4 major upgrades Vivo X300 FE will bring over the X200 FE

By
Ashish Kumar
-

The Vivo X300 FE is set to become the second-generation compact flagship in the company’s X series. Launching on May 6th, the successor to the X200 FE (review) has already begun making waves, with the brand actively teasing it ahead of its launch. Key specifications confirm the Vivo X300 FE will stay true to its compact form factor while also doubling down on cameras and other aspects.

Here’s a quick roundup of the major upgrades we expect to see on the Vivo X300 FE over its predecessor.

New design, similar footprint

The Vivo X300 FE will debut with a new horizontal camera plateau on the back panel, similar to the one on the iPhone Air. However, unlike the iPhone Air, the X200 FE’s camera module is busier, with multiple camera sensors and ZEISS branding. The X300 FE will be available in three colour choices: Urban Olive, Lilac Purple, and Noir Black. These differ from the Vivo X200 FE’s colour options.

That said, the Vivo X300 FE will continue to offer a similar in-hand feel and fit as its predecessor, owing to the unchanged 6.31-inch display and flat edges. The exact weight of the smartphone isn’t clear yet, but considering it will boast a 6,500mAh battery, we expect it to be in the same ballpark, around 186 grams. This should make the X300 FE lighter in the hand and pocket as well.

Moving on, the 6.31-inch display will most likely be an LTPO AMOLED panel with a dynamic 120Hz refresh rate and 1.5K resolution.

Flagship-grade Snapdragon chipset

With the X300 FE, Vivo appears to be switching gears by opting for a Qualcomm chipset instead of MediaTek. The overall philosophy, however, remains unchanged: rather than chasing top-tier silicon, the focus is on delivering consistently smooth performance with a sub-flagship processor that will be more powerful than the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ in the X200 FE.

The Vivo X300 FE will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 SoC, the same chipset found in the iQOO 15R and OnePlus 15R. Both of those devices lean heavily into gaming performance, so it will be interesting to see how Vivo tunes the chip for its use, which will mostly be cameras.

The handset is expected to ship with Vivo’s latest OriginOS out of the box and is teased to bring along a suite of AI-powered imaging tools. Among them is the AI Creative Camera, which allows you to reimagine your shots with a range of stylised filters and effects.

Vivo X300 FE will support a telephoto extender kit

The Vivo X300 FE will feature a Zeiss-backed triple-camera system, headlined by the same 50MP Sony IMX882 sensor and a 3x telephoto lens carried over from last year. The rest of the setup could remain unchanged as well, with a 50MP primary camera and an 8MP ultrawide lens likely rounding things out.

What gets more interesting is how Vivo is expanding the camera’s capabilities. The company has teased a 200mm Zeiss Telephoto Extender Gen 2, designed to help capture distant subjects and portraits with improved “clarity and detail.” The company adds that the lens works seamlessly with photo, video, and stage modes.

To recall, the Vivo X300 (review) and X300 Pro (review) also supported the 200mm telephoto lens kit with 2.35x optical zoom, in addition to the phones’ 3x telephoto lenses. The new Gen 2 lens for the X300 FE (and X300 Ultra) is lighter, weighing around 152 grams, down from 190 grams, suggesting improved portability.

The lens, along with the rest of the attachment, will most likely be sold separately, but we’ll be putting it through its paces in our full review of the X300 FE. So stay tuned to 91mobiles.

Fast wireless charging in tow

The Vivo X300 FE might have the same 6,500mAh Silicon-Carbon battery, which will be backed by 90W wired FlashCharge, as its predecessor. However, it is adding a wireless FlashCharge charging solution, and that too at a substantial 40W speed. This upgrade brings a clear step up in everyday convenience, even though a compatible charger must be purchased separately, offering a cable-free way to quickly top up the device while reinforcing the phone’s premium positioning.

The engineering is said to deliver fast charging, long-lasting power, and a lightweight design without compromises.

Bottomline

At a time when most brands are playing it safe with iterative upgrades, the Vivo X300 FE is looking to stand out with meaningful improvements over its predecessor, the X200 FE. While sticking to what worked, like a compact form factor and camera-first approach, the handset boasts a more capable chipset, more versatile charging, and an expanded imaging toolkit with the new telephoto extender.

If the early promises hold up in real-world use, the X300 FE could strike a rare balance between performance, portability, and photography, something not many compact flagships manage to get right. All eyes are now on its price, which one shouldn’t expect to be as competitive as the Vivo X200 FE. The latter was launched with a sticker price of Rs 54,999 for the base variant. If industry trends are any indication, the Vivo X300 FE could be priced well above Rs 60,000.