News

vivo X300 Pro headlines Dimensity 9500 and Sony’s LYT-828 image sensor

Alongside Samsung’s custom-engineered ISOCELL HPB sensor

Published

October 13, 2025

Vincenz

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

In line with vivo’s annual product roadmap lies the refresh of their grandest smartphone line.

The vivo X300 and X300 Pro were finally revealed in China as the industry’s newest smartphones leading the mobile photography and Dimensity 9500 race.

Two Flavors, One Flagship

Qualcomm already announced their first Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 phones with the Xiaomi 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max. vivo then pioneers the X300 series as the first batch of Dimensity 9500-running flagships.

Unlike last year though, there are only two models in the X300 lineup instead of three.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

The vivo X300 adapts a smaller 6.31-inch flat screen, ditching the 6.67-inch of X200 last 2024. This not only is the “mini” successor of the X200, it also effectively replaces last year’s X200 Pro mini altogether.

Moreover, the Pro variant still rocks the same 6.78-inch panel as last year’s X200 Pro with “finely curved straight-edged bezels.”

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

These ZEISS Master Color displays are 8T LTPO 120Hz displays based on BOE’s Q10 AMOLED. Both support HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and Netflix HDR content as well.

They also feature eye-protection features like 2160Hz PWM Dimming, TÜV Rheinland Flicker Free and SGS Low Blue Light certifications, and as low as 1 nit of screen brightness.

Finally, the base vivo X300 adopts an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor that was previously exclusive to the Pro and Ultra models.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

When it comes to battery, the X300 has a 6040mAh battery while the Pro variant packs a bigger 6510mAh capacity.

vivo boldly claims that these Silicon-Anode BlueVolt batteries are comparable to phones with 7000 and 7500mAh batteries through software and hardware energy optimizations.

Both support 90W FlashCharge plus 40W Wireless FlashCharge standards.

Pocket Pro-tography

The X300 phones wouldn’t be complete without their revolutionary flagship-grade camera system.

	vivo X300 Pro	vivo X300
Wide	50MP f/1.57 1/1.28” Sony LYT-828 sensor	200MP f/1.68 1/1.4” Samsung ISOCELL HPB sensor
Ultra-Wide	50MP f/2.0 1/2.76” Samsung ISOCELL JN1 sensor	50MP f/2.0 1/2.76” Samsung ISOCELL JN1 sensor
*Telephoto*	200MP f/2.67 ZEISS APO 1/1.4” Samsung ISOCELL HPB sensor	50MP f/2.57 ZEISS APO 1/1.95” Sony LYT-602 sensor
Selfie	50MP f/2.0 1/2.76” Samsung ISOCELL JN1 sensor	50MP f/2.0 1/2.76” Samsung ISOCELL JN1 sensor

While both phones possess an identical ultra-wide and selfie shooters, the biggest differences can be seen between their wide and telephoto modules.

The X300 Pro headlines the all-new Sony LYT-828 1/1.28-inch image sensor together with vivo’s self-developed VCS 3.0 imaging technology. That’s then partnered by Samsung’s custom-engineered 200MP ISOCELL HPB sensor for its telephoto shooter.

Interestingly, the same sensor is also being utilized by vivo as the main camera sensor for the base X300. In return, the X300 packs a different 50MP telephoto module based on Sony’s LYT-602 with VCS technology.

Other than the power of MediaTek’s Dimensity 9500, the X300 series achieves an efficient “Dual-Chip Integration” with vivo’s in-house V3+ imaging chip (plus VS1 in the X300 Pro).

This further provides robust computational power for both advanced imaging processing and system operations.

With their long-lasting partnership with ZEISS, stylized portrait features still remain. Aside from the new Style Portrait and ZEISS Natural Portrait, the X300 Pro also has an added a newer ZEISS Mirotar Telephoto Style Bokeh that wasn’t found on previous models.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

There’s even the Adaptive Zoom Flash feature as well as other enhancements that solves night-time portraits against complex lighting setups.

