Whereas Vivo all the time delivered telephones with nice cameras, 2024 has been a breakout 12 months for the model, with its gadgets constantly delivering excellent images and movies. The X100 Professional set the groundwork firstly of the 12 months, that includes upgraded cameras and an even bigger battery. Vivo adopted that up with the mid-range V30 and V30 Professional, after which got here the marquee launch of the 12 months with the introduction of the X Fold3 Professional.
Alongside the way in which, Vivo additionally launched the X100 Extremely, however not like the remainder of the fashions, it did not make its means exterior China. Whereas Xiaomi and OPPO do that on a typical foundation, Vivo has been in keeping with bringing its whole portfolio to world markets, and I used to be notably eager on the X100 Extremely, because it was positioned as Vivo’s final digicam telephone of 2024.
The Discover X7 Extremely and Xiaomi 14 Extremely have been actually nice this 12 months, and I am glad to say that the X100 Extremely follows similarly. If something, Vivo’s Chinese language-exclusive Origin OS software program is best than what we normally get on the model’s world fashions, and whereas it wasn’t essentially the most simple to make use of out of the field, it turned simpler as soon as I had the Play Retailer put in.
Vivo is not ready round both; it launched the V40 and V40 Professional to tackle the likes of the Xiaomi 14T Professional, and the X200 sequence has made its debut in China and must be out there globally someday early subsequent week. However the X100 Extremely continues to be my go-to selection, and if I can solely decide one gadget as the perfect general in 2024, then it will be this one — so it is a disgrace, actually, that you may’t truly purchase it.
Vivo X100 Extremely: Pricing and availability
Vivo unveiled the X100 Extremely at an occasion in China on Might 13, and the telephone went on sale within the nation beginning Might 28. The gadget prices 7,099 RMB ($996) for the model with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, and it is usually out there in 12GB/256GB editions and a 16GB/1TB mannequin, which is what I am utilizing.
Vivo X100 Extremely: Design
Vivo has a definite design language, and whereas the X100 Extremely shares similarities to the X100 Professional, it does just a few issues in a different way. The digicam design on the again is way more distinctive; the X100 Extremely has a fair bigger island, and the groove that encircles it has higher definition, making it stand out.
I am utilizing the white colour variant, and it seems to be elegant in its personal proper — regardless that it would not have the Discover X7 Extremely’s flamboyant leather-based designs. The silver-accented digicam island together with the black across the particular person modules create sufficient distinction to differentiate the design, and whereas it is likely one of the largest digicam modules on a telephone in the present day, there aren’t any points with usability.
Because the island extends to cowl a lot of the width on the again, it primarily props up the gadget at a delicate angle when it is on a pill, so you aren’t getting any wobble. The X100 Extremely can be just a little thicker across the sides than the X100 Professional, and this makes a sizeable distinction in usability. Vivo fortunately is not getting on the pattern of boxy sides, and the X100 Extremely has clean curves and rounded edges, and the matte aluminum mid-fame feels nice to carry and use.
The glass again is protected by Vivo’s customized resolution (as a substitute of Gorilla Glass), and whereas the X100 Extremely has a satin texture on the again, the white colour choice does a superb job hiding smudges, and whereas it is likely one of the heaviest telephones round at 229g, you do not discover the heft — it has glorious weight distribution.
Cumulatively, the X100 Extremely has gotten over 4 months of use, all with out a case. After a dozen tumbles — some from almost six ft — the gadget remains to be pristine, and that ought to function a testomony to Vivo’s construct high quality. Whereas the model bundles a silicone case within the field, I did not really feel the necessity to use it, and given the long-term sturdiness, I do not suppose you want one with this telephone — I am unable to say the identical of the Pixel 9 Professional XL or iPhone 16 Professional Max.
The X100 Extremely has IP68 ingress safety, and the gadget has no points on this space. Whereas the Xiaomi 14 and 14 Extremely have points with condensation moving into the digicam island, I did not discover these issues on some other manufacturers. Total, the X100 Extremely has among the finest designs of 2024, and it has confirmed sturdiness.
