{"id":417746,"date":"2026-05-08T09:27:27","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T09:27:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/417746\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T09:27:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T09:27:27","slug":"still-the-king-of-camera-phones-vivo-x300-ultra-review-vs-x200-ultra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/417746\/","title":{"rendered":"Still The King of Camera Phones? vivo X300 Ultra Review vs X200 Ultra"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ve already switched my SIM card back to the iPhone, yet I still shoot with 35mm as my default focal length year-round. It\u2019s not because I\u2019m particularly into street photography\u2014it\u2019s simply that this focal length isn\u2019t too wide or too narrow, making it just right for everyday shots. So when I heard that the vivo X300 Ultra<\/a>\u2018s main camera remains at 35mm, I was genuinely pleased.<\/p>\n

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After using the phone for a while, I can tell it\u2019s indeed better than the previous generation, even if some specs don\u2019t look impressive on paper. But is this minor upgrade really worth an extra cost? Well, why not bring in the X200 Ultra and run a direct comparison to find out?<\/p>\n

35mm<\/p>\n

The X300 Ultra\u2019s main camera uses Sony\u2019s latest 200MP sensor. The aperture is smaller, but in exchange, you get stronger stabilization.<\/p>\n

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In well-lit conditions\u2014basically daytime and indoor environments\u2014the X300 Ultra performs slightly better overall than the X200 Ultra. Exposure is more accurate, clarity is higher, colors aren\u2019t overly saturated, and the sharpening isn\u2019t as aggressive as before. The new sensor and updated algorithms bring noticeable improvements to the X300 Ultra.<\/p>\n

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At night, the gap becomes even more obvious. I don\u2019t even need to explain it\u2014you can see how much it has improved just from the photos. Especially with the help of the multispectral sensor, the white balance accuracy is significantly better. There\u2019s only one situation where the X300 Ultra loses to the previous generation: in near-total darkness.<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019re shooting in an environment where people can barely see anything, the X200 Ultra will have slightly better clarity. The performance of the X300 Ultra\u2019s main camera can be summed up with this curve. I still appreciate the effort vivo put into this main camera.<\/p>\n

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There\u2019s a feature on the X300 Ultra that I really like, called \u201cRaw Lighting\u201d. \u201cRestore the camera\u2019s raw lighting for authentic results\u201d\u2014that\u2019s how vivo describes it. Simply put, it reduces the impact of computational processing on the photo. The most obvious result is that the images look more like they were taken with a professional camera rather than a phone. Saturation is further reduced, sharpening is significantly toned down, and fine details look more natural. I think this feature is way more practical than those flashy new filters.<\/p>\n

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X200 Ultra users don\u2019t need to be jealous\u2014just update your system, and you\u2019ll get it too. Well done, vivo.<\/p>\n

85mm<\/p>\n

This 85mm telephoto camera is probably the most controversial one on the X300 Ultra. The sensor size hasn\u2019t changed, and once again, a smaller aperture is traded for better stabilization. So which matters more\u2014the downside of a smaller aperture, or the benefits of improved stabilization?<\/p>\n

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Honestly, the difference isn\u2019t as obvious as with the main camera. You\u2019ll only notice it when you zoom in 200% or 300%\u2014then you\u2019ll realize, okay, the X300 Ultra is indeed better. And this is mainly in low-light conditions; the stronger the lighting, the smaller the gap.<\/p>\n

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So the conclusion is: the X300 Ultra\u2019s telephoto camera is a real upgrade, but only for photos. Video is a different story\u2014I\u2019ll explain that in a bit.<\/p>\n

14mm<\/p>\n

Since there\u2019s no hardware change for the ultra-wide camera, its performance should theoretically be very similar\u2014and it is.<\/p>\n

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In scenes without extreme contrast, the image quality is basically identical to that of the previous generation. However, the two phones take different approaches to HDR. The X200 Ultra tends to control highlights and leaves shadows untouched, while the X300 Ultra does the opposite. There\u2019s no clear winner here\u2014it just comes down to personal preference.<\/p>\n

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Anyway, the main purpose of the ultra-wide camera on the X300 Ultra is to compensate for the narrow field of view when recording video with the 35mm lenses. So next, let\u2019s look at video performance.<\/p>\n

Video & Selfie<\/p>\n

If I didn\u2019t label which footage came from which phone, you definitely wouldn\u2019t be able to tell them apart. In fact, even during editing, I had to carefully check the file names to distinguish which clips were shot from the X300 Ultra. And it\u2019s not just the ultra-wide camera\u2014even the main camera footage looks the same. The improved stabilization doesn\u2019t give you a wider field of view either. You can basically consider their video capabilities to be nearly identical.<\/p>\n

04:26 \u2013 Video & Selfie<\/p>\n

For photography, better stabilization allows for longer shutter speeds, improving image quality. But in a video, shutter speed cannot drop below the frame rate. That\u2019s why you can see the X300 Ultra\u2019s telephoto camera actually performs worse in low light. Especially compared to the previous generation, with a larger aperture.<\/p>\n

The front camera\u2019s the same story as the rear\u2014you really have to pixel-peep to notice any difference. Thanks to reduced noise reduction in the new algorithm, more texture detail on clothing is preserved.<\/p>\n

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Overall, this entire camera system has more upgrades than downgrades. But without any new technology, the X300 Ultra lacks that one \u201chook\u201d to really grab users. For those who chase novelty\u2014like me\u2014most probably won\u2019t be willing to pay that extra $145.<\/p>\n

