Galaxy S27, iPhone 18, Vivo X500 Pro mini: only one of these petite phones packs a Pro main camera

Small-screen phones should not go away and these days, a 6.3-inch panel is what is called "compact". Soon, we'll have some more of those:

• Galaxy S27
• iPhone 18
• Vivo X500 Pro (a.k.a. Vivo X500 Pro mini)

There are some fresh rumors about the Vivo model, which will brighten up your day.

Vivo X500 Pro mini or Vivo X500 Pro?

Per Digital Chat Station, one of the best-known and reputable tipsters, we're about to get a 2nm Dimensity chipset in the upcoming Vivo X500 Pro mini. You should know that this phone might launch as Vivo X500 Pro (without the extra "mini" moniker). The Vivo X300 pulled off the same trick, but in reality, it's as big as the Vivo X200 Pro mini, one of the best compact phones to this day.

If you're wondering what's happened with the Vivo X400 series, well, don't – they're virtually cancelled and Vivo skipped to the X500 series.

This is common among Chinese brands, as the number four is often avoided due to tetraphobia. The word for "four" sounds similar to the word for "death" in several Chinese languages, much like the number 13 is considered unlucky in parts of the West.

It doesn't matter what its moniker is, what you should be happy about is the 2nm Dimensity chipset. If you're a power user or a hardcore gamer, you want the most advanced chipset. And given how good 3nm chipsets are, the 2nm silicon should blow you away (as a rule of thumb, the smaller the number, the more advanced the chipset).

Besides higher speeds and greater power, this also means better efficiency and, potentially, longer battery life.

Solid main camera tech

Going back to the tipster's exclusive information about the Vivo X500 Pro mini (let's keep calling it that for now), we get some exciting claims about the phone's cameras.

The main camera might incorporate a 1/1.28-inch sensor with a 50 MP resolution. This is great, as, while not being a "true" 1-inch form factor, the 1/1.28-inch sensor is pretty large for mobile devices. Larger sensors produce photos of higher quality with better detail and offer impressive low-light capabilities.

For reference, the Galaxy S27 could come with a 1/1.56-inch sensor, as could the iPhone 18, too.

A 1/1.28-inch sensor is about 22% larger in width and height than a 1/1.56-inch sensor, which translates to roughly 48-50% more surface area overall.

What about the other two sensors?

Next, the Vivo X500 Pro mini could pack a 50 MP sensor for the ultra-wide camera. The tipster says this could be a "small sensor", but fret not – it most likely won't be smaller than those used by Apple or Samsung.

Finally, the tipster says we should expect a 64 MP "mid-sensor" telephoto snapper with an 85mm equivalent focal length. This is great for portraits and telephoto macro, too.

What to choose?

It all depends on the price and availability, I'd say. The iPhone 18 could be a solid choice, but I'd suggest waiting until 2027, when the iPhone 20 (the anniversary job!) drops – Apple might grace us with real, substantial hardware upgrades next year.

The Galaxy S27 or the Vivo X500 Pro mini? Well, it depends: both will probably come with higher price tags, so it comes down to availability.

If you're an inexperienced user who doesn't want to deal with Chinese ROMs or international shipping, you're probably better off with the Galaxy S27, as Vivo's compact champion might remain exclusive to China.

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