Vivo X300 Ultra first impressions

Vivo's Ultra flagship has finally arrived in India, and it brings serious camera credentials, a Zeiss partnership and an optional lens kit that changes the game. In Vivo’s words, the launch is special because Vivo's first two Ultra flagships – the X100 Ultra and the X200 Ultra – never made it to India. Priced at Rs 1,59,999, the Vivo X300 Ultra sits at the very top of Vivo’s smartphone portfolio, stepping above the already impressive X300 Pro (Review). The competition is real, the expectations are high, and Vivo seems to have come prepared. We spent some time with the Vivo’s latest flagship and here’s what we think about its prowess.

The Camera: Where everything begins

Any conversation about the Vivo X300 Ultra has to start with the camera. Let’s get the basics out first: The triple rear camera system carries the Zeiss influence with a 200MP LYTIA 901 primary sensor, paired with a 50MP ultra-wide LYT818 sensor and a 200MP periscope telephoto shooter.

Vivo says that its partnership with Zeiss has focused on the complete imaging experience by offering choice on how a person wants to shoot a photograph. This include options in focal length: The camera app defaults to 14mm, 35mm and 85mm focal lengths that essentially covers scenic shots and natural portrait framing.

The 35mm primary focal length is an interesting choice. Most flagship phones default to 24mm or 28mm at 1x zoom, treating 35mm as a 1.5x setting. Here, 35mm is your starting point and the result is a tighter, more intentional view of the subject. The colours are accurate, the focus is on-point and photos sets a new benchmark in camera photography.

Most of the success in this is attributed to the colour science that has also taken a meaningful step forward. The photos by the Vivo X300 Ultra's photos are rich in colour, and provide near accurate output in multiple lighting conditions. The colours feel balanced rather than processed and vivid with slight toe-dipping into oversaturation. This holds true across daylight shooting and low-light conditions alike.

Video capability is equally serious, with 4K 60fps recording available across all three rear cameras and the front camera.

The Photography Kit: A Camera bolted onto a phone

What makes the phone ‘Ultra’ is not just what’s inside the phone but also the optional Photography Kit that allows enthusiasts expand what they can shoot with their phones. For Rs 2,09,999, the complete kit includes the Telephoto Extender Gen 2, the Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra, and an Imaging Grip Kit. Purchased separately, the 200mm Telephoto Extender Gen 2 costs Rs 15,999, while the 400mm Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra costs Rs 27,999.

These lens attachments connect to the X300 Ultra's 200MP periscope telephoto sensor, unlocking 200mm and 400mm equivalent focal lengths and pushing zoom capability to extraordinary levels. The result, particularly with the Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra attached, is something that is genuinely difficult to categorise. It is not quite a smartphone anymore but it is not quite a camera either. You get the capability but not the quality.

The 400mm Telephoto Extender Gen 2 Ultra makes the strongest case for itself in specific scenarios: wildlife photography, sports, architectural detail, or any situation where getting physically closer to a subject is not an option.

Design and display

Amid all the camera focus, the X300 Ultra makes a strong case for itself as a premium device in its own right. Firstly, with so much hardware inside, the phone is heavy – a trade-off that one wouldn’t mind given the camera prowess. The Eclipse Black finish is clean, refined and confident without being flashy. The large camera island is prominent and chunky, housing the triple lens system and the Zeiss branding. There are some fine details that can be noticed like etchings on the camera ring.

The Vivo X300 Ultra comes with 6.82-inch Zeiss Master Colour Display with the right kind of calibration and colour accuracy that makes sense as a companion to the camera system. Viewing photos on this display is a satisfying experience.

Performance and battery

Vivo is not leaving any weak links – it cannot afford to. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 powers the phones, delivery the performance that is expected from an ‘Ultra’ devices.. The phone feels fast, smooth and consistent under demanding workloads. Heating is impressively well managed due to wide liquid cooling vapour chamber.

Coming to battery, the 6,600mAh semi-solid-state battery 2.0 delivers close to two days of use under regular workloads. Even with heavy camera usage throughout the day, the X300 Ultra comfortably lasts a full day without us having to reach for the charging brick. Vivo has kept the configuration simple with a single 16GB RAM and 512GB storage variant.

What we think

After our initial days with the Vivo X300 Ultra, we feel that the phone earns the ‘Ultra’ designation. The camera system is genuinely among the best available on any smartphone right now with the Zeiss partnership bringing photographic intelligence to both hardware and software. The Photography Kit accessories are an intriguing proposition for the committed photographer as they are capable of expanding what a smartphone camera can do in ways that feel meaningful rather than gimmicky. At Rs 1,59,999 (without the kit), the X300 Ultra has announced its arrival putting the ball in competitors’ court. A full review is on the way. But based on first impressions, Vivo has made the wait worthwhile.