The brand known as “Blue Factory” (vivo) has undergone a significant transformation in recent years. Both its mobile phones and operating systems have seen substantial improvements， and its market share has even reached the top spot in China at one point. This success is largely attributed to its flagship X-series phones. From the X80 to the X200 series， vivo has successfully cultivated a brand image associated with excellent photography.
A clear indicator of this is how， when the term “Zeiss imaging” is mentioned today， most people immediately think of vivo， often forgetting about past collaborations with Nokia and Sony.
It’s worth noting that the compact design of this small-screen flagship phone represented a considerable sales proportion for the X200 series， challenging the long-held belief that “larger screens lead to higher sales.” This indicates a strong user appreciation for the concept of “small phone， but uncompromising camera.”
However， the X200 Pro mini was not without its shortcomings. Features like the short-focus fingerprint sensor and a somewhat convoluted model naming scheme likely influenced consumer purchasing decisions to some extent.
This year， Blue Factory has simplified its offerings， releasing only two models: the X300 and the X300 Pro. The X300 Pro continues to focus on being a large-screen imaging flagship， boasting features like a 200-megapixel telephoto lens.
While the X300 has dropped the “Pro mini” suffix， after using it for half a month， it’s clear to see that this is indeed a small-screen imaging flagship.
Why is this the case?
The vivo X300 maintains dimensions comparable to the iPhone 15 Pro， while packing an impressive array of features into a compact body， making it a true “pocket rocket” in the smartphone world.
Let’s first look at the exterior. The X300 continues to employ the centered circular camera module that has been a hallmark of vivo’s flagship designs for several generations. This design， often referred to as the “Oreo” module， has sparked debate among consumers; some find it aesthetically unappealing， others feel that a consistent design across generations can lead to weariness， while a segment of users actually prefer the large circular module.
The writer personally believes that most people lean towards simpler designs. This sentiment is reflected in Blue Factory’s approach this year， where minimalism is taken to an extreme. The entire back of the phone features only the logo and the camera module， complemented by a restrained and fresh gradient color scheme.
This color can shift between white and gold， or even appear pinkish at times， making it a surprisingly versatile choice.
The camera module itself also features a streamlined design， utilizing the same cold-sculpting glass process as iPhones. The camera hump is integrated into a naturally curved surface， creating a seamless transition. This not only reduces visual突兀感 (abruptness) but also significantly enhances the feel of the camera area. Combined with the velvet glass material， the overall handling of this compact phone is excellent.
Due to space constraints in the X300’s smaller chassis， its camera module is less pronounced than the larger， two-stage protrusion found on the X300 Pro， featuring primarily the cold-sculpted glass layer. Coupled with the flat， straight screen and flat-edge design reminiscent of Apple’s aesthetic， the X300 presents a remarkably clean and sharp appearance. If previous X90 and X100 series phones may have overemphasized their premium status through design， the X300 generation exudes confidence， echoing Apple’s approach by using minimalist design to showcase its flagship identity.
The writer suggests that this strategy is effective， using superior materials and craftsmanship as the true indicators of its flagship status. Furthermore， the restrained 6.3-inch screen size makes the entire phone feel incredibly compact and refined. Blue Factory’s flagship phones are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
Addressing a previous omission， the X300 now features an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor， a feature that was notably absent in the X200 Pro mini. Combined with an always-on display (AOD) and an ultra-narrow bezel， the front display experience is also quite impressive.
It is true that ultra-narrow bezels are becoming a standard in the industry， almost a baseline expectation for all manufacturers.
Beyond the narrow bezels， this 6.31-inch 1.5K resolution display offers flagship-level specifications， including a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate， 8T LTPO material， 2160Hz high-frequency PWM dimming， and a peak brightness of 4500 nits， ensuring a top-tier visual experience.
Another welcome surprise comes in the form of accessories. vivo has partnered with the renowned phone case brand CASETiFY. This brand， with its own retail presence， has previously only produced cases for Apple， Samsung， and Huawei， typically retailing for a substantial amount.
While the reviewer， who prefers to use phones without cases， might not be the primary target audience， there’s a valid point about the lack of stylish， branded official phone cases for Android devices. This collaboration addresses that gap. During the initial sales period， purchasing the X300 with this case significantly reduces the price to just 129 yuan.
However， while the case is attractive， protective， and supports magnetic charging， it does alter the X300’s compact profile.
Moving on to the photography aspect， which is often a key consideration for vivo buyers. The X300’s standard version， while maintaining a compact body and a more harmonious camera module design， foregoes the 35mm equivalent lens and 200-megapixel telephoto lens found on the X200 Ultra.
However， vivo has found an innovative solution by equipping the main camera with a 200-megapixel sensor. Beyond being a compelling marketing point， this allows for significantly more flexibility in cropping images without a substantial loss of detail.
The custom Samsung HPBlue sensor， developed in collaboration with Samsung， MediaTek， and vivo， is designed for better adaptation and performance with the phone. This sensor supports 2×2 OCL full-pixel autofocus for precise focusing. Notably， even after a 2x crop from the main sensor， the option to shoot in 50-megapixel mode remains available.
