Before the year 2020 ended, Huawei sold its Honor to ensure the sub-brand’s survival. A year later, Honor successfully ventured past the lands it used to reign over, seeking greener pastures in an ethnically diverse continent — in hopes of making its mark in the consumer technology industry, but on a global scale.
Liberating from Huawei gave Honor the power to mend broken ties, especially in doing business with Western companies. The now-independent brand resumed partnerships with Google and Qualcomm, proceeding to deliver smartphones with the software and hardware that most people adore.
Marking the return of Google Mobile Services (GMS) to the smartphone maker is the Honor 50 lineup. Its latest promise is also equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipset. So, like any big comeback, I think the elephant in the room needs to be addressed.
Is it worth buying? Should you jump and try it? Is it any better than any other smartphone today? And will Honor ever find its footing once again?
’tis the season of exes coming back
The advent of Honor 50 piqued the curiosity of the GadgetMatch team. But the most electrified one is none other than yours truly. For two years, I’ve been wandering aimlessly — jumping from one smartphone to another in hopes of finding the comfort and love I’ve experienced with Huawei.
Losing GMS was a dealbreaker; my modern life depended on it. I’ve attempted to bridge the gap through Huawei’s solutions over the years, but it lost the very essence of having a smartphone. Which, for me, should be about making your life easier. Why would I tinker with a smartphone when it’s supposed to be smart enough to do its job without using my last three brain cells?
For that very reason, I ended up cradling and alternating between Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones — which I learned to love along the way. But of course, nothing beats the time I spent with all of my Huawei phones.
Honor’s comeback gave me hope that maybe, there’s always a second chance to everything in life. Ex-lovers and smartphones included.
Take you wonder by wonder
The Honor 50 felt like your ex coming back around for a second chance. Except something has changed, inside and out. At first glance, the Honor 50 looks exactly like the Huawei P50. The way it was designed; curves flowing harmoniously. And one striking, horrifying arrangement: humongous lenses passing off like enlarged eyes of a housefly.
However, the details beg to differ. The Honor 50 comes in various colors: Frost Crystal, Emerald Green, Midnight Black, and Honor Code. Its color options are entirely different compared to the Huawei P50’s color lineup.
Originally, I wanted an Emerald Green. It looks expensive, classy, and apt for my premium taste. Twisted fate, I got the Frost Crystal. Shining, shimmering, splendid. Except there’s no Aladdin to ask me when did I last let my heart decide.
It looks dreamy with its diamond-like finish, sparkling from different angles. It’s perfect for anyone who has a flamboyant personality — something my colleagues describe me as making this an inevitable match.
While I do believe I have a bold personality, I’m not a fan of anything eye-catching. I highly surmise that all eyes should be on me or my face, not on any piece of tech I’ve been holding or wearing. I digress.
All eyes on you
For the untrained eye, the Honor 50 and the Huawei P50 strike an uncanny resemblance. But being meticulous pays off. You’ll see there’s more to the Honor 50 than meets the eye. Also, a friendly reminder to use discernment whenever someone from the past comes back lest you’ll be burned by the same love twice.
The Honor 50’s lenses, when you peruse it up-close, show off its quad-camera system. The first lens on top houses the 108-megapixel main camera, while the second lens on the bottom packs its triple, smaller lenses. An 8-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 2-megapixel bokeh camera, and a 2-megapixel macro camera.
Having said that, one of the clamors around the Honor 50 is its low-megapixel count for its supporting lenses. I believe that cameras are one of the more important things to talk about, seeing how Honor has been carrying Huawei’s former glory in the camera department. So, don’t worry, bud. We’ll talk about it later on.
I still like you, but not as strong as before
Honor gave me a familiar feeling when I held it in my hands. The iconic ‘Curved Waterfall’ gave a comfortable grip that looks and feels sexy when caressing your fingers and gliding your palms along its curves and edges.
Yet somehow, the curved screen disconcerts me. What with my experience going after flat screens and boxy smartphones of Galaxy’s Note and Flip line. Typing, scrolling, and swiping on a curved display do not work flawlessly like before.
I find my fingers and grip slipping through the curves, somehow making my heart skip a beat for fear of dropping the smartphone. Precisely the reason why I don’t use my Huawei Mate 20 Pro anymore, and why I refused to switch to the latest Mate smartphones.
Despite the changes in my preference, the curved display is still wonderful to look at. I actually enjoyed re-watching Call Me By Your Name and other familiar titles on HBO Go. The unit I had isn’t compatible with Netflix — barring me from enjoying the heartwarming Hometown Cha Cha Cha during the course of the review.
My beau Simu Liu making this gorgeous smartphone look better
Nonetheless, the 75-degree curved 6.57-inch AMOLED screen is still a treat. It’s just isn’t my cup of tea anymore.
What changed?
Like any exes, assuming they’ve evolved and learned their lessons, they bring something new to the table. The Honor 50 hops on the fast refresh rate trend, bringing 120Hz to its display along with a 300Hz touch sampling rate.
As with any 2021 smartphone, the Honor 50 intelligently adjusts the refresh rate depending on your usage, which helps with preserving the battery because frankly, we don’t need to be using 120Hz all the time.
Its screen also got a low-blue light TÜV Rheinland certification. I never thought it would be noticeable. There was an instance where I glanced at the phone and saw a yellowish tint. For a moment, I thought I accidentally turned on Eye Comfort mode.
These changes had me enjoying the display. It’s bright under any lighting condition, vibrant enough to delight on visually appealing films, and has buttery-smooth interface navigation. My only gripe is you can’t use it single-handed properly despite having a ‘single-handed option’ that shrinks the screen to a size apt for my small hands.
Still feels like home
The Honor 50 is equipped with the latest hardware, promising a future-proof device that will certainly accompany you every day for years. It’s capable of 5G connectivity, thanks to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 778G chipset built on TSMC’s 6nm.
