I used Vivo’s X300 Pro and the brand-new X300 Ultra, and there’s no doubting that these are two of the best camera phones available today. The X300 Pro by itself is a fantastic phone, and if you want the best all-round cameras and intend to take a lot of videos, the X300 Ultra gives you the ultimate cameras of 2026 — with the associated price tag.
The regular X300 is quite good in its own right, and while it doesn’t get quite as much attention, I enjoyed using the smaller phone. Vivo now has a new model dubbed the X300 FE, and while it shares a lot of similarities to the X300, there are a few key differences: it has better global bands, a bigger battery, and you don’t get the same cameras.
There’s just one problem: the X300 FE starts at a hefty €999 ($1,171) in countries like Austria, and that makes it a non-starter considering the regular X300 is now selling for €849 ($995) in the region. The X300 started out at €1,049 ($1,230), but as it has been on sale for close to half a year now, the phone is seeing discounts, making it more affordable than the FE model that just debuted.
It’s a similar situation in India, where the X300 costs ₹75,999 ($800), and the X300 FE launched at ₹79,999 ($842). Clearly, Vivo will need to correct the pricing after launch, because it doesn’t really make sense to pay more than the X300 to get the X300 FE.
Regardless, I used the X300 FE alongside the standard X300 and the X300 Ultra, and I have to admit that I like the phone quite a bit. Vivo changed a few things with the device to make it stand out from the regular X300, but the underlying foundations are broadly the same on both phones, and that’s evident when using the devices next to one another.
The X300 FE has a design you’ll love
If there’s one thing that stands out with all the X300 phones, it’s massive camera islands. There really isn’t any other way to accommodate a trio or quartet of high-resolution cameras, and that’s why the design of the X300 FE feels refreshing.
The phone has the same small 6.31-inch panel as the X300, but the redesigned camera housing makes it that much more comfortable to hold, and there’s no wobble when using it on a table. The camera bar design is reminiscent of the Huawei Nexus 6P, but the metal housing allows it to be distinctive in its own right. While recent Pixels also have a camera bar, the design is differentiated enough that the X300 FE feels unique.
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The in-hand feel is among the best of any Vivo phone, and I used all of the brand’s phones released over the last four years. The boxy sides have beveled edges, and the smaller size means you can easily use the X300 FE one-handed. Vivo didn’t shortchange buyers, and the X300 FE gets IP68 and IP69 ingress protection, an aluminum mid-frame, a glass rear with matte texture, and metal encasing the cameras.
I’m using the Purple variant, and it looks good while not being too flashy. I like the choice of colors this time, and if anything, I would’ve preferred to see this variant on the X300 Ultra instead. The 6.31-inch OLED panel is just as good as other X300 devices; you get excellent color vibrancy and contrast levels, decent customizability, and eye protection features you’ll actually use.
You get a bigger battery than the Galaxy S26 Ultra
Coming in at 190g, the X300 FE weighs the same as the X300, but it has a much bigger 6,500mAh battery. By contrast, the Austrian model of the X300 that I’m using has a 5,360mAh battery instead. The bigger battery makes a huge difference in daily use, and it easily lasts a day and a half even with heavy use.
The fact that you get such a big battery in a relatively small phone is the biggest differentiator with the X300 FE. Vivo is once again using silicon-carbon tech to good effect, and the X300 FE outshines the X300, Xiaomi 17, and Galaxy S26 in this regard. This is the biggest battery on a 6.3-inch phone, and if that’s something you’re after, the X300 FE is a good choice.
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Vivo’s 90W charging means the X300 FE takes under 50 minutes to charge the battery, and you get USB PD charging as well, up to 50W. On the whole, battery longevity is one of the main reasons why I like the X300 FE, and Vivo did a great job in this area.
The X300 FE has reliable cameras and internals
Switching over to the internals, the X300 FE is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, and while it isn’t using the best that Qualcomm has to offer, I didn’t see any issues. I used the 12GB/512GB model of the device, and while I would’ve liked 16GB, that’s about the only quibble I have on the hardware configuration.
The cameras aren’t quite as good as the X300; instead of a 200MP main camera, you get a 50MP Sony Lytia 702 sensor, and it’s joined by a 50MP Lytia 600 telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and an 8MP wide-angle lens. I get that the X300 FE is positioned below the X300, but that’s no excuse to not have the same wide-angle lens on the device. The main camera and tele lenses do a great job, but the wide-angle lens is average, and I would’ve liked a better module on the phone.
What is interesting is that the 200mm telephoto extender can be used with the X200 FE as well. I didn’t get to put that to the test as I didn’t have the requisite case on me, but I’ll write a dedicated post around the lens down the line.
The X300 FE is a good overall choice — if the price is right
Whether you want to buy the X300 FE is entirely down to your priorities. If you want a bigger battery and better in-hand feel, I’d suggest getting it over the regular X300. But if you need better cameras, the X300 is the better choice — there’s no doubt.
Also, Vivo needs to sort out the X300 FE pricing to make it an attractive option against the X300 and the X300 Pro, because as it stands, it doesn’t make much sense to get the FE unless you need a bigger battery.
Vivo is doing all the right things in India, and with the X300 Ultra also available in the country now, the brand is consolidating its position at both ends of the flagship category. However, the X300 FE needs to cost a lot less than the X300 to be a viable choice.