While its predecessor was somewhat underrated, the X200 Pro sets out to win more hearts by not only focusing on photography but also refining the overall smartphone experience. Competing against heavyweights like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (review), iPhone 16 Pro Max (review), iQOO 13 (review), and OPPO Find X8 Pro (review), the Vivo X200 Pro hopes to deliver a well-rounded flagship experience to stand out amongst the pack.

With its striking design, powerful MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset, and massive 6,000 mAh battery, the X200 Pro is more than just a camera phone. But is this enough to make it a must-buy for flagship seekers? Let’s dive into the details and see how it compares to its competitors and its predecessor, the Vivo X100 Pro.

Vivo X200 Pro Review: Build and Design

The Vivo X200 Pro embraces a bold design that prioritises function over form. The oversized camera module instantly catches the eye, clearly stating the phone’s focus on photography. However, this design choice leads to noticeable table wobble, which might frustrate some users. It also makes the phone uncomfortably top-heavy. The massive camera module is also a hindrance when gaming as it juts out quite a bit.

Still, compared to the Vivo X100 Pro, the X200 Pro refines its design with subtle yet significant updates. The aluminium frame is now thicker and flatter, contributing to better grip and durability. Vivo also introduces an IP69 rating—an upgrade from the typical IP68 protection—offering resistance to high-pressure water jets, a rarity in smartphones.

The front is adorned with Vivo’s Armor Glass, while the back features premium matte-finish glass that resists fingerprints. However, we don’t know how durable Vivo’s Armor Glass is in comparison to Corning’s latest offering. The ergonomic tweaks, such as slightly rounded edges on the flattened display glass, improve the in-hand feel. The phone comes in Cosmos Black and Titanium Gray, and I got the latter for review. It has minimal frills and keeps things quite classy and subtle.

The ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is another welcome addition, offering faster and more reliable authentication even in challenging conditions like damp or dusty environments. While the phone is on the heavier side, its premium build and enhanced durability somewhat make up for it.

Vivo X200 Pro Review: Display

The Vivo X200 Pro features a stunning 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 1.5K resolution, delivering sharp visuals at 452 pixels per inch. Its LTPO panel offers an adaptive refresh rate from 120Hz to as low as 0.1Hz. Android’s native refresh rate tool showed that the display went down to 1Hz and not 0.1Hz, however, I don’t think this tool is coded to go below 1Hz. So, the phone is possibly going all the way down to 0.1Hz, which would definitely improve battery life longevity.

With support for HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, the X200 Pro provides a rich viewing experience for HDR content. Vivo claims a peak brightness of 4500 nits when viewing HDR content. In our tests, we recorded an impressive 1992 nits on Auto-Brightness Mode. So, visibility under direct sunlight is top-notch!

While some might expect a 1440p resolution at this price, the 1.5K panel balances sharpness and power efficiency effectively. Uniform bezels and vibrant colours round out one of the best displays in the flagship segment. Vivo’s focus on usability, combined with cutting-edge technology like Ultra HDR, ensures the X200 Pro delivers an outstanding display experience, making it a solid choice for anyone who consumes a lot of content on their smartphone.

How does it perform?

The Vivo X200 Pro is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset, paired with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. This hardware combination is powerful and it ensures that the phone handles everyday tasks, multitasking, and gaming with ease.

In benchmarks, the X200 Pro outperforms competitors like the OPPO Find X8 Pro, showcasing its prowess in raw performance. However, it falls behind gaming-focused phones like the iQOO 13 in most CPU and GPU benchmarks, sustained performance and storage read/write speeds. While casual gamers will undoubtedly find the performance smooth, heavy gamers might experience occasional throttling and heating during extended sessions of graphically intense games like Genshin Impact.

For non-gaming tasks, the phone excels. Apps open quickly, multitasking is seamless, and the phone rarely shows signs of lag. Vivo’s performance mode enables gaming at 120 FPS in supported titles like Call of Duty: Mobile, although the phone heats up slightly after prolonged sessions.

