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.

News

Nothing adds color to its wearables with the Headphone (a)

The Pink and Yellow colors look great!

Published

March 5, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Last year, the Nothing Headphone (1) added a sense of fashion to the drab headphone market. Today, Nothing is adding a splash of color to its stylish lineup of headphones through the newly launched Headphone (a).

As with the (a) series of phones, the Headphone (a) melds fashion with affordability and performance. For quality, the wearable will have intelligent noise cancellation and sharper voice pick-ups with a 3-microphone Environmental Noise Cancellation system. It will also deliver rich immersive sound through Static Spatial Audio.

It’s only 310g light for easy use throughout the day.

For convenience, the Headphone (a) will have tactile gestures, such as a Button, Roller, and Paddle, to easily control the device without need of a phone. Users can integrate features like Channel Hop and Camera Shutter mode straight into the controls.

The headphones are designed for up to five days of battery life. Plus, a five-minute charge time can already provide five hours of playback. Finally, for durability, it is rated for IP52 resistance.

The Headphone (a) is available for preorders now. Starting March 13, it will be available in White, Black, and Pink. It will sell for EUR 159. Meanwhile, a limited-edition Yellow pair will be available starting April 6.

News

Nothing launches the Phone (4a) series

Who needs a flagship in 2026?

Published

March 5, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Nothing is not launching the Phone (4) this year. Though the lack of a flagship is certainly disappointing, the brand is still launching the Phone (4a) series, and now that it’s official, there really is no reason to feel like we’re missing out.

Nothing Phone (4a)

The base Nothing Phone (4a) carries over the circular camera island design of the previous Phone (3a). However, this generation will feature the new Glyph Bar, a subtler and more functional take on the brand’s iconic lighting system. It has 63 mini-LEDs in seven square light zones. It provides 3500 nits of brightness, which is 40 percent brighter than the Phone (3a)’s Glyph Interface.

The 6.78-inch AMOLED screen delivers images at 1.5K resolution,120Hz refresh rate, and 440 pixels per inch.

Inside, the Phone (4a) is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 4. This is paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It can reportedly play Call of Duty: Mobile at up to 90fps.

For cameras, the model carries a Samsung GN9 50-megapixel main camera. It can take in more light and offer a wider field of view. Plus, the camera can zoom by up to 3.5 times using an optical zoom. There’s also 7x lossless zoom and 70x ultra zoom.

Using Qualcomm’s triple Image Signal Processor, the camera can shoot 4K video at 30 frames per second. It can also shoot Full HD videos at 120 frames per second.

Finally, the Phone (4a) has a large 5080mAh battery, capable of charging up to 60 percent in just 30 minutes.

Nothing Phone (4a) Pro

Meanwhile, the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro takes the best parts of the Phone (3) and brings it to life in the (a) series.

For one, the bolder camera island revives the Glyph Matrix of the flagship series and packs in more shooters inside. The three-camera system consists of a Sony LYT-700C 50-megapixel main shooter, a Samsung J5 50-megapixel periscope lens, and a Sony IMX355 ultrawide camera.

The 6.83-inch LTPS AMOLED screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 7i. It can deliver images at 1.5K resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and 5,000nits peak brightness.

Inside, the Pro model sports the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4. Plus, the RAM Booster can increase the up to 12GB of RAM to 20GB. It will also have 256GB of internal storage.

It still has the large 5080mAh battery of its regular sibling and all the power that promises.

Price, availability

The Nothing Phone (4a) will be available in black, white, blue, and pink. It starts at EUR 349 for the 8+128GB configuration, topping off at EUR 429 for the 12+256GB model.

The Nothing Phone (4a) Pro will be available in black, silver, and pink. It starts at EUR 479 for the 8+128GB model, with the 12+256GB version selling for EUR 549.

News

HMD is developing an AI assistant for the elderly

The company will test it in Europe first.

Published

March 5, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

In the past, the only way to escape the constant influx of technology is to purposely go for older or “dumber” phones. For example, if you wanted to prevent your elder loved ones from fussing over features they’d never use, you’d give them feature phones. Now, there’s no escape. HMD, one of the biggest names in the feature phone segment, is bringing AI to its devices.

For years, HMD, especially through Nokia, has provided low-tech phones for everyone’s grandma. From merely keeping the Nokia brand of phones alive, the company has now embraced its reputation as the feature phone king, building its own branded phones.

Now, announced during MWC 2026 (via Tom’s Guide), HMD will start infusing its phones with AI, video calling, and a digital wallet.

Of these, video calling is the easiest to digest. Rather than just being simple front-facing selfie shooters, HMD’s phones can also use the camera for video calls.

Secondly, the company is also packing in its own digital wallet into its phones. As with other wallets, HMD’s version can receive, store, and send funds to other users. It’s set to launch in India first.

Now, the AI assistant is the more controversial one among the three. The first rollout is India’s Sarvam AI, which will do the basic tasks you’d expect from an AI assistant. Naturally, this rolls out in India first.

However, HMD is also developing its own AI assistant alongside InTouch. The feature will supposedly provide companionship for elder users. The company will test the assistant in Europe first but aims to launch it globally.