Vivo X100 Ultra Review: A Closer Look
Explore the Vivo X100 Ultra in our review, featuring its standout camera, design, performance, and unique features.
Vivo, which produces phones with excellent cameras, is enjoying a fantastic year in 2024. With improved cameras & larger battery, Vivo X100 Pro got off to great start. Following release of mid-range V30 & V30 Pro, Vivo made its major debut with X Fold3 Pro.
Vivo X100 Ultra was also unveiled although it was only made available in China. It’s unfortunate that this model remained exclusive because Vivo typically releases all of its phones to international markets. One of greatest camera phones of 2024 is Vivo X100 Ultra which can compete effectively with best models from Xiaomi and OPPO.
Vivo’s Chinese software, Origin OS, is also very smooth and even better with Play Store installed. Recently, Vivo launched V40 series and the X200 series in China with a global release coming soon. Even with all these choices, Vivo X100 Ultra is still my top pick for 2024—too bad it’s not available worldwide.
Table of Contents
Vivo X100 Ultra Specification
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| 📶 Network Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| 📡 2G Bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900; CDMA 800 |
| 📶 3G Bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 |
| 📶 4G Bands | Various bands from 1 to 66 |
| 📶 5G Bands | Various bands from 1 to 79 (SA/NSA) |
| ⚡ Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| 📅 Launch Date | Announced: May 13, 2024; Released: May 28, 2024 |
| 📏 Dimensions | 164.1 x 75.6 x 9.2 mm |
| ⚖️ Weight | 229 g |
| 🏗️ Build | Glass front and back, aluminum frame |
| 📱 SIM | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM) |
| 💧 Water Resistance | IP68/IP69 (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
| 📺 Display Type | LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR, 3000 nits peak brightness |
| 📐 Display Size | 6.78 inches |
| 🖥️ Resolution | 1440 x 3200 pixels |
| 📱 OS | Android 14, OriginOS 4 |
| 🔧 Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| 🧠 CPU | Octa-core |
| 🎮 GPU | Adreno 750 |
| 💾 Storage Options | 256GB/12GB RAM, 512GB/16GB RAM, 1TB/16GB RAM |
| 📸 Main Camera | Triple: 50 MP (wide), 200 MP (periscope), 50 MP (ultrawide) |
| 🎥 Video Recording | Up to 8K@30fps |
| 🤳 Selfie Camera | 50 MP |
| 🔊 Audio | Stereo speakers; No 3.5mm jack |
| 📶 Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6/7 |
| 🔗 Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| 📍 GPS | Yes |
| 🔌 USB | USB Type-C 3.2 |
| 🔍 Sensors | Fingerprint, accelerometer, proximity |
| 🔋 Battery | 5500 mAh, non-removable |
| ⚡ Charging | 80W wired, 30W wireless |
| 🎨 Colors | Titanium, White, Grey |
| 💰 Price | About 830 EUR |
| 🏆 Performance Scores | AnTuTu: 2,152,790; GeekBench: 6311 |
| ⏳ Battery Life | Active use score: 12:55 hours |
Vivo X100 Ultra Price and Availability
Vivo launched X100 Ultra in China on May 13, with sales starting on May 28. It’s priced at 7,099 RMB ($996) for 16GB RAM and 512GB storage model. Other options include 12GB/256GB version and 16GB/1TB model which is the one I’m using.
Vivo X100 Ultra Design
Vivo X100 Ultra has a unique design, similar to X100 Pro but with some key differences. Camera module is even larger and stands out with a defined groove around it. White version looks sleek, though not as bold as the leather finishes on some competitors. Silver-accented camera and black lens rings add contrast and despite large camera, it’s easy to use.
Camera island extends across most of the back, propping phone slightly when lying flat so it doesn’t wobble. X100 Ultra is also a bit thicker than X100 Pro but has smooth, curved edges, avoiding boxy trend. Its matte aluminum frame feels premium and glass back with Vivo’s own protection instead of Gorilla Glass has a satin texture that hides fingerprints well.
