Confused between Honor Magic 8 Pro vs Vivo X300 Pro? Find out which flagship offers better value, features, and performance.
Table of Contents
The Honor Magic8 Pro celebrates its launch in Europe, which we take as an opportunity to put the camera setup to a first test. In rainy London, it has to face the comparison with the Vivo X300 Pro.
With the launch of the Honor Magic8 Pro in Europe, the brand is taking the next step into the premium class and presenting its new flagship for the first time in London. The event offered the opportunity to experience the device in direct comparison with the current camera reference, the Vivo X300 Pro, away from data sheets and specifications.
After a short time, it becomes clear that Honor is clearly targeting users who value eye-catching, bright, and social media-friendly shots. The Magic8 Pro stages scenes in a lively and contrasting way, sometimes almost too smooth, a style that should appeal to many but seems less puristic. Vivo, on the other hand, keeps up with a more natural, classic image aesthetic, which appeals above all to lovers of realistic color reproduction.
In the overall impression, the Magic8 Pro delivers an impressive performance and shows that Honor has finally arrived in the premium segment. If you want to share your photos without much post-processing, you will be well served here, while the Vivo X300 Pro remains the somewhat more professional, restrained alternative.
The Honor Magic8 Pro is launching in the European market and celebrates its premiere (we report) in the capital of the United Kingdom—London. We were on site and took the opportunity to compare the Magic8 Pro with the Vivo X300 Pro (buy here at Amazon), the smartphone with the best camera rating in our database at the moment.
All photos were created by the author and are provided with a watermark, which both manufacturers offer optionally in the settings. This serves to provide a better overview and also provides additional information about the recordings.
Camera data
| Honor Magic8 Pro | Vivo X300 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 50 MP, unknown sensor Sensor size: 1/1.3″ Aperture: f/1.6 Focal length: 23 mm OIS, CIPA 5.5 Aspect ratios: 4:3, 16:9, 1:1, Full | 50 MP, Sony LYT-828 sensor Sensor size: 1/1.28″ Aperture: f/1.57 Focal length: 24 mm Gimbal-OIS, CIPA 5.5 Aspect ratios: 4:3, 16:9, 1:1, Full |
| Ultra Wide Angle | 50 MP, unknown sensor Macro function Sensor size: unknown Aperture: f/2.0 Focal length: 12 mm | 50 MP, Samsung JN1 Sensor sensor size: 1/2.76″ Aperture: f/2.0 Focal length: 15 mm |
| Telephoto lens | 200 MP, unknown sensor sensor size: 1/1.4″ aperture: f/2.6 focal length: 85 mm OIS, CIPA 5.5 | 200 MP, Samsung HPB Sensor Macro Function Sensor Size: 1/1.4″ Aperture: f/2.7 Focal Length: 85 mm OIS, CIPA 5.5 |
| Pro Mode | Manually adjustable: metering method, ISO, shutter speed, exposure compensation, focus (AF-S, AF-C, MF), white balance, autofocus lock, optional histogram shutter lag (2 / 5 / 10 sec) Formats: JPG, JPG-L, RAW | Manually adjustable: metering method, ISO, shutter speed, exposure compensation, focus (AF, MF), white balance, autofocus lock, optional histogram shutter lag (2 / 5 / 10 sec) Formats: JPG, RAW, Super RAW Interval shots |
| Front camera | 50 MP, unknown sensor Aperture: f/2.0 Focal length: 21 / 25 mm Fixed focus Pixel binning | 50 MP, Samsung JN1 sensor Aperture: f/2.0 Focal length: 20 / 24 mm Autofocus Pixel binning |
Main camera In low light, the Vivo smartphone is better.
The Vivo X300 Pro nominally has both the slightly larger sensor and the larger aperture and should therefore be a bit faster from a technical point of view. With a focal length of 23 mm, the Magic8 Pro is a little more “wide-angled.” However, this can also be adjusted in the settings: There is also a choice of 28 and 35 mm. Vivo does not provide this feature; instead, users can switch between 24 mm and 36 mm by tapping the zoom level selector.
