Vivo X300 Ultra 5G (16GB/512GB): Price, Camera and Battery Compared with Samsung and Apple

Friends, if we want to view a ₹1.6 lakh phone from a different perspective than a ₹40,000 one, let me take you through it. After all, no one buys the Vivo X300 Ultra for merely ‘decent’ (satisfactory) performance. The real question is whether its camera system justifies the price tag when compared to the Galaxy S26 Ultra and the recently launched iPhone 18 Pro Max, and what trade-offs you might have to make to own it—let’s find out the details.

Quick Answer

If photography and videography—or the camera capabilities—are your primary reasons for considering this phone, then the Vivo X300 Ultra is certainly worth your attention. In India, it is available in ‘Eclipse Black’ and ‘Victory Green’ colors, in a single 16GB + 512GB variant priced at ₹1,59,999. However, if you prioritize long-term software support, a vast ecosystem, or a device that remains cool even under heavy, sustained usage, then this phone might not be the best choice for you.

Key Highlight

• One variant in India. The 16GB/512GB model is the only configuration, so there is no cheaper entry option.
• The accessories are where the cost climbs. The 400mm telephoto extender and grip take the total to nearly ₹2 lakh.
• The camera is the reason to buy. Reviewers consistently rate it among the best camera phones of 2026, especially for video.
• Battery is a strength. At 6,600mAh it is larger than Samsung’s and Apple’s flagships, and reviewers report a day to a day and a half of use.
• Trade-offs exist. Reviewers flag heat and throttling, mediocre speakers, and a shorter update promise than Samsung’s.

What Is the Vivo X300 Ultra?

It is vivo’s top imaging phone in the X300 series. It launched in India on 6 May 2026, went on sale from 14 May, and is sold through Flipkart, Amazon, vivo’s e-store and retail partners. Unlike the cheaper X300 Pro, which uses MediaTek silicon, the Ultra uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

The chip is paired with vivo’s own VS1+ imaging chip, a 6,600mAh battery with 100W wired and 40W wireless charging, a 6.82-inch 2K display, and IP68/IP69 protection.

The Most Important Features

Camera: three big sensors, and a colour sensor

What it is: According to vivo, a 50MP ultra-wide (14mm), a 200MP main camera (35mm), and a 200MP telephoto (85mm), each with OIS and a large sensor. There is also a separate 5MP, 12-channel colour sensor meant to improve colour accuracy.

Why it matters: Bigger sensors collect more light, which helps in dim scenes. The 35mm main lens is also a more natural field of view for portraits and street shots than the wider main lenses on most phones. Notebookcheck noted that even the smallest sensor here is larger than the main sensor in the standard iPhone 17.

Who benefits: People who shoot portraits, travel photos, or video. Vivo offers 4K 120fps 10-bit log video across all lenses, which is unusual on a phone.

Limitation: Notebookcheck’s review measured high colour deviations at first, though a May 15 update reduced them significantly. Buyers should confirm they’re on the latest software.

Telephoto extenders: powerful, but optional and expensive

Vivo sells a 200mm-equivalent extender at ₹15,999, a 400mm-equivalent at ₹27,999, and an imaging grip at ₹11,999. They are not in the box. The grip has its own 2,300mAh battery that powers only the grip, not the phone.

Example Scenario (hypothetical)

Imagine an Indian buyer who wants the phone for wildlife and concert shots. Using vivo’s list prices, the phone (₹1,59,999) plus the 400mm extender (₹27,999) is ₹1,87,998 before the grip. With the grip, vivo’s own bundle price is ₹1,99,997. The “real” price of the setup this buyer wants is therefore about ₹2 lakh, not ₹1.6 lakh.

Battery and charging

The 6,600mAh battery is the largest of the three phones compared here. Real-world reports vary by reviewer but are consistently positive:

• Android Authority reported seven to eight hours of screen-on time and charging roughly every other day.
• Android Headlines reported six to seven hours of screen-on time with over 30% left, and a full charge in 48 minutes with the official 100W charger.
• Digital Camera World measured 37% in 15 minutes and 61% in an hour on PD charging, so the charger you use matters.

One regional detail: the European version has a 6,400mAh battery, while the rest of the world gets 6,600mAh. India’s listing states 6,600mAh.

Display

The panel is 6.82 inches at 1440p, with an adaptive 1–144Hz refresh rate. A high refresh rate makes scrolling and animations look smoother, and the variable range saves battery on static screens. Notebookcheck did note a basic PWM flicker of 110Hz, which some sensitive users may notice, so try it in a store if you are prone to eye strain.

Software

vivo promises five major OS updates and seven years of security patches. That’s decent, but Samsung’s guarantee for the S26 Ultra runs longer: security updates until 28 February 2033.

What This Means in Real-World Use

If you shoot a lot, the X300 Ultra behaves more like a compact camera that also makes calls. If you mostly post to Instagram and WhatsApp, you’ll probably not use most of the extra capability, and a cheaper phone gets you most of the way there.