Despite being a mid-range chipset, I was able to play a graphics-intensive game called Sprite Fantasia — a mobile game adaptation of an online MMORPG I played on PC 11 years ago. Not once it did lag and heat up upon usage. Although after three hours of non-stop playing, I started feeling the heat when I brushed my fingers off the camera lenses.
I don’t have anything bad to say about how it performs. It’s wonderful, and simply too powerful for the average, casual user. The only caveat is how there was an occasional delay and app crash when switching between apps, or when you have a bunch of background apps running. But it’s more of a software thing that can be resolved by regular patches and updates.
That said, the Honor 50 dressed its interface with Magic UI 4.2 based on Android 11. Despite having new features, built-in apps, and a style that shows off Honor’s ownership — the experience felt like home.
Or at least, coming home. It was like using a Huawei smartphone both in software and hardware, but this time, with Google Mobile Services. It’s got the same security measures I enjoyed in my ex-Huawei smartphones. Both the facial recognition and fingerprint scanner work swiftly similar to my previous experiences.
Honestly, I cried tears of joy when I felt the rush of having something from the past come back. The yearning was satiated.
Accompanies you throughout the day
Huawei and Honor are both known to equip their devices with groundbreaking charging solutions. Honor’s breakaway made us wonder, is it still fast-charging and long-lasting?
Two weeks in, and it didn’t disappoint. Even with a 4300mAh battery, which Android fanboys claim to be small, the Honor 50 still lasted me a day. Gone are the days where your smartphone’s battery drain because of background apps and other standby features.
Most Android smartphones — particularly those belonging in the upper midrange and premium lineups — are more efficient when it comes to battery consumption.
In my experience, an average, casual user can last a full day on a single charge doing everyday tasks. Emails, social media, music playback, a few videos here and there, and taking photos of their day. I was able to leave for work in the morning and come home around seven in the evening with a 23 percent battery.
If you’re a power user, you can expect usage of around six to seven hours. Especially when keeping that mobile data on while playing games. Charging is quick AF, as long as you use Honor’s own cable and charging brick.
Gives you time and space while it recharges
Yes, you read that right! Honor packed a 66W SuperCharge adapter on its box. However, its fast charging technology doesn’t activate when you use other cables, bricks, or fast charging solutions.
Moreover, it doesn’t have a wireless charging feature. That’s probably my only dealbreaker since I tend to use a wireless charger at my home office and a Samsung wireless power bank coupled with Anker’s 3-in-1 cable for when I go out. Why hold back on the charging capabilities?
Nevertheless, it’s easy to fill the battery up. Right off the bat, the charging solution instantly gives you two percent more as soon as you plug it. In just 35 minutes, I was astounded to see the battery jump to 98 percent already.
On average, you can quickly fill it ip 40 minutes or less, but it won’t take an hour. That’s a guarantee. You can probably do your skincare regimen while you charge just like I do.
Come a little bit closer
It’s worth noting that the Honor 50 comes with a glorified 108-megapixel main camera on its top-most lens. Meanwhile, the bottom lens packs the throwaway 8-megapixel ultra-wide angle camera, 2-megapixel depth sensor, and 2-megapixel macro camera.
The camera placements are unsightly and stick out like a sore thumb. Still, I was high in anticipation when I tested the cameras, and frankly, I’ve got mixed feelings after seeing the results.
Depending on the subject, shots using the default setting seemed wide. Although, I appreciate the background blur and cutouts since they’re yummy to look at. Somehow, they replicate flagship outputs similar to what I’ve used and tested in the recent past. Moreover, photos are color accurate and even pack a slight punch to their colors.
When you use the 2X zoom — which I use regularly, by the way — the outputs are still color accurate. Although, the focus area seems narrow and the output highlighted the blur more. But that’s only for subjects that are up close.
Using the 2X zoom outdoors gave a decent result. The photos may not be as detailed as you want them to be, but when looking at your screen, especially when uploaded on social media, you’ll barely notice the compression.
Show me how big your brave is
When I was de-stressing, I went to Climb Central to have some much-needed break. Granted, they’re physically exhausting but it’s a refreshing activity both for the mind and soul. And the facility is wide, giving me plenty of space to breathe. Of course, it was also the perfect spot to test the cameras indoors.
This is where the Honor 50 struggled. Having fewer light sources, the lenses wrestled with producing picture-perfect results. Colors aren’t as vibrant both in default and zoomed shots. Tint is also bluish due to fluorescent lights. The processing also blurred any movements during our bouldering session.
Wide-angle mode isn’t any better. Photos are devoid of life and are high on noise and grain due to low light. Still, I uploaded some of these on my Instagram account and I made minor adjustments in its temperature, saturation, and brightness — something that the Honor 50 is lacking when shooting at a disadvantageous lighting condition.
Taking selfies indoors included a vignette, which I can’t seem to shake off. Blacks and shadows are deep, and I hate to say it but after multiple re-takes, I didn’t upload the selfie anywhere except here for you to preview.
Does it ever drive you crazy just how fast the night changes?
We’ve seen how the Honor 50 struggled indoors, so how about when the sun is already out?
Taken during a blue hour using the default setting, the Honor 50 tried to brighten the sky while details are similar to shots taken using upper midrange smartphones. It’s simply not pleasing to the eye.
However, Night Mode tries to change the game. Though the details aren’t any better, the Honor 50 removed the unnecessary highlight on the sky to depict the scenario accurately. Well, at least, it got the night sky right.
✨Portraits✨
The Honor 50 houses a 32-megapixel camera up front. What I like about its selfies is how it doesn’t add extra beautification even on default setting, compared to most other Chinese smartphones.
Most people don’t like having wrinkles and scars on their face, but I do. I like showing bits of myself because they’re part of my memories and make up who I am. I took this selfie on a cloudy day, and while it isn’t as sharp as an iPhone or a Galaxy, I still like the result.
