Any modern smartphone series usually comes with a base, a Pro, and an Ultra model. However, some phone makers introduce a more affordable “Lite” version.

Still with the same intent, others do substitutes using “e”, “s”, a combination of “SE”, or an even rarer “FE” model.

Well, the vivo X300 series is a clear testament to this. Aside from last year’s base and Pro, the Chinese manufacturer has decided to launch two more models on both ends of the spectrum.

The clear headliner is none other than the X300 Ultra. But, the latest vivo X300 FE is meant for users who want that X300-grade cameras minus its soaring pricing. Or is it?

What are the compromises though? Are there even any? Here’s my extensive review.

FE = ✨ Fab Edition ✨

When Samsung launched the first “FE” phone, they thought of resurrecting the quite explosive Galaxy Note7 (literally and figuratively). All for the sole fulfillment of their fandom who’ve been clamoring against its sudden discontinuation right after the fueling fiasco.

The “Fan Edition” was then born.

However, my understanding with vivo’s X300 “FE” isn’t intended solely for fans. It’s rather an embodiment of full-on fanciness. Thus, that FE meant ✨ Fab Edition ✨ in my vocab.

If we’re talking about how it stands out from the rest of the X300 family, size isn’t just about it.

The dimensions of the X300 FE are teeny tiny close to the vanilla vivo X300. However, if you’re not a fan of its massive circular hump, X300 FE’s singular camera bar is the way to go.

Honestly, I truly appreciate how vivo decided to use an aluminum enclosure rather than slapping a piece of glass wholly. That single move will make you think it’s another Pixel phone by Google.

Also, notice that ZEISS branding sitting beside the elongated flash unit? That’s the best way to tell that it’s the X300 FE, not the S50 Pro mini exclusive to China.

It’s these small design details that make me appreciate the beauty of a smartphone as a whole.

Speaking of, the X300 FE I rock is in this fabulous Glow White shade with subtle wave-like patterns when hit by faint light. Honestly, I love this texture for added elegance.

If that’s not your cup of (milk) tea, there are three more options to choose from: Cool/Noir Black, Urban Olive (or Green), and Mist/Lilac Purple — all without that added pattern.

When held, the phone is premium to the touch. Its aluminum side trims also feel solid with buttons that are tactile and not too clunky.

Time will only tell how long it remains unscathed against pointy objects in your pockets.

And, before I forget, it’s rated to withstand extremities with its dual IP68 and IP69 water and dust resistance rating.

#NowPlaying: Perfect Crown 👑

Finally flipping onto its front, the vivo X300 FE instantly reminds me of IU in Disney+’s Perfect Crown. Much like her petite yet powerful aura, the X300 FE shares the same feat — both in display size and quality.

For one, this ZEISS Master Color Display makes me truly enjoy all the heartwarming moments of Seong Hui-ju (or Sung Hee-joo) and the perfectly charming Grand Prince I-An (as starred by Byeon Woo-seok).

Blacks are as deep as the back stories and familial sentiments of both protagonists. More so, display nits go as high as 5000 nits — just like the sparkling eyes of I-An when he’s dazzled by Hui-ju’s beauty.

Colors ultimately pop too, like their lovey-dovey moments in between.

However, unlike the families of both sides trying to go overboard, this LTPO AMOLED display begs to differ as it displays the most accurate color representation possible. DCI-P3 Wide Color Gamut, 1.07 Billion Colors and HDR+ support, you get the idea.

Visuals are also as sharp as Hui-ju herself: a pixel density of 460 ppi and display resolution of 1.5K.

Also thinking about Prince I-An’s protection to Hui-ju against all odds, the X300 FE also wants to protect your eyes: 2160Hz PWM Dimming, Night Eye Care Mode, even SGS Low Blue Light Certification.

These are something most brands have often overlook in display tech, especially for those who have sensitive visuals.

Specs sounding too familiar? Well, the base X300 has the same powerful display. So yes, the quality has never been compromised to begin with.

The only thing that nitpickers will notice is the slightly thicker bottom chin of the X300 FE that the regular X300 doesn’t have. But I digress.