The weather in London was cloudy, which the X300 Pro captures a bit better, as the pictures are generally not brightened as much. For our taste, however, it could be a shade lighter. Honor takes the opposite approach, brightening the image a lot throughout to suggest a wider dynamic range. Here we would rather wish for a slightly darker shot. Unfortunately, exposure compensation can only be made in Pro mode on both smartphones, and this is not permanently saved either.
In general, the photos of the X300 Pro look more authentic and natural to us. For social media, however, those of the Magic8 Pro are likely to be more suitable. Due to the very different color and brightness balance, it remains more of a matter of taste, as the two competitors are otherwise very close to each other.
Low-light with the main camera
At night, the Vivo X300 Pro benefits from its brighter hardware and shows better image quality, especially in the fine details, such as the trees on the shore (1st picture) or the bridge railing (2nd picture).
However, both capture the mood well, although the Magic8 Pro offers a slightly warmer display.
Zooming—Periscope Optics with Large Sensors
At first glance, the periscope zoom of the two smartphones is very similar: Both use an identically sized 200 MPix sensor with a focal length of 85 mm and optical image stabilization. Nominally, the Magic8 Pro is a bit faster with an aperture of f/2.6, but the X300 Pro has a macro function. Both offer a maximum of 100x magnification with optional AI support.
Both smartphones show detailed images at a high level (for smartphones) and rely on a similar display as with the main lens. The Vivo is a bit more contrasty and darker, but also better in depicting the details at the long focal lengths. However, the Magic8 Pro captures more detail at the double digital zoom, which still takes place with the main sensor.
Zooming in the dark
In the dark, the impression gained in daylight continues. The photos with the X300 Pro look more natural and the lighting is more balanced than with the Magic8 Pro. The latter also relies on a stronger brightening and warmer image of the scenery.
Ultra Wide Angle and Macro—Different Approaches
The ultra-wide-angle sensor of the Honor Magic8 Pro also serves as a macro lens and can capture a larger section than the Vivo X300 Pro (15 mm, no macro) with its 12 mm focal length.
The blurring towards the edge is a bit more pronounced on the Honor smartphone, but is within a normal range. In terms of image quality, we once again see Vivo as having a slight advantage.
Macro
The macro functionality is regulated differently by the two manufacturers. While Honor uses the ultra-wide angle, Vivo offers a macro telephoto. This offers different advantages and disadvantages in everyday life. For example, the Magic8 Pro can get very close to its subject (2.5 cm), while the X300 Pro requires a larger minimum distance (about 20 cm) but can also capture subjects at a greater distance, as well as allow manual focus and bokeh level adjustment.
The possibilities are therefore greater with Vivo, but we like the coloring and sharpness better with the Magic8 Pro.
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Front camera—X300 Pro offers autofocus.
The setup of both manufacturers also reads similarly in many places on the front. There are only differences in the focal length and autofocus. While the X300 Pro has one, the Magic8 Pro uses its 3D depth sensor, which prefers to focus on faces.
The Magic8 Pro has an advantage here because the picture is much clearer, while the X300 Pro lacks a bit of contrast.
FAQ from Content
Q1. Which is better overall, Honor Magic 8 Pro or Vivo X300 Pro?
A1. Neither phone is universally better; the choice depends on your priority. Honor Magic 8 Pro focuses on balanced performance and manual camera controls, while Vivo X300 Pro emphasizes camera hardware and stabilization.
Q2. Honor Magic 8 Pro vs Vivo X300 Pro camera: which is better?
A2. Vivo X300 Pro has an advantage in camera hardware with a Sony main sensor and gimbal OIS, while Honor Magic 8 Pro offers strong manual controls and a versatile camera setup.
Q3. Is Honor Magic 8 Pro better than Vivo X300 Pro for photography?
A3. Honor Magic 8 Pro is better suited for users who prefer advanced Pro mode controls, whereas Vivo X300 Pro is better for users who want stabilized shots and consistent results.
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