For the past six months, I have been the owner of the compact camera phone vivo X300, which recently got a younger sibling with the FE designation. At first glance, they look almost identical: the same premium body, the same screen, the same class. But behind the similar appearance hides a different set of priorities. One bets on the camera, the other on battery and gaming, and that’s exactly what determines which smartphone suits whom. Let me explain which is better: vivo X300 or vivo X300 FE.
vivo X300 — left, X300 FE — right
vivo X300 vs X300 FE Comparison
In terms of the body, the difference is minimal. Both smartphones feature glass on the front and back, an aluminum frame, IP68/IP69 water and dust protection, stereo speakers, and an ultrasonic under-display fingerprint scanner. Both feel like flagships in the hand, so the choice shifts not toward build quality but toward features. The differences are in the details: the regular X300 has reinforced protective glass and anti-reflective lens coating, while the X300 FE focuses on practicality.
The display on both is identical in key specs: 6.31 inches, AMOLED with a 120 Hz refresh rate, a billion colors, HDR10+, and high resolution of 1216 × 2640. The difference is in brightness: the X300 FE delivers up to 5000 nits versus 4500 nits on the X300, making it slightly more readable in sunlight. At the same time, the X300 supports Ultra HDR and HDR Vivid, which gives compatible content more saturated color and contrast.
MediaTek or Snapdragon: Which Is Better
Here lies one of the key differences. The vivo X300 runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 9500, while the X300 FE is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5. Both chips are built on an efficient 3-nanometer process and deliver flagship-level speed in games, multitasking, and AI features.
Formally, the vivo X300 is more powerful. Source: nanoreview.net
The X300 is the choice for those who need maximum storage and headroom for heavy tasks. The Snapdragon in the FE version, on the other hand, is traditionally closer to gamers thanks to good graphics optimization and broader compatibility with apps and games, despite scoring fewer points in synthetic benchmarks.
Which Smartphone Has a Better Battery
The most noticeable difference for everyday use is battery life. The X300 FE carries a 6500 mAh battery compared to 6040 mAh in the global version of the X300. In real life, this means a more confident charge remaining by the evening, especially during gaming and shooting.
In terms of charging speed, it’s a tie: both support 90W wired and 40W wireless charging. But the FE adds two convenient bonuses — reverse wireless charging (you can charge earbuds or a watch from the smartphone) and bypass charging during gaming, where the phone runs directly from the cable, reducing heat on the battery.
vivo X300 Camera: Where the Standard Version Beats the FE
If photography matters to you, this is where the gap is largest and in favor of the standard X300. It’s clearly aimed at photo enthusiasts: a 200 MP main sensor, a 50 MP periscope telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 50 MP ultra-wide camera — all with Zeiss T* coating and laser autofocus.
Ultra-wide photo on vivo X300
Ultra-wide photo on vivo X300 FE
10x zoom on vivo X300
10x zoom on vivo X300 FE
The X300 FE has a more modest setup: a 50 MP main sensor, a 50 MP periscope, and an ultra-wide of only 8 MP. The FE partly compensates for this with optional external Zeiss zoom lenses and 8K video recording, but the hardware itself is less ambitious. In most scenarios, the X300 delivers more detail and noticeably better ultra-wide shots. The front camera on both is the same — 50 MP with autofocus and 4K recording, so you likely won’t notice any difference in selfies.
Which Smartphone to Buy: vivo X300 or vivo X300 FE
The price difference is small. The vivo X300 costs around 55,000 ₽, while the vivo X300 FE is about 45,000 ₽. For the extra 10 thousand rubles, the senior version offers an improved camera and a formally more powerful processor.
Which smartphone to buy: if your main priority is battery and gaming, the X300 FE is the better choice. If you care most about camera quality and maximum detail in photos, go with the standard vivo X300.
