It feels like Vivo can do no wrong in 2025; whether it's the X200 Pro, X200 Ultra, or the V60, the brand has managed to consistently deliver fabulous phones. The X200 Ultra continues to deliver the best cameras of any phone I used this year, and the X200 Pro is still my go-to choice when it comes to daily use.
If anything, Vivo is now my favorite Android brand, and I enjoy using Funtouch OS over other Chinese skins. It's a good thing, then, that Vivo introduced a small phone to take on the OnePlus 13s. The X200 FE comes with a smaller 6.31-inch panel, and it doesn't have much in the way of similarities to the regular X200 or X200 Pro — it has a distinct identity, and it looks great.
Vivo still doesn't sell its phones outside Southeast Asian markets, and as a result, the X200 FE is limited to select regions. The good news is that it is available in India, where it currently costs ₹54,999 ($620) for the 12GB/256GB model. That's in line with what the OnePlus 13s costs in the country as well, so there isn't much to differentiate either device in that regard.
Clean design with usability in mind
I like the design of the X200 FE. The phone has flat sides, but they're comfortable to hold and use, and at 186g, it isn't anywhere as heavy as the X200 Pro. In fact, it is a smidgen thinner than the 13s as well, and the in-hand feel is one of the reasons why I enjoy using this device so much.
I got the Frost Blue color of the device, but the Amber Yellow is the variant to get if you need a device that grabs attention immediately. The frosted glass finish at the back ensures it's easy to hold, and the mid-frame gets a matte texture. If anything, the X200 FE is better than the X200 Pro when it comes to usability, and I'm guessing that was the point.
Vivo did a good job in this regard, and the build quality is rock-solid — not that this was an issue on any Vivo phone in recent years. And just like the regular X200 models, the X200 FE gets IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance. Now, I haven't tried shooting jets of hot water at any of these phones with IP69 ingress protection, so I'll have Vivo's word that the phone withstands pressurized jets up to 80 degrees.
The only issue I have with the design is the camera island at the back; the oblong design meshes well with the overall aesthetic, but the island protrudes from the body, and makes the X200 FE wobble quite a bit when using it on a table. Of course, it isn't anywhere as extreme as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but this just wasn't an issue on the X200 or X200 Pro because of the massive camera modules on those devices. Vivo should have retained a similar design at least, albeit a smidgen smaller.
The hardware you need
Vivo knows what it's doing with the hardware, and there isn't much to talk about in this area. The 6.31-inch AMOLED panel has good color vibrancy and contrast levels, and you get the same level of customization as the other X200 devices. It has the Shield Glass that Vivo has been using for a while instead of Corning's Gorilla Glass solution, and it has proven to be reliable in my usage.
I had the X200 FE for just over two months now, and in that time, the phone took a few tumbles thankfully, it came away unscathed each time. The panel gets 2,160Hz PWM dimming along with the usual 120Hz refresh, and it is fluid — just like other Vivo phones.
In short, there are no issues with the smaller-sized panel. It may not have the real estate of the X200 Pro, but it's just as good to play games on, and it gets bright in outdoor use. On that note, the Dimensity 9300+ platform powering the phone is a known quantity, and it does a good job handling visually-demanding games. I would have liked the same Dimensity 9400 as the rest of the X200 range, but the older platform still has a lot to offer.
My main annoyance in this area is that Vivo is using UFS 3.1 storage modules; while I get that the X200 FE doesn't cost as much as its siblings, even mid-range phones are now coming with UFS 4.0, so I don't really understand why the brand didn't use those modules. Thankfully, there's 12GB of RAM as standard, and the 512GB model I'm using comes with 16GB of memory.
The X200 FE gets a 50MP main lens alongside a 50MP 3x tele and 8MP wide-angle, and honestly, it does a fabulous job taking photos. It doesn't measure up to the X200 Pro, but it uses the same main camera as the X200, and while the wide-angle lens isn't quite as good, I didn't have any problems with the other modules.
It is a battery beast
Most small phones don't last as long as traditional flagships, but that is not the case with the X200 FE. Vivo somehow managed to slot in a huge 6,500mAh battery in the phone, and it is even bigger than what you get on the X200 Pro. The result is that the X200 FE lasts two days between charges, and even after pushing the phone, I comfortably got a day and a half.
Battery anxiety is a thing of the past on Android — unless you're using the S25 Edge. Other than that outlier, any phone should last a day with relative ease, and I didn't have to worry about the battery running out before the end of the day on any of the 50 or so devices I tested this year. If anything, the only device that was problematic in this area is the iPhone Air, but that's an entirely different entity.
With the X200 FE, you don't need to worry about the battery whatsoever. It takes an hour to charge even with the bundled 90W charger, but that's not a problem at all. Just like the other X200 phones, the X200 FE gets a silicon-based battery to achieve a density of 845Wh/L, and it's clear that Vivo and other Chinese brands are using this tech to great effect this year.
This is the small phone you need
If you need a small phone that holds its own against regular flagships, I have no problems recommending the X200 FE. The phone is better to hold and use than the X200 and X200 Pro, and it has most of the same features that makes those devices stand out.
It's better than the other small phones I used in 2025, and the best part is that it doesn't cost as much.
The X200 FE proves that small phones can also have excellent battery life. If anything, it lasts longer than the X200 and X200 Pro.
