vivo X300 Pro First Impressions: Flat Screen Return, Telephoto Mastery
Speaking of recent imaging flagships, the vivo X200 Ultra is undoubtedly one of the most distinctive. Its camera system, featuring a 200-megapixel telephoto lens, was a result of a year-long refinement process, coupled with a powerful ultra-wide-angle lens with a large sensor base. However, just six months later, the vivo X300 Pro arrived, boasting a near-identical 200-megapixel Zeiss APO telephoto lens, directly challenging the X200 Ultra.
A New Evolution: vivo X300 Pro
Compared to last year’s X200 Pro, which had a rounded design, the X300 Pro takes design cues from both the X200 Ultra and the X200 Pro mini. The biggest change is in the display: the X300 Pro ditches the slightly curved, four-degree depth screen that debuted a year ago, replacing it with a flat, straight screen. This design is especially appealing to those who prefer to apply their own screen protectors. More importantly, the new screen allows for an even thinner bezel compared to the previous micro-curved version.
The X300 Pro’s screen border is a mere 1.1mm, paired with ultra-wide R-angle corners, which were common in 2025. Despite the "standard" appearance, the nearly 6.8-inch screen packs an impressive punch, providing a large and immersive viewing experience.
A Design Upgrade: Velvet Glass & Simplified Camera Module
The design upgrade extends beyond just the screen. The X300 Pro completely replaces the glossy glass back of the X200 Pro, which was prone to fingerprints, with a velvet glass finish that resists smudges and feels smoother. This gives the phone an even more premium “Ultra” feel across all four color variants.
However, the most notable upgrade may be in the camera module design. Gone are the unnecessary Paris studs and the multi-layered bosses from last year’s model. This simplification not only gives the camera a more modern look but also eliminates the dust accumulation issue that plagued the X200 Pro’s lens module.
Hardware and Performance: A Comprehensive Upgrade
In terms of hardware, the X300 Pro is a substantial upgrade from the X200 Pro, offering enhanced features across the board. The phone continues to use a BOE-exclusive Q10 Plus screen, which remains 6.78 inches but now boasts a pixel density of 452 PPI and a peak brightness of 4500 nits, making it easy to view HDR content even in direct sunlight.
The Q10 Plus screen is deeply customized by vivo and BOE, incorporating breakthrough eye protection technology. It now features a full DC display (upgraded from "quasi-DC"), providing an OLED experience that’s as gentle on the eyes as LCD screens. Additionally, the screen benefits from 2160Hz PWM at full brightness, which drastically reduces eye strain.
Under the hood, the Dimensity 9500 SoC continues the proven "all-big core" architecture, enhancing on-device AI capabilities with the newly introduced SME2 unit. While the Dimensity 9500 may not represent a dramatic leap forward in benchmark scores compared to previous years, it remains more than capable for daily tasks and heavy gaming.
Battery Life and Charging: Bigger and Faster
The X300 Pro also sees an improvement in battery capacity, now featuring a 6510mAh semi-solid-state battery (up from 6000mAh in the previous generation). While wired charging remains at 90W, wireless charging has been upgraded to 40W, making it faster and more efficient.
Custom Button and Multi-Functionality![]()
On the left side of the phone, the X300 Pro introduces a custom button, a new addition compared to the X200 Pro. This button functions similarly to the action button on an iPhone, providing quick access to system functions. Unlike the X200 Ultra's camera control button, which relied on a motor to simulate vibration, the X300 Pro's multi-function button offers more practical uses. With the upcoming OriginOS 6, we can expect even more functionality to be unlocked, enhancing the button's utility.
