vivo will be the first smartphone maker to bring MediaTek's newly announced Dimensity 9600 Pro to market, with the X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max set to launch on September 21. The company confirmed the timing through its official Weibo account, edging out rival Oppo by a single day.

Why vivo gets the bragging rights

MediaTek unveiled the Dimensity 9600 Pro earlier today as its latest flagship chipset, built on a 2nm manufacturing process. Oppo had already confirmed that its Find X10 Pro Max would be among the first devices to use the new silicon, but that phone is not being announced until September 22. Because vivo is holding its launch on September 21, the X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max will be the first devices made official with the chip inside.

The one-day gap is a small but symbolic win in a competitive Chinese Android market, where being first to a new flagship platform carries marketing weight. Both companies are drawing on the same MediaTek chip, so the differences between them will come down to design, cameras, and software tuning.

Camera and imaging focus

In its teaser, vivo emphasized the imaging capabilities of the X500 Pro series. The company says the phones will support 4K 120fps 10-bit Log recording and output, and will include what it describes as a high-performance imaging NPU 2.0 with "industry-leading 60fps autofocus."

vivo also highlighted a self-developed imaging chip that it claims enables "industry-leading 4K Dolby Vision portrait video," alongside a "new high-performance AI processor." These claims come directly from vivo's promotional material and have not yet been independently verified.

What to expect at launch

Full specifications, pricing, and availability details are expected when vivo formally unveils the X500 Pro and X500 Pro Max on September 21. Until then, the company has confirmed only the launch date, the chipset, and the headline camera features it wants to promote.

Why it matters

The Dimensity 9600 Pro is one of the first mobile chips to move to a 2nm process, a step that typically promises better performance and power efficiency. The X500 Pro series being first to market gives buyers an early look at what the new platform can deliver, and sets up a direct comparison with Oppo's Find X10 Pro Max just a day later.

For anyone tracking flagship Android phones this fall, the back-to-back launches signal the start of a new wave of top-tier devices built around MediaTek's latest silicon.