I Attended the vivo X300 Launch — Here’s What Stood Out

I Attended the vivo X300 Launch — Here’s What Stood Out

Last week, I attended vivo South Africa’s launch event for the vivo X300 Series, and it’s safe to say the brand is coming into 2026 swinging. Held in Johannesburg, the event marked the local debut of the vivo X300 and X300 Pro, making them some of the first flagship smartphones to officially launch in South Africa this year.

From the moment you walk into the venue, it’s clear what vivo wants the conversation to be about: imaging, performance, and premium positioning. This wasn’t a mid-range refresh or a quiet spec bump — vivo is very deliberately planting the X300 Series in flagship territory.

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Cameras Were the Main Event — And for Good Reason

Unsurprisingly, photography took centre stage during the presentation and hands-on sessions. vivo has continued its close partnership with ZEISS, and both X300 models showcase just how serious the brand is about mobile imaging.

The vivo X300 Pro is the clear headline act here. It features a 50MP Sony LYT-828 main sensor, paired with a 200MP periscope telephoto camera — a setup that immediately signals who this phone is for. During the demo zones, the long-range zoom performance was especially impressive, with sharp detail retention even at extreme focal lengths.

vivo also showed off its optional telephoto lens kit for the X300 Pro, which honestly drew a lot of attention on the floor. The kit adds physical controls like a shutter button and zoom lever, along with an internal battery — turning the phone into something that feels far closer to a compact camera. It’s a niche accessory, but for creators and photography enthusiasts, it makes a strong statement about vivo’s ambitions.

The standard vivo X300 still holds its own, featuring a 200MP main camera, supported by 50MP ultra-wide and telephoto sensors, making it far from a “watered-down” option.

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Flagship Power, Inside and Out

Under the hood, the X300 Series is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9500, MediaTek’s current flagship chipset. vivo was keen to emphasise not just raw performance, but efficiency and sustained performance — especially important given the large batteries on both devices.

Both phones run Android 16 with OriginOS 6, and in day-to-day use during the event, the software felt fast, polished, and packed with AI-driven features aimed at productivity, photography, and smoother multitasking.

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Displays, Design & Battery Life

Design-wise, vivo has leaned into a premium but understated look. The X300 Pro’s 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display is big, bright, and smooth thanks to its 120Hz refresh rate, while the regular X300 offers a more compact 6.31-inch LTPO AMOLED panel — something smaller-phone fans will appreciate.

Battery life is another area where vivo is clearly pushing boundaries. The X300 packs a 6 040mAh battery, while the Pro steps up to 6 510mAh, both supporting 90W wired and 40W wireless charging. Even on paper, those numbers suggest these phones are built for long days — whether that’s shooting content, gaming, or heavy multitasking.

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Pricing, Availability & Final Thoughts from the Event

At the event, vivo confirmed that the X300 Series will be available in South Africa immedioutly for preorder with devices being shipped form the 9th from February 2026. Pricing starts at around R32 000 for the vivo X300, while the X300 Pro comes in at roughly R40 000, with the telephoto lens kit available separately or bundled as part of limited launch deals from Vodacom online. The Devices also come with a 365-day warranty for full repair and a 2+1 year warranty

Walking away from the launch, the biggest takeaway is this: vivo isn’t playing it safe anymore. The X300 Series feels like a confident push into true flagship territory, especially with its focus on camera hardware that goes beyond typical smartphone norms.

A full review will ultimately tell the complete story, but based on what was shown — and what I experienced hands-on — the vivo X300 Series is shaping up to be one of the most interesting smartphone launches South Africa has seen at the start of 2026.