The same goes for selfies taken under a shade, although I’ve used Portrait Mode but removed the background blur and the beautification — which are only accessible in the said mode. Taking selfies on Portrait Mode tend to blow up the highlights, as seen on the background.
Earlier that day, I took a selfie when the sun was at its highest. Portrait Mode wasn’t able to handle the overexposure. But also because the software processing made sure my face is well lit at the expense of blowing up the highlights and the background. Which was blurred, by the way, using a f/1.0 aperture.
Using Portrait Mode for actual portraits, on the other hand, gives a bizarre result. Cutouts are sharp and the background is blurred quite heavily. However, the major concern is how it isolates the hair strands and blurred it softly as if it was part of the background.
Portrait Mode still has a long way to go. The closest one to perfecting it is the vivo X70, which I recently tested. But I guess it needs further testing and comparison before we come up with an absolute conclusion.
Recording your ‘love’ story
Short-form videos are on the rise. There’s a reason why most smartphones nowadays are pushing for video-centric features. There’s Apple’s Cinematic Mode for iPhone and Xiaomi has Cinemagic for its latest flagships. You get the picture.
Honor hops in on the trend, placing a 90-degree viewing angle on the front-facing camera. What I love the most is its multi-video feature where you can record using your front and rear cameras simultaneously.
There’s a ‘Story’ button that helps you come up with various edits and effects to make your TikTok videos, Reels, or YouTube shorts awesome. If I’m traveling right now with a beau, this is going to be my most-used feature.
There’s the wonder of the thing
One thing I’m curious about is how the Honor 50 utilizes different modes. I wondered if it can handle your needs as a content creator or an entrepreneur in need of a reliable smartphone camera for his/her/their business. So, I took out the Nivea Wonderbars I’m testing, which was recently sent over by Nivea to use on my face.
Taken during a sunny afternoon at a shaded porch, the photo I took looked bluish. I can’t control the scenario and lighting if I’m quickly shooting with just a phone. This might go under some post-processing.
However, the Pro Mode lets you manipulate the settings to your liking. Most people still don’t know how Pro Mode can help elevate the photos you take using your smartphone, and it’s about time you do.
There’s a Super Macro mode which seemed appropriate for product details, but it struggles with focus and depth-of-field.
The other workaround here is taking a shot using the Aperture mode, where you can adjust the depth-of-field accordingly.
Will you rekindle the flame?
The Honor 50 gave me a familiar feeling in a different body. I can still find the traces of my past with Huawei, but I didn’t mind. I like giving second chances, especially when I really see something has changed.
It’s got the same sturdy build, and astounding hardware and software, along with a striking design Huawei is known for. These traces might even help the brand soar in the coming years. The only thing I’m wary about is having no IP certification, so if you live your life on the edge, might as well slap a case on it and take extra care.
I still feel like the Honor 50 is an ode to Huawei. I was slightly disappointed that it didn’t fly on its own. But Honor knows that you can’t reach your destination if you don’t pay respects to your roots; where you once belonged.
And that’s also a reflection of how we should be in life as well. It doesn’t hurt to look back and bring over some nostalgia. After all the traces of past has been purged, there’s always something new to revel on.
While I would still probably wait for a year to see what Honor would do next, the Honor 50 is a smartphone I’d use in the meantime. I don’t mind waiting and making gradual changes. I actually prefer it instead of shifting things abruptly. People might have wanted Honor to shock them with a dazzling new smartphone, but Honor decided to honor where it came from. (Pun definitely not intended.)
Is this your GadgetMatch?
If you’ve been with Huawei for years and was heartbroken when the company was blacklisted resulting to Google-less smartphones, the Honor 50 is worth checking out. It’s got the familiar Huawei experience you’ve been dreaming of, superb cameras that could pass for your everyday use, and Google Mobile Services for your modern life.
That said, the phone isn’t something worth recommending to other Android smartphone users. It’s not worth trying if you didn’t bother cradling Huawei smartphones in the past. This is pretty much the same, and you might be disappointed since there’s nothing groundbreaking.
I have high hopes for Honor. Maybe next year, we’ll see something new. Or maybe we won’t. The future is uncertain. So for now, I’m going to enjoy holding this shining, shimmering, splendid smartphone.
The Honor 50 comes in Frost Crystal, Emerald Green, Midnight Black, and a special HONOR Code edition. It retails for EUR 529 (around USD 614) for the 6GB/128GB variant. Meanwhile, the 8GB/256GB variant costs EUR 599 (around USD 695).
This is coming from someone who has done countless unboxings and has touched a wide variety of devices — the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra was… alright.
My first impression was that it certainly didn’t wow me as much as I expected it to after having read the brief, nor even after attending the tech seminar where ASUS laid out its vision for the laptop.
That’s probably the strangest thing about the ExpertBook Ultra. Because after having spent more time with it, the laptop grew on me.
Put cheekily, the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra wasn’t the laptop that made my head turn. Instead, it was the laptop that kept showing up consistently. Before I realized it, it’s become the one I wanted to keep coming back to.
And I think that’s the best way to describe my experience with ASUS’ flagship business notebook.
The laptop sneaks up on you.
Built to be carried
I got the laptop right after Computex 2026 coverage. That meant my days were closer to how they normally are. That also meant I had to be more intentional about going out and bringing it with me as I tackled my day-to-day duties.
I normally carried it using my trusted EDC — the Alpaka Bravo Tote — and I have to say it definitely felt lighter than my usual laptop, which is the MacBook Pro M4.
The Apple laptop I regularly carry is, I have to admit, chunkier than I would prefer. So having the ExpertBook Ultra for about a week or so literally felt like some load was taken off my shoulders.
Did I ever forget it was there? I wouldn’t go that far.