It’s also worth noting that the X300 FE finally adopts a speedy and ever-reliable ultrasonic fingerprint scanner. Last year’s X200 FE relied on a slower optical fingerprint sensor. This is more than just a welcome change considering that vivo pioneered this fingerprint tech eight years ago.

On queue: LE SSERAFIM 🥳 + Xdinary Heroes 🚀

With LE SSERAFIM’s latest pre-release track “CELEBRATION,” it enticed me to test out how powerful the speakers of the vivo X300 FE really are.

Aside from all the member’s deep and soulful vocals, I was able to hear the hidden synths, thumps, and oomphs that are barely recognizable in other phones.

Moreover, I felt the depth of its stereo speakers when I played Xdinary Heroes‘ latest comeback track titled “VOYAGER” as well as the full “DEAD AND” album.

DAY6’s 후배 / hoobae (or junior) is as powerful as the speakers are.

From the beats and strums of the drums and guitars, all the way to the powerful voices of the members, it’s honestly surprising to hear that the X300 FE isn’t an actual embodiment of its small form factor.

Tiny in size never meant tinny in sound performance.

If I’m being bold enough, it’s as loud and powerful as what I had and heard with its bigger brother, the X300 Pro.

Dedicated pro-former 🎮

The vivo X300 FE is the only phone in the family that does not run a “top-tier” chipset.

As a matter of fact, it’s one of the fewest smartphones that run Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 SoC. Although this should not to be confused with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, it’s still a very capable and power-packed flagship chip on its own.

And by that, I meant triple A games running as smooth as ever!

My extreme gaming benchmarking usually starts with HoYoverse’s Zenless Zone Zero due to its demanding graphics.

Right off the bat, the game runs in High graphics setting by default while Rendering stays at Medium.

My recent gameplay took me to a 20-minute combination of Combat Mode and extreme story-telling.

Moreover, Racing Master ran at Ultra-High graphics quality, HD resolution, high motion blur, and frame rate set to 60fps.

Surprising (or not) the vivo X300 FE handled all of these with ease, just like any modern flagship would.

This also meant that other less-intensive games such as CoDM (Call of Duty: Mobile), MLBB (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang), or any other similar FPS or MOBA game will run smooth like butter.

The only downside for me who has big hands, gaming here sometimes feel sore. Also, the lack of a bigger VC chamber that contributes to less efficient heat dissipation, resulting to warmer gameplay in the long run.

Speeds were neither compromised. It’s the same UFS 4.1 storage and LPDDR5X Ultra memory. The catch? Slower USB-C 2.0 port over USB-C 3.2 Gen 1.

Beyond gaming, overall UI smoothness is a must.

Thanks to vivo’s streamlined OriginOS 6, animations looked both snappy and fluid whenever opening or switching between apps. Aside from the usual AI shenanigans, there are more things to love such as Private Space, Origin Island, One-Tap Transfer, and more.

Even Office Kit that enables seamless connectivity between your MacBook was not left behind. It’s also reassuring to hear that the X300 FE will receive five (5) years of OS upgrades and seven (7) years of security patches.

Compact champ 🔋

You’ve known by now that the vivo X300 FE is definitely in the “compact” league. You also know how the FE serves as the “twin sister” of the X300.

But, the biggest disparity of the two are none other than their batteries. Although numbers aren’t everything, battery capacities matter a lot.

Despite its petiteness, the vivo X300 FE boasts a whopping 6500mAh battery capacity — similar to the larger X300 Pro. The base X300? Stuck at 6040mAh. Worse? European units are capped at 5360mAh.

Using this phone under my light to moderate usage patterns, the vivo X300 FE can totally last way past midnight.

Using it in heavier scenarios was unavoidable. Gaming for around 1.5 hours deducts battery levels to 25% more or less.

Using its cameras every now and then to take lots of snaps and clips contribute more to that depletion.

Not unless you’re doom-scrolling or binging for more than five hours, an hour of content consumption or social media will not totally diminish that massive tank.

Some personal use-case: I went out to the city around 6AM and used it as my personal hotspot. After that 12-hour mark, there’s still around 31% battery left.

