Vivo X500e Leak: Snapdragon Chip, ZEISS Cameras, New Look

Vivo appears to be quietly reshuffling its X-series deck. A fresh leak from tipster Digital Chat Station teases a compact, ZEISS-tuned member of the family that doesn’t follow the same script as its siblings.

Call it the X500e for now. The phone is said to pack a 6.59-inch display and, notably, a Snapdragon 8-series processor—setting it apart from the rest of the rumored X500 lineup, which is reportedly built around MediaTek’s Dimensity 9600-series. Short, powerful, and potentially global-ready.

Design-wise the X500e seems to be breaking with the circular camera trend of the other models. Images in the leak point to a top-left square module finished with ZEISS tuning. Expect photography to be a headline feature rather than a footnote. Rumors mention an IMX8-series periscope telephoto sensor with a larger-than-average sensor size, which suggests Vivo is aiming for real optical reach, not just marketing numbers.

There’s no full spec sheet yet. Battery details, RAM and storage options, display refresh rate — all of it remains under wraps. Timing is fuzzy too. The bulk of the X500 range is tipped to run on Dimensity silicon and could arrive in September. But a Snapdragon-powered X500e probably won’t debut on the same timetable.

The most plausible scenario: Vivo pairs the X500e with a higher-tier model, possibly the X500 Ultra, which itself is rumored to use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6—meaning a joint launch in the first half of 2027 is on the table.

Context helps: Vivo has a history of regional rebrands. The China-only S50 Pro Mini once reappeared globally as the X300 FE. More recently, Vivo released the S60 and S60e in China but skipped a Pro Mini variant. That gap could be filled by this X500e, effectively replacing an X500 FE or similar refresh in certain markets.

Rumors are slippery. The idea that an X500 FE won’t exist at all is plausible, but far from confirmed. Brands shift names and specs to suit regions and carriers. Sometimes a phone quietly swaps its badge and shows up under a different name on a global stage.

So what should you watch for next? Leaks that list the exact Snapdragon model, camera sensor sizes, and any certification filings that reveal network bands or battery capacity. Those moves will turn rumor into something you can hold in your hand.