The X200 Pro’s thermal management could use some improvement, as sustained workloads lead to throttling. While it’s not the ultimate gaming powerhouse, it provides a balanced performance for most users, with enough power to handle demanding tasks without breaking a sweat.

Vivo X200 Pro Review: Software and AI

The X200 Pro runs on FunTouch OS 15, based on Android 15. Vivo has refined its software experience significantly, with smoother animations, cleaner visuals, and reduced clutter compared to earlier iterations. However, the presence of bloatware apps continues to detract from an otherwise polished interface.

Vivo promises four years of software updates and five years of security patches, which is slightly below the standard set by competitors like Samsung and Google. AI features, including the AI Eraser and AI Glare Reduction, are hit-or-miss. While the phone scores well in AI benchmarks, real-world performance isn’t always consistent. It scored 83/100 on our Digit AI-Q test.

Look, FunTouch OS has come a long way, offering a modern and smooth interface, but there’s still room for improvement in terms of bloatware reduction and update longevity.

Have the cameras improved?

Cameras are the star of the show for the Vivo X200 Pro. While the primary sensor has a smaller size compared to the X100 Pro’s 1-inch sensor, the upgraded telephoto lens and improved ISP ensure a versatile and impressive imaging experience.

The X200 Pro features a 200 MP periscope telephoto camera with a larger sensor, delivering exceptional dynamic range and sharpness. Indoor close-ups are brighter and sharper on the X200 Pro, while portraits benefit from better edge detection and natural skin tones. Both 35mm and 50mm portrait modes offer a warm, lifelike rendering compared to the cooler tones of the X100 Pro. Check the camera samples below but do note these have been resized for the web.

Daylight photography is a mixed bag; while the X200 Pro produces more natural colours, the X100 Pro’s larger sensor offers slightly better detail. Ultrawide shots are more natural on the X200 Pro, thanks to a better ISP and the new V3+ Imaging chip. Macro shots also show improved colours and detail, making the X200 Pro a versatile tool for photographers.

In low light, the X100 Pro edges out in detail retention, but the X200 Pro compensates with better colours and slightly improved dynamic range. The phone excels in video capabilities, supporting 8K recording, 4K at 120 FPS, and LOG video for professional-grade editing.

Selfies are another highlight, with the X200 Pro delivering more true-to-life skin tones and better low-light performance. Overall, the X200 Pro provides a polished and versatile imaging experience, making it an excellent choice for photography enthusiasts.

Vivo X200 Pro Review: Battery Life

The Vivo X200 Pro packs a massive 6,000 mAh Silicon Carbon battery, offering exceptional endurance. It lasted nearly 20 hours in the PCMark Battery Test, outperforming competitors like the OPPO Find X8 Pro and Realme GT 7 Pro.

In real-world usage, the X200 Pro easily delivers 9-10 hours of screen-on time with medium to heavy use. The 90W wired charging fills the battery from 0 to 100% in just 45 minutes, while 30W wireless charging provides added convenience.

This stellar battery performance ensures that the X200 Pro is a reliable companion for power users who value all-day endurance without frequent charging. Vivo’s efficient display and optimised software contribute to one of the best battery experiences in the flagship segment.

Should you buy it?

The Vivo X200 Pro is a testament to Vivo’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of smartphone photography. Its revamped telephoto lens, improved video capabilities, and versatile camera features make it a standout choice for photography enthusiasts.

While it doesn’t dominate in raw performance or gaming, the X200 Pro delivers a well-rounded flagship experience with excellent battery life, a stunning display, and a premium build. The refined FunTouch OS enhances usability, but the bloatware remains a drawback.

For users upgrading from older smartphones or looking for a photography-first flagship, the X200 Pro offers compelling value. However, those with the X100 Pro should carefully evaluate whether the improved telephoto lens and design tweaks justify the upgrade.

However, iQOO has been focusing beyond performance for the last two years. For example, the iQOO 12 had quite an impressive camera. Now, with the iQOO 13, what are you getting? More importantly, whatever you are getting, how well is it working? That’s why you and I, both are here to find out whether the iQOO 13 is worth the price or not. So, let’s begin! 

