The vivo Y500 256GB 8GB is now available at Mascom International for KSh 48,000, brand new and sealed, at Old Mutual Building, First Floor Room 4, Kimathi Street, Nairobi CBD. This is the higher-memory tier of vivo's July 2026 release, pairing the Unisoc T7300 octa-core chip with 8GB of RAM, 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage, a 6.83-inch 120Hz AMOLED screen, and an 8100mAh battery with 44W FlashCharge. The vivo Y500 also carries IP68/IP69 water resistance and MIL-STD-810H shock compliance. Visit Monday to Saturday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, or order pay-on-arrival delivery countrywide.
The vivo Y500 8GB tier is built for people who work from their phone: shop owners running a Lipa na M-Pesa till alongside inventory and WhatsApp Business, online traders juggling Jiji listings, Instagram orders, and mobile banking, and boda-hailing drivers switching between navigation and rider apps through ten-hour shifts. When 6GB phones start reloading apps mid-task, the vivo Y500 with 8GB keeps everything loaded. That saves seconds on every switch — and those seconds matter when a customer is waiting for an M-Pesa confirmation or a delivery address.
Unlike traditional electronics retailers in Kenya, Mascom International stocks both memory tiers of the vivo Y500 side by side so you can compare them in hand before paying. At Mascom International, we're witnessing heavy multitaskers choose the 8GB unit far more often than the base tier. Users report noticeably fewer app reloads after a week of heavy use. Test the vivo Y500 at our Kimathi Street shop in Midnight Blue or Pearl White, call or WhatsApp +254 708 852 521, or order at www.mascomintl.com for delivery to any county.
Common Questions About the vivo Y500 256GB 8GB
Should I pay KSh 4,500 more for the 8GB vivo Y500 over the 6GB model?
If you regularly run more than five or six apps at once, yes. The KSh 4,500 difference spread across the 24-month warranty period works out to about KSh 6 per day — less than a mandazi — for memory headroom that keeps WhatsApp Business, M-PESA, Chrome, YouTube, and navigation loaded together without reloading. Light users who mostly call, chat, and browse can save the money and take the 6GB tier. Heavy multitaskers, traders, and anyone keeping this phone three years or more should choose 8GB.
How fast is the Unisoc T7300 in daily use?
It sits in the same performance band as MediaTek's widely used Helio G99: quick for browsing, banking apps, YouTube, and social media, with app launches feeling prompt on the 120Hz screen. The 6nm design stays cool, so speed holds steady through long sessions rather than dropping after ten minutes. It is not a gaming chip — demanding 3D titles need reduced settings. Paired with 8GB of RAM and UFS 2.2 storage, the vivo Y500 feels quicker in real use than raw benchmark numbers suggest.
Can the vivo Y500 8GB handle mobile gaming?
Casual and mid-weight games run well: eFootball, Candy Crush, Subway Surfers, and Free Fire at medium settings all play smoothly. Call of Duty Mobile and PUBG Mobile run at low-to-medium graphics with playable frame rates, helped by the extra RAM keeping the game loaded through interruptions like calls and M-Pesa prompts. The Mali-G57 MP2 graphics unit is the limiting factor, not memory. Serious gamers should budget for a Dimensity or Snapdragon device; everyone else will find weekend gaming here entirely acceptable.
How fast does 44W FlashCharge refill the 8100mAh battery?
Faster than the battery size suggests. FlashCharge at 44W restores enough charge during a breakfast stop to cover a full working day, and a complete refill finishes far quicker than the 15W-18W charging common at this price would manage. Bypass charging routes wall power straight to the phone during hotspot use or long video calls, protecting the cell from heat. The vivo Y500 also supports reverse wired charging, so it can top up your earbuds or a colleague's phone during a power interruption.
Does the vivo Y500 support two SIM cards for separate business lines?
Yes — two nano-SIM slots run simultaneously, so a Safaricom personal number and an Airtel or Telkom business line live in one handset. Calls, texts, and data duties are assigned per SIM in settings, and 8GB of RAM keeps both lines' messaging apps loaded without pushing each other out. Note this is a 4G LTE model with no 5G support, which suits Kenya's coverage reality since 4G reaches nearly every town. There is no eSIM; both slots take physical cards.
How tough is the MIL-STD-810H build in real daily use?
MIL-STD-810H means the design passed military-style tests for drops, vibration, humidity, and temperature swings, on top of IP68 immersion protection and IP69 resistance to high-pressure water jets. In practice, the vivo Y500 handles a fall from a pocket onto a shop floor, a dusty ride to Eldoret, or a soaking at a car wash far better than glass-backed rivals. The plastic frame and back flex instead of shattering. No rating makes a phone indestructible, so a case remains a wise KSh 500 investment.
How does the vivo Y500 compare with Redmi and Tecno rivals near KSh 48,000?
The vivo Y500 wins on battery, brightness, and durability: 8100mAh beats the 5000-6000mAh cells typical of Redmi Note and Tecno Camon models, and few rivals offer IP69 plus MIL-STD-810H anywhere near this price. Rivals fight back on processing muscle — several Redmi Note units carry stronger Dimensity chips and 5G — and on camera flexibility with ultrawide lenses. Choose the vivo Y500 if endurance and toughness top your list; choose a Redmi if gaming speed or 5G matters more to you.
What software does the vivo Y500 run and for how long?