But if you’re asking me which one I’d rather carry based on build and weight alone, I would, with no hesitation, reach for the ExpertBook Ultra.
That says a lot considering how attached I am to my usual setup.
ASUS likes talking about how light the ExpertBook Ultra is. Normally, that’s the sort of marketing line I acknowledge and quickly move past.
This time, I actually felt it.
The Nano Ceramic effect
One of the first things ASUS will tell you about the ExpertBook Ultra is its Nano Ceramic finish. I’ll admit, it felt like one of those things that sounds good on a slide presentation.
It’s one of those things that look gimmicky at first but actually feels incredible once you come across it on a daily basis.
It’s still early, so you can consider this very much part of the honeymoon phase with the laptop. Even so, the Nano Ceramic finish continues to inspire a bit of awe every time I pick it up.
I do feel like a little weirdo caressing the laptop ever so gently before I begin the day’s work wherever I may be. But that’s just a testament to how good it feels to touch.
And yes, it does reinforce the feeling that, “Hey, I’m working on a pretty fancy piece of machinery.”
It’s easy to underrate the effects of that feeling, but it’s those little intangible things that can sometimes help unlock perspectives and possibilities.
That’s not something you’ll find on a spec sheet. But it’s absolutely part of the experience.
A display that’s difficult to stop staring at
It also helps if STAYC Isa is on screen.
The display is magnificent.
As Captain America would say, “I can look at this all day.” Not the exact phrase, but you’re smart. You get it.
The OLED and matte coating is just a killer combo. Kind of like the Chaewon and Yeji “That’s a No No” challenge collab. Pardon the months-old K-pop reference. I’ve been so busy I haven’t really kept up with what’s new.
Anyway, the combination just comes at you unapologetically and you have no recourse but to bask in it. Maintaining the deep blacks and crisp colors is such a gift to your eyes.
I often sit right next to big windows when I’m out in cafés and the light did nothing to dull the effect of the display.
Two love, two love. I’m falling.
It was so good I often found myself fully diving into STAYC’s 2 LOVE music video in between writing this very review and coordinating with my team.
The matte coating deserves special mention here.
OLED panels already look fantastic. Pairing one with a matte finish that helps cut reflections without sacrificing the strengths of OLED makes for one of my favorite laptop displays in recent memory.
Typing just clicked
This is one of my favorite keyboard experiences. Things just clicked right from the start. No awkward feeling-out phase whatsoever.
I was touch typing like I was Doctor Strange trying to look into over 14 million possible outcomes and still landing on the right key every single time.
The keys feel closer to chiclet-style keyboards than anything else. Even so, the spacing is perfect and the travel satisfying.
Then there’s the haptic touchpad.
I typically don’t like using mice, especially when I’m out and about. With most Windows laptops I’ve used in the past, that eventually becomes a necessity.
That wasn’t the case with the ExpertBook Ultra. It’s easily one of the best-feeling touchpads I’ve used in recent memory.
My standard for touchpads has always been MacBooks. While the software is also doing some heavy lifting in that particular setup, the ExpertBook’s own comes pretty close.
That’s not praise I hand out lightly.
Performance that feels like overkill
Performance is one area where I cannot claim I fully pushed the capabilities of the ExpertBook Ultra.
Most of my tasks are browser-based. Plenty of tabs open, sure, but I don’t think I ever came close to really testing the capabilities of this business notebook. I imagine that would be the case for most of ASUS’ target audience.
Upon seeing the specs, I already knew this was going to be a bit of an overkill for my own use case. My time with it only proved that assessment.
The most I did with it was jump between browser tabs and chat apps, letting ChatGPT help me process unresolved feelings and questionable timing while I dealt with coordinating shoots, writing scripts and reviews, and dealing with external forces that leave me feeling drained.
Never once did the laptop feel slow. Never once did I find myself waiting.
What noise?
Speaking of things I didn’t notice, let’s talk about fan noise.
Again, since I didn’t really push this thing to its absolute limits, the fan never really kicked into high gear at any point during my time with it.
The same goes for thermals.
No task I did ever raised the temperature to uncomfortable levels. The laptop simply went about its business. Which, come to think of it, is probably the most business-laptop thing I can say about it.
Battery life that simply works
I was very impressed with its overall efficiency.
When I go out to work, I typically don’t stay out longer than five to six hours. Most of the time that’s five to six hours of really focused work—with some K-pop loving in between.
Being generally risk-averse, I still always brought my usual charger with me. Not once during my time with the device did I feel the need to plug in while working outside.
I would typically end my café work days somewhere between 30 to 40 percent and only juice the thing up once I got home while it was closed and not in use.
That’s exactly the kind of battery experience I want from a business laptop.
The AI question
The thing I struggle with when it comes to AI features on this machine is that a lot of them are Windows-based and that’s just not the AI I find reliable.
Right now, many of these features are nice-to-have.
I’m sure one of ASUS’ target users will likely find a use case for them.
As for me personally, this is one area I’d have to dig deeper into to actually find ways to integrate them into my workflow and general usage.
And honestly, that’s okay. The AI features weren’t the reason I kept reaching for the laptop.
Who is this actually for?
That’s a loaded question. Really, it’s built for anyone who can afford it.
With a starting price of PhP 129,995, this device comfortably sits in aspirational territory.
What I know for sure is that this is a machine for someone who’s already built some momentum in their chosen field and would like to level up.
The ASUS ExpertBook Ultra gives you a machine that can handle your business now and inspire you to dream bigger about your future.
Is the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra your GadgetMatch?
The thing I kept coming back to with the ExpertBook Ultra is that there is no one thing that made me turn to it.
Instead, it’s the combination of everything that it brings to the table. The premium-feeling build, lightweight design, wonderful display, excellent keyboard and touchpad. efficient performance, and the thoughtful extras. Together, they make it a laptop that’s easy to recommend to anyone who’s ready for it.
But what does ready for it actually mean?
