Vivo seems ready to take the smartphone camera war to the next level. According to PhoneArt on X, the upcoming Vivo X300 series will use a new 200MP ISOCELL HPB sensor made by Samsung, but specially customised for Vivo.
What makes this interesting is that Samsung’s own flagship, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, is still expected to stick with a much smaller 1/2.55-inch telephoto sensor. This puts Vivo ahead in terms of camera hardware, at least for now.
Vivo Gets Samsung’s Best New Sensor
The ISOCELL HPB sensor is said to be an upgraded version of Samsung’s HP9, but instead of being called HP10, it is branded HPB, with the “B” standing for Blue Factory, a nod to Vivo.
This powerful 1/1.4-inch sensor supports 200MP ultra-clear photos at 23mm and 50MP detailed images at 50mm.
Samsung Electronics has customized a new 200MP 1/1.4″ CIS ISOCELL HPB sensor for vivo, which will be used for the primary camera on the vivo X300 and the telephoto lens on the vivo X300 Pro.
However, Samsung’s own Galaxy S26 Ultra is still using a 1/2.55″ telephoto sensor. How… pic.twitter.com/jO12N3Ncha
— PhoneArt (@UniverseIce) September 2, 2025
As reported by Sammy Fans, the standard Vivo X300 will feature this as its primary camera, while the X300 Pro could use it as a telephoto lens.
That means sharper zoom shots, brighter details, and a big leap in overall photography performance for Vivo’s flagship phones.
Samsung’s New Flagships Will Stick To Old Sensors
What makes this move surprising is that Samsung itself won’t be using the HPB in its own next-gen flagship.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra, likely to launch in February 2026, is expected to continue with its current telephoto setup, putting it a step behind Vivo’s hardware.
Samsung is instead betting heavily on AI features across its Galaxy lineup to drive innovation.
If the leaks are accurate, Vivo might end up being the first to showcase Samsung’s latest sensor technology, turning the X300 series into one of the most powerful camera phones of 2025.