It ships with Android 16 under vivo's OriginOS 6 skin — current software at purchase, which is unusual below KSh 50,000 where many rivals still ship older Android versions. OriginOS 6 brings fluid animations tuned for the 120Hz display, split-screen multitasking that benefits from the 8GB of RAM, and vivo's battery care tools. vivo has not published a Kenya-specific update commitment for this model, so plan around receiving security patches regularly and treat major Android version updates as a bonus rather than a promise.
Technical Specifications
Display Quality and Refresh Behavior
- AMOLED technology produces deep blacks and rich color for streaming, gaming, and photo review.
- 6.83-inch size at a 20:9 ratio gives split-screen room for WhatsApp beside a browser window.
- 120Hz refresh keeps fast scrolling through Jiji listings and X feeds fluid and comfortable.
- 450 ppi sharpness renders spreadsheets and PDF invoices clearly for small business paperwork.
- Brightness of 5000 nits at its highest point, with 2000 nits sustained, holds up under direct Kenyan sun.
- HDR playback deepens contrast in supported streaming apps and recorded clips.
Chipset Performance and Thermal Design
- Unisoc T7300 uses a 6nm process, drawing less power than the older 12nm budget chips it replaces.
- Octa-core layout pairs two 2.2GHz Cortex-A78 cores with six efficiency-focused 2.0GHz A55 cores.
- Mali-G57 MP2 graphics manage casual gaming and full-HD video playback without strain.
- Low heat output means speed stays consistent through hour-long hotspot or navigation sessions.
- Day-one Android 16 with OriginOS 6 provides current security patches from first boot.
Memory Capacity and Storage Speed
- 8GB of RAM holds roughly ten to twelve everyday apps in memory at once.
- 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage opens large apps and copies video files quickly.
- No microSD slot means internal space is fixed, making this larger tier the sensible pick.
- Around 230GB stays free after first setup for photos, music, apps, and offline content.
- This 256GB 8GB configuration is the highest tier vivo lists for the global Y500.
Camera Hardware and Video Recording
- 50MP wide camera at f/1.8 captures bright, detailed shots for listings and social posts.
- 1/2.93-inch sensor gathers respectable light for dusk photography around town.
- 32MP selfie camera outclasses the 8MP and 13MP front cameras common at this price.
- Full-HD 1080p recording at 30fps covers statuses, reels, and simple product demos.
- LED flash, HDR, and panorama round out a straightforward, dependable shooting kit.
Battery Capacity and Charging Options
- Silicon-carbon 8100mAh construction stores more energy per gram than standard lithium cells.
- 44W wired charging cuts downtime sharply versus the 15W-18W norm in this bracket.
- Bypass mode feeds wall power directly to components, sparing the cell during long sessions.
- Reverse wired output turns the phone into an emergency source for accessories and other handsets.
- Multi-day endurance suits upcountry trips where sockets are scarce between Nakuru and Kisii.
Network Bands and Wireless Connections
- LTE bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, and 41 match Safaricom, Airtel, and Telkom coverage.
- Two nano-SIM slots operate together for separate personal and business numbers.
- Dual-band Wi-Fi ac links reliably to office routers and home fibre connections.
- Bluetooth 5.4 maintains stable, battery-friendly pairing with earbuds and car stereos.
- USB-C with OTG support reads flash drives and connects keyboards for light office work.
- No NFC chip is fitted; payments in Kenya proceed through M-Pesa and banking apps instead.
Package Contents
Inside the sealed vivo Y500 box: the handset with factory-applied screen protection, a FlashCharge wall adapter, a USB Type-C cable, a SIM ejector pin, a clear soft case, and warranty papers. vivo continues bundling the charger at a time when Samsung and Apple sell theirs separately, so the box is ready to use from the first unboxing. Every unit leaving Mascom International is checked as sealed and complete, with tempered glass and heavier-duty cases available in-store.
Warranty
The vivo Y500 256GB 8GB carries a 24-month warranty through Mascom International covering manufacturing defects. Our Nairobi CBD after-sales desk processes claims for walk-in and delivery customers alike — bring or send the receipt and original box to speed things up. Physical damage, and liquid damage beyond the stated IP ratings, fall outside coverage.
Where to Buy the vivo Y500 in Kenya
Get the vivo Y500 256GB 8GB from Mascom International at Old Mutual Building, First Floor Room 4, Kimathi Street, Nairobi CBD, open Monday-Saturday 9:00 AM-7:00 PM. Compare it against the 6GB unit in person, pick between Midnight Blue and Pearl White, and walk out with data transferred from your old phone — covered by the 24-month warranty stated above.
We deliver countrywide with payment on arrival across all 47 counties. Same-day dispatch serves Nairobi and its environs. Mombasa, Kisumu, Nyeri, Meru, Machakos, and every other major town receive orders within 1 business day. Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit, Lamu, Tana River, and Turkana receive delivery within 2-3 business days. Inspect the sealed box before any money changes hands.
Contact Mascom International:
• Call/WhatsApp: +254 708 852 521
• Email: info@mascomintl.com
• Website: www.mascomintl.com
• Shop: Old Mutual Building, First Floor Room 4, Kimathi Street, Nairobi CBD
Mascom International serves customers nationwide with genuine stock, straight answers, and after-sales help that stays reachable long after purchase. Ask our team which memory tier fits your daily workload — we will tell you honestly, even when the cheaper unit is the right call.
