Looking back at my first few months with GadgetMatch back in 2018 nostalgically evoked my Pocophone F1 core memory. It was touted as THE “flagship killer for less.”

Pre-pandemic, that “Pocophone” simply became “POCO” and became an “independent” kiddo who moved out of its parent’s house.

Almost eight years after that very first iteration, I’ve finally had my first (and long overdue) POCO-perience with the latest POCO M8 Pro.

Design: Repurposed with a purpose

While I have not held a POCO phone until very recently, I am still aware of the brand’s offerings over the years.

Seeing the POCO M8 Pro for the first time instantly reminded me of last year’s Redmi Note 14 Pro series. That’s not me saying POCO blatantly ripped the aesthetics as the POCO X7 also had the same design language.

Like a full circle moment, the aforementioned phones were launched back a year ago.

In all honesty, it still confuses me which direction Xiaomi is heading, especially with the non-stop rebadging of existing POCO and REDMI phones — just with scrambled internals and CMF (color, materials, finish).

Having said that, I still consider the M8 Pro a level up from the last M7 Pro. The former’s design felt like it was not given much importance.

The centered camera island with a squircle cutout seemed like a signature design element of Xiaomi’s newer midrange line moving forward.

I also love how the phone felt in my hands. Even with that plastic back, it felt grippy enough when held.

You have to be wary of fingerprint smudges though — especially if you rock the black colorway. Luckily, the green shade I have still looks clean despite those unwanted smears.

And, if you’re brave enough to clean it in running water, the POCO M8 Pro boasts not just one, not two, but quadruple IP ratings: IP66, IP68, IP69, and even IP69K. These used to be exclusive only among 2025 flagships.

Now Playing: IDOL I

Much like my fanaticism to anything tech, the same can be said with Korean Pop Stars. More known as “K-Pop Idols”, I have been a huge geek of K-Pop for 16 long years (and still counting).

Interestingly, after finishing a series that just ended in Netflix, IDOL I swiftly came by. Even if I am the type of viewer who values the drama’s synopsis more than the cast involved, this K-Drama instantly hit two birds in one.

For one, its starred by a true iconic idol herself: Choi Sooyoung — or one of the nine members of SNSD / Girls’ Generation a.k.a the ultimate 2nd generation K-Pop girl group I’ve been stanning since my youth.

Although Maeng Se-na here is a heartless and “selfish” lawyer, she is the opposite for being a huge (yet silent) fan of “Gold Boys” with Do Ra-ik as his “Ult” (or Ultimate Bias).

 

In a wild turn of events, the idol became a “murderer” overnight — blaming him for the sudden death of his co-member after waking up from their drinking session.

But, no matter how the general public looks at him as the prime suspect, finding faults against Ra-ik is difficult. That’s pointing out the fact that he was just sleeping in his bed while his former bandmate slash loyal friend got stabbed without clear answers.

I can pretty much say the same thing with the 6.83-inch screen of the POCO M8 Pro: I cannot see any fault at all.

For one, it’s an AMOLED display that made me enjoy binging the first four episodes non-stop. But, being able to display 68.7 billion Colors and 12-bit color depth aside from the usual HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support? That’s likely unusual for a phone in such price point.

And, with a 1.5K display resolution plus a pixel density of 447 ppi, it’s as crisp as it could get. Watching it outdoors is neither a problem with its mighty 3200 nits peak brightness.

While my eyes aren’t very sensitive to light and flicker, its 3840Hz PWM dimming and TÜV Rheinland Flicker-Free and Low Blue Light certifications are still worth mentioning — especially if you stay up all night binge-watching hours worth of titles like yours truly.

On Queue: Apink’s RE:LOVE + Chuu’s XO, My Cyberlove

Pumping up the volume by 60%, it’s expected that the POCO M8 Pro possesses a louder than ever sound output. However, my audio assessment doesn’t end just there.

Just like POCO starting the year with a bang, the K-Pop scene in January 2026 has already exploded with real hit bangers.

First and foremost, Apink finally gathered again to released their 11th Mini Album (their previous Mini Album dates back to 2020). As per usual, I used Apple Music to take full advantage of that Lossless format.

Their title track “Love Me More” not only brought a lot of the group’s nostalgic intro and dance break instrumental during their early days in the industry, it also reminded me of the pre-millennium K-Pop era back in the early 90s.

Pair that with b-sides such as “Sunshine” that sounded pure and soulful, this latest mini album will truly make Pink Pandas’ hearts flutter.

In addition, Chuu (LOONA) finally releases her 1st Full Album titled “XO, My Cyberlove.” It is a complete opposite of her first ever solo song “Heart Attack” almost a decade ago which highlighted her cutesy, innocent charms.

The comeback track of the same title is as quirky and whimsical as it gets. Not only does it highlight Chuu’s light yet ethereal vocals, but it shows her newer, more mature side.

