2024 Winners and losers: vivo

Ivan, 31 December 2024

2024 started off well for vivo, which settled its longstanding patent issues with Nokia, clearing its way to sell phones in Western markets.

Still, its best phone of the year didn't reach markets outside of China.

Winner and loser: vivo X100 Ultra

The vivo X100 Ultra may very well be the best cameraphone in 2024. It has a superb 50MP 1-inch type main wide-angle camera, and a great ultrawide and selfie up front. But its 85mm f/2.7 zoom camera, backed by a 200MP imager roughly the size of the S24 Ultra's main camera is truly world-class.

The vivo X100 Ultra is also pretty, brimming with high-end tech, and a contender for the best screen in a phone.

But the almighty Ultra didn't reach the global stage, which meant people outside of China could not experience all that greatness.

Winners: vivo V40 and V40 Pro

The vivo V40 and V40 Pro are exemplary upper-midrange phones. Yes, they're more expensive than their rivals, but they justify it with better camera systems (especially the Pro) highlighted by an awesome 50MP 21mm f/2.0 selfie camera with AF.

Both phones have big 5,500mAh batteries with 80W charging and IP68/IP69 dust/water resistance.

vivo V40

vivo V40 Pro

Winners: vivo X200, X200 Pro, X200 Pro mini

The vivo X200 series arrived towards the end of 2024 with great all-around specs. All three have the potent and capable 3nm Dimensity 9400 chipset, triple camera systems with excellent zoom cameras, IP68/69 resistance to water and dust, and big 6,000mAh (Pro), 5,700 (Pro mini), and 5,800 (regular) batteries with 90W charging.

The vivo X200 Pro and X200 are now available globally, while the X200 Pro mini, sadly, will remain a China exclusive.

vivo X200 Pro

vivo X200

Winner: vivo X Fold3 Pro

The vivo X Fold3 Pro was the first truly thin and light book-style foldable with great cameras when it arrived in March. Later, in the summer, it began selling outside of China.

The X Fold3 Pro may very well be the best folding phone in 2024. Many would consider the Honor Magic V3 worthy of that title, but the vivo X Fold3 Pro has bigger displays, a notably bigger battery with much faster charging, ultrasonic fingerprint scanners on both screens and better cameras.

The vivo X Fold3 Pro is also only 236g and has IPX8 water resistance. There's really nothing more one could ask from a folding phone in 2024.

vivo X Fold3 Pro

Loser: iQOO 13

The iQOO 13 is an excellent phone and one of the most affordable Snapdragon 8 Elite models on sale today. So why did we label it a loser? It's a notable step down in camera hardware and performance compared to its predecessor. The iQOO 12 had a bigger sensor main camera and a longer-reaching zoom with a bigger sensor of its own. Not to mention the old 3x zoom could do closeup focusing, whereas this year's 2x cannot.

A phone should improve on its predecessor's display, performance, battery life, and camera quality - the iQOO 13 skips that last part.

vivo iQOO 13

Still, it was a very positive year for vivo. And we expect 2025 to be just as positive. However, it looks like the vivo X200 Ultra, which is shaping up to be a similarly capable cameraphone to its predecessor, to continue its China exclusivity.

We'll have to wait and see but you can be sure GSMArena will be here, testing all the great phones coming in 2025. Stay tuned!