Vivo X200 FE review

Flagships today have a funny relationship with size. Most assume that bigger is always better. Want great cameras? You’ll need a camera bump that rivals Mount Fuji. Want long battery life? Prepare for brick-thick builds. That’s what makes the Vivo X200 FE stand out. It’s compact. It’s stylish. And it somehow crams a massive 6,500mAh battery into a body that weighs under 190 grams.

The X200 FE isn’t just Vivo’s attempt at making a ‘Fan Edition’. It feels more like a phone that’s trying to prove you don’t have to sacrifice ergonomics for flagship ambitions. It’s the rare Android phone that fits snugly in your jeans pocket, snaps killer portraits, lasts an entire day (and then some), and still manages to look like it belongs on a Milan runway. Let’s explore more in our detailed Vivo X200 FE review.

Vivo X200 FE build and design

If design is language, the Vivo X200 FE speaks fluent understatement. It doesn’t scream premium, but it quietly oozes it. At just under 8mm thick and weighing 186g, it’s impressively light without feeling plasticky or cheap.

The frosted matte glass on the rear adds a subtle texture that resists smudges without sacrificing aesthetic charm. The aluminium frame adds a nice contrast to the coloured variants of the phone and makes the device feel solid, balanced, and intentional.

The X200 FE is also surprisingly tough. With IP68 and IP69 certifications, this phone doesn’t just survive splashes; it can handle high-pressure water jets and even military-grade drop tests. Vivo claims it can endure 12 hours in the rain and 100 bars of pressure. We didn’t exactly take it for a swim in a power washer, but it handled daily bumps and monsoon drizzles without flinching.

There’s no denying this is a good-looking phone. Its minimalist yet elegant design is achieved through a subtly curved camera island and soft pastel colours. For a more discreet aesthetic, the Black Luxe (our review unit) or Frost Blue options are available.

Vivo X200 FE display

The 6.31-inch LTPO AMOLED panel here is sublime. It’s compact, and once you hold it, it feels like a perfect fit. The bezels are whisper-thin, the punch-hole cutout for the 50MP selfie cam is minimal, and the visuals? Bold, bright, and buttery smooth.

This screen peaks at a wild 5,000 nits in HDR conditions, so whether you’re outdoors on a sunlit terrace or watching a moody noir thriller in bed, the visibility never takes a hit. The 120Hz refresh rate means everything from Instagram Stories to Call of Duty feels snappy. Vivo also throws in HDR10+ certification, which translates to rich contrast and punchy highlights while streaming.

And while Vivo hasn’t hopped onto the Dolby Vision bandwagon here, Netflix and YouTube playback look fantastic. You get stereo speakers, too, which sound crisp and clear for podcasts, playlists, and impromptu late-night YouTube marathons.

Vivo X200 FE performance and UI

Under the hood, the X200 FE runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+. It’s not the fastest chip on the planet – that title likely belongs to Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite on the Android side of things – but unless you’re a benchmark chaser, you’re unlikely to notice.

In real-world use, this phone is a multitasking beast. Apps open instantly, there’s zero stutter while hopping between camera, social media, and Google Maps, and gaming is solid. Call of Duty: Mobile ran at a consistent 60fps during a 30-minute session. Even heavy sessions of BGMI (40fps at max settings) barely warmed the phone past 40 degrees Celsius.

Sadly, storage is still UFS 3.1 (not the faster UFS 4.0), and the USB-C port is version 2.0; two slightly odd decisions for a phone at this price. That means slightly slower file transfers and data speeds when tethering. Not a huge deal, but a curious omission on an otherwise forward-looking device.

ALSO READ: Vivo X200 FE vs OnePlus 13s: Which compact phone is the right pick for you?

FuntouchOS 15, layered over Android 15, keeps things neat with minimal bloat. Vivo promises four years of OS updates and five years of security patches, which is a decent future-proofing promise. The UI looks a little dated, but it’s clean, fast, and gets out of your way for the most part.

Vivo X200 FE AI features

Vivo has been steadily baking useful AI into its phones, and the X200 FE benefits from those efforts. There’s a built-in call translator that’s surprisingly accurate when handling multilingual conversations. The Notes app can auto-summarise your jottings. AI Transcript Assist converts long audio into concise summaries, and there’s even a DocMaster tool that can edit and convert documents on the fly.

