One Week With the Compact Flagship Killer. Review on Vivo X200 FE

After spending one solid week, almost 17 hours a day, and that too every day with the Vivo X200 FE, here is my honest take on it. Its one of the most comfortably capable phones Ive used in ages. Right out of the box, powering up the compact 6.31-inch AMOLED display felt refreshing, bright, vivid, and punchy, but not so giant that its two-hand slog to scroll through Instagram or WhatsApp seemed troublesome. At just around 186 g, it feels lighter than my old mid-ranger as it snuggles in my hand comfortably and slides into my pocket without drama.

The display isnt just easy on the eyes, its robust too. The inbuilt LTPO tech means smooth 120 Hz visuals and excellent brightness, hitting peaks that let me check things even in harsh sunlight. And yeah, Vivos trademark vivid colours are still very intact and alive here.

Under the hood is the Dimensity 9300+, though not the absolute bleeding edge kind, but a solid powerhouse for daily tasks and some light gaming. My go-to app for heavy multitasking didnt hiccup once, but if youre demanding hardcore sustained gaming, expect some warmth creeping in.

Now the factor that blew me away: Battery life. The 6, 500 mAh cell is absurdly generous for such a compact device. I regularly clocked over after a full day of use, and Id still have juice left for an evening session without constantly hunting for a charger. It's a weird flex, but it also recharges quickly: a 90 W brick powered me from zero to full in under an hour.

But heres the real milk, the cameras. Vivo has teamed up with Zeiss for this triple-lens magic(50MP main, 50MP periscope telephoto with 3 zoom, and a modest 8MP ultrawide). Daytime shots are crisp, dynamic, and vibrant. The telephoto is the MVP, I snapped skyline shots from across the street, and I impressed myself with my camera skills, yet still remain amazed by the quality of render it produced. While the Ultra-wide, unfortunately, is the weak link, kind of meh and a bit soft, I chose to stick with the other two trustworthy lenses for most of the time I clicked.

Tweaking the camera UI was kinda fun, which allowed me with option to switch between Zeiss styles, portrait effects, and focal lengths; it was like playing around with a real camera minus the body and lens weight. But to give full transparency: video features are okay, not stellar. You get 4K at 30 or 60fps from the main and telephoto, but theres no Dolby Vision or LOG mode, so visual control in post-editing is limited.

Vivos FunTouch OS is a mixed bag. Its smoother than older versions, and I appreciate the AI touches, but it doesnt feel as clean or customizable as, say, OxygenOS or Pixels Android. Still, nothing ground-breakingly horrid, just expect a skin with some uncustomizable presets.

A couple of minor gripes: UFS 3.1 storage instead of 4.0, and just a USB-C 2.0 port are no dealbreakers in today's time, but worth noting are its bleeding-edge specs that definitely make the experience on this one unique.

All said, the Vivo X200 FE has carved out a seriously sweet spot for me this week. With compact, powerful, and camera-centric at the centre of attraction and ergonomics, with its price bouncing from ₹;54, 999 for 12GB/256GB to ₹;59, 999 for 16GB/512GB, it isnt a bargain grab, but it earns that money by offering real flagship value in a manageable size.

So yes, at the end of week one, this isnt just another phone I wish to quit on, instead I wish to push it over a month and revisit with another review.