Furthermore, lyrics that evoke unexpected budding love in this digital era where everyone enjoys making connections through the cyber world.

With POCO M8 Pro’s speakers, I fully enjoyed playing the entirety of her freshly-baked album while I was writing this piece. Teeny Tiny Heart and Love Potion are currently my fave b-sides from this release.

Such music fulfillment was possible with the Dolby Atmos stereo speaker setup and Hi-Res Audio support of the M8 Pro. Not only its proudly loud, the audio produced is full and immaculate with clear line between its highs, mids, and lows.

Performance: Adequate for most

On paper, the POCO M8 Pro runs Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 SoC based on a 4nm process. As confusing as it seems, this is different from the more powerful Snapdragon 7 Gen 4.

That being told, game settings will vary depending on how demanding one is.

For instance, CoDM (Call of Duty: Mobile) runs in Very High and Max settings upon first set-up.

Meanwhile, Racing Master (based on NVIDIA’s PhysX engine) can run Ultra settings at 60fps.

However, it throttles during the first two ranked races.

Fortunately, the game detects if it gets sluggish — suggesting lowering down the settings altogether.

Lastly, playing Zenless Zone Zero is doable but, at the lowest graphics by default.

You wouldn’t dare to go past it as Combat Mode will literally feel like combatting the phone itself due to how heavy the game is.

The only “remedy” for these hardware limitations? It’s none other than the Game Turbo mode that boosts graphics performance and input through Xiaomi’s software advancements. And it sort of helped make the gameplay smoother, but not fully.

For the rest of apps that are not graphics-intensive, the M8 Pro can breeze through various apps without hiccups, do split-screens, or multitasking along floating windows with ease.

I can truthfully say that the only thing dragging the POCO M8 Pro down is the software as a whole.

After experiencing the beauty of vivo’s OriginOS 6 and HONOR’s MagicOS 10, Xiaomi’s HyperOS still feels like an after-thought. While it can keep up with the modern-day Android features, its stability and optimizations simply don’t make the cut.

Besides, its built-in AI tools, device ecosystem, as well as cross-compatibility functionality aren’t as polished as what you get on other Chinese brands. Let alone, a rip-off from everyone’s fruit rival without much feature improvements.

Worst thing? Maybe the ad slash bloatware infestation found not just on the lock screen. Even transferring personal files through Xiaomi’s native File Manager app plays an unskippable ad.

Battery: Eat it up! Eat it, eat it up! 🍝🎶

At 8.31mm, the POCO M8 Pro is as slender as it can get. How they were able to fit a 6500mAh battery inside its chassis is a true feat of engineering.

For the record, this is the first POCO M-series smartphone to have such a ginormous battery. It joins the same league as the POCO F8 Ultra, F7, and the X7 Pro (in India).

For added context, the M7 Pro, as well as the X7 with a similar form factor, only had a 5110mAh battery. But, numbers are just part of the story.

In day-to-day scenarios with light to moderate usage, the POCO M8 Pro can last you a full day — even more when you hit the bed with around 30% to spare.

As one would expect though, the biggest hogging can be felt when playing games.

During my gameplay stress test, downloading resources in Racing Master for about 30 minutes already consumed 5% charge (92% down to 87%). An hour of racing ate up 11 percent — from 87% down to 76%.

Letting it rest on my desk for 18 hours, the phone depleted to 51%.

At around 9 in the evening, I then started playing HoYoverse’s Zenless Zone Zero for exactly an hour. Battery charge went down further to 36%. Then, a 1.5-hour game in CoDM resulted to a 28% battery percentage. And, as of writing, the POCO M8 Pro still had a 3 percent charge left in its massive tank.

That said, the POCO M8 Pro comes with Xiaomi’s 100W wired HyperCharge speeds — adapter still bundled in the box.

By default, the battery charging speed is set in regular with the prompt / option to enable boosting.

In my GadgetMatch Charge Test results, it can be seen that the difference isn’t too far off.

	Boosted HyperCharge	Regular HyperCharge	PPS Charging (UGREEN 100W Nexode)
START TIME From 0%	1:11AM	3:10PM	4:06PM
3 minutes	10%	8%	1%
5 minutes	17%	11%	4%
10 minutes	25%	18%	13%
15 minutes	40%	23%	21%
20 minutes	46%	32%	28%
30 minutes	70%	50%	46%
45 minutes	88%	71%	67%
1 hour	99%	91%	84%
1 hour 15 minutes	–	99%	96%
END TIME 100%	2:14AM 1 hour 3 minutes	4:27PM 1 hour 17 minutes	5:30PM 1 hour 24 minutes

PPS Charging is also possible. Although the device only showed “Quick Charge” while being filled up, it’s safe to say that it performs as fast as Xiaomi’s regular HyperCharge with a super close margin of only seven minutes.