Snapdragon 8 Elite is fine, but how stable is it in iQOO 13?

It’s a performance-centric smartphone, so let’s start with its performance. Now, we all know that the Snapdragon 8 Elite is a powerful chipset. But there is one major factor that matters a lot – “how stable is the processor inside a smartphone?” There are many optimisations included while powering a smartphone with a processor, if you don’t do that right, the processor will not deliver the power properly. 

To start with, I ran the AnTuTu benchmark test on the iQOO 13 to test how powerful the Snapdragon 8 Elite is. According to this benchmark, AnTuTu showed that the chip scored around 2.7 million, which is quite similar to what the Realme GT 7 Pro has achieved. For more context, the Realme GT 7 Pro is the true competitor of the iQOO 13. But, if we look at the numbers more closely, the iQOO 13 was slightly more powerful than the Realme GT 7 Pro. 

The GT 7 Pro scored 2736448 on AnTuTu, and on the other hand, the iQOO 13 scored 2764967. Now this isn’t a very big difference but still, the numbers are in front of you. 

Next, I ran the Geekbench benchmark, where the iQOO 13 scored slightly better than the Realme GT 7 Pro. Geekbench evaluates processor performance for daily tasks such as calls, social media, and videos, as well as heavy tasks like gaming and editing. Here are the scores of both smartphones: 

iQOO 13

• Single-Core (daily tasks) – 3065
• Multi-Core (heavy tasks) – 9705

Realme GT 7 Pro

• Single-Core (daily tasks) – 2748
• Multi-Core (heavy tasks) – 8388

Now, coming to the main test: CPU throttling. This revealed something very interesting about the iQOO 13. If you put it under moderate load, it won’t reach its peak performance. But if you push it to the extreme like opening 30-40 apps simultaneously, that’s when it truly shows its power. However, it does heat up significantly under such aggressive loads. But that’s okay because if it doesn’t heat up at all, that would be a concern. Besides, it cools down within just 20-25 minutes.  

After running CPU Throttling, one thing I know for sure is that the iQOO 13 is a heavy-performance smartphone. I ran three 30 minutes of these tests on 40 threads, that’s also why it heated up, but apart from that, the iQOO 13 was as smooth as ice. 

That said, most of you might never push it to such limits. At most, you would probably engage in some high-graphics gaming. So, I fired up a BGMI match as well. There was no lag, no glitch, no frame drop, nothing. The game ran very smoothly on high-graphics settings, and the phone didn’t even heat up much.

Along with good performance, we need other things also on a smartphone, right? Like the camera, which iQOO has focused on a lot this year as well.

Is iQOO 13 a camera upgrade over iQOO 12? 

The iQOO 13 is equipped with a triple camera setup, consisting of a 50-megapixel Sony IMX921 main camera, a 50-megapixel Sony telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, and a 50-megapixel ISOCELL JN1 ultrawide lens. Now, the catch here is that iQOO has removed the 64-megapixel periscope telephoto sensor that had up to 3x optical zoom from the iQOO 13. The iQOO 12’s camera did rounds and the major reason behind it is its periscope telephoto sensor. 

Would you call this a downgrade? Wait, till you see iQOO 13’s camera samples. 

I think iQOO 13’s camera is not as good as its predecessor. Starting with the portraits, as you can see the edge detection on these pictures is just satisfactory. For example, in the cycle rickshaw picture, the main subject is out of focus, while the areas that should be blurred remain in focus. 

After this, light management is one thing this smartphone struggles with. It’s quite visible in low-light photos like these pictures with lit up buildings where you can see light bleeding, and the sky looks very hazy in every picture. In daylight also, you can see a proper halo behind my head.

Apart from this, the wide-angle camera isn’t that great, and in low light, its performance drops even more.

But despite all this, after the iQOO 12, the iQOO 13 is the second-best camera phone from this brand.

Because even though the periscope lens is gone, the 50MP telephoto sensor does an amazing job. Whether in daylight or low light, it captures stunning pictures. And here’s a pro tip: if you’re getting this phone, use the portrait mode at 100mm, the shots will look very cinematic.

