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MANILA, Philippines — Boracay is a destination that demands to be remembered with a sensory overload of sun, sea breeze and vibrant island life.
For a short escape, we needed to make those memories last without being bogged down by gear like bulky cameras you’re afraid to get wet, and which take up precious luggage space. Fortunately, the rapid development of mobile technology means we can increasingly rely on our phones to save us.
So, on a recent trip, we packed the newest vivo flagship, the X300, to be our travel companion, ready to document our favorite Boracay moments and take spontaneous, stunning pictures.
The phone's performance—from its quick-draw camera to its reliable battery life—made it the single most versatile essential we packed, proving that the best adventures are captured effortlessly.
Here’s a hands-on look at how the X300’s camera, battery life and overall portability handled a real-world Philippine adventure.
Hassle-free, worry-free
When you’re hopping on and off boats and walking by the bay, you don’t want a brick in your pocket. The X300 felt incredibly refined for a flagship device.
At just 8mm thin and weighing around 190g, it slipped easily into shorts pockets and small beach bags without feeling bulky. Its slim, elegant glass-and-aluminum build made it a pleasure to use one-handed.
But the real peace of mind came from its durability. Boracay is all about water and sand, and the IP68/IP69 rating meant we didn’t have to baby it. From accidental splashes during island-hopping to a quick rinse after a particularly windy beach walk, we never worried—this phone was truly built to keep up with an adventurous pace.
Dependable display
I also realized something I don’t usually pay attention to in phones: screen brightness. During one of our yacht rides, I tried pulling up a photo for comparison using my other phone, only to find the screen practically invisible under the harsh noon sun.
The vivo X300, on the other hand, stayed perfectly readable — thanks to its impressive 4,500-nit local peak brightness — which was incredibly useful when framing a shot with the sun bouncing off the water. That bright display made a huge difference on the trip, something I didn’t expect to care about but ended up appreciating every time we were out in the blazing sun.
Camera: the phone’s x-factor
A trip to Boracay is incomplete without documenting the iconic sceneries and sunsets, and this is where the vivo X300 truly shone.
The triple camera system, featuring Zeiss optics and the T* coating, delivered exceptional clarity, contrast and color consistency.
Gloomy arrival and indoor test
The day we checked in at The Lind Boracay, we were greeted not by dazzling sunshine, but by a thick, heavy overcast.
It wasn't the iconic turquoise I'd flown halfway across the country for, but it presented the perfect challenge for the vivo X300.
Without the luxury of bright midday sun, the phone had to rely purely on its engineering to handle tricky indoor lighting, hotel shadows and the flat, low-contrast light of a cloudy day.
We spent the day checking out the hotel amenities and resort areas, capturing the quiet, moody aesthetic.
The X300 performed exceptionally well. The camera's powerful 200MP main sensor combined with its OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) was invaluable; it was highly effective at gathering the limited light available, keeping handheld shots sharp and preventing the grainy noise typical of low-light phones.
Furthermore, the ZEISS co-engineered optics ensured the photos retained their warm, natural color tones—even without bright outdoor lighting, the images were clean and detailed, proving the X300 didn't need perfect conditions to deliver quality memories.
Sun out: Yacht life, blues and golden sunset
The change was dramatic. We woke up to that iconic Boracay blue: a clear sky, brilliant sun, and water so blue and clear. It was time for the phone's true outdoor test: a yacht ride. This presented the opposite challenge—extreme brightness, intense water reflections and fast-moving action.
The vivo X300 truly shined here. The massive 200MP Zeiss Main Camera captured an unbelievable amount of detail across the water and distant islands.
Even more critical on the water was the 50MP Zeiss APO Telephoto Camera, which allowed us to zoom in for up-close portraits or tight shots of distant scenery without sacrificing clarity—crucial when you can't get physically closer.
It flawlessly balanced the blinding white of the sails against the deep turquoise of the sea using its excellent Auto HDR.
