If you want a flagship Android phone in a compact size in 2025, your options are pretty limited. The Samsung Galaxy S25 or Google Pixel 9 are probably the only ones, as most flagship phones come in sizes of 6.6 inches and above.
Fortunately, a new phone that fits the bill recently launched here - the vivo X200 FE. Unlike the other vivo X200 series phones, the 6.3-inch vivo X200 FE is the first vivo flagship phone to be offered in this 'compact' size. Did vivo compromise on other advanced features from the vivo X200 series to make it this small, and is it worth the RM3199 price tag? Let's find out.
Design – Easy to grip!
With its smaller 6.3-inch body, the vivo X200 FE is very easy to hold. Admittedly, its more compact body might feel awkward if you're used to larger screens or have large hands. While using it, we sometimes hit the wrong keys on the virtual keyboard because the keys are now smaller. It definitely takes some getting used to, but people with smaller hands will likely find this the right size. Being smaller also means it's lighter (186g), which is a nice benefit.
Additionally, the vivo X200 FE comes in a variety of colour options. The unit we received has a pink colour on the glass back, with black on the camera bump and aluminium frame for contrast. You could say it's a very "Blackpink" concept (heh).
vivo X200 FE colour options
The other options are pastel-themed, such as light blue and yellow. If you want a simpler colourway, the phone is also available in black. The surface has a matte finish, which means it will not leave fingerprints and doesn't look glossy.
At the back, the camera layout for the new model differs from that of the other vivo X200 series variants. This FE model has the cameras in a vertical layout similar to most mid-range phones. For instance, it's like the vivo V50 series, except with a smaller main camera.
Despite its compact screen size, the phone has an average thickness of 7.99mm. The phone itself has flat sides and rounded corners, a standard design for most smartphones today. Speaking of standards, the volume and power buttons are on the right as usual. There's also a USB-C 2.0 port and speaker at the bottom, as well as two microphones on the top.
In terms of durability, it has an IP68 and IP69 waterproof rating, meaning it can be completely submerged in water and still function properly. The screen also comes with a protective Gorilla Glass for higher impact resistance. However, vivo did not specify which version of Gorilla Glass was used.
Tech specs and features – Essentially a 'Lite' variant
Here are the full specifications for the vivo X200 FE:
- 6.31-inch AMOLED screen, 1216×2640 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, 5000 nits peak brightness
- MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chipset
- 12GB LPDDR5X RAM
- UFS3.1 512GB internal storage
- 50MP main camera + 50MP periscope telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom + 8MP ultra-wide camera, all with ZEISS lenses
- 50MP front camera
- 6500mAh battery
- 90W fast charging, charger included in the box
- Android 15 operating system with Funtouch OS 15
- Optical fingerprint scanner
- Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 7, NFC
- Waterproof rating IP68 & IP69
- Black, yellow, blue and pink colour options
- Size 150.83 × 71.76 × 7.99mm, weight 186g
As a phone marketed as a flagship device, the vivo X200 FE doesn't quite match up. Mind you, it has plenty of flagship-level specs. For instance, its ZEISS Master Colour Display is an AMOLED panel delivering rich colours, a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth animations, and a high peak brightness of 5000 nits. It also has very thin bezels, which make watching content on the phone feel more immersive.
On the other hand, the chipset isn't that impressive. The vivo X200 FE uses MediaTek's Dimensity 9300+, which performs well enough in most cases. However, it's not comparable to the Dimensity 9400 found in the vivo X200 and vivo X200 Pro. In fact, it's not that much better than the Dimensity 9300 in last year's vivo X100 Pro.
An engaging visual experience for any content
Resolution options
Of course, that might not be a dealbreaker for many. The vivo X200 FE can still deliver fast performance that would satisfy most users. But when compared to its other X200 series siblings, the vivo X200 FE is clearly the slowest model. That makes it harder to justify its price tag.
In Malaysia, there's only one memory configuration for the vivo X200 FE: 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM with 512GB of UFS3.1 internal storage. The storage is definitely large enough, so we have no complaints there, but there's no microSD card slot. Also, the UFS 3.1 storage's read and write speed is pretty slow by 2025 standards. On the bright side, LPDDR5X RAM performs well for mobile devices.
Default UI
The phone runs on Funtouch OS 15 based on Android 15, which was very smooth and user-friendly. It also offers artificial intelligence (AI) functions such as Google Gemini, Circle to Search with Google, AI Screen Translation, AI Captions and more. However, we're not sure how often those features would be updated. That would probably depend on how much support vivo plans to offer for this device.
