Just when buyers thought the Vivo X300 FE had settled into its price bracket, Vivo has raised the tag once more. This is the phone’s second hike since launch, and it’s starting to raise real questions about where the compact flagship segment is headed.
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What Changed
Effective now, both storage variants of the X300 FE cost ₹3,000 more than before:
| Variant | Old Price | New Price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12GB + 256GB | ₹86,999 | ₹89,999 | +₹3,000 |
| 12GB + 512GB | ₹96,999 | ₹99,999 | +₹3,000 |
| 8GB + 256GB (new) | — | ₹84,999 | New variant |
That’s a ₹10,000 jump from the phone’s original ₹79,999 launch price just a few months ago — first a ₹7,000 correction, and now this second ₹3,000 bump. Rising memory chip costs, tied to the ongoing global RAM shortage, are the widely cited reason, though Vivo hasn’t issued an official statement on it.
The New 8GB Variant Doesn’t Quite Add Up
Vivo has also slipped in a new 8GB+256GB option at ₹84,999, presumably to give the range a cheaper entry point after the hike. But something about it feels off once you look at what you’re actually getting for that money.
At just ₹5,000 below the 12GB model, this variant still ships with an 8MP ultra-wide sensor and, more importantly, no autofocus on the telephoto lens. For a phone knocking on the door of ₹90,000, dropping AF on the tele camera is a tough compromise to justify — that’s a feature buyers in this bracket have come to expect as standard, not a nice-to-have.
Why This Matters for Buyers
The X300 FE was originally pitched as a value-friendly entry into Vivo’s compact flagship lineup, built around a Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset and ZEISS-tuned cameras. Two price hikes later, it’s edging uncomfortably close to territory occupied by full-fledged flagships — while the new “budget” variant trims camera capability rather than genuinely lowering the entry cost. If you’re comparing options in this range, it’s worth checking out TechnoSports’ breakdown of the Realme flagship lineup and the latest iQOO pricing moves before deciding where your money goes.
You can track live pricing directly on the official Vivo India store and cross-check specs on Vivo’s global product page for the X300 FE.
Bottom Line
Two hikes in a few months push the Vivo X300 FE from a compelling sub-₹80K compact flagship into a pricier, harder-to-justify buy — and the new 8GB variant’s camera cuts make it feel more like a trim than a genuine budget option. If RAM prices keep climbing industry-wide, expect more of Vivo’s lineup — and rivals’ — to follow the same trend in the coming weeks.
Sources: Vivo India, 91mobiles, MyMobileIndia