It means it’s for people who have leveled up quite a bit in their grind and want a machine that matches their current status and future aspirations.
That’s what the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra represents. A modern classic that’s ready for now and whatever comes next.
That’s why it didn’t wow me. But it certainly won me over.
With the arrival of vivo’s first “Ultra” smartphone last May 2024, I felt nothing but utmost excitement — until it was revealed to be China-exclusive.
Second generation landed, yet it remained the same. My disappointment grew twofold.
Despite rocking the vivo X200 Pro last year, my eyes were glued to the Ultra for its more powerful camera hardware.
Two years have passed, and my gloomy, rainy skies have finally turned into a sunny scenery.
The Chinese smartphone brand finally listened and unveiled the much-awaited vivo X300 Ultra slated for global markets.
A Whole Different Animal
With all the “Ultra” smartphones released in the wild, the vivo X300 Ultra is of a different species.
For starters, the vivo X300 Ultra has a massive 200MP f/1.85 rear camera based on Sony’s 1/1.12-inch LYTIA 901 (or LYT-901) image sensor.
What makes it stand out from the rest is that 35mm focal length is uniquely of its kind. No other smartphone brand dares to do what vivo is currently doing.
Even though 35mm exists in most modern flagships through a series of camera app taps, it’s only vivo’s X300 Ultra (and last year’s X200 Ultra) that made 35mm the de facto focal length standard in contrast to all 23/24/26mm wide shooters out there. No fake 35mm cropping whatsoever.
Personally, I am a huge lover of this tight framing. Not only it gives the best balance of DoF (Depth of Field) and FoV (Field of View), it makes you focus and capture more intricate subjects altogether.
That mighty sensor is also capable of capturing 50mm shots through in-sensor cropping.
Deny it or not, ultra-wide angle shooters are what most brands often neglect. Well, vivo tried to make it up to par with that 50MP f/2.0 UWA lens.
But, it’s not just about the megapixel count nor aperture opening. The X300 Ultra boasts a 1/1.28-inch Sony LYT-818. X200 Pro’s main sensor was transformed into X300 Ultra’s ultra-wide unit.
This further proves how the X300 Ultra, in aespa’s words, is truly a W.D.A (Whole Different Animal).
Last but definitely not the least, that 200MP f/2.67 periscope telephoto module capable of bringing in 3.5x optical zoom or an equivalent of 85mm.
Shooting beyond 10x is still crisp and clear thanks to Samsung’s 1/1.4-inch ISOCELL HP0 sensor refined for vivo.
Before I forget, the X300 Ultra is the only phone in the X-series line to feature a 5MP f/2.0 multi-spectral sensor.
vivo X300 Pro (left), X300 Ultra (right)
For the spec-savvy, here are the detailed camera specs of the X300 Ultra against its Pro brother.
vivo X300 Pro |
vivo X300 Ultra |
|
Wide |
50MP f/1.57
|
200MP f/1.85
|
Ultra-Wide |
50MP f/2.0
|
50MP f/2.0
|
Periscope
|
200MP f/2.67 ZEISS APO
|
200MP f/2.67 ZEISS APO
|
Multi-
|
– |
5MP f/2.0 |
Selfie |
50MP f/2.0
|
50MP f/2.45
|
Mirrorless Mimicry
Last year’s vivo X300 Pro was already a very, VERY capable camera-centric flagship.
This year, vivo takes the X300 Ultra to the next level with their overhauled camera app features.
First and foremost, the shortcut bar on top is now customizable. Moreover, the lower right side lets you add more tools based on how you like them in your screen. This was not possible in previous iterations.
Now, if you’ve been following through over the years, the default color profiles were ZEISS Natural, Vivid, and Textured.
This year, the latter was changed to “Refined” while Textured was moved to less major presets in the list.
My first day with this monstrous camera phone made me explore all the new features — including making your very-own preset through Color Palette. This fully unlocks the hidden potential of the X300 Ultra.
Upon firing up that camera app, I immediately tested it out and did my own film recipe just to make my photos reflect my photography style. Thus, V01 and V02 were born.
Now, if you’re not a tinkerer like me, mirrorless-like presets are floating around XHS / XiaoHongShu (or RedNote, whatever you prefer).
For reference, here’s a quick comparison between vivo’s built-in presets versus my own recipe.
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- vivo – Vivid
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- V – V01
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- vivo – Refined
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- V – V01
This added ability truly proves my sentiment that it can be a “mirrorless replacement.” And by that, I meant you can show off your own photography style without having to be too restricted with the phone’s built-in presets and camera processing. Neither color-grading after the fact.
Such new feat is why I can never go back to the X300 Pro. And, even if they do include it in a future software update, X300 Ultra’s camera hardware is simply unbeatable.
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- vivo X300 Ultra 35mm + V’s V01 Recipe
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- Sony ZV-E10 + TTArtisan 35mm f/1.8 II Prime Lens
Just for fun, I took both of these 35mm shots using the vivo X300 Ultra alongside the Sony ZV-E10 with my budget 35mm prime lens.
Postcards #PhotoDump
Spoiler alert: There are a lot to see! And, that’s the point of a “review” anyway 🤐
🇹🇼 高雄市 / Kaohsiung
📍 Cijin Island
By making and applying the preset I made, I was able to take all the glistening photos at these two different beaches in Kaohsiung.
📍 Sizihwan Beach
📍 Night Light
📍 Kaoshiung Center
📍 Angel & Demon Café
📍 Pier 2
📍 Hamasen
My inner railway fanaticism was screaming with the working diorama and all TRA / Taiwan Railway-filled memorabilia inside Hamasen Railway Museum.
📍 THSR Zuoying
All the train madness (and the Kaohsiung trip as a whole) ends here.
🇹🇼 臺北市 / Taipei
Moving from the southern city towards the north, Taipei’s weather also shifted drastically.