The shutter speed is very impressive, which helps capture moving objects nicely, especially in city lights kind of settings.

And even though the portrait mode’s edge detection isn’t perfect but with the right frame and some patience, you can take portraits like these as well with the iQOO 13.

Nothing new in Design, except this ‘not so useful’ feature 

Let’s talk about its design now. After using the iQOO 12, I can confidently say that the in-hand feel of the iQOO 13 is exactly the same. In fact, one time, I woke up half-asleep and started using this phone thinking it was the iQOO 12 for a while. 

It has a flat display like last year and a glass back. I have the Legend colour with BMW stripes, there’s one more colour – Nardo Grey. Apart from colour, there is one more difference between these variants. The back of Legend has a matte finish, whereas Nardo Grey features a glossy back. Personally, I found the in-hand feel of Legend better. Now don’t think that I am using Legend that’s why I am saying it. I used the Nardo Grey for my video review which you can find below.

From the back, it looks quite similar too, with the same camera module, but there are some fancy tweaks. Speaking of which, the most unique feature of the iQOO 13 is also, in my opinion, the most useless one. I am talking about the “Monster Halo” light that surrounds the camera module. These are RGB LED lights that you can find as ‘Dynamic Light’ in the iQOO 13.

They don’t serve much purpose except for showing alerts and notifications. But if I’m honest, here’s my real experience: alerts and notifications are typically obvious from the tone itself. Even in a rare scenario—let’s say your phone is face-down, on silent, and it’s dark in the room—you can still know about notifications thanks to vibrations. Vibrations are so strong nowadays that I hardly need my phone to ring. So, this is a very fancy but practically useless feature.

The lights are placed near the camera, but they have nothing to do with it. Many people try to find this feature in the camera app, but iQOO has tucked it away in the Settings. Just search for “Dynamic Light,” and you’ll find it easily.

For protection, the phone has two things going for it. One good thing is that it comes with IP68 and IP69 ratings, so it’s built for rough use. However, when it comes to glass protection, there’s nothing, unfortunately. So yeah, feel free to expose it to dust and water, but don’t drop it.

Other than that, the in-hand feel and overall design are fine. The grip is a little less grippy, but it’s not a big issue for someone with big hands like me. But if you have tiny hands, it might feel a little bulky. 

iQOO 13’s display is a luxury

Its display may not be the brightest, but it is a pure luxury. The word “luxury” connects with comfort, and this display is genuinely comfortable for your eyes. iQOO calls it an Ultra Eye Care Display because it’s built with a polarized sheet. This makes the display appear slightly warm, and warm colors are gentler on your eyes. That’s a luxury for you!

However, this feature does have an impact on display performance. While it works great indoors, under sunlight, it feels a bit dim compared to other flagship devices. While testing its brightness with Luxmeter (a device to measure brightness), we got 1483 nits of recorded peak brightness. I think this could be better. 

Other than that, everything is top-notch. It features a 6.82-inch 144Hz 2K LTPO AMOLED display with exceptional responsiveness and sharpness.

Moreover, the software on the iQOO 13 feels fresh, vibrant, and unmistakably Chinese. By ‘Chinese,’ I mean that, despite being marketed as a flagship, the iQOO 13 is cluttered with unnecessary apps (bloatware). iQOO, if you’re reading this, we really don’t need games like Rolling Twins and Block Blast.

No complaints with the battery

A high-quality display like this naturally demands a solid battery to match, and iQOO has delivered a 6000mAh battery. But what’s even more impressive is that it charges from 0 to 100% in just 40 minutes, and this is legit lightning-fast for a battery this big, thanks to the 120-watt fast charging. 

As for battery consumption, here’s an example: a 30-minute BGMI chicken dinner match uses only about 4-5% battery, which is an excellent figure. However, one thing could be better, which is the standby battery. I feel it has a good amount of overnight battery consumption. 

iQOO 13: What’s our take?

So, how is the iQOO 13 as a phone? Should you go for it or not? With the GT 7 Pro in competition, should you prefer that instead? 