Performance – On par with other 2025 flagships
The Dimensity 9300+ chipset and UI work well together to deliver smooth performance in almost any task. Of course, that's no surprise since even entry-level phones can comfortably handle daily tasks like messaging or web browsing. The Dimensity 9300+ can even play high-end games like Genshin Impact and Delta Force with the highest graphics settings with little issue. However, we did experience noticeable frame drops after playing for an hour.
Geekbench - Not enough to compete with Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered models
3DMark - Stability drops in stress test, which could be the GPU throttling
Genshin Impact can be played smoothly on high graphics settings
Delta Force is also smooth, but lags when there are smoke particles
Despite that, the phone never got hot enough to be too uncomfortable. It does get warm, with the temperature capping at around 45°C. Despite the relatively small size of the phone, it still has a relatively large 3830mm² vapour chamber size to dissipate heat more efficiently. So if the frame rates are still dropping, it means the phone is throttling the GPU to keep the heat manageable.
For battery life, the smaller vivo X200 FE is ironically the one with the largest battery (6500mAh). With normal usage, you can easily use it for two days before needing to recharge. If you play games often, it should still last up to one day on average. For reference, 30 minutes of Genshin Impact drained around 11% of the battery.
For charging, the vivo X200 FE supports 90W fast charging. A 90W charger is included in the box, allowing you to fully recharge the phone from 0% in roughly an hour. By the way, you must enable Fast Charging in the settings for the maximum 90W charging speed. This phone doesn't have wireless charging either, which might disappoint vivo X series fans.
A full battery can provide 21 hours of screen-on-time
Charging from 1% to 91% took 57 minutes
The Fast Charging function is not turned on by default
Moving on, there's the most important aspect of the vivo X series - the cameras. Despite its small size, the vivo X200 FE doesn't compromise on camera performance. It comes with a 50MP main camera, a 50MP periscope telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, and an 8MP ultra-wide camera. All three cameras are paired with ZEISS lenses.
Overall, the photos captured in bright conditions look great. The cameras consistently delivered rich colours and balanced light control when we took pictures during the daytime. Even in low-light conditions, the photos had very little noise.
Camera UI
Main camera
Ultra-wide
Night mode
No macro mode, but the zoom function takes macro photos quite well
Portrait selfie
The vivo X200 FE's main camera supports very long zoom, with lossless zoom of up to 6x and digital zoom up to 100x. Equally impressive is the telephoto camera, which can deliver up to 50x zoom and still produce clear images, especially in Stage Mode. Although the AI processing effect is very noticeable, especially for longer zoom ranges. Stage Mode also doesn't work well when the proverbial 'stage' has too much movement; it works best when the performer isn't moving much (like a jazz singer).
Another useful camera function is the Aura Light Portrait, which improves the lighting for portrait shots in low-light conditions. Speaking of portrait shots, the separation between the subject and the background can sometimes look blurry, but most of the time it's quite clean. Of course, you can also use the ZEISS bokeh effect for interesting light patterns.
10x zoom
Portrait mode
Stage Mode works well even in dim situations, as long as the subject doesn't move much
Hand movements appear blurry in dance performances, even when Stage Mode is enabled
For video recording, the vivo X200 FE can record at 4K 60fps resolution using both the rear and front cameras. It can produce excellent, stable videos in most lighting situations. However, the default video mode only allows up to 15x zoom, while Stage Mode is limited to 20x.
Conclusion – A unique flagship for 2025
The vivo X200 FE offers a unique package for a smartphone in 2025. It has all the features of a flagship smartphone launched this year, but has a much smaller and lighter design. However, the chipset isn't on par with many flagship phones, plus the lack of wireless charging feels disappointing. Undoubtedly, this is still a solid flagship device that's well-rounded. It's also more affordable than most flagships at RM3199, so it's an option that's worth considering.
If you want a comparably compact flagship, an alternative would be the Samsung Galaxy S25 (RM3999). This phone is pricier, but has an even smaller 6.2-inch screen and a powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. Another option is the Google Pixel 9 (RM3999), which will receive future Android updates earlier than other Android brands. If you prefer something closer in price range, the Nothing Phone (3) (RM3299) offers a unique design and bloat-free UI.
So, was this review useful? Let us know in the comments on our Facebook page, and stay tuned to TechNave for more reviews like this.
COMMENTS