Vivo X500 Pro Max China Launch: First 2nm Dimensity 9600 Pro Phones, Sale Sept. 24

SHENZHEN, China - Vivo on Sept. 21, 2026, officially launched the X500, X500 Pro, and X500 Pro Max in China, putting MediaTek’s new Dimensity 9600 Pro 2nm chip in the Pro models and a Zeiss-led camera stack that the company pitches around extreme dynamic range and long-zoom photography, with open sales set to begin Sept. 24.

The Pro and Pro Max are the first phones to ship with MediaTek’s Dimensity 9600 Pro. Coverage from The Verge, Gizmochina, and GSMArena describes a 2nm design with an all-big-core CPU layout, early LPDDR6 and UFS 5.0 support claims, and on-device AI headroom Vivo is using for editing features. The standard X500 uses a Dimensity 9600M part that reviews and chip notes treat as a rebadge of last year’s Dimensity 9500 class silicon. All three phones run OriginOS 7 on Android 17 and carry IP68 and IP69 sealing.

Photo: Vivo

Photo: Vivo

Imaging is the series headline. The Pro and Pro Max share a 50-megapixel main camera built around Sony’s Lytia L910 sensor (1/1.28-inch), co-developed with Vivo and described as the first LOFIC sensor in a phone, with Vivo claiming true 17 EV dynamic range. The Verge notes that figure tops the 16.5 stops claimed by Xiaomi’s 17 Ultra. The Pro Max adds gimbal-grade three-degree optical stabilization on the main camera; the Pro is rated at 1.5 degrees. Both Pros use a 50-megapixel Samsung JN5 ultrawide at about 15mm equivalent and support Vivo’s optional 400mm Zeiss Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra accessory.

Telephoto splits the lineup. The X500 Pro Max returns a 200-megapixel Zeiss APO periscope on a Samsung ISOCELL HP0 1/1.4-inch sensor at about 85mm equivalent with CIPA 7.0 stabilization and hardware-level lossless zoom claims. The X500 Pro uses a 64-megapixel Sony Lytia 610 telephoto also tuned around 85mm. Video capabilities called out for the Pros include 4K at 240 frames per second slow motion, 10-bit Log recording, and cinematic styles; the Pro Max is also listed with 8K at 30fps. The standard X500 keeps a more modest Lytia 828 main camera and a 64-megapixel telephoto without the Pro Max periscope.

Photo: Vivo

Photo: Vivo

Displays are LTPO OLED panels with up to 144Hz refresh. The X500 Pro is the compact 6.36-inch model. The Pro Max grows to 6.85 inches and is marketed as a 2K Zeiss Master Color screen on BOE Q11 materials, with peak brightness cited up to about 4,500 nits. The standard X500 sits in between at 6.59 inches. Batteries are silicon-carbon cells: 6,510mAh on the Pro, 8,000mAh on the Pro Max, and about 7,500mAh on the standard model, each with 90W wired and 40W wireless charging per launch materials.

Photo: Vivo

Photo: Vivo

China pricing starts at 5,499 yuan for the X500 (12GB and 256GB), 6,499 yuan for the X500 Pro, and 6,999 yuan for the X500 Pro Max, according to GSMArena’s configuration table and corroborating Gizmochina coverage. Higher storage and memory tiers climb into the mid-to-high 8,000s of yuan, with a 16GB and 1TB Creator’s Package on the Pro Max listed at 12,999 yuan and including satellite communication. Pro and Pro Max colorways include white, gray, black, and orange. Pre-orders opened with the announcement. Gizmochina reports the X500 and X500 Pro Max go on sale Sept. 24, with the X500 Pro following Sept. 29. Vivo has not announced international pricing or a global ship date.

Photo: Vivo

This report replaces Techtember’s earlier pre-launch memory-price brief and uses a distinct slug. The live path for today’s official China launch is /article/vivo-x500-pro-max-china-launch.