While real-world comparisons suggest the difference in detail between a standard 2x crop and a 50-megapixel 2x shot might not be drastic， especially after social media compression， this capability offers two distinct advantages: less worry about image degradation when cropping， and greater post-processing flexibility.
Top: Standard mode， Bottom: 50-megapixel mode
Ultimately， the inclusion of a high-resolution 200-megapixel main sensor in a 6.31-inch compact phone is a significant benefit for users who prioritize photography in a smaller form factor.
For the periscope telephoto lens， Blue Factory has adopted a new 50-megapixel LYT-602 sensor， likely a minor revision of the LYT-600. It’s noteworthy that the LYT-600 is often used as a main camera in mid-range phones， yet here it serves as a 70mm telephoto lens on a flagship device.
In terms of performance， the X300 maintains vivo’s signature imaging characteristics， with stable color reproduction and zoom capabilities. Among other 6.3-inch compact phones， the X300’s camera setup and performance are undoubtedly competitive.
On the software side， the X300 introduces a “tear strip” effect and a Live Photo feature that can automatically generate zoom and Hitchcock-style zoom effects.
The Hitchcock zoom effect， named after the master suspense director Alfred Hitchcock， first appeared in his 1958 film “Vertigo.” Essentially， typical video shots involve either moving the camera forward or backward， or zooming in and out. The Hitchcock shot， however， combines a dolly (forward or backward camera movement) with a simultaneous zoom in the opposite direction， creating a peculiar sense of spatial compression.
This effect has gained popularity recently due to more accessible equipment and lower production costs. For instance， DJI gimbals now offer one-click Hitchcock shot functionality.
Blue Factory has integrated this seamlessly into its Live Photo feature. Users simply select the mode， point the camera at their subject， press the shutter， and slowly move backward. The result is a Live Photo with the characteristic Hitchcock zoom effect， achieved with remarkable ease.
While the zoom effect may not be as polished as that achieved with professional equipment in cinema， it offers a novel and engaging way to capture photos and videos for fun. The fact that vivo included this in Live Photos， rather than just video， suggests that Chinese brands are not only catching up to iPhone’s Live Photo capabilities but are also innovating within this feature.
Additionally， there are AI-powered beautification and other AI-related camera features. The reviewer considers these to be supplementary additions and doesn’t delve into them further.
It’s also worth mentioning that the X300’s camera module glass is the same as that used on the X200 Ultra， and it features the Zeiss T* anti-reflective Multi-ALD coating， underscoring the “Zeiss” branding.
At this point， the X300 seems to have it all: an improved camera and display， the return of ultrasonic fingerprint sensing， and excellent size management.
However， the battery capacity is a point of concern for the reviewer.
Competitors in the compact flagship segment， such as the Xiaomi 17 and 17 Pro， feature battery capacities of 7000mAh and 6300mAh respectively. In comparison， the X300’s 6040mAh battery can be considered relatively small.
Nonetheless， after a three-hour light usage battery test， the X300 still had 69% battery remaining， showing a slight improvement over the vivo X200 Pro mini’s 64%.
Given the presence of the Dimensity 9500 chipset， a gaming performance test is inevitable， especially with the popular game “Genshin Impact.” In a 30-minute test at full graphics settings in Sumeru City， the X300 maintained a stable 60fps with a power consumption of only 4.8W.
However， the device’s temperature reached approximately 44 degrees Celsius on the back， which is slightly higher than what is typically observed on larger flagship phones. This is a common trade-off with smaller devices struggling with heat dissipation.
The reviewer acknowledges that thermal management in smaller phones is inherently more challenging. However， outside of demanding gaming sessions， general usage should be perfectly adequate， given the balance between its size and performance.
Overall， the X300 represents a steady evolution from the X200 Pro mini， addressing its weaknesses while reinforcing its strengths. This approach is characteristic of vivo.
One minor omission from the X300， compared to the X300 Pro， is the absence of the “Action Button.” While not a critical feature， it could have been a convenient shortcut for rapidly switching to silent mode.
The second point of regret is the 6040mAh battery， especially when considering that even vivo’s own lower-tier S30 Pro mini boasts a 6500mAh battery. The incremental improvement in battery capacity for the X300 is somewhat limited.
Despite these minor drawbacks， the X300 remains a thoroughly balanced and capable “pocket rocket.” Blue Factory has clearly made a concerted effort to pack a substantial amount of technology into this compact device.
It is an ideal choice for users who desire a flagship-tier smartphone with robust features but prefer a smaller form factor. If the iPhone 15 serves as a well-rounded and user-friendly option for the average consumer， the X300 caters more to those seeking higher specifications and superior photography capabilities.
Furthermore， with a starting price of 4399 yuan， the X300 is more affordable.
Given vivo’s consistent track record of incremental improvements and the recent performance of its competitors， the X300 is poised for significant sales success. After all， who wouldn’t appreciate a phone that is both compact and powerful?
