Vivo’s X300 Ultra has one of the best cameras in any phone

A few months ago, I wrote that A telephoto camera is the only lens that is needed anymoreat least when it comes to Ultra-class flagships. As phones became better, cameras became where manufacturers tried to stand out. As cameras became better, telephoto lenses became the next thing. The latest Ultra phones from Xiaomi, Oppoand Huawei both have made the telephoto, above all, their selling point. Vivo’s X300 Ultra does the opposite.

Instead of pushing its telephoto camera to extremes, Vivo stopped short. The company has focused its efforts on a high-performance 35mm wide-angle camera, unique among its long-narrow, natural-looking competition. Combined with the best ultrawide camera in any phone and new pro-level video, the result is a camera that stands out among all three rear cameras. It’s a less flashy option, but the whole package is more versatile and useful than the ones I’m dealing with and the ones I’ve used so far.

The main camera is the best of the three. The Sony Lytia 901’s 200-megapixel, 1/1.12-inch sensor makes a huge leap in size and concept from last year. X200 Ultra images. But it preserves the best aspect of the camera: the equivalent focal length of 35mm. It’s smaller than most other phones – 23-26mm is typical – but close to what photographers like to look for in their fixed lenses because it feels natural, close to the human eye. It’s also close to a long-term high phones used. If you’ve ever complained that your main camera feels ultrawide, this is the phone for you.

The telephoto camera also has a 200-megapixel resolution, with a focal length of 85mm and a 1/1.4-inch sensor, essentially the same as the X200 Ultra. The small aperture of f / 2.7 can make the X300 seem inferior, but the stability and the sensors and processing tweaks give this review an edge.

Then there is ultrawide. This has not changed throughout the year, but it varies with the size of the sensor. It is bigger than the one above iPhone 17 Pro‘s big the camera also supports image stabilization. In every sense it is a large camera with an ultrawide lens on top. No other ultrawide comes close.

The selfie camera is the only one that doesn’t impress: a 50-megapixel shooter with a small 1/2.76-inch sensor. That’s fine; some cameras are good.

Images on all three rear mirrors are remarkably similar, in almost any lighting. About the difference I can find is that telephoto and ultrawide are easier to move when shooting fast things like cats or cars, and even when it’s dark. Otherwise, choosing between lenses is like choosing the right length to create a shot, without the usual worries about quality adjustments. Images are supported by natural color transitions and a variety of impressive animations. Vivo’s brand of technology is my favorite in any phone, and this year is no exception.

Vivo didn’t just focus on photography. This year it has doubled in video, although the upgrades here are aimed at professionals. Now you can record 4K, 120fps, 10-bit Log video on all three rear cameras, you can import custom 3D LUTs, and use the Pro Video shooting mode to control everything. If you don’t know what half of this means, you’re not alone! These things are beyond the needs of most of us, including myself.

Like competitive Ultra phones, there is also a bunch of camera accessories and accessories. My friend Allison Johnson used to play with her Vivo’s camera performance is apart from the telephoto extender 200mm and 400mm lenseswhich can take amazing pictures more than any other phone can manage. While at MWC Barcelona 2026, I had to play briefly with Custom SmallRig camera cage designed for the phone as well, which squeezes stability, cooling, and light packed into a very attractive package. Both are sold separately and sport what Vivo says is the X300 Ultra can be the basis of a professional camera if you want.

This is a phone though, not just a camera, so I better talk about the rest. For me the biggest letdown in the X300 Ultra is its sleek design. My black version is a pretty good looking device, and while the dual color effect on the green and white versions is better, it’s still no patch on the camera-led display of the latest Xiaomi and Oppo phones. The camera island of the X300 Ultra is also specially raised, almost like a phone, and for some reason Vivo has left out the shutter button, which I miss.

Other specifications are similar to Ultra phones, but amazing compared to Apple and Samsung: IP68 and IP69 protection level, 6,600mAh maximum. silicon-carbon batteryand a 144Hz refresh rate for its 6.8-inch OLED display. Then there are the familiar things, like Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, up to 1TB of storage and 16GB of RAM, and the promise of five years of Android OS updates and seven years of security patches. The phone runs on Vivo’s OriginOS, the best of its predecessors but the weakest of the big players, with a dull interface and a lot of pre-installed apps and ads.

Ultra flagships are as much tech demos as consumer products. It’s an excuse for phone companies to not only showcase their technology, but also to set a vision of what makes a “good” phone right now. As processors and displays and waterproof displays have merged into international standards that have been difficult to change, it’s the cameras that manufacturers can put their storefronts on. And Vivo’s pitch is clear: The best camera is the one that’s good for every lens, not just one or two.

As tech demos go, this one sounds like a very useful, affordable one. The X300 Ultra isn’t launching in the US or the UK, but is available throughout Asia, along with a few European countries including Spain, Italy, and Austria. Its €1,999 (about $2,340) price tag is affordable, and its storage features add hundreds more, even though it costs the same as the 1TB iPhone 17 Pro Max in the same markets. It’s expensive, but for what you’re getting, it’s worth it.

I don’t think this is the best phone you can get for that money. It’s a very good phone, with a great display, great battery, and great performance. But the design is overwhelming, and boring, and maybe even a little ugly. Vivo apps often annoy me. Xiaomi’s 17 Ultra is a slightly better overall package, with an impressive design and a more polished OS. But the three amazing X300 Ultra lenses are so consistent, and so good, that when I’m using the camera all those worries go away.

If I were investing my money right now, I would buy a Xiaomi. But if I had to pick the winner of this year’s Ultra camera competition, Vivo would vote for me.

Photography by Dominic Preston/The Verge