The Vivo X200 Pro mini is the compact smartphone I've always wanted.
Small phones don't have to be a limited and unattractive version. In this regard, the Vivo X200 Pro mini sets surprisingly high standards for compact phones.
Once upon a time, the Sony Xperia Z Compact was considered a powerful pocket phone. However, as consumer priorities shifted, especially in the East, smaller phones began to lose popularity. This is evident in the rapid disappearance of the "mini" iPhone, which made way for the Plus versions. It could be argued that this is due to functional limitations, such as the need for a larger battery or the space required for next-generation camera systems. However, now and then, a brand surprises the market. This time, the Chinese company Vivo has launched its X200 series of phones, where the cameras take center stage. The real surprise was the introduction of a new "mini" member: the Vivo X200 Pro mini, which comes with an impressive design.
The Vivo X200 Pro mini moves away from the compromises that other phones in its category, such as the Galaxy or Pixel, tend to make. This model appears to be a true monster in its segment, also featuring a price that puts competitors in a tough spot. Similar to the iPhone 16 Pro, the Vivo X200 Pro mini boasts a 6.3-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 2640 x 1216 pixels. Its maximum brightness is astonishing, reaching 4,500 nits, nearly double that of the Apple model.
As for its internals, this device is equipped with MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400 chip, a high-end silicon that maximizes central architecture while foregoing Arm’s efficiency cores. The results are impressive, even outperforming Apple’s powerful A18 Pro in synthetic tests. Despite being only slightly taller than the iPhone 16 Pro, the Vivo X200 Pro mini is narrower, slimmer, and lighter than its Apple rival. But the most surprising aspect is its battery capacity, which reaches 5,700mAh, compared to the 3,582mAh of the iPhone 16 Pro, in addition to offering 90W wired fast charging and 30W wireless charging.
In the camera department, the X200 Pro mini stands out with three cameras, each equipped with a 50-megapixel sensor. One of the sensors is a periscopic telephoto lens that uses a folded lens system. This type of camera is notably versatile for long-distance portrait captures and macro photography. All rear cameras, along with the 32MP front camera, feature autofocus, which is convenient for users. Over the years, Vivo phones have demonstrated excellent image and video capture quality, rivaling iPhones and Galaxies, thanks to their AI capabilities similar to those of their competitors.
Regarding memory and storage, the X200 Pro mini offers a minimum of 12GB of RAM, going up to 16GB in the highest version, with storage options of up to 1TB. Additionally, the model features an IP69 rating, a rare achievement in smartphones, while the iPhone 16 Pro only has an IP68 rating.
The price of this technological marvel starts at CNY 4,699, which is approximately $640, making it more affordable than this year’s least expensive iPhone and nearly a third of the price of the iPhone 16 Pro. For now, the phone has only been launched in China, but Vivo has a track record of distributing in other markets across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. This line of compact phones shows that small devices can be equally powerful and competitive against large-screen models, while also offering highly attractive prices without sacrificing capabilities such as battery life, sensor resolution, and build durability.
