When it comes to flagship phones, faster chips, exceptional screens and great build quality are a given, so the real battle for those paying top dollar for their smartphones is on camera quality. Every brand knows this, and nowhere is this more apparent than on Vivo’s latest, the X300 Ultra. Starting at ₹1,59,999 ( ₹2,09,999 with the full camera kit), does the X300 Ultra justify that price, or is it simply a camera nerd’s dream wrapped in a very expensive phone?
Given the phone’s camera chops, it comes as no surprise that the X300 Ultra is a hefty 237g slab with a massive circular island that dominates the dual-tone matte-finish rear panels. In fact, if you’d measure it, the module is nearly as thick as the phone’s 8.49mm frame. It’s expectedly top-heavy, but the softly curved edges make the phone more comfortable to grip than many sharp-edged rivals. The rest of the design is clean with just the power and volume buttons and build quality is flagship grade with IP68/69 water and dust resistance.
But we’re here for the cameras, right? And boy, does Vivo stand up and deliver on this front. The 200-megapixel Sony LYT-901 1/1.12 main sensor is the centerpiece of the rear camera setup, with its tighter 35mm-equivalent field of view (most smartphones, by comparison, stick to 24mm).
It’s incredibly handy for street, travel and food photography, allowing shots to look more punched in, more natural and with that cinematic blur without having to resort to Portrait modes. Across shooting scenes, the main camera turns out photos with incredible detail in both good and low light conditions. The dynamic range is good, and photos pop, though you could switch styles if you prefer lower saturation levels and more accurate colours.
Across all its cameras, Vivo’s collaboration with ZEISS for lenses, once again proves its value. A combination of high-quality optics and Vivo’s image tuning delivers results that are among the very best on Android, and arguably among the best smartphone cameras overall right now.
Of course, should you want to shoot wider, you’ll want to switch to the 50MP Sony LYT-818 ultrawide which, unlike most other flagships, isn’t a compromise by any measure. The 1/1.28 sensor is noticeably larger—bigger than the main sensor in the iPhone 17 Pro/Pro Max—and also boasts dual-pixel high-speed autofocus, optical image stabilization, dynamic range and colours that match the other two cameras.
And while the Vivo X300 Ultra may not chase extremes with dual telephoto cameras like the OPPO flagship or the ambitious continuous zoom system of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, you don’t feel you’re missing out with Vivo’s approach—pack in a strong telephoto shooter with the 85mm focal length, 200-megapixel 1/1.4 Samsung HP0 sensor—and let enthusiasts push it even further with the optional photography kit that dramatically extends its reach.
Much like the 35mm shots from the primary, the 85mm portrait shots are excellent, with great details and skin tones, and this holds true even in dimly lit environments. Great macros too. Punching in all the way to 230mm, and you still get usable shots, albeit a little softer than what I’ve seen on the Find X9 Ultra’s telephoto that I’ve been testing alongside.
But if its reach you need, and on a regular basis, the Photography Kit pushes the Vivo X300 Ultra into territory few smartphones can reach, but at an equally out-of-reach price point. With 200mm and 400mm lenses, plus a grip with controls, and mounting accessories, the setup feels closer to a dedicated camera than a phone, and much like a DSLR, you could buy just one of the two telephoto extenders.
Bear in mind, such a setup is not designed for spontaneous shooting. Attaching everything takes time, and the 400mm, in particular, demands careful handling. The 200mm is far more practical for everyday use, while the 400mm delivers genuinely astonishing zoom shots. For casual shooting though, the X300 Ultra’s native cameras are already more than enough.
Whether you’re shooting at 14mm, 35mm, or 85mm, the photos look like they came from the same camera system rather than three completely different sensors stitched into one phone. To top it off, Vivo has made a serious push on video this year, largely aimed at professionals, but even casual users can get great results from the 4K 120fps Dolby Vision video recording across all the rear cameras.
With so much attention lavished on the cameras, it’s easy to forget that the Vivo X300 Ultra is still a smartphone with a (giant) camera module. The phone’s display—a 6.82-inch, 2K resolution, 144Hz refresh rate panel with wide colour gamut and Dolby Vision support—is every bit as flagship. As is the choice of Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 with the 16GB memory and 512GB storage.
It runs OriginOS 6 on top of Android 16, which offers a bunch of customization options, du jour AI text and image editing features, and it even plays well with iPhones with Airdrop support via Quick Share. The 6,600mAh battery lasts a full day of use, respectable for an all-out power-hungry flagship as this. 100W FlashCharge with the bundled charger makes short work of topping it up in a pinch.
VERDICT
The X300 Ultra is a result of Vivo quietly building one of the most impressive camera phone lineups in the business. Even as it enters a market with an increasing number of “Ultra” devices, the X300 Ultra arguably goes the furthest to justify the moniker. Its price serves as a reminder that this is no casual purchase—this is a statement device for people who want the absolute best smartphone camera experience money can buy.
Tushar Kanwar is a tech columnist and commentator, and tweets @2shar.