Vivo X300 Review: Is This Small Wonder Beating Galaxy S25?

The Vivo X300, which is the new flagship entry of Vivo, concentrates mainly on performance, display, and camera accuracy. The Vivo X300 is priced at €1,049 for the model with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, while the one with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage costs €1,099.

The X300 is one of the very few compact Android flagships available and hence, it is in the €1,049-€1,099 price bracket. However, even with very few competitors, Vivo did not fall back on the measure of having very few phones; it built a phone that could stand its ground against the high-end rivals confidently.

Among its direct competitors, Samsung Galaxy S25 is still a strong choice. It is a little bit smaller and lighter than X300, having the same internal power, but does not have the same display depth and battery life as X300. The somewhat lower price of around €700 for the S25 might tempt buyers who have less money to spend, but the trade-offs between them are evident.

At around €800, the Xiaomi 15 is another great option. It has almost the same size, build, performance, and also imaging capabilities. However, the front-facing camera of the Vivo is better, so, for those who like to take pictures with the front camera, X300 wins with a good margin.

The Google Pixel 10 Pro, which is also in the range of €1,000, promotes the camera-first experience, but the reality has been different regarding its performance. If one is after pure processing power and even imaging in every situation, the Vivo X300 still has an upper hand.

X300 is such a solid machine that it feels like it was designed to be extremely accurate in every aspect of its performance. It has an OLED screen that gets very bright and has a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate that works smoothly when it adjusts the rate according to the usage. The phone is also very efficient in terms of power consumption and its battery can last a long time, helped by the fast charging feature that keeps the downtime to a minimum.

The X300 running OriginOS has witnessed a considerable refinement. Vivo has managed to bring in deeper Android integration while copying Ingenious usability aspects from iOS, and macOS without sacrificing its own character; hence, the new interface of the software is smoother and more intuitive, which is a clear indicator of a very strong leap from the previous versions.

Photography still remains the X300's strongest point. The quad-camera setup produces sharp, well-balanced shots in bright light and has very good performance in dim light. Daytime footage is stable and clear, however, low-light videos, sometimes, do not meet the expectations. Anyway, the overall imaging performance is one of the best in the compact flagship category.

Self-portraits are particularly praised—the front camera produces natural hues and fine details, and thus it is better than most competitors in the same category.

The Vivo X300 mainly draws its strong points from its compact form, the high quality of the display, low power consumption, and camera reliability. Its IP68/IP69 rating, fast charging support, and it offering of five major OS updates, place it among the most future-proof options for Android users.

On the other hand, the situation is not entirely perfect—the average sound output is what the speakers can deliver, and noticeable heat and throttling are the consequences of prolonged gaming sessions. What is more, the European version of the phone is equipped with a battery that has a lower capacity than that of its counterparts.

With its variety of features, the Vivo X300 makes it very clear that the term compact does not imply compromised. If we compare it with the other small smartphones that are hardly any brands that still prioritize it, it will be the winner because of its balanced performance, sturdy build, and continuous strong cameras. For those looking for a little yet powerful smartphone that does not compromise on quality, Vivo's X300 is a confident choice for 2025.