Vivo X500 Pro vs Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Verdict

Vivo X500 Pro scores higher on the OH Rank (83 vs 79), winning 3 of 10 categories including Performance and Battery. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is 5.7mm wider than Vivo X500 Pro. Vivo X500 Pro is the more recent release, from Sep 29, 2026.

Score Breakdown

Category

Vivo X500 Pro

71.9mm (2.83in) · Sep 29, 2026 · Rank #3

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

77.6mm (3.06in) · Feb 3, 2025 · Rank #13
Performance /15
15
11
Battery /15
11
7
Screen /15
13
15
IP Protection /15
12
12
Main Camera /15
15
14
Selfie /5
4
5
Video /5
5
5
SD Memory /5
0
0
Software /5
5
5
Desktop Replacement /5
3
5
TOTAL
83
79
Vivo X500 Pro
71.9mm (2.83in) · Sep 29, 2026 · Rank #3
15+11+13+12+15+4+5+0+5+3 = 83
SUPERIOR* TOP Performance* TOP Camera* TOP Video Recording* TOP Software* TOP Compact

EDITORIAL: (this is a pre-test listing based on reasonable expectation of battery, charging, imaging and desktop replacement functionality performance) On Sep 21 Vivo came with first of the next-gen Android flagships: X500, X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max. The Pro model is actually an upgrade of excellent X300 (X400 series never happened, probably out of superstition) and it is a very good incremental upgrade: 2nm chip, 500mAh bigger battery, 144Hz Dolby Vision screen and upgraded periscope telephoto lens. Main camera got a downgrade from 200MP to 50MP and charging speeds remain the same making it one of the best compacts in the world.

PROs
compact design, excellent Dimensity 9600 Pro (2nm) with UFS 4.1 performance, 36hr endurance from a 6500mAh Si-C battery with sub-60min 90W (40W wireless) charging, ~2000nits bright 460ppi 144Gz LTPO AMOLED screen with Dolby Vision, IP69 protection, excellent 50MP 24mm 64MP 85mm periscope telephoto (both OIS PDAF) + 50MP 15mm AF ultrawide setup, very good 50MP 20mm selfie with AF, excellent video recording, upgraded OriginOS 7 with a promise of 6 years of updates, basic desktop replacement functionality, 200mm external zoom lens kit option
CONs
flat sides boxy design feels outdated and bigger then it is, no expandable memory, OriginOS remains behind competition in AI and other software features and the gap may be growing, limited market availability
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
77.6mm (3.06in) · Feb 3, 2025 · Rank #13
11+7+15+12+14+5+5+0+5+5 = 79
FLY* TOP Selfie* TOP Video Recording* TOP Software* TOP Desktop Replacement* TOP Screen

EDITORIAL: The S25 Ultra may be an incremental upgrade in hardware and camera tech but it is a world leader in AI functionality as Samsung turns to AI software to set itself apart from the competition. This is a phone with top performance, a full day of battery life, excellent photo and video results and 7 years of very stable OS package. Included is DeX - still the very best desktop replacement software there is. The screen, while not the brightest minimizes reflections and is more usable outdoors than any other. This year, Samsung decided to give us an Ultra with improved battery endurance and faster charging too. The lack of expandable memory is the only thing keeping the S25 Ultra back. The included stylus lost its Bluetooth but still works great.

PROs
Snapdragon 8 Elite, >1400nits ~500ppi LTPO AMOLED screen with HDR10+ and anti reflective coating, excellent 200MP main camera joined by 10MP and 50MP telephoto lenses and a 50MP ultrawide, tried and true 12MP PDAF Selfie, 7 years of OS updates and AI features ahead of the pack, amazing DeX computer replacement software
CONs
218gr 77.6mm wide glass and metal brick with a small 5000mAh battery, >60min slow 45W (15W wireless) charging, Samsung's refusal to include expandable SDmemory storage (do you know how big are these 8k video files?), the ecosystem that's trying to lock you in since 2019

Both phones here were scored by me, using the same ten categories, with no ads, sponsorships, or manufacturer relationships — this comparison is as objective and honest as it gets.

Visit Home page to compare world's best phones. You can see scoring and ranking explained on the About page.