The Vivo Y500i has officially debuted in China, marking the latest addition to Vivo’s popular Y500 series, which already includes the Vivo Y500 and Y500 Pro. The phone was announced on January 12, 2026 and will go on sale starting January 16, 2026 in its home market.
Design & Display
The Vivo Y500i sports a 6.75-inch LCD display with HD+ resolution (1520 x 720) and a 120 Hz refresh rate, offering smooth scrolling and a responsive everyday experience. It has an 8.39 mm thick body and weighs around 219 g.
Battery & Charging
One of the standout features of the Y500i is its large 7,200 mAh battery, which provides excellent endurance for heavy use. The phone supports 44 W fast charging, helping to replenish its capacity relatively quickly considering the massive battery size.
Performance & Software
Under the hood, the Y500i is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 chipset, an entry-level 5G-capable processor designed for everyday use such as browsing, social apps, and light multitasking. The device runs OriginOS 6 based on Android 16 out of the box.
Cameras
The Vivo Y500i features a single 50 MP rear camera with autofocus and an f/1.8 aperture for standard photography. On the front, there’s a 5 MP selfie camera with an f/2.2 aperture, a simple but functional setup given the phone’s budget-oriented positioning.
Durability & Extras
To stand out in its segment, the Y500i comes with IP68 and IP69 ratings for dust and water resistance, along with an SGS Gold Label 5-star drop and shock resistance certification features that are relatively rare in budget devices. The phone also includes a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, 3.5 mm headphone jack, IR blaster, and support for 5G connectivity.
Memory & Storage
The Y500i is available in multiple configurations with up to 12 GB of RAM and up to 512 GB of internal storage, catering to users who want generous multitasking and storage capacity without spending too much.
Price & Availability (China)
In China, the Vivo Y500i starts at approximately:
- CNY 1,499 (~$215) for the base 8 GB + 128 GB variant
- Mid-tier options like 8 GB + 256 GB and 8 GB + 512 GB range around CNY 1,799–1,999 (~$255–$285)
- Higher configurations such as 12 GB + 512 GB go up to around CNY 2,199 (~$315)
So far, the global availability outside China has not been confirmed, though Vivo may announce plans for other regions closer to or after the local launch period.
Specification
| Network & Launch | |
|---|---|
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Announced | January 12, 2026 |
| Status | Coming soon. Expected release January 16, 2026 |
| Body | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 166.6 × 78.4 × 8.4 mm |
| Weight | 219 g |
| Build | Glass front, plastic frame, plastic back |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Durability |
IP68 / IP69 dust tight & water resistant High-pressure water jets Immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min |
| Display | |
|---|---|
| Type | IPS LCD, 120Hz |
| Brightness | 1000 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak) |
| Size | 6.75 inches, 111.4 cm² (~85.3% screen-to-body) |
| Resolution | 720 × 1570 pixels, 19.5:9 (~256 ppi) |
| Platform | |
|---|---|
| OS | Android 16, OriginOS 6 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz Cortex-A78 & 6×1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| GPU | Adreno 613 |
| Memory & Storage | |
|---|---|
| Card Slot | No |
| Internal |
128GB 8GB RAM 256GB 8GB / 12GB RAM 512GB 8GB / 12GB RAM |
| Storage Type | UFS 3.1 |
| Main Camera | |
|---|---|
| Camera | 50 MP, f/1.8 (wide), PDAF |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Video | 1080p@30fps |
| Selfie Camera | |
|---|---|
| Camera | 5 MP, f/2.0 (wide) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps |
| Audio | |
|---|---|
| Speakers | Stereo speakers |
| 3.5mm Jack | No |
| Connectivity | |
|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band |
| Bluetooth | 4.2, A2DP, aptX Adaptive |
| Positioning | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| NFC | Yes |
| Infrared | Yes |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| Battery & Charging | |
|---|---|
| Battery | Si/C Li-Ion 7200 mAh |
| Charging | 44W wired Reverse wired |
| Misc | |
|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Silver, Gold |
| Model | V2531A |
| Price | About 180 EUR |
Disclaimer: We cannot guarantee that the information on this page is 100% correct.
Discover More iQOO 12 Finally Gets Stable OriginOS 6 Update Based on Android 16
Discover more from Phoonomo
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