Cameras: Surprisingly Satisfying

Prospective buyers of the M8 Pro wouldn’t have a hard time dealing with its conventional camera configuration: a 50MP f/1.6 main (wide) camera based on Light Fusion 800’s 1/1.55-inch sensor. That’s paired with a less outstanding 8MP f/2.2 UWA (ultra-wide angle) camera.

For the most part, the main camera does its job very well considering this type of device.

With the satisfactory 1x image sensor, 2x zoom is also possible, thanks to in-sensor cropping.

I honestly used the 2x mode more than I thought — especially when capturing my cats and food I devour.

You can go beyond the bounds. But, with obvious hardware limitations, the camera processing can only do so much.

Once that natural light disappears, it will be tricky to take low-light shots as this has NO dedicated Night Mode feature. No luck if you are using them indoors with artificial light around.

Instead, regular Photo Mode automatically detects a low-light subject and toggles Night Mode processing by itself.

While most results are satisfying, it’s also a testament that its cameras are far from being flawless.

Good thing, the flash exists for a funkier look in subjects that suit it — food specifically.

Portraits weren’t missed. Although it only relies on some software-based processing, it still gets the job done of separating the subject away from the background — humans and pets alike.

Personally, the aperture function was a bit of a nuisance.

For context, these shots were set to a low “f/1.8 aperture.” But, the M8 Pro rendered DoF (Depth of Field) that isn’t as shallow as what it’s supposed to show.

My frustration continues as the setting defaults back to f/4.5 after quitting and re-opening the camera app. That’s not even the standard lens opening when taking portrait photos.

And while we’re already here, selfies taken with its front-facing shooter.

Is the POCO M8 Pro your GadgetMatch?

While this isn’t the “flagship killer” most expect from a POCO phone, it’s hard not to go loco over how well-rounded yet wallet-friendly this POCO phone is — especially in the year 2026 where inflation is still unstoppable alongside the almost instantaneous and ridiculous RAM price hike.

ICYMI, the POCO M8 Pro has a starting price of GBP 299 / SG$ 389 / RM 1199 / PhP 16,999 (around US$ 279) for the 8+256GB configuration.

Meanwhile, the 12+512GB variant that I handle is priced at GBP 349 / SG$ 449 / RM 1499 / PhP 19,999 (approx. US$ 359).

Its closest rival is none other than the HONOR X9d. Coincidental or not, it was launched just a day after the unveiling of the M8 Pro.

Frankly, the only thing you’ll let go from HONOR’s sweet treat are its monstrous 8300mAh battery and more polished OS. This POCO-ffering blows it out of the water with a greater chipset, faster wired charging, bigger and better display, capable cameras, durability never forgotten.

Although it wasn’t totally highlighted, the POCO M8 Pro is undoubtedly a rebadged REDMI Note 15 Pro+ — Xiaomi’s midranger that heavily markets its “Titan Durability” capabilities.

The POCO M8 Pro has them all: from its sturdy aluminum frame, four IP ratings, even the fully-shielded front glass care of Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The biggest disparity? REDMI has a 200MP main camera over POCO’s 50MP shooter.

Despite some inconsistencies, the POCO M8 Pro is still an all-around midranger that will satisfy most users who want to purchase a shiny new smartphone without burning holes in your pockets.

It is a Swipe Right, Super Swipe, and a worthy recipient of the GadgetMatch Seal of Approval.

In a surprising turn of events, vivo has already made the X300 Pro globally available as short as three weeks after the exclusive Mainland launch.

It was first introduced to European regions. Next in line were Asian markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, and definitely, the Philippines.

Without any frills, here’s my X-tensive review of the latest and greatest flagship from vivo — 300+ hours after I started using it.

For context: we unboxed the unit exactly October 31st. But it was only during the first day of my Vietnam trip (November 10) that I was able to fully utilize and maximize the X300 Pro. Counting those days (or hours), I’ve been using vivo’s latest X-phone for around 386 hours as I’m writing this piece.

X-cellent Cameras

Without beating around the bush, we all know the main reason why we’re eyeing the X300 Pro, and it’s none other than its intricate camera setup.

	vivo X300 Pro	vivo X200 Pro
Wide	50MP f/1.57 1/1.28” Sony LYT-828	50MP f/1.57 1/1.28” Sony LYT-818
Ultra-Wide	50MP f/2.0 119º FoV (Field of View) Samsung ISOCELL JN1	50MP f/2.0 119º FoV (Field of View) Samsung ISOCELL JN1
Telephoto	200MP f/2.67 ZEISS APO 3.7x optical zoom (85mm) 1/1.4” Samsung ISOCELL HPB	200MP f/2.67 ZEISS APO 3.7x optical zoom (85mm) 1/1.4” Samsung ISOCELL HP9
Selfie	50MP f/2.0 1/2.76” Samsung ISOCELL JN1	32MP f/2.0

Specs-wise, there hasn’t been a massive difference — just newer sensors equipped.

But, as I always say in my write-ups, hardware is just one factor. Actual photo output is what truly makes or breaks the performance of the phone’s cameras.