As a smartphone, I really liked the iQOO 13. It’s a true performance phone, no doubt, with some additional features that you won’t mind having.

Ultimately, it all comes down to one thing: money. The iQOO 13 has arrived in India for Rs 54,999. This pricing is less than we expected, and it also makes iQOO 13 the most affordable smartphone with the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. This also means that if you are considering the Realme GT 7 Pro, keep in mind that the iQOO 13 is cheaper.

So, my friends, the iQOO 13 might not be the best camera smartphone but it is surely the best performance or gaming phone under Rs 60,000. Period.

The spec sheet of the Realme GT 7 Pro immediately grabs attention. From the powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset built on a cutting-edge 3nm process to an LTPO AMOLED display and IP69 rating, it looks like a formidable contender. However, a closer inspection reveals some compromises, particularly in the camera department and the smaller battery capacity in the Indian variant. This in-depth review will explore whether the Realme GT 7 Pro truly lives up to its moniker as the flagship killer of 2024. We will also dive into how it compares against the fastest phones from 2024 like the iQOO 12 (review); and the OPPO Find X8 Pro (review) with the latest Dimensity 9400 chipset.

Realme GT 7 Pro Review: Build and Design

The Realme GT 7 Pro attempts to strike a balance between durability and aesthetics, but the results are somewhat underwhelming. The Mars Orange review unit I tested had a bulky square camera module paired with wave-like patterns on the back panel. 

While some might find this design adventurous, it felt garish to me, more suited to a mid-range device than a premium flagship killer. The Galaxy Grey colour option fares better but leans towards a plain and uninspired look.

On the brighter side, the build quality is impressive. The aluminium frame combined with micro-curved glass on both the front and back feels premium in hand. The device also boasts an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor that is not only fast but can even work underwater. 

However, in my testing, I found that the ultrasonic sensor didn’t always work flawlessly underwater. The phone also comes with IP68 and IP69 ratings. The latter ensures protection against high-pressure jets of water, making it one of the most rugged phones in its class. 

Other practical features include support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, but the lack of eSIM support is disappointing. Overall, while the Realme GT 7 Pro’s design may not turn heads, its build quality ensures it will withstand daily rigours with ease.

Realme GT 7 Pro Review: Display

The Realme GT 7 Pro’s 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display is undoubtedly one of its standout features. Offering a 1.5K resolution, the panel delivers a pixel density of 450 PPI, ensuring sharp visuals. While a 2K resolution would have been a welcome addition, the display doesn’t leave much to be desired in terms of brightness and colour reproduction.

In our tests, the screen peaked at a staggering 1,992 nits in high brightness mode, making it one of the brightest panels available on any smartphone. Whether under direct sunlight or in dimly lit environments, the display remains vivid and legible.

The inclusion of HDR10+ and Dolby Vision ensures that streaming content looks stunning, with deep blacks, vibrant colours, and impressive dynamic range. Gaming and multimedia enthusiasts will find much to appreciate here. However, the LTPO panel, designed to switch refresh rates dynamically between 1 Hz and 120 Hz, struggled to do so efficiently in our tests. 

The refresh rate often stayed at higher levels than necessary, potentially affecting battery life. Hopefully, a future OTA update will address this issue, but as it stands, this small hiccup mars an otherwise stellar display experience.

Is this the fastest phone of 2024?

At the heart of the Realme GT 7 Pro lies the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, a 3nm powerhouse that sets new benchmarks for Android performance. During synthetic benchmark tests, the phone delivered jaw-dropping scores, including 2.7 million on AnTuTu, comfortably surpassing competitors like the Dimensity 9400-equipped OPPO Find X8 Pro. It even managed to outperform the iPhone 16 Pro Max in several tests, cementing its position as one of the fastest smartphones in the market.

The device also excelled in GPU benchmarks, showcasing excellent performance in GFXBench and 3DMark tests. Gaming on the Realme GT 7 Pro was a delight, with titles like Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail running smoothly at high settings. The phone’s AI-enhanced gaming features, such as Frame Plus for frame interpolation and AI Super Resolution for boosted graphics worked well during my time testing the phone. 

