Vivo X300 Pro

At Rs. 349,999 for the 16GB + 512GB version sold in Pakistan, the Vivo X300 Pro is good value for a specific buyer: someone who wants the most capable camera system available without paying Samsung Ultra or iPhone Pro Max prices.

Main advantages:

• A versatile Zeiss camera system with a 200 MP periscope telephoto, strong stabilisation and pro-level video options
• Flagship Dimensity 9500 performance that handles any current game
• A 6510 mAh battery with 90W wired and 40W wireless charging
• Five years of Android upgrades and seven years of security updates

Main drawbacks:

• A heavy, bottom-weighted body with a very large camera bump
• Weaker resale value than Samsung or Apple phones in Pakistan
• Some photo processing quirks, such as skin beautification

Against the alternatives: the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra costs Rs. 434,999 and brings an S Pen and seven OS updates, but an older chip and a smaller 5000 mAh battery. The iPhone 17 Pro Max costs Rs. 504,999 and wins on iOS, video tools and resale, but has a smaller battery.

Verdict: for photography, zoom and battery life, the X300 Pro offers more for less money than either rival. Buyers who care most about resale value or a stylus should look at Apple or Samsung instead.

Official specs: a 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED panel at 1260 x 2800 (1.5K) resolution, 120Hz, 2160Hz PWM dimming, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support, and a quoted 4500 nits peak. The front is covered by Vivo's Armor Glass.

Real-world use: outdoor visibility is excellent, and an anti-reflective finish keeps glare low in harsh sunlight. Colours are tuned with Zeiss so that photos on screen look close to how they appear on a computer later, which helps anyone editing on the phone. Thin bezels and eye-care modes add to a comfortable viewing experience.

Lab results: GSMArena measured a little over 2,600 nits in auto mode with small bright areas, which is very bright, though far below the quoted peak. It also noted that Chrome does not run at the full refresh rate.

Limitations:

• The flat design is clean but less distinctive than some rivals' styling
• Quoted peak brightness is a best-case figure, not what you see on a full screen

The ultrasonic in-display fingerprint reader is fast, works with wet fingers and does not flash a bright light in the dark.

Official specs: a MediaTek Dimensity 9500 (3 nm) with a top core at 4.21 GHz, an Arm G1-Ultra GPU, LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.1 storage. The Pakistani version has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

Real-world use: the phone opens and switches between many apps at once without any lag, and nothing in daily use comes close to stressing it. AnTuTu scores are reported in the 3.3 to 3.5 million range.

Gaming: PUBG Mobile runs at 120fps consistently, without the frame drops some flagships show, and the cooling system keeps temperatures under control. Bypass charging lets you play while plugged in without heating the battery.

Limitations:

• Benchmarks place it slightly behind the newest Snapdragon flagships, although real-world use shows no practical difference
• Long-term heat behaviour under hours of gaming has not been independently confirmed

The USB 3.2 port is a genuine extra: it supports fast external SSDs for moving large video files.

Official specs: a 50 MP main camera (1/1.28-inch sensor, OIS), a 200 MP periscope telephoto with 3.7x optical zoom and OIS, a 50 MP ultrawide and a 50 MP selfie camera, with Zeiss optics. Vivo's own imaging chips handle processing.

Photos: daylight shots are sharp and full of detail, and portraits can be taken at several focal lengths from wide to telephoto. The telephoto doubles as a macro camera, so close-ups and distant subjects are both covered. A motion snapshot mode at 20x zoom captures fast action automatically, which helps with sports and cricket.

Video: this is the standout. The main camera records up to 8K at 30fps and 4K at 120fps, including 10-bit Log and Dolby Vision HDR, and stabilisation is excellent even in low light. Portrait video with background blur works at 4K 60fps on both the rear and front cameras, and voice focus helps with audio.

Limitations:

• Photos can show skin beautification and colour shifts, although videos look natural
• Detail drops when zooming at 4K 120fps and 8K
• The front camera crops the frame at 4K 60fps
• An optional photographer kit with a teleconverter lens exists, but it is a separate accessory

Official specs: a 6510 mAh silicon-carbon battery in the global version, with 90W wired, 40W wireless, reverse wireless and reverse wired charging. European units get a smaller 5440 mAh battery.

Real-world use: battery life is strong, and the large silicon-carbon cell does not add much weight. Bypass charging and charge limits help protect battery health over the years.

Lab results: GSMArena tested the smaller European 5440 mAh version and found its endurance only average for a flagship, so the 6510 mAh version sold in Pakistan should last noticeably longer. In the same test, a full charge with Vivo's 90W adapter took about 29 minutes.

Limitations:

• GSMArena noted that the phone keeps drawing high power for several minutes after reaching 100%, and Vivo is not clear about its charging behaviour
• Box contents vary by market, so check that a 90W charger is included

Official specs: Android 16 with OriginOS 6. Vivo promises up to five major Android upgrades and seven years of security updates.

Useful features:

• A cleaner, more minimal design than the older Funtouch OS that Vivo used to ship in Pakistan
• Kinetic wallpapers that change through the day, for example a flower that opens as you reach your step goal
• Origin Island, a live activity area similar to the iPhone's Dynamic Island
• Blue AI tools, including Circle to Search, AI retouch, AI eraser and an AI image expander
• A customisable action button and a signal-boosting feature for weak network areas

Limitations:

• Opinions differ on the overall experience; some find Samsung and Apple software more polished
• Imported Chinese units run a different software version, so the official Pakistani model is the safer choice

The update promise is one of the longest from any Android brand at this price.