To somewhat entice you, here are some of my postcards from my very recent Vietnam trip — obviously shot on the vivo X300 Pro.

(Brace yourself, there’s a lot to come!)

Just like hopping along three cities in Vietnam, I used the three lenses of the X300 Pro more extensively due to their overall flexibility — more than what I did with my mirrorless camera and the recently-bought 35mm prime lens attached to it.

And by that, it’s the phone’s capability to switch seamlessly between several focal length options with little to no degradation.

That also meant consistent colors regardless if you use the main 1x mode, UWA (ultra-wide angle), its optical 3.5x zoom, or even beyond 5x lossless zoom.

X-ceptional Collab

The superiority of vivo X300 Pro’s cameras doesn’t revolve only around its hardware. Over the years, vivo has strengthened its ties with ZEISS even further. Starting it all with the X60 all the way to X300 series, the brand’s exceptional collab is stronger than ever.

The default ZEISS color profile captures photos that look natural without being too flat. I’ve been using this in subjects that offers the best balance in shadows and saturation.

That said, vivo providing two more profiles just means they want the user to be as creative and as free as possible.

When it comes to food, switching to Vivid is deemed the best option. This profile gives the best pop of colors in the scene.

Architecture and interior should not be exempted when using this punchy profile.

It also made these golden hour shots more favorable than just sticking with the default ZEISS calibration.

📍 Lotte Mall West Lake (Hồ Tây)

📍 Lotte Hanoi Sky

But, for the entirety of my trip, I relied heavily on Textured as I love how my shots look more soulful in this profile with ample amount of shadows and toned-down highlights.

📍 Hạ Long Bay

📍 Sun World Fansipan Legend

📍 SaPa Center

📍 Moana SaPa

📍 Ban Mong Alpine Coaster

📍 Hanoi Train Street

📍 Phố cổ Hà Nội + Hoàn Kiếm

📍 Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh / Sài Gòn

📍 Vietnam Airlines / VN206

Furthermore, it gives that much-needed depth when taking pics of indoor and outdoor pets.

Switching to Portrait Mode, ZEISS Style Portrait remains with faster shooting times plus more precise subject to background segmentation.

Mind you, it’s not limited to human subjects as I used it all throughout my time with these cute capys in Saigon.

📍 Kapi Cafe

Speaking of, it’s worth mentioning that the user now has the ability to pick between vivo’s three color profiles when shooting in Portrait Mode. It’s something you cannot do in previous vivo phones. Not even vivo’s latest V60 midranger has this.

Also, the rear flash unit can now be toggled in this mode — just without that Aura Light madness. It makes more sense when taking night-time portraits with high facial illumination.

There’s also an additional ZEISS “Mirotar” lens. This only appears though when aiming to shoot tele-macro subjects as it’s not included in vivo’s default Portrait Mode lenses under ZEISS Style Portrait.

X-traordinary Camera X-tras

The vivo X300 Pro is very rich in camera feats. It doesn’t just end with the default Photo Mode.

Humanistic Street Snap Camera Mode still remains — which isn’t very different from the X200 Pro. Thankfully, vivo added two more film presets: Positive Film and Clear Blue.

 

The X300 Pro already has a fast shutter speed in the default Photo Mode. But in times where you’re really on the move and you cannot stay still, Snapshot Mode is here to save the day.

With my commute in Vietnam heavily relying on riding motorbikes, this mode became my go-to for capturing fast-moving subjects.

Trying to take very-detailed horizon shots? The 50MP and 200MP Hi-Res toggles exist. They were beneficial when I tried taking horizon shots of Hanoi, Saigon, and even SaPa.

* For the sake of this write-up, I’ve retained the resolution but compressed the overall quality for faster loading times

When it comes to video shooting, the vivo X300 Pro is undoubtedly dynamic. And it’s more than just that 10-bit Log feature.

The X200 Pro was only limited to 4K/60fps when shooting in Dolby Vision. Now, vivo’s X300 Pro steps it up a notch as it maxes out at 120fps — perfect for those slo-mo clips in crispier UHD quality.

If you’re the concert-goer type of fan, the X300 Pro is more than capable enough to produce those social media-ready snaps.

Stage Mode got improved as well with additional support for 4K/60fps resolution — Dolby Vision toggle not forgotten.

The X200 Pro never had any configurable options and only had a limiting 1080p / Full HD option.

I’ve fully used this camera mode when I went to BLACKPINK’s DEADLINE Tour in Bulacan.

 

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The LBA (Lower Box A) Premium section I was seated isn’t the closest to the stage. Still, the X300 Pro had me capture shots and clips that still looked closer than what I’ve seen IRL.

Talk about concerts. It’s good to mention that both the base and Pro X300s have their dedicated Professional Imaging Grip Kit. This was something previously exclusive to the vivo X200 Ultra.