For the same scenario, my vivo X300 Pro dies right around that time. Worse? Lasting only around 7 to 8 hours.

Once empty, the X300 FE supports vivo’s 90W FlashCharge. Unlike European models, Asian variants (like I have) still have bundled charging adapter and cable when you buy one.

 

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In my GadgetMatch Charge Test, it can be juiced up from 0% to 100% in 75 minutes, as long as FlashCharge High Speed is enabled.

	FlashCharge High Speed	FlashCharge Normal
START TIME (From 0%)	7:29PM	2:56PM
3 minutes	1%	1%
5 minutes	4%	4%
10 minutes	12%	7%
15 minutes	17%	13%
20 minutes	32%	20%
30 minutes	44%	33%
45 minutes	66%	53%
1 hour	88%	74%
1 hour 15 minutes	100%	95%
END TIME	8:44PM 1 hour 15 minutes	4:23PM 1 hour 27 minutes

Normal FlashCharge speeds require you around 15 more minutes to completely fill to the very brim.

Like the rest of X300 iterations, the X300 FE also supports 40W wireless FlashCharge that the vivo V70 and V70 Elite do not provide.

Don’t judge the camera by its cutout

Last but definitely not the least, vivo X300 FE’s triple camera system.

Before anything else, here’s how it compares with its closest rivals: the vanilla X300 and the midranger V70.

	vivo X300	vivo X300 FE	vivo V70
Wide	200MP f/1.68 1/1.4” Samsung ISOCELL HPB sensor	50MP f/1.88 1/1.56” Sony IMX921 sensor	50MP f/1.8 1/1.56” Sony LYT-700C sensor
Ultra-Wide	50MP f/2.0 1/2.76” Samsung ISOCELL JN1 sensor	8MP f/2.2 –	8MP f/2.2 –
Tele- photo	50MP f/2.57 1/1.95” Sony LYT-602 sensor 3x optical zoom	50MP f/2.8 1/1.95” Sony IMX882 sensor 3x optical zoom	50MP f/2.65 1/1.95” Sony IMX882 sensor 3x optical zoom
Selfie	50MP f/2.0 1/2.76” Samsung ISOCELL JN1 sensor	50MP f/2.45 1/2.76” Samsung ISOCELL JN1 sensor	50MP f/2.0 –

While all share the same focal length choices, it all boils down to minuscule differences between image sensors to actual aperture count. Let’s just say the X300 FE shares more similarities to the vivo V70.

But, the filling is always the sweetest spot in the cake. Let’s go straight to actual shots taken with this phone.

The X300 FE provides color consistency regardless of the focal length you choose — even past its optical zoom limit.

Ultra-Wide Angle (UWA) photos, while sufficient, has some over-sharpening happening in between.

That’s obviously to compensate for its measly 8MP shooter.

Thankfully, vivo made its other two lenses equal in terms of megapixel count.

Of course, regular 1x (wide) shots are taken with that default 23mm focal length — which can then be changed to 28mm and 35mm through a series of taps in the camera app.

2x zoom is also possible thanks to in-sensor cropping — 46mm or 50mm equivalent to be exact.

One must never judge a book by its cover — just like refraining from judging a camera solely by its cutout.

The vivo X300 FE is a living proof that having a camera cutout that’s comparable to midranger phones does not equate to mid camera performance and image output.

Even more, placing a 3x periscope telephoto module (73mm) inside that camera bar is a true feat of engineering.

Even beyond its dedicated 3x optical zoom, results are surprisingly captivating to the eyes.

One thing’s for sure. The 3x telephoto camera of the X300 FE is better when it comes to minimum focusing distance that the vivo V70 suffers from.

That meant you can take zoomed shots even at a closer distance, much like how I always do in taking #foodporn snaps.

BONUS: X300 FE vs X300 – Can you even tell them apart without nitpicking?

Taking mementos of your furry friends? The X300 FE handles that with ease.

That focusing strengh also meant Super Macro mode is possible.

Lastly, shots from the Golden Hour to night.

Just remember to fire up vivo’s Night Mode algorithm in scenes where there’s clear absence of light.