📍 Ximending
Being able to witness an eerie Ximending for the first time in my fifth Taipei visit along with this preset made it more dramatic.
I can’t imagine how “impactful” these would look if I applied vivo’s built-in presets.
📍 Xinyi
📍 Songshan
📍 Xizhi / Nangang
📍 Food
📍 X-tras
‼️ Bonus #1: COMPUTEX 2026
-
- Eye contact of ROG’s Kris Huang is melting me
-
- I mean???
SEE ALSO: Postcards from MSI’s 40th Anniversary Expo
‼️ Bonus #2: Selfies
🇰🇷 부산 / Busan
It’s funny how this phone was able to see Busan while its owner is still dreaming of seeing it with his own eyes one fine day.
As stated, I was not the person who traveled here (my friend took ’em for me). Still, I’m glad how these photos turned out all throughout her week-long trip in Busan.
Full-on FleXibility
With the newer G2 and G2 Ultra teleconverter lenses by vivo and ZEISS alongside the improved Grip Case produced by PGYTECH, it’s hard not to think the vivo X300 Ultra is a professional-looking mirrorless camera from afar.
Unfortunately, we don’t have any of these X-tras with me.
Still, it would be a huge miss not to test out the built-in periscope prowess of the X300 Ultra on concert grounds.
🎵 260612 BTS ‘ARIRANG’ in Busan
🎶 260425 IVE ‘Show What I Am’ in MNL
Video VerXatility
I’ve witnessed how vivo aimed to hit two birds with one stone by delivering a capable photo and video shooter like how Apple does with Pro-branded iPhones.
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vivo made the X300 Ultra rival the iPhone 17 Pro Max not just in photography, but in videography as well. This year, they have finally delivered.
For one, there’s better lens versatility when shooting in 4K/120fps — regardless if it’s the default SDR (Rec.709) codec, Dolby Vision, or as extreme as Log recording. More so, slo-mo shooting will be smoother and clearer.
Additionally, low-light shooting, video stability, and even lens switching are all seamless.
While I already enjoyed the video strengths of last year’s X200 Pro and X300 Pro, the X300 Ultra is remarkable and unbeatable.
Back to that custom color palette feature. Well, it also works in video shooting — making the vivo X300 Ultra an ultimate mirrorless sub.
Admittedly, unlike MKBHD and most filmmakers out there, I’m never a fan of 24fps as I prefer shooting in 60fps or higher. However, the X300 Ultra made me think otherwise as I enjoyed such “cinematic” shooting made possible with vivo’s Film Style mode.
If you’re just the point-and-shoot type of shooter without wanting vivo’s default color styles or not “pro” enough to make your own color recipe, Film Look also exists for those cine-rich footages.
It does not stop there! vivo even added this more profesh-looking layout reminiscent of professional cine cameras.
In all honesty, I only used it once since the texts are quite tiny, and adjusting controls were quite fiddly.
Clean and Lean
At first glance, the vivo X300 Ultra is nothing but subtle refinements.
Last year’s Rimowa-like texture of the X200 Ultra was gone in favor of that two-tone shade. Personally, I loved that design element more as it also serves as a functioning grip when held.
Moving through, while the Film / Steppe / Victory Green is closer to my heart, the White colorway given to me is still heaps better than the plain Eclipse Black shade.
It’s not just clean-looking, the bigger part has that subdued, mountain-like pattern faintly showing up when hit by light.
I’ve always been fond of massive circular camera cutout — vivo X-series not left out. Gladly, vivo still stuck with this design.
vivo X300 Ultra (above) vs X300 Pro (below)
Now, before you jump on that hump hate train, it’s great to appreciate how vivo engineers were able to fit all these massive camera components within.
I don’t mind the thiccer, protruding camera bump versus its Pro sibling. After all, it serves both form and function especially that it makes a great resting place for my finger when held one-handed.
At 8.49mm and 237 grams, it’s not too slim and hefty enough to avoid those unwanted drops and slides that I experienced frequently with the previous X200 Pro and X300 Pro.
#NowPlaying: The Legend of Kitchen Soldier, The WONDERfools
Flipping to its front shows the X300 Ultra’s 6.82-inch 144Hz LTPO AMOLED panel.
In the entirety of this review period, I was able to start and end The Legend of Kitchen Soldier starred by Park Ji-hoon — one of my ultimate biases (and crushes) both in the K-Pop and K-Drama world.
One of the best and most hilarious K-Dramas ever existed, periodt.
From the series’ cool video game-like VFXs à la smart glasses, mouthwatering cooking mastery, all the way to the hilarious, comedic snippets in between, it’s hard to deny how immersive it gets the longer you stare at that screen.
The bezels are impossibly thin for an Android smartphone.
Admittedly, I’m impatient when it comes to bi-weekly broadcasts (or two episodes being aired per week). Luckily, the one-time full release of Netflix’s The WONDERfools headlined by the amazing Park Eun-bin alongside the irresistible Cha Eun-woo made me sane.
This further tested its display strengths when I tried watching it against the harsh sun.
Just like the Legend Kang Sungjae and the Haeseong WONDERfools, X300’s Ultra display is legendary and wonderful on its own. 4500 nits peak brightness, 2K resolution, pixel density of 510ppi, and support for DCI-P3 Wide Color Gamut, what more could I ask for?
It would be a huge denial on my end though if I didn’t say I want a bigger 6.9-inch display in order to fully feel its “Ultra” naming superlative — just like how Samsung, Xiaomi, and Apple made it possible with their Ultra (or Pro Max) models.
On Queue: I.O.I, NMIXX, tripleS
Sound produced by vivo’s X300 Pro were already loud and full. How much more with the X300 Ultra?
It’s hard to say that there are major improvements. Rest assured, its built-in stereo speakers sound superb.
Highs, mids, and lows are clearly separated without that unwanted flat nor muffled sound output.