Sadly, despite anticipating for it, we were not given this special camera kit. I cannot vouch for something I haven’t tried at all.

The new Selfie X-pert?

The vivo X300 Pro not only takes great-looking mirrorfies, the improved selfie shooter provides ample amount of light and detail that the X200 Pro simply lacked.

Not only that selfie camera boasts a megapixel count more than 1.5x than its predecessor, FoV and color reproduction also seem more natural and less whitewashed.

That’s something I have experienced using the X200 Pro — and more of a reason why I refused taking selfies with it.

Speaking of color, the aforementioned color profiles as well as the bundled ZEISS Style Portrait lens bokeh are also applicable when shooting with the front camera.

X-quisite Design

If it ain’t broke, there’s no point of fixing it. However, vivo still tried refining the X200 Pro’s successor even further.

Gone are the slightly curved edges and the micro quad-curved display. This time, they have completely flattened everything out on the X300 Pro — camera bump, notwithstanding.

This form factor clearly reminds me of the base iPhones, premium midrange Androids, even the newest line of its sister brand, the OPPO Find X9 series.

In return, the X300 Pro is thinner at 7.99mm (versus 8.5mm of the X200 Pro). Though heft reduction isn’t significant as it weighs just 2 grams less (226 grams over 228 grams).

Comfort-wise, those flat edges felt sharp when held one-handedly. Although after several days of usage, I eventually got the hang of it.

I just miss the grippier hold of its predecessor. Also, the subtle curves I felt when swiping and navigating through the edges of its screen.

Good thing, the absence of a curved display means not having to buy any flimsy screen protectors that lack that curved edge coverage.

More so, “specialized” tempered glass that need UV glue (and light) in order for that undersonic fingerprint sensor to work properly.

Personally, I love the new look of X300 Pro’s monstrous camera bump.

How they trimmed down the camera rim in favor of a larger flat surface looks more sleek. Also, the new striped texture of the bump closely resembles a camera lens grip.

Then again, the dust magnet issue I’ve experienced before is still present in this new X-teration.

Only time will tell though how durable it is. So far, I’ve only managed it to drop it twice on a hard floor. So far, no unwanted dents and scathes found.

Speaking of, the X300 Pro still features that dual IP68 + IP69 water and dust resistance rating — a staple of Android flagships moving forward.

X-cellent Powerhouse

While the display curves are gone, vivo’s already superior display tech stays. It has an unchanged 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED panel. I just assume the bigger screen size is reserved for the Ultra variant.

Display accuracy and calibration, as well as support for HDR content, are top-notch as one would expect. Whether the visuals are vibrant, bright, or just dark, the X300 Pro doesn’t go overboard and accurately shows the most natural output possible.

For that ultimate audiovisual pleasure, its stereo speakers are loud and full with that powerful bass to rock your banging solo concert sessions.

Found beneath this superior slab is none other than MediaTek’s latest and greatest Dimensity 9500 SoC based on a 3nm process.

The last iteration was already great to begin with. Let alone, this all-new Dimensity chip headlined by the X300 series.

Day-to-day tasks are buttery smooth with no room for lag. Switching (and even split-screen multitasking) through multiple apps is a breeze.

Playing games wasn’t an exception to the experience.

For instance, my all-time fave racing game, Racing Master, was able to run for two hours without throttling. That’s considering I set it in the most extreme graphics setting possible.

HoYoverse’s Zenless Zone Zero is able to run as well. But, due to the heavier nature of the game, except some overheating in the long run.

X-citing new OS

If you’ve read my X200 Pro review, I’ve boldly stated how Funtouch OS isn’t “fun” at all.

After several years of forcing to bear with that aging Android skin, vivo has finally decided to bring the latest flavor of OriginOS to global units.

Funtouch OS 15 was already fast as it is. OriginOS 6 made that even snappier with added fluidity.

The AI Tools are still there. From transcribing, call assist, all the way to gallery’s AI Erase, reflection removal, even AI UHD upscaling, they’re all there.

For me though, the best changes can be seen in its overhauled UI.

Heck, vivo even brought iPhone-like features — just with better customizations.

From the more customizable lock screen, resizable folder sizes, to the (finally) separate Notifications and Control Center.

For one, there’s the Origin Island that acts like Apple’s Dynamic Island. But, dragging texts, photos, or even files to the island itself gives you a range of apps for it to be shared.

The other one is the additional button on the X300 Pro’s left side. Unlike iOS’s limiting Action Button assignments, it’s more customizable here.

On my end, I’ve set the double-tap to quickly launch the camera in Snapshot mode for fast-firing shootouts. Holding the button fires up the flashlight behind. Unfortunately though, single-tapping the button doesn’t do anything.

Overall, OriginOS 6 seems and feels like a proper and polished experience.

X-panded Horizons

Another feature where I felt that I needed to have in global vivo phones is none other than the Office Kit.

As a long-time MacBook Pro user ever since my university days back in 2016, this feature is a gift from the gods.