Vivo X100 Extremely: Show
Vivo did not change the panel, and the X100 Extremely makes use of the identical 6.78-inch LTPO OLED because the X100 Professional. The important thing distinction is that you simply get elevated decision — 3200 x 1440 — however in any other case, it has the identical 120Hz dynamic refresh, 1440Hz PWM dimming, and 3000-nit most brightness.
In real-world use, the X100 Extremely will get extremely brilliant; in truth, solely the Pixel 9 Professional XL will get brighter than the gadget in auto mode. There are completely no points on this space, and the panel outshines its rivals with ease. It has Dolby Imaginative and prescient integration as effectively, and it does an ideal job with HDR content material typically.
Colours are predictably vivid, and the delicate curves across the sides make it that rather more immersive. I did not have any issues whereas streaming content material or enjoying video games, and should you want a vibrant OLED panel that will get brilliant and is extremely customizable, the X100 Extremely is a straightforward advice. Vivo did a superb job with the built-in sound as effectively, and it will get as loud because the Xiaomi 14 Extremely — no small feat.
Vivo X100 Extremely: {Hardware}
Whereas Vivo went with Dimensity 9300 within the X100 sequence, the X100 Extremely makes use of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The variant I am utilizing has 16GB of RAM and 1TB storage, and it’s among the many quickest gadgets I used this 12 months. It’s fluid in common use, the interface is optimized to benefit from the {hardware}, and there aren’t any slowdowns.
It holds up unbelievable effectively at gaming as effectively, and there aren’t any points in demanding titles. The one downside is that it will get hotter than the Xiaomi 14 Extremely and the X100 Professional; I measured 44 levels in the back of the unit after prolonged gaming classes, and that is on the upper finish of the dimensions.
| Class | Xiaomi 14T Professional | Vivo X100 Extremely | Pixel 9 Professional XL |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCMark Work 3.0 (Total) | 15337 | 14899 | 13028 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 (Internet Shopping) | 17137 | 11497 | 10322 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 (Video Enhancing) | 6589 | 6278 | 7606 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 (Writing) | 16989 | 22368 | 15582 |
| PCMark Work 3.0 (Picture Enhancing) | 26225 | 32759 | 19293 |
| Geekbench 6 (single-core) | 16879 | 2174 | 1895 |
| Geekbench 6 (multi-core) | 6831 | 6375 | 4111 |
| 3DMark Wild Life Excessive (rating) | NA | 4677 | 2483 |
| 3DMark Wild Life Excessive (FPS) | NA | 28.01 | 14.865 |
| 3DMark Photo voltaic Bay (rating) | NA | 8278 | NA |
| 3DMark Photo voltaic Bay (FPS) | NA | 31.475 | NA |
In 3DMark’s Photo voltaic Bay stress check, the gadget went as much as 57 levels, and I needed to set it apart because it turned too sizzling. The soundness rating of 71% is common, nevertheless it’s clear that Vivo did not set any aggressive thermal limits on the gadget — as evidenced by the overheating.
I did not see any issues in different areas; the X100 Extremely delivered a robust mobile and Wi-Fi sign, Bluetooth connectivity was rock-solid, and also you get the total suite of AptX codecs. I dislike ultrasonic fingerprint sensors as they are usually gradual and never as simple to make use of because the optical modules, however Vivo does an ideal job with these modules, and that is no completely different on the X100 Extremely, with the gadget utilizing Goodix’s newest resolution. The popularity space is suitably massive, and it’s quick to authenticate.
Vivo X100 Extremely: Battery
The X100 Extremely is not the fastest-charging telephone I used this 12 months by any margin, nevertheless it has unbelievable battery life, and identical to the Honor Magic 6 Professional and Magic V3, it makes use of a silicon-carbon battery that will increase density whereas guaranteeing the gadget is not cumbersome. The result’s that you simply get a 5500mAh battery, and the telephone lasts a day and a half between expenses.
I normally get higher battery life when utilizing telephones with Chinese language skins; they’ve extra aggressive reminiscence administration, and the identical is true of the X100 Extremely as effectively. As there isn’t any world model of the telephone, it comes with Vivo’s China-only software program, and the battery lasts longer than the Discover X7 Extremely, Xiaomi 14 Extremely, and the X100 Professional.
