Vivo X Fold3 Pro Review: A Fruitful Attempt

When you think of a foldable phone, you might picture a classic flip phone or one like the book-style Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series. The first commercial foldable phones that appeared in 2018 met with a lukewarm response, but there's been an increase in acceptance since then. According to IDC, over a million foldable phones were shipped in India last year.

Most models hover around Rs 1 lakh, and are still out of reach for many consumers. However, prices are falling and more brands are launching new models. Samsung dominates the foldable market in India, but competitors including OnePlus and Tecno are emerging. This year, Vivo aims to make an impact with the Vivo X Fold3 Pro, its first foldable phone in India.

Design and Build Quality

The X Fold3 Pro immediately impresses with its build quality. When folded, it resembles a normal smartphone, but unfold it, and you're greeted with an impressive 8.3-inch inner display. The device is surprisingly thin and light for a foldable, measuring just 11.2mm when folded and 5.2mm when unfolded. It weighs 236 grams, making it the thinnest and lightest foldable phone in India over competitors like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, which is a significant achievement.

For a device of its class, it's surprisingly pocket-friendly. Weight distribution is on point, even with the protruding camera module on the back. 

The phone's build quality is exemplary and the body is carved from aluminium. It has a carbon fibre hinge that uses 79 moving pieces but is 72% lighter (15g) than traditional metal hinges, according to Vivo. This hinge also allows for a gapless fold when closed, addressing a common complaint with foldable devices. 

The hinge mechanism is smooth and allows the phone to be held at various angles between 60 and 120 degrees, but it snaps open or closed if you go beyond a point.

Vivo’s in-house “Armor” architecture and SGS drop resistance certification further bolster its durability. The "Armor" architecture features a cover screen made from microcrystal glass with precise gap-filling glue, a main screen of ultra-thin Super Tensile UTG glass with an impact-protective film, and a back cover of UPE and glass fiber for high impact resistance.

In addition, the IPX8 water resistance rating provides peace of mind for everyday use. It's worth noting that like most other foldables, the X Fold3 Pro is not rated for dust resistance, so extra care should be taken in dusty environments.

Notably, my review unit was missing a protective case, but Vivo has confirmed that retail units sold in India will come with one in the box.

Display

The X Fold3 Pro boasts of two impressive AMOLED displays. The outer screen is a 6.53-inch panel, while the inner one measures an expansive 8.3 inches with a 2K+ resolution. Both feature 120Hz peak refresh rates, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision support, and LTPO technology, allowing them to adjust from 1Hz to 120Hz for optimal power efficiency.

In daily use, both displays proved to be vibrant and responsive. The outer display, wider than the ones on some of this phone’s competitors, felt natural for typical smartphone tasks such as texting and Web browsing. The larger inner display excels at multitasking, media consumption, and productivity tasks. I found myself comfortably using the device for extended reading sessions and even watching a full length film. The "Flex Mode" is particularly useful for hands-free video calls and watching content.

While the stereo speakers are loud and clear, they lack the depth and richness that you’d get with some competitor devices. Audio output is adequate for casual listening, but audiophiles might be left wanting more. Surprisingly, there's no Dolby Atmos or lossless support , which is a letdown for a premium device in this price range.

One of the standout features is the inclusion of in-display fingerprint scanners on both the outer and inner screens – a first for foldable phones. These ultrasonic scanners work seamlessly and add to the premium feel of the device. During my testing, they proved to be quick and reliable, recognising my fingerprint quickly in various lighting conditions and at different angles.

Performance and Software

Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage, the X Fold3 Pro delivers flagship-level performance. Benchmark scores are impressive, and in my four weeks of use, I experienced no lag or stuttering, even when multitasking and gaming.

Multitasking is where this device truly shines. I often found myself using the two apps simultaneously on the inner display. For instance, I could have a video conference running on one half of the screen while taking notes or checking emails on the other half, or I could write while comparing products in a Web browser. The large inner display and powerful processor make this kind of productivity not just possible, but enjoyable.

The ability to seamlessly switch between a compact smartphone form factor and a mini-tablet is genuinely useful in various scenarios.

For instance, I often started tasks on the outer display while on the go, then unfolded the device to use the larger, more comfortable screen when I had more time or needed to dive deeper into a task. Reading long articles, reviewing and editing documents, browsing photo galleries, and using social media apps such as Instagram and Twitter were all significantly more enjoyable on the larger inner display.

