At a time when global supply chains and rising component costs have pushed smartphone prices higher, true flagship releases have become increasingly rare. In a year with fewer top-tier launches, vivo has expanded its lineup with the X300 Ultra and the X300 FE. As the premium centerpiece of the series, the X300 Ultra has been on my test bench, and here is my comprehensive take on how it performs.

Design

The Ultra measures in at 6.42 × 3.02 × 0.33 inches, which is slim for a huge phone. I reviewed the Victory Green edition, which pairs a polished aluminum frame with a brushed finish glass back panel. The build is sturdy, and the back glass proved impressively resistant to smudges throughout the testing period.

Rated at IP68 and IP69 for dust and water resistance, the X300 Ultra is built like a tank for the weather elements. However, at 232g, its heft is noticeable and tends to weigh down a pocket.

The massive rear camera housing causes significant wobbling when the phone is placed on a flat surface. Furthermore, the module’s prominent profile catches on fabric when sliding it into pockets and attracts smudges easily, requiring frequent cleaning before shooting.

Display

The phone’s 6.82-inch 2K ZEISS Master Color AMOLED display is great, characterized by vivid colour rendition and deep contrast. The near-borderless design provides an immersive multimedia experience; while streaming Citadel or Person of Interest, the panel rendered daytime scenes with striking vibrancy and night time sequences with true, ink-like blacks.

Equipped with Ultra XDR and viewfinder-grade calibration, the screen offers high-accuracy monitoring that remains perfectly legible even under direct sunlight. While the panel occasionally boosts sky brightness beyond natural levels on the display while shooting, this high luminance proves invaluable for outdoor shooting and precise framing in harsh lighting.

Sound

The quad-speaker setup delivers a balanced audio profile with respectable bass and treble response even at maximum volume. While streaming Tame Impala on Spotify, the system effectively isolated Kevin Parker’s vocals, ensuring they remained distinct and clear without being overshadowed by the complex, layered psychedelic synth-pop instrumentation. The speakers feel just good as opposed to a rounded experience in terms of soundstage depth at higher volumes.

Performance

The X300 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 mobile platform, paired with a dedicated Pro Imaging Chip VS1+ for enhanced processing. Thermal management is handled by a large liquid cooling vapor chamber to maintain performance stability during intensive tasks.

In AnTuTu, the X300 Ultra scored 3909801 placing it second after the Red Magic 11 Pro(3963575) and above the iQOO 15 at (3719658). Gaming was fluid with games such as BGMI being able to run at a steady 120 FPS for sustained durations without throttling. 

The phone runs on Origin OS 6 based off Android 16 and the interface is pretty much clear and with minimal bloatware which on occasion tends to give push notifications from v-store and other app notifications.

Cameras

The X300 Ultra’s imaging system is headlined by a 35mm main camera using a 200MP Sony LYTIA 901 sensor (1/1.12”) with CIPA 6.5 OIS and 12-bit HDR. The 85mm telephoto lens features a 200MP sensor (1/1.4”) paired with a 3° gimbal-like OIS system rated at CIPA 7.0, meeting strict ZEISS APO standards for chromatic aberration control. Complementing these is a 14mm ultra-wide camera powered by a 50MP Sony LYTIA 818 sensor (1/1.28”) with CIPA 6.0 stabilization, while a 50MP autofocus sensor handles the front. These modules are integrated with a multi-spectral imaging system using a 5MP sensor with 12 colour channels to ensure high colour accuracy.

In practice, this ZEISS lens array delivers some of the sharpest, clearest daylight and low-light images currently available. Daylight shots exhibit excellent shadow and highlight retention, with impressive edge-to-edge sharpness. The hardware allows for up to 10x optical zoom before any noticeable degradation in quality occurs. 

Night time performance is equally strong, preserving fine details with minimal noise. For action shots, the 60fps AF tracking in Snapshot Mode proves highly effective at locking onto fast-moving subjects. Selfies too retained more details on the face along with capturing the natural skin tone.

The videography suite is equally robust, featuring a new Pro Video Mode that supports multi-focal 4K 120fps recording in 10-bit Log, alongside 4K 120fps slow-motion across various focal lengths. The quad-mic recording system effectively reduces ambient noise, providing clear, high-fidelity audio that holds up well for professional use.

For power users, vivo offers accessories, including a 400mm Telephoto Extender (₹27,999), a 200mm Extender (₹15,999), and an Imaging Grip with a 2300mAh battery (₹11,999), or a comprehensive Photography Kit including the phone and all these accessories for ₹2,09,999. While I tested the device without the external extenders, the native 10x optical zoom provided more than enough reach and versatility for most photography needs.

Battery

The X300 Ultra features a 6,600mAh silicon-carbon battery that supports 100W wired and 40W wireless FlashCharge. In real-world testing, the device comfortably lasts a full day under medium-to-heavy workloads including frequent calls, extensive photo and video capture, and web browsing—while light usage can stretch the battery life toward the two-day mark. Using the included 100W power brick, the phone charges from 10 per cent to 100 per cent in under 50 minutes, a commendable result for a flagship with a capacity this large.

Verdict

The X300 Ultra offers arguably the most comprehensive camera experience currently available on Android, rivalling the high standards set by the Oppo Find series in recent years. This imaging capability is supported by a top-tier display, robust audio, and a refined multimedia package. However, entering the pricing territory of the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, especially with the additional cost of the Zeiss lens extenders and accessories makes for a challenging value proposition. Yet, for those specifically seeking the best Android camera system to fuel a career in content creation and photography, the X300 Ultra stands as a powerful tool.

Snapshot

Price: ₹1,59,999 (16GB+512GB)

Pros: Top of the line cameras, great display and decent sound.

Cons: Expensive, light bloatware.

Published on May 13, 2026