From Ultra to Standard: Camera-Centric Features Across the Entire Series
In the race to make smartphones more camera-centric, vivo stands out as a leader, especially with the release of the Photographer's Kit alongside the vivo X200 Ultra. Unlike typical add-ons like camera grips or snap-on filters, this kit brings a genuine, pro-level lens experience—previously reserved for dedicated cameras—straight to your phone. The 85mm, 200MP telephoto lens, paired with the vivo and Zeiss 2.35x teleconverter, transforms the phone into a pocket-sized powerhouse, allowing for shots at up to 800mm. In practical terms, even from the back of a concert, you can capture images that rival those taken from the front row.
With the new X300 series, this kit is no longer exclusive to the Ultra model. Both the X300 Pro and even the standard X300 now come with their own photographer's kit. The X300 also introduces a fresh look, with a new blue case and silver teleconverter that enhance the retro feel. Using the teleconverter is now easier, with the "Telephoto Extender" mode moved to the main interface, and the Camera app proactively prompting you to activate it—no more fumbling like on the X200 Ultra.
This telephoto extender solution not only solidifies vivo's status as a favorite for concertgoers, but it also addresses the algorithm-heavy limitations of mobile phone photography. By using optical zoom to reach 200mm, rather than relying on digital zoom, vivo provides a far superior experience. The X300 Pro’s telephoto lens, with a 200MP custom HPBlue sensor and a 1/1.4" sensor size, offers better clarity and a more compact design than the X200 Ultra. This sensor also works seamlessly with the telephoto extender in both Stage and Portrait modes.
In terms of imaging, the X300 Pro retains vivo’s signature Zeiss natural color profile, though the sharpening still requires manual tweaking for optimal results. The new main camera features a 1/1.28" Sony LYT-828 sensor with 50MP resolution and incorporates dual-conversion-gain HDR for wide-angle shots, providing better dynamic range (about 16.6 stops). 
For flash portraits, the X300 Pro improves on its predecessor with a 60% brighter flash and optimizations for 24mm, 50mm, and 85mm focal lengths, resulting in more dynamic lighting effects. The "cool white skin" look from xenon flash is now enhanced with a retro "tear-off" effect for a more dramatic portrait experience.
Vivo’s collaboration with MediaTek has also resulted in the X300 Pro’s new "AI Custom Beauty" feature, which offers AI-driven makeup and beauty presets tailored to individual preferences. This feature learns from past retouched photos to create a personalized look, saving time during photo editing. Additionally, the X300 Pro introduces AI-powered removal of unwanted subjects in Live Photos, even eliminating passersby, and now combines dynamic zoom and Hitchcock zoom effects in Portrait mode for more cinematic results.
In essence, the X300 Pro builds on the success of vivo's "single-lens, ultra-large-sensor, telephoto" strategy, showing significant progress in both hardware and software. As phone space tightens and camera demands grow, the single, larger sensor telephoto lens is proving to be the future. This approach, already adopted by vivo, is likely to be the standard for flagship devices in the next few years, providing better optical quality, less algorithmic overhead, and superior overall performance.
OriginOS 6
The vivo X300 Pro introduces the visually refreshed OriginOS 6, which blends trendy material design elements with the familiar vivo aesthetic. While the new system incorporates modern design cues, the core feel of OriginOS remains intact, preserving the original style.
Beyond its updated look, the standout feature of OriginOS 6 is its cross-ecosystem connectivity. For instance, with the vivo Share app, you can seamlessly download and edit photos taken on your iPhone directly on the X300 Pro. This allows you to apply AI beauty models from the vivo device to your iPhone photos and then transfer them to your iCloud library.
Additionally, OriginOS has addressed previous criticisms of its lock screen personalization. On the X300 Pro, you’ll find new depth-of-field clocks, raster lock screens, and live wallpapers that add much-needed flair to the lock screen experience.
As for the X300 Pro's imaging capabilities, it continues to embrace vivo's signature approach of using a large, single-lens telephoto solution, reinforcing the brand’s position in the competitive domestic market.
Which feature of the vivo X300 Pro are you most excited about: the revamped OriginOS 6, the enhanced telephoto capabilities, or the cross-ecosystem connectivity? Let us know your thoughts!