Last but definitely not the least, both the X300 and X300 Pro have their own Photography Kit — including that 2.35x Telephoto Extender that was only exclusive to the vivo X200 Ultra.

Video Mastery

That pro-tography prowess doesn’t end there.

The X300 Pro alone is finally capable of shooting up to 4K/120fps footages in 10-bit Log format across all focal length options. The X200 Pro can only manage to shoot 4K / 60fps Dolby Vision in 1x wide or 3.7x zoom.

For shake-free footages, vivo also promises gimbal-grade stabilization with an upgraded ±1.5-degree stabilization angle aside from the Dual-Channel EIS feature.

ACES Workflow was also incorporated for better color management and seamless color grading in editing software when synced across multiple devices.

Portrait Video was also improved to 4K / 60fps (previously limited to 4K / 30fps). vivo’s custom styles such as Cold -White or Classic Negative can also be applied when shooting in this mode.

On the other hand, the vanilla X300 is also capable of recording 4K / 120fps clips through Pro mode.

With the special camera kit in mind, it complements the 4K Stage All-in-One Recording found on the X300 Pro together with 20x Long-Range Motion Snapshot and Dual-View Stage Video add-ons.

These might make the X300 Pro the bestest compact concert companion just yet.

Refinements Within

Both of the X300 phones feature a Unibody 3D Glass Design that seamlessly blends the camera hump towards the rear cover.

There’s also the Coral Velvet Glass Technique for that fingerprint-resistant back design that’s also pleasant to the touch.

Both models are also slim just below the 8mm mark (7.95mm and 7.99mm respectively). Durability-wise, these X300 phones still rock dual IP68 and IP69 water and dust resistance ratings.

Other notable improvements include USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port standard, UFS 4.1 storage protocol, as well as Bluetooth 6.0 and Wi-Fi 6G support for the X300 Pro.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Lastly, the X300 series will premiere the latest OriginOS 6 based on Android 16 with a revamped look a la Apple’s Liquid Glass as well as seamless Apple Ecosystem integration — much like any other Chinese phone brands these days.

It’s said that this version will (finally) kill the long-running Funtouch OS and will be launched in India on October 15.

Pricing and Availability

The vivo X300 is available in Black, Blue, Pink, Purple, and Red colorways.

Meanwhile, the X300 Pro is available in four shades: Black, Brown, Blue, and White.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Pricing and configuration in China are as follows:

X300

12+256GB = CNY 4399 (US$ 620 / EUR 535 / GBP 465 / SG$ 800 / MYR 2610 / PhP 36,000 / INR 54,790)
16+256GB = CNY 4699 (US$ 660 / EUR 570 / GBP 500 / SG$ 860 / MYR 2790 / PhP 38,490 / INR 58,530)
12+512GB = CNY 4999 (US$ 700 / EUR 610 / GBP 530 / SG$ 910 / MYR 2970 / PhP 40,900 / INR 62,260)
16+512GB = CNY 5299 (US$ 745 / EUR 645 / GBP 560 / SG$ 965 / MYR 3145 / PhP 43,360 / INR 65,995)
16+1TB = CNY 5799 (US$ 815 / EUR 705 / GBP 615 / SG$ 1060 / MYR 3440 / PhP 47,450 / INR 72,230)

X300 Pro

12+256GB = CNY 5299 (US$ 745 / EUR 645 / GBP 560 / SG$ 965 / MYR 3145 / PhP 43,360 / INR 65,995)
16+512GB = CNY 5999 (US$ 845 / EUR 730 / GBP 635 / SG$ 1095 / MYR 3560 / PhP 49,085 / INR 74,715)
16+1TB = CNY 6699 (US$ 940 / EUR 815 / GBP 710 / SG$ 1220 / MYR 3975 / PhP 54,815 / INR 83,435)
16+1TB Photographer Kit Edition = CNY 8299 (US$ 1165 / EUR 1010 / GBP 880 / SG$ 1520 / MYR 4930 / PhP 67,910 / INR 103,360)

* These are only rough, rounded-off price estimates

There’s no word on global availability just yet but it’s expected to rollout months after the Mainland China launch.

