vivo X300 Ultra Unboxing and First Impressions

If you thought the premium smartphone race couldn't get any more competitive, vivo has just made a bold statement in the Philippine market. Following the hype that led to the complete sellout of the vivo X300 Ultra Photographer Kit during its local pre-order phase, we have finally managed to get our hands on the retail unit of vivo’s top-tier flagship—the vivo X300 Ultra.

Priced locally at Php109,999, this phone is not just aiming to compete; it seeks to replace your actual mirrorless camera. Let’s unbox it and see what you get for that ultra-premium price tag.

Unboxing the vivo X300 Ultra

vivo has not skimped on the presentation. The X300 Ultra comes in a textured, minimalist dark box featuring the iconic blue ZEISS badge prominently displayed—a subtle reminder of the impressive camera technology inside.

Upon opening the box, you are immediately greeted by the substantial camera bump of the device itself. Digging deeper, vivo thankfully continues its tradition of including everything you need right from the start.

What's Inside the Box

Inside the package, you'll find the vivo X300 Ultra unit (ours comes in the stunning Green). It includes a premium, custom-fit protective phone case that is color-matched and much better than a standard jelly case. Also included is a 100W FlashCharge power adapter, a USB Type-C to Type-C data cable, a SIM ejector tool, and Quick Start documentation.

Note: If you were lucky enough to pre-order, your package may also include the limited-edition vivo WATCH GT 2 and a dedicated vivo Photography Bag!

First Impressions: Hardware and Design

The first thing you'll notice when holding the vivo X300 Ultra is its impressive weight and presence. Weighing over 230 grams, it feels incredibly solid, balanced, and unmistakably premium. Instead of the usual black or silver, our review unit sports an eye-catching Green finish. The gorgeous, earthy satin-matte glass back shifts elegantly under the light and effectively resists smudges and fingerprints.

Let’s address the prominent feature: the large circular camera housing. It protrudes significantly, but it is beautifully designed to resemble a luxury mechanical watch bezel or a high-end camera lens ring, accented with subtle duo-tone colors. When placed on a table, the phone remains stable and does not wobble thanks to the width and central positioning of the camera module.

The front of the device showcases a stunning 6.82-inch 1440p LTPO AMOLED display. It curves gently at the edges, providing an immersive experience without causing accidental touches. It also gets extremely bright, making it perfect for outdoor photography under the intense Philippine sun.

In addition to its durable IP68/IP69 dust and water resistance, the aluminum chassis features a clean and functional layout of ports and buttons.

On the right side, you'll find the hardware keys for easy thumb access, including a tactile Volume Rocker located above a solid Power/Lock Button. Both buttons are securely positioned with no wobble, and the volume keys can be configured to function as a physical shutter button within the camera app. The left side is smooth and uncluttered, only interrupted by integrated antenna bands that enhance cellular reception.

The top edge of the device includes an Infrared (IR) Blaster, allowing it to function as a universal remote for household appliances. Additionally, it features a secondary speaker vent that serves as the earpiece for calls, along with specialized microphone holes that are part of the phone's Quad-Mic Audio Recording Master system, which provides spatial audio in videos.

At the bottom of the device, you'll find a high-speed USB Type-C port, capable of data transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps and supporting 100W wired FlashCharge. Next to it, there is the main loudspeaker grille, a primary voice microphone, and the dual Nano-SIM tray slot. Please note that the storage is fixed; therefore, the tray does not support microSD expansion.

Under the Hood

While the primary focus is on the cameras, vivo has built this phone with remarkable performance capabilities. Swiping, multitasking, and opening apps happens instantaneously on OriginOS 6 (based on Android 16). Moreover, there is a fast 3D Ultrasonic Fingerprint Scanner 2.0 under the screen that unlocks the phone seamlessly, even if your fingers are slightly damp.