Not only I can wirelessly transfer photos and videos, I can also receive notifications and even access Notes stored in my X300 Pro. Even when you take a freshly-captured photo, it will simply prompt you so you can easily share it.

Although you can remotely control your MacBook through the screen of the X300 Pro, that screen size simply won’t make the cut. This feature works best with a foldable or a tablet.

But hey, it’s still useful if you’re out and about and your higher-ups needed that document stored on your MacBook.

Given that nothing beats the cross-platform compatibility between iOS and macOS, it’s still a huge leap forward to be able to connect the vivo X300 Pro to an Apple device.

Lastly, OriginOS also has a new Private Space feature. It serves as a separate space from your main screen with apps and accounts that are totally unrelated to the one you’re mainly using.

This enables users to keep confidential files and information from prying eyes. I just hope users will use this feature into good use 👀.

More than enough — not when you X-haust it

On paper, the battery of the vivo X300 Pro gets a battery boost from 6000mAh to 6500mAh.

While it doesn’t beat the hell out of the 7500mAh capacity of the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max, an increase is still an increase.

Using it moderately or ever so lightly, the vivo X300 Pro can last a full day (or even two) with staggering hours of standby time and plenty left in the tank.

Admittedly, I’ve used the cameras more than I expected during my two-week Vietnam getaway.

From shooting plethora of photos and barrage of vertical clips for Instagram Stories and possible use for Reels, the X300 Pro hogs that battery juice a lot.

I’ve even experienced some overheating in the long run. But, not to the point where the camera will shut off, as I was able to still shoot and record without ever halting.

That said, 90W FlashCharge is here to save the day. This time though, vivo has added a “FlashCharge High Speed” mode when using its bundled charger.

	FlashCharge High Speed	FlashCharge Regular
START TIME (From 0%)	12:14PM	1:59PM
3 minutes	3%	1%
5 minutes	6%	3%
10 minutes	15%	10%
15 minutes	23%	18%
20 minutes	29%	24%
30 minutes	50%	38%
40 minutes	66%	51%
45 minutes	75%	57%
50 minutes	82%	63%
1 hour	96%	71%
1 hour 10 minutes	–	85%
1 hour 15 minutes	–	99%
END TIME	1:17PM 1 hour 3 minutes	3:15PM 1 hour 16 minutes

Using non-vivo chargers and cables that are USB-C PD and/or PPS compliant will still top-up the phone fast — just with regular FlashCharge speeds.

While I haven’t tested wireless charging (which is my least favorite mode of charging), it’s worthy to point out that it was improved to 40W (from the conventional 30W).

Although the vivo X300 Pro has faster speeds than Qi2 or Qi2.2, it still doesn’t implement built-in magnets like the HMD Skyline or Pixel 10 series with Pixelsnap.

Don’t get me wrong. Support for magnetic wireless charging plus MagSafe accessories will still be possible. Only if you buy third-party cases with magnets on it.

Is the vivo X300 Pro your GadgetMatch?

It seems like 2025 has already reached the pinnacle of smartphones: superior camera system, gargantuan battery capacities with long-lasting endurance, faster than ever performance, displays and speakers that truly satisfy one’s audiovisual cravings.

The vivo X300 Pro is a great embodiment of that. Not only you get the best in class cameras, the smartphone itself is just a refined version of a smartphone that was already superior to begin with.

And if you’d ask me, the asking price of EUR 1099 / MYR 4699 / PhP 77,999 is more than justified — unlike how some brands aggressively slap overpriced tags on their barely flagship offerings 🙄

I just hope they consider bringing in a larger 1TB configuration (or maybe even 2TB) in the next lineup — especially for storage-hungry multimedia creatives like me who’s expected to shoot a lot of stills and clips in the foreseeable future.

All sentiments aside and without an ounce of doubt, the vivo X300 Pro is both a Swipe Right and a Super Swipe.

And, just like its older sibling, it also rightfully deserves the GadgetMatch Seal of Approval.

Amid all the times I’ve tried and tested wireless earbuds, I don’t get to do the same with headphones.

Though I have tried playing some songs through my colleagues’ Sony WH-1000XM6, JBL Tour One M3, and Dyson OnTrac, none of them comes close to how extensive I did with Lenovo’s Yoga ANC last 2021.

As a a matter of fact, this is only the second pair of headphones I got to intimately try as a GadgetMatchmaker for seven long years.

Cutting all that slack, let’s go straight to my in-depth review of the all-new QCY H3S headphones.

Gleamingly clean

I sound like a broken record for always telling this in my write-ups: despite having a dominantly black wardrobe, black devices are my least favorite.

Thankfully, the QCY H3S pair I have comes in this pure, off-white colorway.

Aside from this classic color plus the subdued black shade, there’s also one in gray just in case you want something in between.

Going back to the unit I possess, I’m obsessed with how clean it looks — near and afar.

