Vivo’s X300 Ultra has the best cameras in any phone. While rivals push experimental telephotos, Vivo’s phone simply has three equally excellent cameras. The 200-megapixel main camera delivers a serious jump in both size and resolution from last year’s model. Combined with the best ultrawide camera in any phone and new pro-level video features, this phone feels more versatile than its rivals.

The telephoto camera also has 200-megapixel resolution, with an 85mm focal length and 1/1.4-inch sensor, essentially the same specs as the X200 Ultra. The slightly narrower f/2.7 aperture might make the X300 look like a downgrade, but improved stabilization and sensor and processing tweaks give this iteration an edge overall.

The ultrawide also remains unique for its sensor size. It’s larger than the one on the iPhone 17 Pro’s main camera and supports optical image stabilization too. No other ultrawide comes close. The selfie camera is a bit of a disappointment, being just a 50-megapixel shooter with a comparatively small 1/2.76-inch sensor.

Vivo hasn’t just focused on still photography. This year it’s doubled down on video, though the upgrades here are really targeted at professionals. You can now record 4K, 120fps, 10-bit Log video across all of the three rear lenses, can import custom 3D LUTs, and use a Pro Video shooting mode for full manual controls.

Ultra flagships are as much tech demos as consumer products. They’re an excuse for phone companies not only to show off their technical abilities, but also to lay down a vision for what makes the “best” phone right now.