Great Phone, Small Package: vivo X200 FE Misses Perfection by Inches
While we were once desperately deprived of small, handy, palm-sized phones, it seems like the fad is picking up once more. The vivo X200 FE is the latest in Malaysia to join these ranks, promising flagship performance in a form that’s compact and one-hand-friendly.
At RM3,199, the vivo X200 FE is far more accessible compared to its ultimate flagship sibling—the X200 Pro—which retails at RM4,699. Nevertheless, the X200 FE proves it’s capable of holding its own, with a set of features that could swing small-phone fans in vivo’s direction.
Bubblegum colours that pop
The vivo X200 FE sports a simplistic design in terms of its rear panel arrangement, but I must say, the play of colours is superb. It comes in three bubblegum shades: Yellow Glow, Blue Breeze, and Pink Vibe – all of which, for some inexplicable reason, remind me of K-pop music videos. But they’ve also made the smart move of adding a Black Luxe option for low-key folks like myself.
Nevertheless, I can definitely see the appeal of the other happy-go-lucky colours, especially when matched with the darkened oblong-shaped camera housing and black metal rails. And, dare I say it, even the Pink Vibe option kind of grew on me. Kind of.
A bonus is its IP68 and IP69 rating – a testament to the phone’s flagship positioning.
One-handed Flagship Performer
Keeping the vivo X200 FE snappy is the Dimensity 9300+ chipset. It isn’t the highest-tier flagship in MediaTek’s arsenal, but the 9300+ is still a worthy performer in its segment. An everyday user would find no issues here, and light gaming, such as Mobile Legends, runs perfectly too.
The vivo X200 FE stands out with its hand-holding simplicity. Its 6.31″ flat screen display nestles perfectly in my palm, with the volume and power buttons all within reach of my thumb. Plus, it’s relatively lightweight at 186g.
For the record, the X200 FE’s display is an AMOLED panel, offering 1.5K (2640×1216) resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate—all of which fits the bill for punchy visuals. I only wish it had more convincing protection. vivo only states that the X200 FE uses “Gorilla Shield Glass,” which isn’t quite as reassuring as, say, Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
ZEISS Main Cameras
You needn’t worry if you thought vivo might have skipped its ZEISS cameras. You’ll still find ZEISS fine-tuning present on its 50MP main camera and 50MP telephoto, although it does miss out on the anti-reflective T* Coating and APO telephoto technology. Despite that, my experience with the cameras was still rather impressive.
The main cameras were definitely on par with standard flagships, offering excellent colours and detail. But I was pleasantly surprised that the telephoto, even at 10x and without OIS, was sharp and rich in colour.
Compact Phone, Large Battery
The vivo X200 FE essentially fixes the bane of most small phones in the market. In this seemingly compact body is a 6,500mAh battery that will easily last two days with regular usage.
To put some of its competitors in the hot seat: the iPhone 16’s battery is 3,561mAh, while the Galaxy S25 packs 4,000mAh. Coming closest is the Xiaomi 15 with a 5,240mAh battery pack—but even that is miles behind the X200 FE’s 6,500mAh. It also doesn’t help their case that all of them come with higher price tags.
However, it is somewhat disappointing that vivo did not include wireless charging in the X200 FE — which really should be standard for phones priced over RM3,000. Considering that all of its aforementioned rivals offer wireless charging, choosing to deprive the X200 FE of such a feature is, in my view, a jarring missed opportunity.
vivo X200 FE: Should you buy?
The vivo X200 FE might debut as vivo’s first compact phone in Malaysia, but it definitely doesn’t feel like the new kid on the block. In fact, it positions itself as an immediate contender in the compact phone segment, with some features that go shoulder-to-shoulder with its rivals.
It is almost the perfect compact phone — except for its lack of more secure display protection and, perhaps more strikingly, the absence of wireless charging capabilities. Considering how not everyone has a wireless charger at home, and that the phone does support 90W charging (with the adapter included in the box!), it’s a forgivable blemish in its package.
The vivo X200 FE is still an excellent smartphone, with impressive hardware and plenty of features to sing praises about. Ultimately, it’s still gold-standard stuff and gets a ‘Best Giler’ rating in our books!
PriceShop Rating
Best Giler!
✅ Chic design with vibrant colour choices
✅ ZEISS cameras on-par with standard flagships
✅ 6,500mAh battery, the largest in the small-ish phone segment
❌ No wireless charging is a missed opportunity (but a forgiveable one)
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