If you wanted it to pair up with your daily OOTD, you can never go wrong with this color choice.

Not only does it fit perfectly with your unplanned Mix n’ Match, it also stands out from the crowd regardless of the fabric color you prefer to wear.

The headphones are mostly composed of plastic materials — an understandable compromise to further cut down overall product cost.

From its adjustable (or extendable) levers all the way to its buttons, they all come in one singular material and shade.

Only time will tell though how clean or dirty it will get over continuous wear and tear.

One minor detail that I truly love about this pair is how QCY decided to differentiate the material of its neck band.

That stainless steel choice felt premium despite the majority of rubber parts the headphones have.

At the opposite side is still that plush, padded material that’s comfortable enough when the pair rests on your neck.

And, before I forget, the QCY H3S has rotatable and twistable cups so that they can be folded and fit perfectly in small bags or third-party headphone cases — as this pair doesn’t have a bundled one.

Mind you, Sony’s WH-1000XM5 can’t even do this 🤷🏻

Favorable and comfortable

Looks are one thing, but comfort is for another.

Despite being *spoiler alert* priced in the same range as generically smaller on-ear headphones, the QCY H3S is actually an over-ear type of headphones.

At just 240 grams, the QCY H3S is lightweight — given the materials the headphones are made of.

Admittedly, I’m not someone who has a petite facial structure. Given that I have a bobblehead, it’s also understandable I have an ear size bigger than an average individual.

Its large ear cups seemingly fit well on most (if not all) ear shapes and sizes.

Even with my earrings on my left ear, I felt nothing but utmost comfort as the cups totally go over my ears.

QCY H3S’s ear cups are composed of protein leather that are soft to the touch.

The inner part is then covered by a canvas-like (or cotton-like) material that enables smooth and steady audio output.

Having to know which side is which is easily identifiable thanks to that large L and R markings on the actual ear pads.

Once worn, controls are placed at the right side of the device where they are not fiddly and are easily reachable.

Those buttons in various shapes surely help as you won’t accidentally press something you didn’t intend to change:

• Top: ANC modes (short rounded rectangle)
• Middle: Power On/Off (circle)
• Bottom: Volume (long rounded-rectangle)

Immaculate sound

Resting beneath those ear pads are the dual-driver architecture of the H3S. Aside from a 40mm mid-bass driver, it also has a 13mm dedicated tweeter with crossover.

But, here’s the thing: It’s hard to describe how good or bad a sound is just with hardware specs and an editorial piece alone.

Part of my journalistic integrity though is to tell viewers my honest and transparent views.

And, to make that judgment not one-sided and as unbiased as possible, I let GadgetMatch’s Senior Editor, Rodneil, try the pair out.

After that listening sesh with several songs in the list, he told me that these can be on par — or even beat — midrange offerings produced by JBL and Bose.

If only I was able to document his shocked reaction, you’d know that this isn’t some marketing speak.

He also told me it’s a far cry from Soundcore’s output — despite QCY being its direct competitor.

For a better grasp, I also need to reference MJ’s Dyson OnTrac.

While we’re out in one fine shooting day, the team was able to try his pair out.

All of us had one response: flashy looks CANNOT make up for its very underwhelming sound quality.

Dyson OnTrac’s metallic aesthetics goes well with its sound quality — a muffled, deafening one that sounded like an inside of a tin can.

It’s just so flat, the layers are barely there at all.

Believe me or not, QCY H3S is heaps superior.

Even just on YouTube with a compressed audio format, I was able to cherish H3S’s superb sound.

The same can be said when streaming titles on Netflix or Disney+.

Aside from that audible and fuller dialogue, drama OSTs are also well-appreciated the moment they kick in.

LDAC that doesn’t lack

Putting one surprise on top of another, the QCY H3S also boasts the best imaginable sound experience.

Aside from the ability to play tracks in both Hi-Res Lossless and Dolby Atmos audio formats (through Apple Music of course), it has LDAC audio codec as well.

In layman’s terms, it’s simply the best audio tech one could get via Bluetooth without losing a track’s truest sound quality.

Its closest counterparts are either stuck with AAC or aptX at the very least. Worse of all? None other than the SBC codec.

Just a precaution: turning on LDAC means you’re disabling its Dual-Device Connection ability.

If you prioritize high-fidelity (like I do), you have to always disconnect the headphones from one device before you can connect it to the other.

Additionally, its upgraded Bluetooth 6.0 connectivity made me enjoy latency-free streaming — which meant playback without delays in simpler terms.

And, despite the lack of a 3.5mm audio port, wired listening is still very possible through its USB-C port without compromising that Lossless experience.

Lastly, I didn’t dare to try it but, the QCY H3S also has an IPX5 rating. Meaning, the pair will still be protected even if you’re suddenly caught in the rain.

EQ-uality For All

Admittedly, I wasn’t a fan of its default sound presets.