Phone weighs 229g but feels balanced and durable. After over four months of use, it has stayed in perfect condition without a case, showing Vivo’s solid build quality. It also has IP68 water and dust resistance, with no issues like condensation in camera module. X100 Ultra’s design is both stylish and tough, making it one of 2024’s best-built phones.
Vivo X100 Ultra Display
Vivo X100 Ultra uses the same 6.78-inch LTPO OLED display as the X100 Pro but with a higher resolution of 3200 x 1440. It has a 120Hz dynamic refresh rate, 1440Hz PWM dimming and a maximum brightness of 3000 nits.
In daily use, screen is extremely bright—only Pixel 9 Pro XL gets slightly brighter in auto mode. It also supports Dolby Vision, providing excellent HDR content quality. Colors are vivid, and the slight curve at the edges makes it more immersive. Whether streaming or gaming, the display is bright, vibrant and customizable. Speakers are also loud, matching performance of Xiaomi 14 Ultra.
Vivo X100 Ultra Hardware
Vivo X100 Ultra is powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, unlike rest of X100 series which uses the Dimensity 9300. Model I have comes with 16GB RAM and 1TB storage making it one of the fastest phones I’ve used this year. It runs smoothly with no slowdowns even during heavy use.
Phone handles gaming very well, though it gets hotter than Xiaomi 14 Ultra and X100 Pro, reaching 44°C after long sessions. In 3DMark’s Solar Bay stress test, it went up to 57°C indicating that Vivo hasn’t set strict temperature limits.
In other areas, it performs excellently: strong cellular and Wi-Fi connections, stable Bluetooth and full AptX codec support. While I usually find ultrasonic fingerprint sensors slow, X100 Ultra’s sensor is fast, thanks to Goodix’s latest tech and recognition area is large and reliable.
Vivo X100 Ultra Battery
X100 Ultra isn’t the fastest-charging phone this year but its battery life is outstanding. Using a silicon-carbon 5500mAh battery, it lasts about a day and a half on a single charge without adding bulk. With Vivo’s China-only software, it gets better battery life than Find X7 Ultra, Xiaomi 14 Ultra and X100 Pro.
It takes a little over 50 minutes to fully charge with included 80W charger which isn’t as fast as OnePlus 12 but is quicker than the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Pixel 9 Pro XL.
Vivo X100 Ultra Software
Vivo X100 Ultra uses OriginOS, Vivo’s Android 14-based software for China, which is different from its global Funtouch OS. OriginOS has a clean look, lots of features, smooth performance and high customizability. The notification panel is split into a Control Center and notifications section, similar to MIUI with a wide app grid.
Out of the box, it lacks Google Play Services, but you can install them easily from Vivo’s app store and enable Google settings to avoid issues. Notifications can be inconsistent, as many Chinese-based systems restrict them. Adjusting memory settings helps reduce missed calls and notifications, though issues with apps like WhatsApp calls may persist.
Vivo routinely updates X100 Ultra and offers six years of security patches and four Android OS updates which is good but little less than what Google and Samsung offer.
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Pros and Cons
| ✔️ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| 📸 Best cameras available | 🌍 Limited to China |
| 🎨 Beautiful design | 🚫 No Play Store pre-installed |
| 💪 High-quality hardware | 🔔 Notification issues |
| 🌈 Bright and vibrant OLED | ❌ |
| 🔋 Excellent battery life | ❌ |
| ➕ Includes extra features | ❌ |
Conclusion
I’ve tried all the 2024 flagship phones and X100 Ultra has best overall camera setup. Its design is sleek, OLED display is bright with great colors, it handles gaming well and battery lasts long. But it’s cameras, especially portrait lens, that truly make it shine. However, it’s only available in China and software has some notification issues. X100 Ultra shows just how powerful phone cameras can be and Vivo should definitely bring the next model to global markets.