 

The ZEISS Masterclass

With the existing ZEISS partnership, these usual color profiles are already given: ZEISS, Vivid, and Textured.

ZEISS Portrait Styles were not left behind as well. And it not only works with humans, but with animals and objects alike.

Even if you don’t switch to Portrait Mode, you can still snap close-ups with that creamy bokeh behind.

Speaking of Portrait Mode, beautification can be toggled and adjusted to your liking — both in front and back.

And while we’re at it, front-facing camera can go a bit wider — from 26mm to 20mm.

The X300 FE has also adapted the Humanistic Street Photography Camera interface that got introduced way back in the X200 series. The upgraded version means it’s also equipped with all these film-like presets:

• Textured
• Classic negative*
• Vivid
• ZEISS Natural
• B/W
• Positive film*
• Clear blue*

* newer film simulation looks

B/W, while not Leica levels, still looks dramatic as it could be.

But, even if you’re just shooting with the regular camera mode, the vivo X300 FE can still produce soulful shots with the correct framing and timing.

What about video shooting?

As for video recording, it’s also heaps better than the vivo V70.

The said midranger is stuck at shooting 4K/60fps. The X300 FE? It can shoot as extreme as 4K/120fps — just without the goodness of Dolby Vision HDR.

For most users, that isn’t a compromise. But, you know what’s the real downside? Ultra-wide video shooting is capped at 1080p/30fps. That’s may be due to the small sensor and megapixel count of its ultra-wide sensor.

Shooting at 1080p/60fps and beyond starts at the regular 1x focal length.

Here are some recordings for you to judge:

With the presence of that dedicated telephoto shooter lies vivo’s exclusive Stage Mode feature.

Clearly, it’s intended for shooting artists or celebrities in concerts.

To take things up a notch, the vivo X300 FE also has its own Telephoto Extender Kit — just like its X300 sibs.

Although I was not able to try it as vivo did not lend us one, it’s still a great way to fully-maximize that great telephoto goodness beyond the limits of a compact sub-flagship.

Is the vivo X300 FE your GadgetMatch?

The vivo X300 FE shares all the great feats that its siblings possess.

It’s solidly built, has a stylish design, boasts a brilliantly bright display, a true pro-grade performer both in core and cameras. Plus, a battery capacity that’s even bigger than its twin brother.

The vivo X300 FE is a solid Swipe Right.

The only reason to Swipe Left is the staggering pricing that isn’t synonymous to last year’s X200 FE (INR 54,999 / INR 59,999).

For context, the vivo X300 FE in India starts at INR 79,999 for the base 12+256GB. The 12+512GB configuration that I have? A whopping INR 89,999.

The non-FE vivo X300? Currently sold at INR 75,999 and INR 81,999 respectively. Indian buyers know what they’re dealing with.

However, Europeans might have a hard time deciding. The base X300 is only limited to a 12+256GB variant at EUR 899. Whereas the X300 FE has a higher 12+512GB config for EUR 999.

That 100 Euro difference means you’ll get double the storage, a huge, HUGE boost in battery (ICYMI: 6500mAh over 5360mAh). Also, a cleaner horizontal camera bar that most people prefer.

But, would you rather trade off the better camera system and more powerful flagship chip?

A redditor even pointed out that the X300 FE is more “import-friendly” (especially in Western regions) due to better network band support by Qualcomm that the regular X300 lacks because of having a MediaTek chipset.

At the end of the day, it will all still be your call.

They say we only have ten truly vibrant summers in our twenties.

I’m not entirely certain who authored that pressure or if I simply internalized it while scrolling through a Pinterest mood board of how I wanted my life to look when I finally hit my prime. That idea sparked a specific kind of FOMO that if we aren’t living at our absolute peak during these ten fleeting orbits around the sun, we are somehow failing the decade.

I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t let that ideology steer my ship. I spent my twenties accumulating milestones like they were limited-edition accessories. I chased the grand and “successful,” often reaching markers of achievement that most expect in their thirties. Back then, everything had to be monumental for my life to feel awesome.

