For years, compact smartphones have come with compromises. If you wanted a phone that was genuinely comfortable to use with one hand, you usually had to settle for a smaller battery, fewer cameras, slower charging, or hardware that wasn’t quite flagship-grade. Meanwhile, phones with the best specifications kept getting larger, making one-handed use increasingly difficult.
The Vivo X300 FE takes a different approach. Instead of asking users to choose between portability and performance, it combines flagship hardware with a compact form factor. It packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset, a 6,500mAh battery, ZEISS-backed cameras, wireless charging, and a premium build into a body that’s noticeably smaller than most flagship smartphones.
There’s one catch, though. The Vivo X300 FE starts at Rs. 79,999 (~$850), while the regular Vivo X300 is available for Rs. 75,999 (~$800). That naturally raises the question: why would anyone pay more for the FE model?
After spending time with the phone, the answer becomes clearer. The X300 FE isn’t positioned as a cheaper alternative to the X300. Instead, it’s designed for users who value comfort, battery life, and everyday usability just as much as camera hardware. Whether that strategy works is what this review aims to find out.
7Is the ZEISS Telephoto Extender Worth It?
One feature that sets the Vivo X300 FE apart from most rivals is support for Vivo’s optional ZEISS Telephoto Extender Gen 2.
The accessory extends the optical reach to an equivalent focal length of around 200mm, allowing you to capture distant subjects with noticeably better detail than digital zoom alone. During my time with it, the extender worked exactly as advertised and produced impressive results.
That said, it isn’t something every buyer needs.
If you regularly photograph wildlife, birds, concerts, sporting events, or distant architecture, the extender can be a worthwhile investment. For everyone else, the built-in 3x telephoto camera is already excellent for everyday photography. At Rs. 15,999, it’s best viewed as an enthusiast accessory rather than an essential purchase.