Gaming on the X Fold3 Pro is a treat. I tested several graphically intensive games including Genshin Impact, Call of Duty Mobile, and CarXStreet. The device handled them with ease, maintaining high frame rates, but it's worth noting that intensive tasks and extended gaming sessions can raise its temperature. The large inner display provides an immersive gaming experience, though some games aren't optimised for the unusual aspect ratio.

Haptic feedback was average, likely due to the thin profile of this phone. While it gets the job done, it doesn't provide satisfying, precise feedback which is noticeable particularly when typing and interacting with UI elements.

The Vivo XFold3 Pro’s software, based on Funtouch OS 14, offers a range of features tailored for the foldable form factor, plus smooth transitions when switching between screens. The taskbar for quickly switching between apps is particularly useful. Gesture controls for taking screenshots and managing apps are intuitive once you get used to them. For instance, a three-finger swipe lets you take partial or full screenshots, which is handy for capturing information on the large inner display.

The software includes tools called AI Note Assist and AI Screen Translation and AI Transcript Assist. These worked surprisingly well, with AI Note Assist accurately transcribing handwritten notes and the AI Screen Translation providing quick and accurate translations of text on screen.

While these features are impressive, the overall software experience still feels less polished than Samsung's One UI for foldables. Vivo has promised three years of OS updates, but it remains to be seen how it will evolve the software for this particular form factor.

Cameras

Vivo has equipped the X Fold3 Pro with a versatile camera system backed by Zeiss optics. The rear camera setup is headlined with a 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS, a 64-megapixel 3X telephoto camera, and a 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera. There’s also a 32-megapixel front-facing camera on both the outer and inner displays.

In my extensive testing, the cameras produced excellent results in various lighting conditions. While this phone did not quite reach the heights of Vivo's X100 Pro in terms of image quality, the X Fold3 Pro still delivers excellent photos. The main camera captures detailed shots with natural background blur, rivalling some of the best smartphone cameras on the market. Colours are vibrant without being oversaturated, and the dynamic range is impressive. Even high-contrast scenes are handled well. 

The X Fold3 Pro’s zoom capabilities are particularly noteworthy. The 3X optical zoom camera produces sharp, detailed images, and even at 10X hybrid zoom, the results are surprisingly good. 

In Portrait mode, the camera system does an excellent job of subject separation, creating natural-looking depth effects. The ability to adjust the blur intensity after taking a shot adds to the camera’s versatility. 

Low-light performance is commendable too. The night mode does a good job of brightening scenes without introducing too much noise, though it doesn't quite reach the levels of the best low-light performers such as the latest iPhones and Pixel devices. 

Video recording is solid, with the primary rear camera capable of 4K 60fps recording. The stabilisation works well, producing smooth footage even when walking. However, the front-facing cameras are limited to 1080p recording, which is disappointing for a premium device, especially considering Vivo’s emphasis on video calls and content creation.

One unique aspect of the camera experience on the X Fold3 Pro is the ability to use the device itself as a stand while taking photos or videos. This opens up creative possibilities for astrophotography, time-lapses, group shots, and stable video recording without additional equipment.

Battery Life and Charging

One of the most impressive aspects of the X Fold3 Pro is its battery life. Despite its powerful hardware and large displays, this phone’s 5,700 mAh battery easily lasted two full days with moderate use. This included a mix of Web browsing, social media, video streaming, and some gaming. 

In more intensive use cases, such as heavy photography, gaming, or 4K video recording, the device still comfortably lasted a full day. 

This is a significant improvement over many other flagship devices and addresses a common concern with foldable phones. 

Vivo claims that the included 120W charger (though the phone supports 100W charging) can fully charge the battery in 31 minutes. In my tests, on average it was able to charge the phone from 0 to 100% in 30-35 minutes. The 50W wireless charging support is also a welcome feature and Vivo sells a proprietary 50W wireless charger at Rs 5,599.

Verdict

The Vivo X Fold3 Pro is an impressive piece of hardware that pushes the boundaries of what's possible in a foldable smartphone. It offers several advantages over its competitors including a slim body, good performance, versatile camera system, and exceptional battery life, all of which make it a compelling option for those looking to invest in a foldable smartphone.

However, some missed opportunities with the software may give pause to potential buyers. This phone also also doesn't support a stylus, which would have elevated the experience. At its high price point of Rs 1,60,000 in India, these omissions are notable.

For those who can afford it and are willing to try something new in the foldable space, the Vivo X Fold3 Pro offers a balance of innovation, performance, and style that's hard to ignore. It successfully blends the convenience of a traditional phone with the functionality of a tablet, all in a sleek, premium package.