Charging takes simply over 50 minutes by way of the bundled 80W charger, and whereas that is slower than what you get on the likes of the OnePlus 12, it’s significantly better than the Galaxy S24 Extremely and Pixel 9 Professional XL.
Vivo X100 Extremely: Cameras
The principle motive to think about the X100 Extremely is the cameras; Vivo already did an ideal job with the digicam bundle on the X100 Professional, however the X100 Extremely takes issues to an entire new degree. The telephone makes use of the identical 50MP Sony Lytia LYT-900 most important digicam with the large 1/0.98-inch module and 1.6um pixels, and it will get Vivo’s gimbal-based OIS.
It is joined by a 50MP Sony Lytia LYT-600 f/2.2 wide-angle with a modest 116-degree FoV, and the star of the present is the 200MP Samsung HP9 telephoto, which makes use of a 1/1.4-inch lens, goes as much as 3.7x optical zoom, and has OIS. You get a 50MP digicam on the entrance, and it has autofocus and the flexibility to shoot 4K60 video. In reality, all 4 cameras can shoot 4K60 video, and also you even get the flexibility to take action at 10x zoom.
Vivo has Dolby Imaginative and prescient video at 4K60 as effectively with the rear cameras, and the gadget does a superb job on this space. You get good stabilization even at a excessive zoom degree, and should you do not want HDR video, you’ll be able to go as much as 4K120 and 8K30 on this gadget. Much like Xiaomi with its Leica partnership, Vivo has a long-standing collaboration with Zeiss, and the X100 Extremely makes use of three types — Vivid, Textured, and Pure. The Pure model provides vignetting and creates moody photographs, so I went with the Vivid choice.
The Lytia LYT-900 module is a identified amount by this level, and it delivers excellent images in any situation. The X100 Extremely delivers the identical caliber of photographs because the X100 Professional in daylight conditions, with nice colour rendition and white steadiness. Due to the change to Qualcomm, you get minute variations in picture high quality, and I desire the photographs taken with the X100 Extremely over the Professional mannequin.
Picture 1 of 12
The principle digicam takes the perfect low-light photographs of any gadget, with glorious element retrieval and minimal noise. Just like the X100 Professional, the Extremely tends to ship overly-bright photographs with vibrant colours, and whereas not essentially correct, the resultant photographs look nice when shared on social media. The wide-angle lens does an ideal job on this space as effectively, and whereas I do not take as many wide-angle photographs, I exploit this mode quite a bit with movies, and it’s higher than different telephones I used this 12 months.
However it’s the telephoto lens that is been a revelation. It takes fabulous images at as much as 3.7x zoom, and also you get usable photographs at 10x — if something, it does a greater job than the Pixel 9 Professional XL and Galaxy S24 Extremely on this regard. The place it actually shines is with portrait photographs; the X100 Extremely takes the perfect portrait photographs of any telephone, and what’s notably nice is that it does so throughout varied focal lengths.
I believed the Discover X7 Extremely can be unchallenged on this class, however the X100 Extremely constantly delivers higher portrait photographs, and it’s in a league of its personal — no different flagship has the identical consistency or element. You additionally get terrific macro photographs, and whereas I do not take many macros, it was enjoyable to make use of the mode to shoot images of artisan keys on my keyboards.
After taking hundreds of images and a whole lot of movies, I can confidently say that the X100 Extremely is the perfect digicam I used this 12 months. It does a greater job than the Pixel 9 Professional XL, Xiaomi 14 Extremely, Galaxy S24 Extremely, and the iPhone 16 Professional Max. Solely the Discover X7 Extremely comes near the gadget, and it is annoying that two of the perfect digicam telephones of 2024 are restricted to China.
Vivo X100 Extremely: Software program
I used dozens of telephones with Vivo’s Funtouch OS over time, however the X100 Extremely comes with the model’s Android 14-based OriginOS as a substitute, which it makes use of solely in China. There’s various variations between the 2, and if something, I believe I desire the OriginOS interface. It seems to be cleaner, and has an exhaustive feature-set.
