Battery life destroyer, indeed powerful.

In the blink of an eye, more than half of 2024 has passed. Looking back at the smartphone market in the first half of the year, each tier has formed its inherent strategies: flagship phones compete on camera quality, with 1-inch sensors and periscope telephoto lenses pushing mobile photography to new heights; mid-range phones focus on durability, whether it's withstanding a high heel stomping on the screen or a 1.5-meter drop to the ground.

In Xiao Lei's opinion, the most interesting tier is the mid-range market. As the most popular tier at present, manufacturers are unleashing their creativity with products priced under 3000 yuan, introducing new technologies and designs at a rapid pace. Today, vivo held a new product launch event, officially unveiling the Y300 Pro from its Y series.

(Image source: vivo)

The vivo Y300 Pro is the most " Transcending levels " (transcending its class) mid-range phone in the current market, not in terms of performance but in terms of "usability."

Lei Technology was invited to cover this launch event. Let's take a look at what new tricks this so-called "battery life destroyer," the vivo Y300 Pro, has up its sleeve.

Where does the confidence in calling itself the "destroyer" come from?

In the middle of this year, vivo introduced its new generation of imaging flagship, the vivo X100 Ultra, which also carries a resounding nickname – "Imaging Destroyer." With a 1-inch super-large sensor, 200-megapixel periscope telephoto lens, and 50-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, it truly lives up to its bold name.

In the initial promotion of the Y300 Pro, Xiao Lei also noticed its title as the "battery life destroyer." So what kind of luxurious configuration gives vivo the confidence to adopt such a bold promotional slogan?

Firstly, the design of the vivo Y300 Pro is quite interesting. It chooses a similar appearance to its flagship counterparts, featuring a large circular camera module in the center, along with trendy titanium color and waterdrop-shaped rounded corners. Of course, considering its positioning, the Y300 Pro's frame and back cover are made of more affordable plastic materials, keeping its overall weight around 193 grams.

(Image source: vivo)

The Y300 Pro also boasts a design that truly "transcends its class" – a full-depth micro-quad-curved screen. As vivo's first model with a quad-curved design, the Y300 Pro features a brand-new 40° golden micro-curve design along the screen edges and waterdrop-shaped rounded corners, providing a better visual experience and grip compared to classic dual-curved screens.

(Image source: vivo)

The specific specifications of this screen are 6.77 inches with 1080P resolution, up to 120Hz refresh rate, support for 3840Hz anti-flicker eye protection, and it has also passed the National Ophthalmic Engineering Center's eye protection test and SGS low blue light certification. Additionally, its local peak brightness reaches 5000 nits, similar to the Y200, prioritizing high visibility outdoors.

The "transcendence" in appearance is just one aspect. The real Mighty and domineering (power and prestige) of the Y300 Pro lies in its battery life – equipped with a massive 6500mAh battery, making it the model with the largest battery capacity in its price range. How did vivo manage to fit such a large battery into this sleek body? The Y300 Pro utilizes an industry-leading 776Wh/L high-energy-density Blue Ocean battery, along with the same battery packaging technology and self-developed Linglong architecture found in vivo's flagship models, allowing for a higher-capacity, high-density battery in a smaller form factor.

(Image source: vivo)

And this battery is not just "big," it's also "fast." The vivo Y300 Pro supports up to 80W fast charging and features zero-power quick start, enabling the phone to boot in just 4 seconds from a fully drained state when plugged in.

According to official data, the vivo Y300 Pro can continuously play short videos for up to 23.2 hours or long videos for up to 26.7 hours, equivalent to binge-watching 36 episodes of a TV series online or finishing an entire copy of "Dream of the Red Chamber" in one sitting. vivo has also granted the Y300 Pro a 5000mAh discharge permission, allowing it to function as a "power bank" for other devices when their batteries are low.