However, pushing the hardware to its limits revealed a tendency to heat up significantly during intensive tasks, with temperatures reaching 45-49 degrees Celsius during 3D Mark Wild Life stress tests. Thankfully, real-world gaming scenarios were far less taxing, with the phone only getting mildly warm after extended sessions.

The GT 7 Pro’s thermal management system, while not flawless, does a commendable job of balancing performance and heat during everyday use. The inclusion of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage ensures lightning-fast app launches and seamless multitasking. However, the choice of a USB 2.0 port feels like a glaring oversight in a device that otherwise screams cutting-edge in terms of performance.

Realme GT 7 Pro Review: Software and AI Features

Running on Android 15 with Realme UI 6.0, the Realme GT 7 Pro offers a polished software experience. The UI is fluid and packed with features, and it closely resembles ColorOS in both appearance and functionality. 

The company promises three years of OS updates and four years of security patches, which feels underwhelming when compared to competitors offering more extended software support.

Realme has also leaned heavily into AI with this device. Features like AI Ultra Clarity, Sketch to Image, and the upcoming AI Motion Deblur don’t necessarily revolutionise how we use our phones, but they’re a good bit of fun. 

In our AI benchmark tests, the phone achieved a respectable Digit AI-Q score of 65/100, indicating its capability to handle advanced AI workloads. However, while these features are impressive on paper, their real-world utility remains somewhat niche.

How do the cameras perform?

The Realme GT 7 Pro’s camera setup is a mixed bag. While the 50 MP primary and 3x telephoto lenses deliver commendable results in good lighting, the 8 MP ultrawide camera falls short of expectations for a phone in this price range. 

Daylight shots from the primary camera exhibit vibrant colours and decent dynamic range, while the telephoto lens provides sharp and detailed zoom shots up to 6x.

Portrait photography is solid, with good subject separation, but edge detection could be more accurate. Low-light performance, however, leaves much to be desired, with noticeable noise and a decline in sharpness. 

The ultrawide lens performs poorly in indoor and low-light conditions, producing lacklustre images that fail to justify its inclusion.

The 16 MP selfie camera performs adequately in well-lit environments but struggles with noise in dim lighting. 

Video capabilities extend up to 8K at 24 fps, though the footage is jittery and lacks stability. Switching to 4K at 60 fps yields better results, with smoother footage and more balanced dynamic range. Overall, while the Realme GT 7 Pro’s cameras are competent, they don’t quite measure up to the standards set by its performance and display.

Realme GT 7 Pro Review: Battery Life

One of the most significant controversies surrounding the Realme GT 7 Pro’s release is its battery capacity. The Indian variant features a 5,800 mAh cell, a noticeable downgrade from the 6,500 mAh battery in the Chinese model. 

Our review unit, frustratingly equipped with the 6,500 mAh battery, provided impressive endurance, lasting a day and a half of moderate usage. However, with the smaller capacity in the Indian version, users can realistically expect just about a day of usage.

Charging speeds are stellar, with the 120 W charger included in the box taking the larger 6,500 mAh battery from 0 to 100% in just 36 minutes. Unfortunately, the absence of wireless charging feels like a missed opportunity in a flagship-class device. Despite its fast-charging prowess, the reduced battery size in the Indian variant could be a dealbreaker for heavy users.

Should you buy the Realme GT 7 Pro?

The Realme GT 7 Pro sets a high bar for performance, offering unparalleled speed and fluidity in its segment. With its cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, stunning display, and impressive gaming capabilities, it lives up to its reputation as a flagship killer. However, the compromises in design, thermal management, and camera quality prevent it from being a flawless offering. The reduced battery capacity in the Indian variant further adds to the list of concerns.

At an expected price of ₹60,000–₹65,000, the Realme GT 7 Pro offers incredible value for power users and gamers who prioritise performance above all else. If Realme can address some of the issues through software updates and by aggressively pricing the GT 7 Pro, this phone could very well dominate the flagship-killer segment in 2024. For now, it stands as a speed demon that delivers exceptional performance but leaves room for improvement in other areas.