely on digital zoom, the reviewer argues. Using the telephoto instead may bring quality compromises, particularly in low light.
A step below the Ultra
Despite its premium specifications, the X500 Pro Max remains below the Ultra in Vivo’s lineup. The article says the new model is not a direct successor, while the X300 Ultra’s sequel is still rumored for sometime next year.
The reviewer’s criticism is not that the Pro Max’s camera is worse overall, but that it is less unique. Its strong dynamic range and telephoto camera do not replace the particular appeal of the Ultra’s 35mm main lens and ultrawide.
Key points
- The X500 Pro Max costs €1,799, about $2,000.
- Its 7,800mAh battery can last two days, according to the article.
- Its main camera offers 17 stops of dynamic range but uses a 24mm focal length.
- The phone shares the X300 Ultra’s periscope telephoto camera.