Vivo X300 review: A compact Android flagship with standout camera, battery

The Vivo X300 delivers Pro-level performance, standout cameras, and refined software in a compact body that feels refreshingly easy to live with

The Vivo X300 arrives as the compact flagship, which keeps the core DNA — a camera-first focus, polished finish and handy features — but trims down the size and refines a few practical bits that matter in everyday use. I have been using the X300 for a couple of weeks, running it through photos, video, gaming and day-to-day chores. Below I break down what it’s like to live with the phone, how it differs from the Pro, and whether the camera here is close enough to justify the X300 over its bigger sibling.

How does the Vivo X300 feel?

The X300 measures around a 6.3-inch footprint and sits comfortably in one hand. Compared with the Pro, it’s smaller, a touch lighter and easier to handle for long periods: scrolling, typing and one-hand use are all simpler here. The phone still has presence, it’s not tiny, but it’s a genuinely usable “compact” flagship of 2025 standards.

 

Design-wise it follows the X200/X300 family traits: circular camera module, clean rear surface and a premium matte finish. The camera island doesn’t protrude aggressively, so the phone lies flatter on a desk and wobbles less. Build quality is solid; the unibody rear blends neatly into the metal frame and the in-hand impression is reassuring rather than flashy.   

The display is a strong point. Vivo puts a 6.31-inch LTPO AMOLED panel on the X300 with a 1216 x 2640 resolution and adaptive refresh rate of up to120Hz. Scrolling and animations feel smooth, and daytime legibility is excellent — the panel gets bright enough to keep content readable in direct sunlight. Vivo’s eye comfort features are also notable. Similar to the Pro model, there is a feature that allows the phone to dynamically adjust colour temperature based on ambient light and usage, which also works well in most cases. The flat display also reduces accidental edge touches and makes screen protectors easier to apply.

 

Haptics and speakers are competent for the class. You get stereo output (top and bottom), which is loud enough for media and calls on the move, though it lacks the rich low-end presence of some premium alternatives

How different is the experience from the Pro?

If you’re wondering whether the X300 is a mere smaller shell around the Pro’s internals, the short answer is: not exactly, but the differences are smaller than you might expect.

 

Under the hood both phones run the same MediaTek Dimensity 9500 platform (so performance is effectively the same). In everyday use you won’t feel a downgrade: app launches, multitasking, browsing and medium-weight gaming are all swift and smooth. The X300 keeps thermals under control well for most tasks; sustained gaming will warm the rear a little, but I didn’t encounter worrying throttling or performance dips in my time with the phone. In other words, you get flagship-class snappiness in a smaller, more hand-friendly package.

 

  Software-wise both phones ship with OriginOS 6 on top of Android 16. That means the same visual language, the same Origin Island/Origin controls and the same AI features — photo editing tools, AI notes and the like. The X300 benefits from the same polish: smoother animations, useful lock-screen customisation options and more.

 

Battery is where the X300 trims things: it houses a 6,040mAh cell versus the Pro’s larger pack. Practically that translates to very solid endurance for a compact device — expect comfortable all-day use and an easy stretch into day two with moderate usage. It won’t beat the monster battery life of larger flagship phones, but for this size it’s impressive. Charging is fast: Vivo includes a 90W charger and the X300 tops up quickly.

 

Hardware differences concentrate mainly in the camera department (more on that next) and modestly in battery capacity and the physical footprint. In short: if the Pro’s bulk and bigger battery aren’t important to you, the X300 gives you almost all of the Pro’s experience in a handier form.

Is Vivo X300’s camera comparable to the Pro?

Vivo has clearly prioritised imaging for the X300 and it shows. The X300’s camera stack is serious for a compact phone: a 200MP main sensor, a 50MP ultrawide and a 50MP telephoto (3x). The result is that daytime photos are consistently excellent — crisp detail, wide dynamic range and dependable auto white balance. Colours in the Zeiss presets look pleasing without going overboard; the images are lively but not garish, which makes them easy to share straight away.

 

Where the X300 stands out is in texture and mid-range detail: surfaces, fabrics and foliage retain convincing detail, and the Zeiss-tuned presets produce tones that often feel closer to what your eye saw. The ultrawide is useful and sharper than many rivals in good light; the telephoto delivers usable optical reach and great subject separation for portraits or long shots. Zoom holds up well to 7–10x before you notice heavy artefacts, which is impressive on a compact body.

 

Low-light performance is strong for the segment. Night shots retain good exposure, with shadows held back and highlights controlled. There’s a slight tendency for the processing to add a touch of saturation or smoothing in very dim scenes, but the overall outcome remains pleasing. Portraits fare well too: the combination of optical separation and Zeiss bokeh styles gives you distinctive results without the typical artificial edge-detection errors.

 

Compared to the X300 Pro the gap is narrower than the model names might suggest. The Pro’s bigger telephoto sensor gives it an edge in some fringe scenarios (very long optical zoom and a slightly better close-up portraits), but for most everyday photography the X300 produces results that are very close to the Pro. The primary differences are in fine-detail handling at extreme zoom and some processing choices; otherwise the X300 is extremely capable and, in many scenes, indistinguishable from its bigger sibling.

 

Video is versatile: 4K at 30/60fps is available across lenses, with the main camera also offering 4K at 120fps and even 8K at 30fps on select modes. Stabilisation is solid, and the default colour/contrast tuning produces clean-looking clips. Low-light video drops in detail as you’d expect, but day-to-day footage is excellent for social sharing or casual capture.

Should you buy the Vivo X300?

If you want a compact flagship that prioritises camera performance without forcing you to lug a larger phone, the Vivo X300 is one of the best options in the market right now. It combines a genuinely pocketable size, a bright and adaptive LTPO display, flagship-level performance (thanks to Dimensity 9500), and a camera system that punches well above its weight.

 

What’s good: Compact and comfortable design; excellent, bright 120Hz LTPO display; flagship performance with controlled thermals; a camera system that delivers vivid, textured images and solid low-light shots; long battery life for the size and very fast 90W charging.

 

What could have been better: Speakers and haptics are competent but not class-leading; some AI processing can be a bit heavy in certain scenes; if you absolutely need the most extreme telephoto or the Pro’s largest battery, the X300 Pro still has the edge.

 

Priced at Rs 75,999 onwards, the Vivo X300 should be near the top of your shortlist if photography is a priority and you prefer a phone you can use easily with one hand. It’s a compact flagship that doesn’t force compromises in core areas — and for many buyers that’s the sweet spot.

Vivo X300: Unboxing