Speaking of separation, I.O.I has been separated 10 years ago but came back this 2026 for a short yet sweet reunion comeback. I was very giddy to play Suddenly through the phone’s mighty speakers.
Suddenly, it made me teary-eyed after realizing I’ve witnessed I.O.I’s hardships and very formation ever since I watched Produce 101 Season 1 since 2015.
Thanking all the gods for NMIXX’s existence
The lossless goodness can also be heard when I played NMIXX’s Cresecendo and Heavy Serenade — especially with Lily, Sullyoon, and Kyujin’s adlibs.
Last but definitely not the least, the soothing yet energizing vibe was felt all throughout when I played the rock-infused pop track Baby Flower by the K-Pop super group, tripleS.
Finally! OT24 and ASSEMBLE26
It’s not just the song, rather, the full <LOVE&POP> pt.1 album, that’s worth listening to more than the streams they have garnered from their release date.
All in all, much like all these explosive bangers, the vivo X300 Ultra is a remarkable device for your banging loudspeaker sessions — even without the existence of any audio brand partnership.
True Blue Flagship
With flagship-grade display and cameras lie all the powerful core within.
Given that this is vivo’s ultimate flagship, it runs the latest and greatest 3nm SoC from Qualcomm: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
Paired with a speedy 16GB LPDDR5X Ultra Pro memory, opening and switching or using apps simultaneously should be easy-breezy.
With OriginOS 6, animations are less fluid yet very snappy. I prefer it more over other Android skins (ColorOS, MagicOS, HyperOS, you get the idea).
Talk about perfect timing! I was thrilled when NTE (Neverness to Everness) finally made its release last May.
With this phone’s ultra-capable specs, it made me enjoy the all-new open-world game more fun and enjoyable. It’s like a mashup of Zenless Zone Zero and Cyberpunk 2077.
Looking at the graphics settings alone, you’re assured that the X300 Ultra will run the most intensive gaming titles to ever exist on the Android space.
While other markets have a 1TB storage configuration, the region where I reside in solely sticks to the 512GB variant.
Then again, it’s a major downside for a power user like me who easily fills up the phone. That’s considering how massive and daunting the file sizes are once you shoot in RAW and record in the most insane video resolution and codec possible in this device.
Hopefully though, vivo would consider bringing in 1TB to more regions — and 2TB like the newer iPhone Pros.
Now that I mentioned it: Other than the macOS integration with vivo’s Office Kit, the X300 Ultra can now do AirDrop as well! This was only a fantasy back then — especially for an Apple-slash-Android user like me.
The Not-so-flagship aspect
Frankly, the only thing that is not flagship-like about the X300 Ultra is its battery longevity.
Even though we are now being spoiled by 8000mAh ~ 10,000mAh+ midrangers nowadays, I am very much aware of the engineering challenges faced by manufacturers when prioritizing cameras in the flagship-class.
But, hear me out real quick. Why did OPPO manage to equip the Find X9 Ultra with an even bigger 7025mAh capacity? The Chinese Xiaomi 17 Ultra even has 200mAh more.
ICYMI, the X300 Pro already had a 6500mAh battery — and it didn’t last me throughout a whole day. How much more with the 6600mAh tank of the X300 Ultra?
Despite a more “power-efficient” chipset and a 100mAh boost in battery, the X300 Ultra is not in any way better in terms of endurance. While I thank vivo for the OriginOS transition, the battery efficiency of Funtouch OS was left behind.
Even if it can last well when used in moderate scenarios, it’s a heavy hogger when you use the cameras a LOT — which is the point of wanting this smartphone.
Case in point: During our COMPUTEX 2026 coverage, I relied heavily on this smartphone for shooting 90% of the stuff around the exhibition — especially because of how crammed and crowded the booths and pathways were.
From 9AM up until 2PM, it easily depleted its fully-charged state down to just 15%.
Fortunately, the vivo X300 Ultra supports one of the fastest charging speeds in a smartphone: 100W FlashCharge and 40W Wireless FlashCharge.
With my whole review duration, I utilized its wired charging capabilities more especially that it has a bundled charger plus USB-C to USB-C cable in the box.
FlashCharge High Speed |
FlashCharge Normal |
|
START TIME (From 0%) |
4:20AM |
6:06PM |
3 minutes |
2% |
2% |
5 minutes |
4% |
4% |
10 minutes |
10% |
7% |
15 minutes |
21% |
11% |
20 minutes |
30% |
20% |
30 minutes |
50% |
30% |
45 minutes |
77% |
44% |
1 hour |
98% |
62% |
1 hour 15 minutes |
— |
83% |
END TIME |
5:26AM1 hour 6 minutes |
7:35PM1 hour 28 minutes |
Mind you, third-party chargers, cables, and even power banks will still work and can take advantage of that FlashCharge High-Speed charging all thanks to that USB-C PPS protocol.
Although MagSafe isn’t supported, third-party cases with magnets can still make magnetic Qi2 (and Qi2.2) wireless charging possible.
Is the vivo X300 Ultra your GadgetMatch?
The original headline of this review was supposed to be “the true mirrorless for less.”
But, with a base price of PhP 109,990 / MYR 6799 / INR 159,999, it’s not precisely cheaper than most mirrorless setups in the market.
Still, that doesn’t mean the X300 Ultra performs less than a mirrorless.
Spending almost two months with the X300 Ultra, I can truthfully say I’ve enjoyed shooting with this power-packed phone more than the mirrorless camera I own.
This isn’t me saying smartphones can replace mirrorless cameras anytime soon. But, the focal length flexibility, photo and video versatility, plus plentiful software feats truly make the X300 Ultra the pinnacle of phone-tography and videography.
As I alluded to earlier, the X300 Ultra is vivo’s direct answer to Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro Max.
