vivo’s camera teaser campaign for the X500 Pro Series has become a slow drip of specs, and the latest reveal is aimed squarely at video shooters. The company has now shown off just how far it’s pushing slow-motion recording on its next flagship.

The X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max will support 4K recording at up to 960 frames per second, an extraordinary frame rate for a phone camera, alongside two other slow-motion tiers below it.

What vivo Has Confirmed So Far

vivo confirmed last week that the X500 Pro and Pro Max will shoot 4K video at 240fps, and the company has now published a short clip on Weibo showing that mode in action. Beyond the headline number, vivo also confirmed 4K recording at 480fps and 960fps, reaching those higher frame rates through what it describes as 4K frame interpolation and variable speed mapping algorithms rather than pure sensor readout speed alone.

That distinction matters for anyone judging the claim on its face. Frame interpolation software fills in additional frames between what the sensor actually captures, which is a different technical approach than a sensor natively reading out 960 frames every second. It’s a common technique in professional cinema cameras too, so it isn’t a red flag on its own, but it does mean the 960fps figure reflects processed output rather than raw sensor throughput.

The Hardware Behind The Video Claims

Driving these video modes is a new primary rear camera built around a custom Phantom 900 sensor, co-developed by Sony and vivo’s in-house Blueprint Imaging team. vivo says the sensor delivers up to 17EV of dynamic range along with 3-axis optical image stabilization, a combination aimed at keeping footage steady and detail intact in both bright highlights and shadows during fast motion capture.

For context, most flagship phone cameras today sit somewhere in the 13-14EV dynamic range. A jump to 17EV, if it holds up under independent testing, would put the X500 Pro’s sensor closer to what dedicated mirrorless cameras achieve, a meaningful claim if vivo can back it up once review units are in hand.

vivo has branded the setup the “ZEISS Ultra Dynamic Main Camera”, continuing its long-running optics partnership with the German lens maker, and vivo Product Manager Han Boxiao has said the X500 Pro Max’s version of this camera adds CIPA 7.0-grade stabilization on top of the 3-axis OIS.

Where Video Fits Into The Bigger X500 Picture

Video is only one part of what vivo is building toward with this launch. The series carries the internal codename “Thanos 500”, a nod to the telephoto reputation the X100 Ultra built two generations ago, and vivo has said the X500 lineup is targeting five upgrade areas at once: video, photography, performance, display and software.

On the photography side, the Pro Max is expected to pair the new main sensor with a 200 MP periscope telephoto camera, continuing vivo’s pattern of pushing periscope resolution well beyond what most competitors offer. Performance-wise, the Pro models are widely expected to run MediaTek’s Dimensity 9600 Pro, built on a 2nm process, which would make the X500 Pro among the first phones on the market with 2nm silicon if the chip ships as expected.

A Launch Window Getting Crowded Fast

vivo has confirmed the X500 series will launch in China later this month, succeeding the X300 lineup that debuted in October 2025. No specific date within September has been announced yet, and vivo hasn’t detailed pricing or confirmed markets beyond China so far.

The timing puts vivo in the middle of an unusually stacked flagship season. September 2026 is also expected to bring the Xiaomi 18, Oppo Find X10 and Apple’s iPhone lineup to market, meaning vivo’s video-first pitch will need to stand out fast in a month already crowded with competing camera claims.

Why This Matters Beyond The Spec Sheet

Slow-motion frame rates make for eye-catching marketing, but they’re also a genuine differentiator in a market where most flagship camera upgrades have started to feel incremental year over year. A 17EV dynamic range claim and a 960fps mode, even a software-assisted one, give vivo something concrete to lead with heading into launch, rather than another round of megapixel or zoom-range bragging rights.

Whether the video quality holds up outside controlled teaser clips is the real question review units will answer. For now, vivo is betting that video, not just photography, is where it can differentiate the X500 Pro series in an increasingly saturated flagship camera race, and the frame rate numbers alone are enough to make that a story worth watching once the phones actually launch.