Grip & Teleconverter<\/p>\n

Luckily, we also got the photography kit and the G2 Ultra lens. Let\u2019s start with the grip. It still connects via Type-C and has a screw mount at the bottom. The build quality is more refined\u2014it both looks and feels more premium. There\u2019s an extra customizable button, and whether the grip charges the phone can be toggled with another button.<\/p>\n

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But two issues remain. First, the unlock slider is still positioned near your fingers, which honestly makes me nervous about accidentally unlocking it. Second, when charging the phone through the grip, the power is only 7.5W. The only real downgrade might be the removal of the kickstand on the case.<\/p>\n

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At the X300 Ultra launch event, two new teleconverters were introduced: a 200mm and a 400mm. The 200mm is more compact, but otherwise unchanged. We already covered it in detail in last year\u2019s X200 Ultra Camera Test, so this time we\u2019ll focus on the 400mm.<\/p>\n

First, you can now enter teleconverter mode directly via the top button, which is much more convenient than before. Image quality is still excellent and looks more natural than AI-enhanced photos. And then\u2026 well, that\u2019s about it. It\u2019s big, heavy, expensive, and the stabilization isn\u2019t as good as expected. So I\u2019d recommend the 200mm version instead\u2014unless you\u2019re really planning to shoot wildlife with a phone.<\/p>\n

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I\u2019m glad vivo considered compatibility between old and new teleconverters. The X300 series photography kit can use the previous generation teleconverters. The G2 and G2 Ultra lenses also work on the X200 Ultra, but the adapter rings are not interchangeable due to changes in lens layout.<\/p>\n

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Also, the X300 Ultra\u2019s grip does not work properly on the X200 Ultra, so you\u2019ll need to buy the correct version for your phone. However, the lenses have no such limitation.<\/p>\n

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Design<\/p>\n

I think I already described the X300 Ultra\u2019s design clearly enough in the hands-on video. In one sentence: you can hardly tell it apart from the X200 Ultra. You can even put an X200 Ultra case on the X300 Ultra, and all the cutouts will line up perfectly. If you\u2019re being picky, yes, there are tiny differences.<\/p>\n

\"\"What it looks like when you put an X200U phone case on an X300U<\/p>\n

For example, the X300 Ultra is indeed thinner\u2014but what they don\u2019t tell you is that it\u2019s actually thicker, including the camera module. Put the phone on a table; it feels more like a seesaw.<\/p>\n

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Also, the white version looks worse\u2014especially compared to how good the X200 Ultra looked. But these are basically the only two design downgrades. The larger vibration motor and the removal of the camera control button are both good changes. Another positive is that the X300 Ultra is the first in the vivo lineup to support USB 3.2 Gen2 with video output.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the best news is that the X300 Ultra finally has a global version, making it easier to buy and service. That said, the Chinese version also has excellent band support\u2014except for slightly weaker signals in rural areas of the US, it works well almost anywhere in the world.<\/p>\n

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Performance<\/p>\n

The X300 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen5, so peak performance is not a concern. However, since the ultra-wide camera is still stacked above the processor, its thermal performance is slightly worse than that of other Ultra phones.<\/p>\n

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In Honkai: Star Rail, its maximum in-game resolution exceeds 900P, which is slightly higher than that of other phones. To keep things fair, I lowered the X300 Ultra\u2019s resolution to 1200P. Even so, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra still wins easily. Even though game optimization could be better, I don\u2019t think it will affect the target audience of the X300 Ultra. If you care that much about gaming performance, you probably shouldn\u2019t buy a phone with such a massive camera module in the first place.<\/p>\n

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Display<\/p>\n

The display and battery life are not the focus of this upgrade. The X300 Ultra\u2019s screen looks and feels very similar to the X200 Ultra. Most apps still top out at 120Hz, and the peak brightness increase is only 100 nits\u2014these \u201cupgrades\u201d are basically unnoticeable.<\/p>\n

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What I can notice is that the old 2.5D glass is now completely flat\u2014finally, it\u2019s easy to apply a tempered glass screen protector. Thanks to the upgraded top speaker, the overall audio experience is better. I\u2019ll include a speaker test at the top of the video<\/a>\u2014listen for yourself.<\/p>\n

Battery Life<\/p>\n

The X300 Ultra\u2019s battery capacity increased by 600mAh compared to the X200 Ultra, but in our standard tests, the difference is negligible. After a full day of gaming and camera testing, 46% battery remained. It may not beat Xiaomi or OPPO\u2019s Ultra models, but it comfortably outperforms Samsung\u2019s. As for charging speed, there\u2019s not much to say\u2014you can tell its level just by looking at the curve.<\/p>\n

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I know\u2014even if you agree that the X300 Ultra\u2019s upgrades are minimal, you might still buy it. Why? Because on the global market, you simply can\u2019t get the more cost-effective X200 Ultra. But after our comparison, you can\u2019t deny that the upgrade is good, though not significant. I\u2019m not a fanboy or a hater of any brand\u2014being loyal to products is definitely smarter. Back when the Xiaomi 15 Ultra showed the smallest improvement, I voiced my dissatisfaction as well. However, since the vivo X300 Ultra is indeed an enhanced version of one of the most powerful camera phones on the market, we still consider it one of the best options\u2014though you\u2019ll have to pay a bit more for the new model. And if you\u2019re already holding the X200 Ultra, considering the price increase, it\u2019s probably not necessary to upgrade to the X300 Ultra in 2026.<\/p>\n

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