(Image source: vivo)

In terms of photography, the vivo Y300 Pro is equipped with an LYT-600 sensor main camera and an ultra-wide-angle lens. Although the hardware may not be outstanding, vivo has developed a new feature – CCD portrait mode. In this mode, the Y300 Pro can automatically activate the camera to capture retro and textured portrait photos, imbuing them with a distinct Y2K vibe.

Overall, the confidence behind vivo Y300 Pro's self-proclaimed title of "battery life destroyer" lies in its 6500mAh ultra-large-capacity battery, complemented by the new-generation Blue Ocean battery technology. It supports 80W fast charging while maintaining a body weight below 200 grams, offering a slim and comfortable grip. Since establishing its focus on "durability," the Y series has leveraged the Y100 to open up new avenues for "transcendence" in the mid-range market, with thinner bodies, longer battery life, and decent peripheral configurations and designs, allowing most ordinary consumers to experience the charm of technology. The Y300 Pro elevates "durability" to a new level, targeting an even broader consumer base.

The mid-range market: Intensifying competition

Mid-range phones have always filled the gap between high-end flagships and entry-level devices, but for most manufacturers, mid-to-low-end models have always borne the brunt of shipments. Market research firm Counterpoint data shows that the global mid-range smartphone market is growing robustly, with shipments reaching 323 million units in Q4 2023, a year-on-year increase of 7%.

As a result, many brands have started paying attention to the mid-range market in recent years, exploring different strategies. Among them, realme has attempted to popularize telephoto photography in the mid-range market, OPPO has focused on durability, and vivo has sought to stir up competition with battery life. These brands have emerged as frontrunners.

Many features once exclusive to flagship phones are gradually trickling down to mid-range models, making the mid-range market a crucial battleground for manufacturers. However, what sets vivo apart from other manufacturers is that the Y300 Pro is among the first to adopt some of the features from the next-generation flagships, an intriguing approach indeed.

(Image source: vivo)

Firstly, in terms of design, the vivo Y300 Pro adopts the same appearance and color schemes as its flagship counterparts. Although there are still material differences, the overall quality is already very close. The Y300 Pro is also the first to use a full-depth micro-quad-curved screen, which is rumored to be the design vivo intends to use in the X200 series, but has now been "preempted" by the Y series.

To be honest, the initial reveal of the Y300 Pro's design did indeed impress Xiao Lei greatly, as there aren't many manufacturers willing to refine the design or even "transcend" screen forms on mid-range phones.

(Image source: vivo)

Secondly, in terms of battery technology, the Y300 Pro is equipped with a new-generation Blue Ocean battery featuring large capacity, high density, and mainstream fast charging technology. Large-capacity batteries are definitely the trend in the future smartphone market. With the rollout of AI large models, smartphones will be able to handle more tasks and make more intelligent decisions, which means higher demands on performance and power consumption. Despite its large battery, the Y300 Pro does not compromise on fast charging or overall dimensions.

(Image source: vivo)

In the past, the mid-range market accounted for the largest share of shipments but often received little attention from manufacturers, with flagship technologies taking several generations to trickle down. However, as time passes and market demands change, mid-range phones are starting to adopt more flagship-level configurations or even "transcendent" features.

It is foreseeable that competition in the mid-range market will not only continue but intensify, which is not necessarily a bad thing for consumers.

Finally, let's take a look at the pricing of the vivo Y300 Pro:

(Image source: vivo)

8GB+128GB: 1799 yuan

8GB+256GB: 1999 yuan

12GB+256GB: 2199 yuan

12GB+512GB: 2499 yuan

Judging from the pricing, vivo Y300 Pro aims to be the most differentiated model in the 2K price range, focusing on long battery life, fast charging, and a "flagship-like" design. Its imaging and performance hardware configurations are also above average.

So, who is the Y300 Pro suitable for? Xiao Lei believes this model is highly suitable for users who spend long hours outdoors and have stringent battery life requirements, or for student groups who don't demand high performance but prioritize comfort and ease of use.

Source: Lei Technology