To give you a complete picture of what makes this powerhouse tick, here are the full technical specifications of our review unit:

vivo X300 Ultra Specifications

• Display: 6.82-inch QHD+ (1440 x 3168 pixels) LTPO AMOLED panel, 144Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 4500 nits peak brightness, 2160Hz PWM dimming
• CPU: 3nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 octa-core processor (up to 4.61 GHz)
• GPU: Adreno 840
• RAM: 16GB LPDDR5X (plus expandable Extended RAM support)
• Storage: 512GB internal UFS 4.1 (non-expandable)
• Rear Camera: Triple ZEISS Optics
• 50MP Sony LYT-901 main camera (f/1.85, 35mm equivalent, 1/1.12-inch sensor, Gimbal OIS)
• 200MP Samsung ISOCELL periscope telephoto lens (f/2.67, 85mm equivalent, 1/1.4-inch sensor, 3.7x optical zoom, 3° AF Tracking Gimbal OIS)
• 50MP Sony LYT-818 ultra-wide angle lens (f/2.0, 14mm equivalent, Dual Pixel PDAF)
• Front Camera: 50MP selfie camera (f/2.5, 24mm equivalent, Autofocus)
• Battery: 6,600mAh Silicon-Carbon BlueVolt battery
• Charging: 100W Wired FlashCharge, 40W Wireless FlashCharge, Reverse Wireless Charging
• OS: Android 16 with OriginOS 6
• Durability: IP68 and IP69 dust and water resistance (high-pressure stream protection)
• Biometrics: 3D Ultrasonic In-display Fingerprint Scanner 2.0, Face Unlock
• Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, Dual-SIM, NFC, Infrared Port, USB Type-C 3.2 (with DisplayPort support)
• Dimensions: 162.98 x 76.81 x 8.19 mm
• Weight: 232 grams
• Colors: Green (as reviewed), Black, White

Early Camera Impressions

While we haven't had the opportunity to fully test the lenses yet, the specifications are impressive. Instead of starting with a standard 23mm ultra-wide primary lens, vivo has chosen a 35mm equivalent main shooter. This design encourages you to compose your shots with care, much like a street photographer using a genuine prime lens.

To explore the capabilities of this premium camera setup, we took our vivo X300 Ultra around town for a brief test:

• Daytime Landscape & Zoom (Festive Walk Mall): While walking along the sunlit paths of Festive Walk Mall, the 50MP primary lens handled the harsh midday glare with ease. The details in the concrete, the glass structures, and the leafy accents appeared naturally contrasted, avoiding an artificial over-sharpened look. When we switched to the 200MP Periscope Telephoto lens at its native 3.7x zoom and extended it to a 10x crop, distant storefronts and outdoor art installations remained surprisingly sharp. The 3-degree hardware stabilization worked wonders for handheld framing.

• Nighttime & Low-Light Food (Marlu's Restaurant): During the evening test, we visited Marlu's Restaurant, a venue rich in heritage. We captured macro shots of a variety of steaming hot Filipino-Asian dishes under uneven, moody indoor lighting. This lighting can easily disrupt white balance, but the X300 Ultra’s dedicated 12-channel color-sensing array ensured that the steam from the food glazes, and crispy textures all looked true to life. The 60 fps autofocus tracking snapshot performed exceptionally well, keeping subjects sharply focused and virtually noise-free in the shadows.

For content creators, the camera menu also includes professional-grade manual settings, widescreen cinema layouts, and a native 4K 120fps 10-bit log video mode that represents a significant advancement in mobile videography.

Initial Verdict

Priced at Php109,999 for the 16GB + 512GB variant, the vivo X300 Ultra is firmly placed at the top of the premium luxury tier. It is not intended for casual social media browsing; rather, it is a specialized, high-performance tool designed for mobile photographers, content creators, and tech enthusiasts who refuse to compromise.

With its robust IP68/IP69 dust and water resistance, an elite processor, and a huge battery, along with one of the most ambitious camera systems ever integrated into a smartphone, our initial impressions are overwhelmingly positive. Vivo has clearly delivered its absolute best.

Stay tuned for our full, in-depth review on Ilonggo Tech Blog, where we will test battery endurance, performance, and push those dual 200MP ZEISS cameras to their limits!