Instead of muddy or grainy crops, we got sharp, surprisingly detailed photos of distant subjects. Thanks to OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), even handheld shots stayed steady—capturing everything from the sails to the movements of the boaters. It turned faraway scenes into frame-worthy photos without needing to move an inch.
From 30,000 feet to city portraits
The adventure wasn't over just because we left the beach. Our journey back offered the final, most varied test of the vivo X300’s specialized optics: the power of the zoom and the finesse of the portrait mode.
Snapping photos from the airplane window presents a challenge of distance and vibration. We could zoom in on distant shorelines or even make out patterns in the clouds without the image dissolving into digital mush, proving the zoom quality is genuinely almost lossless and highly usable.
Once back in Manila, the focus shifted from land to face. The X300 is engineered for human subjects, offering Multi-Focal HD Portrait modes that simulate classic camera focal lengths (like 35mm, 50mm and 85mm).
We used the 50MP Zeiss APO Telephoto Camera as a dedicated portrait lens to capture sharp, flattering, bokeh-rich photos of my friends featuring the holiday lights of the Metro.
Crucially, the ZEISS Natural Portrait feature delivered natural-looking skin tones—none of the overly smoothed or artificially brightened faces that plague lesser phone cameras.
The X300 proved that whether you’re zooming in from the sky or shooting a close-up portrait on the street, you can achieve professional, clean results without needing any extra gear.
Beach-ready battery
The biggest pain point of any travel phone is battery anxiety. A traveler needs a phone that can handle hours of GPS navigation, non-stop photo taking, video recording, and social media sharing without needing an afternoon charge.
The 6040 mAh BlueVolt battery in the X300 was an absolute beast. Our personal experience mirrored the impressive 17+ hours active use score it's known for.
We started the day at 7 a.m. with 100%, and even after a full day of heavy camera use and connectivity, we comfortably made it back to the hotel after dinner with power to spare.
And when we did need a top-up? The 90W wired charging was unbelievably fast, allowing us to go from near-empty to a full charge in the time it took to pack our bags for the next outing. It effectively eliminated the need to carry a bulky power bank.
vivo X300: Built for X-plorers, made for X-ceptional shots
Across the entire Boracay getaway, the vivo X300 proved itself as a device built for movement and made for moments.
It handled every shift in scenery—from sun-drenched beaches to quiet hotel views and lively nighttime scenes with sharpness, color accuracy and reliability that made shooting effortless.
Under the hood, the vivo X300 runs on MediaTek’s most powerful chip to date — the Dimensity 9500 — a processor co-developed with vivo and equipped with next-generation ARM CPU cores and the new ARM G1 Ultra GPU. Whether we were shooting 200MP photos, editing videos, or switching between travel apps, the phone stayed fast, cool, and consistently responsive.
Its slim, durable build kept things light as we hopped between boats and shorelines, while the long-lasting battery gave us the freedom to stay in the moment.
For travelers who want a gear that keeps pace with real adventures and then captures them with standout quality, the vivo X300 delivers an X-ceptional upgrade.
The vivo X300 series is now available in the Philippines, with the X300 (16GB + 512GB) priced at P67,999 and the X300 Pro (16GB + 512GB) at P77,999.
For those looking to elevate their mobile photography setup, vivo is also offering the vivo ZEISS Telephoto Extender Kit for P12,999 and the vivo PGYTECH Imaging Grip Kit for P7,999. All models and accessories can be purchased through vivo’s concept stores nationwide.
The vivo X300 Series is additionally available for pre-order on Shopee until December 10, 2025, with up to 12 months 0 percent interest via SPayLater. During the official Shopee launch livestream on December 11 at 8 PM, early buyers may receive a free vivo ZEISS Telephoto Extender Kit with the vivo X300 Pro purchase.
Learn more about the vivo X300 Series on the vivo website.
Editor’s Note: This #BrandSpace story is created with vivo. It is produced by the Advertising Content Team that is independent from our Editorial Newsroom.