Press materials also suggest that global versions will only come with a maxed out config of 16+512GB as opposed to China’s 1TB variants.

Enterprise

Google illegally destroys 250,000 trees for a single AI data center

This is what we stand to lose with data centers.

Published

October 22, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

In the Philippines, it’s illegal to cut down a single tree without a permit. It’s a constant reminder that the preservation of nature should be a civil, besides being a moral, obligation. And yet, corporations are seemingly immune from obligations and morals. Google, the company that used to stand for “Don’t be evil,” shows off its true colors by illegally cutting down 250,000 trees in Finland for a datacenter.

As first reported by The Guardian, Finland is now staring at 330 hectares of land suddenly denuded of around 250,000 valuable trees, all thanks to Google. A local ecologist has also said that the company killed a further 150,000 trees at a separate site.

The environmental desecration is part of Google’s multibillion-dollar push to build data centers all over the world for artificial intelligence. Google has since been ordered to stop the development in the country after Finland found that the company acted without securing the needed assessments and permits to clear the area.

Google brushed away the report by saying that they acted “on the best understanding we had of the legislation at the time.” The company also said that they are protecting the water quality at the affected sites and committed to replanting trees across 130 hectares, a pale comparison to the total area affected.

Other AI companies are also trying to weasel their way into other countries to build data centers. An example is the controversial Pax Silica in the Philippines. Finland now stands as a cautionary tale against the unimpeded and unsupervised growth of data centers for a service that no one asked for.

Don’t be evil, my ass.

Accessories

Bose acquires Skullcandy

But both are still separate brands.

Published

October 22, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

As one of the wisest sages of the 2000s once said, “He was a punk, she did ballet. What more can I say?” Sometimes, opposites attract. Now, two of those opposites in the audio space are coming together: the punk Skullcandy and the ballet-loving Bose.

Today, Bose has announced its acquisition of Skullcandy. The latter will continue to operate as a separate brand but now officially under the Bose umbrella. Although, it’s not a new collaboration as the two brands have previously worked together on devices before. Skullcandy will just have more access to Bose’s technologies moving forward.

Alternatively, Bose will now have access to Skullcandy’s more varied audience. Compared to Bose’s focus on premium products, Skullcandy caters to more alternative lifestyles. Though the brand has since mellowed from its more radical roots, it is still known as one of the alternative brands.

Bose, on the other hand, is still a household name for home audio and noise-cancelling headphones. The new relationship between two polar opposites might be seen as a weird one, but it’s ultimately beneficial to both parties. Besides, both brands were very strong in the 2010s. Keeping both brands going is a boon to audiophiles of the past decade.

Gaming

Next Xbox might cost double the price of an Xbox today

The most expensive Xbox Series X costs $900. The next Xbox’s price might double that.

Published

October 22, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Buying a new gaming setup must be one of the most torturous things you can purchase these days. The rising price of chips has hampered the buying ability of many a consumer today. Sadly, that trend isn’t changing anytime soon. According to new reports, the next Xbox might cost double of what an Xbox costs these days.

The next console is currently codenamed Project Helix. Spearheaded by relatively new Xbox CEO Asha Sherma, Project Helix has hopes of being an all-around gaming machine capable of playing PC games besides console exclusives. Sharma obviously wants the platform to come back as a worthy destination for gamers.

That’s a monumental task, though, especially after the rising prices of chips are constantly threatening the prices of new devices. Now, according to a profile of Sharma published by Fortune, the next Xbox might cost as high as US$ 1,800. For reference, the limited 25^th anniversary edition of the Xbox Series X currently costs US$ 899.

Should Fortune’s estimate hold true, a new console in the coming years is double the cost of the most expensive Xbox Series X variant available today. The next generation of gaming might be even more of a luxury than it already is.

Unfortunately, things aren’t getting better across the board. Gaming on PC and on PlayStation aren’t going to be much cheaper as the RAM crisis continues.