Vivo X300 Ultra Review: Premium Features Meet Premium Price in Latest Smartphone Release

As global supply chains and increasing component costs have inflated smartphone prices, true flagship models are becoming increasingly rare. In a year with fewer premium launches, vivo has added to its lineup with the X300 Ultra and the X300 FE. This review covers the performance of the X300 Ultra, which stands out as the flagship model of the series.

Design

The X300 Ultra measures 6.42 × 3.02 × 0.33 inches, making it relatively slim for a large phone. The Victory Green edition features a polished aluminum frame paired with a brushed glass back, offering a sturdy build. Throughout the testing period, the glass back showed remarkable resistance to smudges.

With an IP68 and IP69 rating for dust and water resistance, the X300 Ultra is robust against environmental factors. However, its weight of 232g is noticeable and may make carrying it less comfortable in pockets.

The prominent rear camera housing contributes to wobbling when the phone is placed on flat surfaces. Additionally, the camera module tends to snag on fabric when putting the phone into pockets and attracts smudges easily, necessitating frequent cleaning before use.

Display

The device features a 6.82-inch 2K ZEISS Master Color AMOLED display that excels in color rendition and contrast. The near-borderless design enhances the multimedia experience; during streaming sessions of Citadel and Person of Interest, the screen produced strikingly vibrant daytime scenes and true blacks in nighttime sequences.

Equipped with Ultra XDR and viewfinder-grade calibration, the screen offers high-accuracy monitoring, remaining legible even in direct sunlight. While the display sometimes enhances sky brightness beyond natural levels during photography, this high luminance facilitates outdoor shooting and precise framing in challenging lighting conditions.

Sound

The quad-speaker configuration provides a balanced audio experience with adequate bass and treble response, even at high volumes. When streaming Tame Impala on Spotify, the system effectively isolates vocals, ensuring clarity amidst the complex sound layering of psychedelic synth-pop. However, it fails to deliver a richer soundstage depth at elevated volumes.

Performance

Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 mobile platform and backed by a dedicated Pro Imaging Chip VS1+, the X300 Ultra demonstrates impressive performance. A large liquid cooling vapor chamber also ensures thermal management, maintaining consistent performance during intense tasks.

In AnTuTu benchmarks, the X300 Ultra scored 3,909,801, ranking just below the Red Magic 11 Pro, which scored 3,963,575, and above the iQOO 15 at 3,719,658. Gaming experiences were fluid, with titles such as BGMI running at a steady 120 FPS without throttling.

The device operates on Origin OS 6, based on Android 16, featuring a clean interface with minimal bloatware, though it occasionally prompts notifications from the v-store and other applications.

Cameras

The X300 Ultra’s camera system includes a 35mm main camera with a 200MP Sony LYTIA 901 sensor (1/1.12”) featuring CIPA 6.5 OIS and 12-bit HDR. The 85mm telephoto lens also has a 200MP sensor (1/1.4”) and a 3° gimbal-like OIS system rated at CIPA 7.0. This setup meets strict ZEISS standards for chromatic aberration control. Additionally, a 14mm ultra-wide camera powered by a 50MP Sony LYTIA 818 sensor (1/1.28”) with CIPA 6.0 stabilization complements the main camera, while a 50MP autofocus sensor serves the front camera. These components integrate with a multi-spectral imaging system featuring a 5MP sensor with 12 color channels to ensure high color accuracy.

In practice, this ZEISS lens array delivers sharp, clear images in both daylight and low-light conditions, achieving excellent shadow and highlight retention with edge-to-edge sharpness. The hardware supports up to 10x optical zoom with minimal quality degradation.

Night-time photography also excels, capturing fine details with minimal noise. The 60fps autofocus tracking in Snapshot Mode effectively locks onto fast-moving subjects, while selfies maintain facial details and natural skin tones.

The videography capabilities include a new Pro Video Mode for multi-focal 4K 120fps recording in 10-bit Log, along with 4K 120fps slow-motion across various focal lengths. The quad-mic system significantly reduces ambient noise, ensuring high-fidelity audio suitable for professional use.

For advanced users, vivo offers accessories such as a 400mm Telephoto Extender (₹27,999), a 200mm Extender (₹15,999), and an Imaging Grip with a 2300mAh battery (₹11,999), as well as a Photography Kit that bundles the phone with all accessories for ₹2,09,999. Testing was conducted without the extenders, and the native 10x optical zoom provided sufficient reach and versatility for most photography requirements.

Battery

The X300 Ultra houses a 6,600mAh silicon-carbon battery with support for 100W wired and 40W wireless FlashCharge. Real-world usage demonstrated that the device can comfortably last a full day under medium to heavy workloads, which include frequent calls, photo and video capture, and browsing. Light usage can extend battery life to nearly two days. Utilizing the included 100W charger, the phone can charge from 10% to 100% in under 50 minutes, which is impressive for a flagship with this capacity.

Verdict

The X300 Ultra arguably offers one of the most comprehensive camera experiences currently available on Android, rivaling the high standards recently set by the Oppo Find series. This imaging capability is complemented by a leading display, solid audio, and a polished multimedia package. However, operating in the same price bracket as the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra—alongside the added expense of ZEISS lens extenders and accessories—may complicate its value proposition. Still, for users focused on a high-end Android camera system to support content creation and photography, the X300 Ultra emerges as a formidable tool.