The UI has higher fluidity than Funtouch OS, and also you get an ideal degree of customizability. The notification pane is break up right into a Management Heart and notification part, and there isn’t any method to change to a unified pane. The overview menu means that you can stack horizontally or vertically — much like MIUI — and the app grid is someway wider.
Like different Chinese language-only gadgets, you aren’t getting Google Play Providers out of the field, however that may be simply addressed. Vivo has its personal app retailer, and you’ll set up the Play Retailer from there and go into the telephone’s settings to allow primary Google providers. Doing so enables you to register to the Play Retailer (you may get a server situation in any other case), after which you’ll be able to simply set up apps identical to some other gadget.
Whereas there aren’t many points with OriginOS as an entire, notifications proceed to be an issue. I assume this has one thing to do with the requisite Google hooks not being current, however all telephones I exploit with Chinese language skins have points with notification administration. I simply do not get most notifications, and I’ve to manually go into an app to see no matter notifications I missed.
The X100 Extremely can be constrained on this space, and whereas it is not as limiting because the Discover X7 Extremely, I had loads of situations the place video calls and even common calls — when utilizing Google’s Telephone dialer — would set off a notification. It acquired to some extent the place I needed to change to the bundled Vivo dialer so I would not miss telephone calls, however WhatsApp calls have been all the time a problem.
That stated, altering background reminiscence settings to unrestricted made a distinction on this regard, and there was solely the occasional video name that went awry. Apart from that, utilizing the telephone is much like the worldwide construct.
Vivo rolled out software program updates constantly to the X100 Extremely (I counted 4 updates), and the gadget will decide up 4 Android OS updates together with six years of safety patches. Whereas that is not as a lot as what Google and Samsung present, it’s ample.
Vivo X100 Extremely: The options
The usual X100 Professional is fairly nice in its personal proper, and I like to recommend getting this as a substitute of the X100 Extremely; it has terrific cameras, and takes nice images and movies in difficult conditions. The design is sort of similar, and also you get highly effective {hardware} with a long-lasting battery. I used the X100 Professional alongside the X100 Extremely, and whereas the latter finally wins out on the digicam entrance, the software program problem makes the X100 Professional the higher selection globally.
The telephone that comes closest to the X100 Extremely is its BBK sibling, the Discover X7 Extremely, with that gadget additionally that includes a shocking design and excellent cameras. Annoyingly, that gadget can be restricted to China, and you’ll’t purchase it exterior the nation.
The Xiaomi 14 Extremely can be good, and whereas its cameras are wonderful, there are inconsistencies with the resultant images and movies that is making me rethink my advice. This hasn’t been a problem in earlier years, however the 14 Extremely simply would not have the identical consistency as different gadgets on this class.
Vivo X100 Extremely: Must you purchase it?
You should purchase this if:
- You want the telephone with the perfect cameras
- You need the perfect {hardware} at the moment out there
- You want glorious battery life and dependable charging
- You need a vibrant OLED that is among the many brightest round
You should not purchase this if:
- You need hassle-free software program
- You want a telephone with Google providers pre-installed
If I needed to decide only one gadget because the finest telephone of 2024, it will be the X100 Extremely — Vivo did a unbelievable job general. The telephone has an ideal design, one of many brightest OLED panels out there in the present day, and top-notch {hardware}. Battery life is among the many better of any telephone round, and 80W charging is dependable.
The place the X100 Extremely has an edge over different flagships is the cameras. The principle digicam is similar to what you get on the Xiaomi 14 Extremely, Discover X7 Extremely, and the X100 Professional, however the resultant photographs are marginally higher because of Vivo’s tuning efforts. The portrait digicam is the perfect round, and there is not one other telephone in the present day that matches the X100 Extremely on this regard.
Whereas that is nice, the largest limitation with the X100 Extremely is that it’s not out there globally. Vivo wants to alter its technique in 2025 and produce the Extremely mannequin to world markets — it is too good to be offered in only one nation.
