Vivo X300 Pro review: A photography powerhouse with stamina to match

When Vivo introduces a new X series flagship, the question is always the same. Is this the phone that finally outpaces every rival in the camera race? With the X300 Pro, that question lands with more weight, because this is the first time Vivo has layered serious optical upgrades on top of a massive next-generation battery, a fresh MediaTek chipset and the company’s most ambitious software overhaul yet.

I have spent the last several days living with the X300 Pro as my main device, shooting during golden hour in Lodhi Gardens, capturing handheld night photos near India Gate, watching HDR content on YouTube in bright sunlight and stress testing that monstrous 6510 mAh battery in peak Delhi traffic. The real story is not just that Vivo is aiming higher. It is how confidently the phone meets those ambitions.

This is the most complete X series flagship yet, and also the one that feels the least like a niche camera phone.

Design and Display: Brighter, Sharper and Comfortably Premium

The first thing that strikes you is the screen. Vivo is very proud of its new LTPO implementation and it shows. The 6.78-inch flat AMOLED panel delivers a crisp 1.5K resolution with a peak brightness that can shoot up to 4500 nits. In harsh winter sunlight near India Gate, the display stayed readable and vivid without pushing brightness manually.

Colour reproduction leans natural rather than over saturated and the motion performance benefits hugely from the adaptive 0.1 to 120 Hz refresh rate. The software is smart enough to drop to the lowest possible rate during still images or text and jump to 120 Hz instantly while scrolling.

Bezels are minimal at 1.15 mm and the front camera punch hole is barely noticeable. The metal frame has a matte finish that feels luxurious and avoids fingerprints. At 226 grams, the phone sounds heavy on paper, but the weight distribution is well managed. You still feel the bulk of the camera module, but it never becomes a burden during day long use.

Vivo’s new Armor Glass adds an extra layer of protection, and the IP68 and IP69 certifications give you real peace of mind. High pressure water jets and the occasional chaotic monsoon shower are no threat.

Camera System: Alive, Confident and Built for Serious Shooters

This is where the X300 Pro puts all its ambition on display.

Rear cameras:
    •    50 MP primary with Sony LYT828 sensor, f/1.57, OIS
    •    50 MP ultra wide using Samsung JN1
    •    200 MP ZEISS APO periscope telephoto, 1/1.4 inch sensor, f/2.67, OIS, 3.7x optical zoom
    •    Telephoto macro mode and long-range bird mode

Front camera:
    •    50 MP autofocus with Samsung JN1

The primary sensor delivers incredible detail in daylight with a dynamic range that easily rivals the Pixel and Galaxy flagships. Low-light performance is outstanding, especially with the new algorithm tuned for the LYT828. Colours remain realistic and noise is kept in check without over-smoothing.

The ultra-wide camera performs confidently during the day and remains usable at night, with better edge clarity compared to the X200 Pro.

The new 200 MP periscope lens is the star. The APO correction does wonders for chromatic aberration, and the 85 mm equivalent focal length feels perfect for portraits. Macro performance is entirely reimagined. You can shoot macro from a distance using its telephoto macro mode, which makes insects, patterns on fabric and even jewellery details much easier to capture.

Even at high zoom, frame wobble is drastically reduced.

Night mode uses improved ZEISS colour science and the results look crisp without the over processed look that some brands lean into.

Video quality is equally strong with 8K 30 fps and 4K 120 fps on the rear, plus 4K 60 fps with Dolby Vision on the front. OIS and EIS balance each other well, and the 4K portrait video mode looks cinematic without feeling artificial.

For mobile photographers, this camera system is a treat.

Software and OriginOS 6: A Big Visual Leap

The X300 Pro runs Android 16 with OriginOS 6, making it one of the first devices in India with this combination. OriginOS has always leaned heavily into animations and the new Origin Smooth Engine elevates this with more purposeful motion effects.

Features worth noting include:

    •    Dynamic Glow and translucent lighting effects
    •    Immersive Weather with live animated scenes
    •    New home grid layout and adaptive folders
    •    Live widgets powered by Origin Island
    •    Drag and Go for quick multi app content transfer
    •    AI Retouch for photo cleanup and enhancement
    •    Android 16 Live Updates integrated at system level
    •    Advanced cross device features for Mac and Windows

The UI feels polished and responsive. The only drawback is the bloatware. Vivo still bundles apps like Facebook, PhonePe and Netflix, though they are removable. They return after a reset, which is mildly irritating.

Vivo also promises five Android updates and seven years of patches. This is the first time its longevity promise has matched the likes of Samsung and Google, and it transforms the value proposition of the X300 Pro entirely.

Performance and Gaming: Dimensity 9500 Delivers Quiet Power

Powered by MediaTek’s new Dimensity 9500, the phone feels fast, fluid and efficient. The new cores deliver a sizeable jump in performance, especially in single-core tasks. Everyday use is seamless and multitasking feels effortless with the 16 GB LPDDR5X RAM.

In games like BGMI, COD Mobile and Genshin Impact, frame rates stayed stable and temperatures stayed reasonable. The vapour chamber cooling system is elaborate and uses a new capillary design that improves heat redistribution.

There is still thermal throttling during prolonged stress tests, but not enough to disrupt real-world workloads.

Benchmarks are strong, but what stands out is the phone’s consistency.

Connectivity and Biometrics: Everything You Need

The ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is quick and reliable. Face unlock works instantly in good lighting and remains useful indoors.

Connectivity is stacked with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, eSIM, NFC and USB 3.2 Gen1. Call quality remains excellent and the phone supports call recording without announcements. No connectivity issues surfaced during the review.

Audio and Media: Loud, Clear and Very Capable

Stereo speakers sound surprisingly rich, with good clarity at the top end and enough low end to make gaming and videos enjoyable. Headphone output is clean and benefits from Smart DeepField effects.

HDR playback is supported across Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube, and Dolby Vision is handled well.

Battery Life: The Unexpected Hero of This Flagship

This is the biggest practical upgrade from the X200 Pro. The 6510 mAh silicon carbon battery is enormous, yet the phone is lighter than its predecessor. I consistently achieved nearly two days of use with around six hours of screen time. On some days, with only moderate GPS and camera use, the phone comfortably stretched further.

Charging is rapid with 90W wired and 40W wireless. I charged it from zero to fifty percent in under twenty minutes. You need to enable fast charging manually if you want the quickest speeds, and the phone warms up slightly but not alarmingly.

This is easily one of the longest-lasting batteries on a flagship phone in India.

Conclusion: A Flagship That Earns Its Price Through Raw Capability

The Vivo X300 Pro is a serious upgrade, not a yearly refresh. The combination of the ZEISS APO telephoto camera, the huge silicon carbon battery, the new LTPO display, improved build quality, and long-term software support makes this one of the most compelling camera-focused flagships of the year.

It is expensive, and the price hike pushes it into a tough bracket dominated by the Pixel 10 Pro XL, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the OPPO Find X9 Pro. But the X300 Pro has its own identity. It is the phone you buy when photography and endurance sit at the top of your priority list.

If you want the best zoom camera in its price segment and stamina that outlasts almost every premium competitor, the X300 Pro is absolutely worth considering.