In the Gallery app, Vivo’s AI tools let you erase photobombers, fix reflections, and enhance photos, all with a single tap. The success rate is hit-or-miss, but when it works, it feels borderline magical.

Also onboard are Google’s Circle to Search and Gemini Assistant, alongside Android 15’s built-in screen translation and context-aware tools. It’s the kind of AI functionality that quietly makes your life easier rather than overwhelming you with gimmicks.

Vivo X200 FE cameras

The camera setup is where the X200 FE punches well above its weight. You get a Zeiss-tuned triple camera array consisting of a 50MP Sony IMX921 main sensor with OIS, a 50MP IMX886 3x periscope zoom lens, and an 8MP ultrawide. Up front, there’s a 50MP front camera that might just be the best selfie shooter we’ve tested this year.

In daylight, shots from the main camera are detailed, vivid, and ready for Instagram. Vivo’s post-processing adds a little moodiness to colours with the default Zeiss filter, but not enough to look unnatural. Dynamic range is stellar, and close-ups are especially sharp thanks to an 85mm minimum focusing distance.

Portraits are where the X200 FE truly shines. With multiple focal lengths (23mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, and 100mm), you can channel your inner fashion photographer. The 3x telephoto is great for headshots and offers creamy, DSLR-style bokeh. Under challenging lighting conditions, facial details remain intact, though edge detection occasionally falters.

The ultrawide camera, however, is the weakest link. It’s passable in daylight but lacks detail and struggles in low light. Think: On the streets of Andheri on an overcast day, colours hold up, but don’t expect razor-sharp clarity in the corners.

Low-light performance, however, is a big win. The X200 FE holds its own even in dim, moody lighting. Shooting a Mumbai local train pulling into a rain-drenched platform at dusk produced sharp, dramatic results with a smidge of editing and Vivo’s Night Breeze filter.

Videos are capped at 4K 60fps on the main and telephoto lenses (ultrawide tops out at 1080p 30fps), and stabilisation is strong enough for handheld shots even while walking through Mumbai’s crowded lanes. Footage sometimes looks oversharpened, but the colour science remains natural and vivid.

And those selfies? With a 20mm wide lens and autofocus, the front camera captures a ton of detail. It handles skin tones well, though some may find facial textures a tad too smooth out of the box. That said, the sheer field of view and detail level give you flexibility that most phones don’t even attempt.

Vivo X200 FE battery life

Let’s talk about the elephant in the (very compact) room – that 6,500mAh battery. It’s the highest capacity you’ll find in a phone this size, and it delivers. In daily use, the X200 FE routinely crossed 8 hours of screen time, with enough juice to spare for the next morning. From scrolling and streaming to navigating and gaming, the phone never showed signs of anxiety.

Our battery test logged an excellent 15.5-hour PCMark score. Charging, while decent, isn’t class-leading. The 90W wired charging topped the phone up in 44 minutes from 20 to 100 per cent, fast enough for a quick top-up, but not as zippy as the OnePlus 13s. And yes, there’s no wireless charging, which feels like a missed opportunity given the flagship price.

Unboxed Take: Should you buy the Vivo X200 FE?

The Vivo X200 FE may not chase benchmark records or dazzle with flashy software tricks. But what it delivers is something far more valuable to everyday users – a consistently enjoyable, well-rounded experience. From the moment you pick it up, the phone feels purposeful. It’s compact, elegant, and surprisingly durable.

The camera system impresses with reliably great photos and natural-looking selfies, while the battery easily sails through a full day, sometimes two, without breaking a sweat.

Despite some old-school choices like USB 2.0, the X200 FE keeps things focused on what matters most. It slips easily into your pocket, performs smoothly across daily tasks, and doesn’t try too hard to be something it’s not.

Priced at Rs 54,999, the Vivo X200 FE stands out as a compact flagship for people who value comfort, camera quality, and all-day reliability over gimmicks. It’s the photography-focused compact marvel you have been waiting for. And for that reason, the Vivo X200 FE scores a solid 4/5 points. 

What do you think of the Vivo X200 FE? Drop a comment with your thoughts. For more detailed reviews like this one, stay tuned to Unboxed by Croma.