Maybe because I didn’t come from privilege. I grew up with the odds stacked against me, and started working for my dreams as soon as I turned 18. So I turned into a professional opportunist, grabbing every chance I could get.

I was never sure when the universe might stop offering them.

Because of that drive, my life eventually looked meticulously curated on paper. It’s even more glamorous when viewed on a 120Hz Super AMOLED+ display.

However, as Taylor Swift so astutely noted, familiarity breeds contempt. As a lifestyle journalist, that contempt often manifests as a weary cynicism toward the very tools of my trade. In a world of iterative design, the novelty of a new smartphone often feels like a ghost.

When I packed the Samsung Galaxy A57 5G to experience a summer to remember in Boracay Island, I didn’t expect to be surprised. I expected a standard device and a beautiful island, but what I actually found was a paradigm shift in how I view my own life.

Sparkle of new beginnings

Arriving at Discovery Boracay, the scenery felt like a familiar embrace.

I had stayed at this resort years ago, yet as I walked toward the shore, the sensation of the Galaxy A57 in my hand felt distinctly different.

The device is unapologetically slim at 6.9mm, which is a feat of engineering that feels more like a piece of jewelry than a piece of technology.

The Awesome Blue finish captures the shifting hues of the sea and features the new Ambient Island translucent camera bump. This design choice mirrored the soft pastels of the morning sky I used to watch, proving that even a tool for work can possess an aesthetic that resonates with a creative soul.

Watching the sun rise while eating Tahô, those warm pearls of sweetened silken tofu, I realized that my personal form of touching grass is actually touching sand and watching the ocean sparkle.

This realization helped me put things into perspective, which is the defining lesson of the final summer of my twenties. Along the way, I had been taking the awesome for granted because I was looking for it in all the wrong places.

I was busy waiting for a grand, sweeping crescendo when I should have been looking at the way the light hits the salt spray on the horizon.

Finding awesome in the everyday

Life is truly awesome if you possess the courage to look at it without the heavy filter of expectation.

In between Boracay sunsets, shared mojitos, and crisp white linen shirts, I’ve met new people and realized that I’m standing at the precipice of a new chapter.

I’m leaving certain things behind, yet I no longer feel the sting of sadness regarding these endings. I’ve come to understand that they are merely setting the stage for new beginnings. This sentiment may feel like a cliché, but I’ve learned that truths often become clichés because they are universal.

With a group of new friends, I boarded a yacht to watch the sunset from the open water. I had done this same activity for my birthday two years ago. At that time, I couldn’t fully appreciate the beauty or the joy of the moment. I was carrying an immense emotional weight in my heart that kept me anchored to the past.

This time, I simply allowed myself to let go. I felt a profound sense of gratitude as I found myself laughing and dancing with abandon. The people I have met on this journey have made me realize that there was never anything wrong with me to begin with, and that is a realization I intend to keep.

Stabilizing the blur of my 20s

Out on the open water, where the movements are frantic and the wind is unpredictable, the 50MP OIS Main Camera on the Galaxy A57 became my most reliable companion. I wanted to capture these fleeting moments with precision. I recorded the clinking of canned beers and the sound of laughter being lost to the sea breeze while the sun dipped below the horizon.

These moments were transformed into stabilized, high-definition memories that I know I will carry for the rest of my life.

To celebrate this internal change, I even began asking others to take my photo. In my early twenties, I would have hovered over the photographer, consumed by worry regarding the angle and the light.

I was obsessed with achieving a hollow version of perfection. Now, I have learned to trust the process.

The Best Face through Galaxy AI on the Galaxy A57 creates a promise that even if I blink or the boat lurches unexpectedly, the device will select the ideal facial expressions for everyone in the frame. It allows the final result to capture the actual essence of my joy rather than just a curated pose.

Trading milestones for moments

We spend a significant portion of our twenties waiting for the world to show us something amazing. We wait for the next professional promotion or that one grand vacation we booked months in advance.

As I sat on the sand, I realized I was already in the middle of everything I had been searching for. The Galaxy A57 didn’t just document a beautiful summer trip filled with new people I have come to love.