While acquiring that iPhone of the same configuration is cheaper at PhP 101,990 / INR 154,900 (but more expensive in Malaysia at MYR 6999), X300 Ultra boasts greater camera hardware and better pro-grade tools altogether.
And, even if you are stuck with some Apple devices (like yours truly), its readiness alongside the Apple ecosystem makes it an Android smartphone you cannot resist.
In Europe, while the starting price is higher at EUR 1999, that gives you double the storage. But, at the cost of removing the bundled charger and cable due to EU laws.
Enough talking! The vivo X300 Ultra is a hard Swipe Right, solid Super Swipe, and a worthy recipient of GadgetMatch’s Seal of Approval.
Whenever a brand slaps a “long battery life” label on a box, we take it with a grain of salt.
Even as smartphone battery capacities have become larger as of late, endurance is still subjective. It’s heavily dependent on your daily screen time, signal strength, and other habits.
But when a smartphone lands on your desk with a gargantuan 10,001mAh battery, then that subjectivity basically goes right out the window.
That’s what the realme P4 Power chiefly brings to the Philippine market for the first time, in the brand’s P series relatively quiet debut in the country.
It’s here to eliminate low-battery anxiety and render your bulky external power banks completely obsolete.
Tether-less freedom
We wielded this device for weeks as a primary daily driver, and the endurance is nothing short of black magic.
The daily rotation included endless social media scrolling, video streaming, continuous navigation, and a relentless stress test: serving as a portable Wi-Fi hotspot for up to three separate devices simultaneously.
Through all that usage, the phone flat-out refused to die. I didn’t consciously “try” to drain it. I just know it would last an entire day for up to the wee hours.
When acting as a multi-device router, the chassis does heat up slightly, but it never crosses into alarming or uncomfortable territory.
It simply sips power, providing a level of tether-less freedom that no standard 5,000mAh or 6,000mAh smartphone can replicate.
When it is finally time to recharge the device, it supports 80W SUPERVOOC charging so you won’t have to spend hours waiting.
Even if you don’t replenish it back up to 100%, an hour’s worth of charging should keep you going the extra distance.
Immersive visuals, casual performance
The massive battery pairs beautifully with a expansive 6.8-inch 144Hz AMOLED display. With a high, 453ppi pixel density and 1280 x 2800 resolution, media consumption and gaming become highly engaging — at least from a visuals standpoint.
There is a wider aspect ratio so you don’t get a comically long phone, and a curved screen. We aren’t typical fond of this but the curvature seems subtle, meaning no accidental edge touches.
When it comes to performance, the MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Ultra chipset handles everyday tasks and casual, less-demanding titles with absolute ease.
However, when jumping into competitive matches of Call of Duty: Mobile or exploring the heavy landscapes of Honkai: Star Rail, you will encounter frame drops and stuttering from time to time.
It’s never jarring enough to ruin your match or hinder what you’re trying to do, but it does occasionally disrupt an otherwise smooth gaming experience.
If anything, there’s Championship Mode and GT Mode to optimize the device for such tasks. Bypass Charging is a bonus so you can keep playing without the risk of device overheating.
Audio is loud but somewhat flat, but I didn’t expect much.
Heavy, mecha-inspired tank
That display curvature is part of the phone’s overall aesthetic. Around the back, the realme P4 Power embraces its “all about power” persona with a distinct, machine-inspired design language.
The upper half where the camera island is located, in particular, look aggressive and sharp, as if a nod to mobile gaming. The colorway for this unit is silver metallic.
However, housing a 10,000mAh cell requires a serious physical compromise: weight. This phone is significantly, undeniably heavy.
The sheer heft is a constant reminder of the juice it carries, to the point where switching back to a “normal” smartphone yields a stark, instantly noticeable contrast in your hand and pockets.
Reliable main camera, lagging selfies
For its camera package, the realme P4 Power comes with a dependable 50MP main camera with a Sony IMX882 sensor.
I didn’t exactly “test” the camera but just naturally used it whenever I was out and about. Hence, I ended up with plenty of food, product reviews, and random finds.
Performance is decent, with the 1x to 1.5x range being the sweet spot. Compared to budget devices, there is definitely more detail and texture.
Color reproduction is likewise amenable, with some depth and acceptable clarity. But camera-centric mid-rangers can obviously offer punchier, more “popped-up” contrast.
With OIS, video recording is likewise smooth. It’s usable for casual vlogging, although lighting is still the catch. You’ll need an extra tofu light for instance, which sacrifices the portability of the phone itself.
@manilaconnoisseur Dropped by Daily Beer Korean Chicken and Beer in ArcoVia, Pasig for some food after a team meeting!
The selfie camera, meanwhile, also lags compared to older realme number series devices I’ve used. Sharpness, vividness, and color accuracy are lacking.
@manilaconnoisseur Lipton Soda Iced Tea, now available in Berry Burst flavor! Zero sugar pa rin! Check out now. @Pepsi Philippines #LiptonSodaIcedTea #LiptonSoda #LiptonSodaBerryBurst #LiptonSodaZeroSugar
Built to survive the elements
As an added bonus, realme didn’t sacrifice ruggedness for the sake of capacity. The handset comes armed with a familiar IP69 rating for dust and water resistance, including high-pressure water jets and submersion.
We took it out on outdoor jogs, and heavy sweat didn’t cause a single issue. Even when dealing with moisture, the display’s touch optimization remained responsive.
Is the realme P4 Power your GadgetMatch?
The realme P4 Power sits right in the competitive PhP 25,999 price bracket. In an era where smartphone prices are continuously climbing, it still offers a value proposition as an all-around mid-range device.
Think of it as buying a standard mid-ranger plus a power bank, minus the double pocket clutter. Long-term battery degradation remains to be seen but it seems the device is a fair purchase for power users.
It’s a close call, but the P4 Power is still a Swipe Right especially if your lifestyle demands endless battery life above all else.
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