This ultra camera beast has just gone global, but prepare your wallet

Vivo’s Ultra phones have emerged as some of the best camera phones on the market, but the biggest downside of this series is that they are not available outside China. That’s changing with the Vivo X300 Ultra, as the manufacturer previously confirmed that a global release is on the cards. Now, Vivo has actually launched the phone globally.

The global X300 Ultra is largely similar to the Chinese model. That means a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, a 6.82-inch QHD+ OLED screen, and a 6,600mAh battery. Europe is getting the same battery capacity, which is a welcome change from the downgraded X300 Pro. Otherwise, you can expect 100W wired and 40W wireless charging.

Vivo’s Ultra phone is all about the camera experience, and we’ve got some impressive hardware here. For one, there’s a 200MP 35mm main camera. It is the first phone to feature Sony’s LYT-901 camera sensor, the largest 200MP sensor on the market. The X300 Ultra sticks with the 200MP 85mm periscope camera, although it now has 60fps autofocus tracking as well as improved stabilization in snapshot mode. The phone also has a 50MP ultrawide camera (LYT-818) which is actually larger than the main camera seen on phones like the Galaxy S26 and OnePlus 15. Finally, Vivo is following in the footsteps of HUAWEI and OPPO by adopting a color-sensing camera for accurate color reproduction.

Last year’s X200 Ultra and X300 Pro offered an optional 200mm external lens. Vivo is going further this time with a more compact 200mm lens and a massive 400mm telephoto extender. The latter enables ~17x native telephoto zoom along with an 800mm (~33x) lossless-resolution zoom. These add-on lenses are available as part of optional photography kits, which include the essential camera case and adapter ring, a camera grip, shoulder strap, and more.

In terms of camera software, the Ultra now supports custom photographic profiles that can be shared via QR code, APV codec support (since the S26 Ultra), 4K/120fps log video capture, film style capture for Xpan-style video, audio recording presets, and an overhauled Pro Video mode.

The phone also comes with Origin OS 6 on top of Android 16, and Vivo is promising five major OS upgrades and seven years of security patches. It’s not as good as Google, HONOR and Samsung, but it’s still a respectable update policy.

Vivo X300 Ultra price and availability

This is a big question isn’t it? Vivo has not yet officially confirmed the European price of the X300 Ultra. However, there is a 1TB model Currently listed on Amazon For an eye-watering €1,999. As for its pricing, the X300 Pro starts at €1,399 (~$1,651).

The manufacturer is also making the deal better for pre-order customers in Austria, Hungary, Switzerland and Germany. Those who pre-order the phone between now and April 23 will get a free camera rig kit, one year of screen protection, three years of warranty, and five years of battery warranty. These customers also get 50% off a €599 photography kit, €99 camera bag and 100W charger. Meanwhile, customers who pre-order in Spain will receive a free photography kit, charger, camera bag and camera rig kit.

This isn’t the only phone that Vivo is launching today, it has also revealed the X300 FE. This phone is effectively a downgraded version of the base X300, with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 (not Elite) chip and less impressive main and ultrawide cameras. However, the phone also supports Vivo’s 200mm external lens for native ~8.7x zoom. Vivo has not yet confirmed pricing for the FE, but specifications suggest it may be cheaper than the standard X300, which has a recommended price of €1,099 (~$1,296).