Performance is strong but not class-leading. In Notebookcheck’s Geekbench 6.7 tests, the X300 Ultra scored 3,462 single-core and 10,733 multi-core, slightly below the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s 3,759 and 11,337. That gap isn’t something you’d notice in daily use. Sustained load is a bigger concern: Notebookcheck flagged high heat and pronounced throttling, and Android Authority called the sustained performance disappointing. Heavy gamers should note this.

Releted: Vivo S2 8GB+256GB vivo website 44999 Price.

Vivo X300 Ultra vs Galaxy S26 Ultra vs iPhone 18 Pro Max

Sources for the table are in the Sources section. Prices change often, so treat them as of 23 September 2026.

How they differ in practice:

• Vivo leads on battery and camera hardware, and offers the widest photography toolkit, but you pay for it in accessory costs, heat, and a shorter update window.
• Samsung is the more balanced, longer-supported choice. Bajaj Finance’s listing shows the S26 Ultra with a 6.9-inch 120Hz display, S Pen support, and up to 10x optical-quality zoom. There is also a pricing wrinkle: Sammy Fans, citing a leaked retailer document, reports Samsung raised S26 Ultra prices in India effective 23 September. That is unconfirmed, so check the live price before deciding.
• Apple is the priciest. The iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at ₹1,79,900 for 256GB and ₹2,04,900 for 512GB. 91mobiles noted that the main camera gains a variable aperture and the design is unchanged from the iPhone 17 Pro series. It makes sense mostly if you already live in Apple’s ecosystem.

Who Should Consider It

• Photography and video enthusiasts who will actually use the multi-lens 4K/log video and are willing to spend on extenders.
• Buyers who want the biggest battery in this class and 100W charging.
• Android users who don’t depend on Samsung’s longer update window.

Who Should Skip It

• Anyone who wants the longest software support or the most mature resale market.
• Heavy gamers who play for long sessions, given the heat and throttling reports.
• Buyers who want a compact or light phone.
• Casual photographers, for whom a cheaper flagship will do nearly as well.

Important Limitations

• Heat and throttling under sustained load, per Notebookcheck and Android Authority.
• Speakers: Notebookcheck called them mediocre.
• Weight and bulk: at 232g, it isn’t a light phone. Android Authority also mentioned a double-stuff camera bump and heavy design.
• Colour accuracy was criticised at launch and improved by an update.
• Accessories aren’t in the box and push the total near ₹2 lakh.
• No official US launch. Stuff noted that US and UK buyers must go the grey-import route, and Europe gets only the 16GB/1TB model at €1,999.

Price and Availability in India

The launch price is ₹1,59,999 for 16GB/512GB, sold on Flipkart, Amazon, vivo’s e-store, and retail partners. Vivo’s launch offers, including an ₹4,000 bundle discount, were valid only until 31 May 2026, so they’ve likely expired. Vivo has raised prices on other X300-series phones since launch (the X300 Pro went up ₹10,000 in July), so confirm the current X300 Ultra price on vivo India’s site. Festive-season sales may also change street prices.

What We Know vs What Is Still Unconfirmed

Officially confirmed (vivo): price, variants, colours, camera specs, battery, charging, extender prices, and availability at launch.

Reliably reported (reviews): battery endurance, heat/throttling, colour-accuracy issues and the update that eased them, performance scores.

Reported, unconfirmed: Samsung’s price increase in India.

Not verified in this research: current live X300 Ultra price, whether India’s retail box includes a charger, eSIM support on the India model, and full iPhone 18 Pro Max specifications.

Final Take

The X300 Ultra is a specialist’s phone. If your priority is camera flexibility and battery, it’s one of the strongest options in India right now, and reviewers’ praise for its video is hard to ignore. If you want a well-rounded flagship with longer support and better sustained performance, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the safer pick. Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro Max makes sense mainly for existing iPhone users. Choose based on how you’ll actually use the camera, not the spec sheet.

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What Actually People’s Asked Questions

What is the Vivo X300 Ultra’s price in India?
Vivo’s launch price for the 16GB/512GB model is ₹1,59,999. Check vivo’s site for the current price, as prices may have changed.

What colours does it come in?
In India, Eclipse Black and Victory Green.

How good is the battery?
Reviewers report roughly a day to a day and a half of typical use from the 6,600mAh battery. Real results depend on how much you shoot video.

Is the Vivo X300 Ultra better than the Galaxy S26 Ultra?
Not universally. Vivo wins on battery and camera hardware. Samsung offers a longer update promise, the S Pen, and better sustained performance in reviews.

Do the telephoto extenders come in the box?
No. They and the imaging grip are sold separately.

Can I buy it in the US?
Not officially, according to Stuff. Buyers would need to import it.

Is the iPhone 18 Pro Max a better buy?
It costs more (₹2,04,900 for 512GB) and suits people already in Apple’s ecosystem. On raw camera hardware and battery size, the Vivo has the edge on paper.

Sources: Vivo India Newsroom

EDITORIAL / TESTING NOTE

Testing note: This article is based on official specifications, published reviews and research. The device was not personally tested by the author. All performance and battery observations are attributed to the reviewers who made them. Prices and offers are as of 23 September 2026.