Unlike my experience with the Heavy Bass preset of QCY’s wireless earbuds I tested out months ago, the bundled presets of H3S weren’t totally bad. It’s just that I felt like overall sound output could be improved further.

Fortunately, you can configure your own settings through Custom EQ in QCY’s proprietary app. Your personal preference can even be saved multiple times.

I’m not a devoted audiophile for all we know. But, my ears don’t lie.

After manually fine-tuning each and every bit of frequency I hear, I was finally able to balance out the three fundamentals: bass, treble, and mids.

Not only I was able to hear the thump and oomph of every K-Pop song I listen to. Instrumentals, adlibs and even hidden backtrack vocals (that are often under-appreciated) were all heard and layered like a luscious piece of tiramisu cake.

Heavenly ANC

All the great stuff don’t end just with its clean looks and superior sound.

From the perspective of both an introvert and commuter, ANC is a true gift from the gods.

The moment I wore the headphones and turned on ANC, it felt like I’m in my own, distant world.

Annoying chit chats were instantly silenced. White noise was barely heard.

It’s the perfect device for appreciating summer-studded songs like WJSN Dayoung’s “body” or divine albums like TWICE’s 10th-year Special.

More so, for that uninterrupted and focused gameplay. A better gaming headset minus a dedicated mic, if I must say.

Still, its 7-mic array (with six ANC mics) plus three (3) anti-wind mics should be more than enough for calls even in noisier environments.

Again, when you go inside the QCY app, there are multiple ANC presets for you to choose.

Personally, I choose commuting by default as I use it entirely for avoiding rowdy crowds whenever I’m indoors or out.

You can also turn ANC off completely to preserve that battery life. Unapologetically, I never turn this feature off even under severe battery anxiety.

Battery that’s immortal-like

Already introduced in the last section, the battery and endurance of the QCY somehow felt immortal. It’s so hard to kill in just one sitting.

For instance, I’ve used it for repeatedly streaming NMIXX’s ethereal Blue Valentine and band-worthy Spinnin’ On It. All while writing several review backlogs (including this one) for five long hours.

From 100 percent, it depleted to 75 percent — a measly 25 percent decrease.

Another example is when I wore it during my two-hour commute going to the metro. Shockingly, it consumed only around 8 to 10 percent of charge.

In another use-case, I edited our very lengthy M5 iPad Pro review for YouTube.

From 3:30 in the afternoon up until past 11 in the evening, the QCY H3S went from 30 percent down to 10 percent.

If you do the math, that’s 7.5 long hours of non-stop usage — which BTW, adds up to the comfort testament I stated earlier.

Lastly, I took it on a streaming spree one fine day while I was working on launch articles inside a café.

From the moment I wore it at exactly 9:15AM up until I removed it seven minutes past 3PM, that 10 percent charge was unchanged and unfazed.

Mind you, ANC was turned ON all of the time as I can’t bear hearing at least a tinny noise and wanted to focus solely on its audio prowess.

Even when I’m writing this part of the piece, I was only able to charge the device twice.

Although I’m not having any type of 10+ hours worth of flight any time soon, this might just be the best companion to bring for those long-haul travel up in the air.

Is the QCY H3S your BudgetMatch?

As mentioned quite a few times between the lines, the QCY H3S is meant for the budget class. It’s priced at a shockingly affordable price of only US$ 49.99 / SG$ 43 / RM 299.

Even more surprising, the Philippines has the cheapest price tag of as little as PhP 1779.

Just like me, you’re probably wondering how on earth was it possible for QCY to deliver excellent sound and affordable price tag at the same time.

It’s something only the company can answer. For me though, my answer is as crystal clear as how the pair sounds.

If my key points stated above aren’t clear enough, let me frankly say that the QCY H3S is definitely and definitively a Swipe Right and a Super Swipe.

It’s not just about its minimalist looks or the sole hardware specs on paper.

My honest first-hand experience with the QCY H3S, together with my colleagues’ impressions, further solidify my main point that a great pair of headphones doesn’t always need to have an exorbitant price tag.

Given, the QCY H3S may not be the flashiest and most elegant of the bunch. However, its clean aesthetics, mean sound punch, and even lean pricing all make this pair a deserving recipient of the GadgetMatch Seal of Approval.

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BLACK FRIDAY SALE INCOMING!

With the annual Black Friday Sale coming up, QCY is also offering latest deals — including the all new H3S headphones.

You can get between 25% to 50% off when you check out items in QCY’s Official Site from November 20 (Thursday) until December 5 (Friday).

Additionally, Prime Members of Amazon US can get up to 35% off from November 20 until December 1 (Monday).

The QCY H3s is now being sold at an even more ridiculous value at just $39.99 (was $59.99)!

Moreover, two more products are being sold for an even cheaper value.

• MeloBuds N70 ANC Earbuds: Now $47.99 (from $71.99)

• Crossky C50 Clip-On Earbuds: Down to just $28.99 (was $47.99)