It taught me to notice the finer details of the world around me. I guess life unfolds beautifully if you simply allow it to be. Maybe, we don’t actually require ten perfect summers to feel whole.

We just need to realize that every single day is an opportunity to step up our A-Game. As I head toward thirty, I am intentionally leaving the milestone-chasing behind me. I’m trading the monumental for the authentic.

Now, I am keeping my eyes open and my heart ready. That, and a reliable smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy A57 in my pocket to make sure I do not miss a single second of the ‘awesome’ that was there all along.

Not every tablet needs to win you over in the first five minutes.

Some are just meant to ease you in—to see if having a bigger screen actually changes how you use your tech day to day.

Instead, it feels like it’s asking a quieter question: Do you even need a tablet?

That’s the space the HONOR Pad X8b seems to occupy. Not a productivity machine. Not a performance-first device. But something that lets you test the waters—see if a tablet fits into your everyday routine at all.

And for a lot of people, that might be exactly the point.

It’s positioned as a “Tablet Made Tough,” and that framing makes a lot of sense here. Because if you’re just starting out, or buying for someone who’s still getting used to tech, you don’t want something fragile. You want something you can be a little careless with—throw in a bag, hand to a kid, leave on a table—and not worry too much about it.

And that’s exactly the kind of role this tablet is trying to fill.

Who this is really for

You can feel pretty quickly who this tablet is designed for.

Kids are an obvious fit. Something they can use in short bursts—for watching videos, light learning, or just getting familiar with tech without handing them a more expensive device. The durability angle plays a big role here too. It’s the kind of tablet you won’t panic over every time it slips or gets handled a bit roughly.

But it’s not just for kids.

This also makes sense for first-time tablet users in general. If you’ve never owned one, or you’ve always wondered if a tablet fits somewhere between your phone and laptop, this feels like a low-commitment way to find out.

Not a big investment. Not a big adjustment. Just something to try.

Built for watching, not pushing

Most of that experience revolves around media consumption.

The display is… nice enough. It gets the job done. Colors are decent, viewing is comfortable, and for videos, it holds up better than expected.

Case in point: I watched KISS OF LIFE’s “Who is She” music video on this—mostly for miss freaking Julie Han, if we’re being honest—and it looked good.

That may not be what you want your kids watching. But for actual use, it gives you a good sense of what this screen can deliver.

Audio is also decent. Not groundbreaking, but not thin either. I ran AMBULANCE by Jesse Barrera and EJEAN through it, and it had enough body to feel enjoyable without immediately reaching for headphones.

Put those together, and you get a tablet that’s easy to pick up for Netflix, YouTube, or Spotify. The kind of device that lives on a coffee table or bedside, ready when you just want a bigger screen for casual viewing.

Where you feel the limits

But it doesn’t take long before you notice where things slow down.

Even just swiping around the interface, there’s a certain lack of fluidity. Nothing completely breaks, but it’s not the kind of experience that disappears into the background either. You feel it.

Apps open fine. Navigation works. But everything carries a slight hesitation that reminds you this isn’t built for speed.

And that’s really the trade-off.

This tablet leans heavily into light use—watching, browsing, maybe some casual apps. The moment you expect more responsiveness or try to push it harder, the limits start to show.

What you’re actually getting

Before we get into pricing, here’s a quick look at what the HONOR Pad X8b brings on paper:

• 11-inch HONOR Eye Comfort FullView display
• 10100mAh battery (up to multiple days of light use)
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor
• Quad-speaker system
• Storage options up to 256GB with RAM expansion
• Metal body with drop and crush resistance focus
• MagicOS 10 (Android-based)
• HONOR Kids Edition with parental controls

It’s a spec sheet that prioritizes the basics—big screen, long battery, and durability—over outright performance.

So where does it land?

At PhP 9,999 (special TikTok shop price in the Philippines, the HONOR Pad X8b lands exactly where it needs to. Not cheap enough to ignore—but accessible enough to try.

At the end of the day, this isn’t trying to be more than it is. It’s a starting point. A way to figure out if a tablet fits into your routine.

If you’re curious about tablets, this tells you real quick if it’s for you.