Vivo's flagship just claimed the highest camera score we've recorded, and it does so with a hardware loadout that reads more like a compact mirrorless camera than a phone. The catch is price, though a China import cuts it nearly in half.
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There is a new name at the top of our smartphone camera rankings, and it isn't one of the usual two. The Vivo X300 Ultra has overtaken both the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and the Oppo Find X9 Ultra to claim the highest camera score we've awarded in a 2026 review. The gap to the next non-Vivo phone is wide enough that this isn't a photo-finish, it's a clear lead.
What's new
Vivo built the X300 Ultra around three Zeiss-branded cameras, and every one of them uses an unusually large sensor. The main camera runs a 1/1.12-inch Sony LYT-901, which is closer in size to the sensors you find in premium compact cameras than to the modules most flagships ship. The ultra-wide pairs with a 1/1.28-inch Sony LYT-818, and the telephoto uses a 1/1.4-inch Samsung ISOCELL HP0. Three large sensors across three focal lengths is the part competitors struggle to match, because most phones reserve the big sensor for the main camera alone and economize on the rest.
Hardware is only half the story. Vivo's processing pipeline is what pushes the results past the competition, and after some early firmware problems the company resolved through an update, the phone settled into form. The X300 Ultra also raises the default capture resolution to 25 MP across all focal lengths, up from the 12.5 MP that has been standard for pixel-binned flagship shooters. That higher resolution pulls out noticeably more fine detail, and because it applies to every lens rather than just the main camera, the gains carry through the zoom range.
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Video gets the same treatment. The X300 Ultra records 4K at 120 frames per second on every focal length, not just the main sensor, and it can capture that 120 fps footage in Dolby Vision and 10-bit LOG for color grading. It tops out at 8K for users who want maximum resolution. The combination of high frame rates, LOG capture, and a consistent feature set across lenses is the kind of spec sheet that videographers usually have to step up to dedicated cameras to find.
How it compares
The headline comparison is the one in our rankings. The Galaxy S26 Ultra and the Oppo Find X9 Ultra are both strong cameras, and the Oppo in particular has been a frequent contender at the top. Neither could close the gap to the Vivo this cycle.
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The more interesting comparison is internal. The X300 Ultra sits above the X300 Pro in our testing, though the margin in raw camera performance is narrower than the price difference between the two models would suggest. If you care primarily about the largest sensors and the full video feature set, the Ultra earns its place. If you want most of the experience for less, the Pro remains a sensible alternative, a point worth weighing before spending up.
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Then there is the price comparison, which is where buyers in Europe face a real decision. The only configuration planned for the European market pairs 16GB of RAM with 1TB of storage, and current prices sit above €1,800. Our imported review unit from Trading Shenzhen started at under €1,000, which makes the China version close to half the cost of the global model. The two aren't identical, and the differences in software, band support, and Google services are the sort of thing that can matter day to day. We covered those distinctions in detail in our full review of the X300 Ultra.
Who it's for
This is a phone for people who treat the camera as the primary reason to buy. If you shoot stills at multiple focal lengths and want large sensors behind each one, or if you record video and want 4K120 with LOG and Dolby Vision throughout the zoom range, the X300 Ultra delivers more capability than anything else we tested this year. Photographers who lean on the telephoto especially benefit, since the large sensors and higher capture resolution hold up better as you zoom in.
The global pricing is harder to justify against rivals that come close for less, so the value case rests heavily on whether you're willing to import. Buyers comfortable with a China version and its software quirks get a class-leading camera at a price that undercuts most flagship competition. Those who want the official European model with full local support pay a steep premium for the same sensors. Either way, the photography itself is no longer the question. The X300 Ultra answers that on its own.
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