Folding smartphones have been with us for several years, and in that time we have seen several brands, designs, and approaches. Now we have the first foldable smartphone from Vivo – Vivo X Foldwho doesn’t invent anything completely new, but has tweaked what is proven and works.
Vivo X Fold offers a design that we have already seen from Samsung, Oppo and others. That is, a phone that you can turn into a tablet after opening it. However, unlike the aforementioned competition, it is slightly larger. However, the processing is premium, which you can already tell by the artificial leather back, which is very pleasant in the hand. Vivo also thought of small details such as the physical switch for changing silent/loud mode.
Structurally, the phone resembles other jigsaw puzzles, but it stands out with its pleasant faux leather back and distinctive Zeiss camera.
But the main thing about the folding structure is the joint itself made of zirconium, which promises to last up to 300 thousand bends, which is said to be enough for up to 10 years of normal use, which is probably much more than you will need.
The joint is solid and can be stopped in several intermediate positions.
We also have to praise the way the manufacturer processed the joint and in the closed state there is not even a small gap between the individual display panels. Its strength is also an advantage, as it will keep the phone firmly open even at a 90° angle and other intermediate positions, which will come in handy in many situations. The joint itself is not so visible on the display even in the open state, so you can feel it more by touch.
Two displays and two fingerprint readers
The interesting thing is that the phone has two fingerprint readers, both of which are ultrasonic sensors, so it is fast and also has speed dials. You can then unlock the phone in the open or closed state with a single finger scan.
After opening, you can turn a compact phone into an 8″ tablet.
The phone has two displays, the outer one with a diagonal of 6.53″ at Full HD+ resolution and the inner one 8.03″ with an aspect ratio of 4:3.5. The main advantage, however, is that in both cases it promises a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. For the internal one, however, it can underclock the frequency to 1 Hz.
The performance here is uncompromising thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor supplemented by 12 GB of RAM and 256 to 512 GB of operating memory. Durability is provided by a battery with a capacity of 4,600 mAh, which is divided into two cells. However, despite the design, it supports fast 66W wired charging and even 50W wireless charging. With a power of 10 Watts, it can also charge other devices wirelessly.
Since the Vivo X Fold is only sold in China, it also runs the slightly more exotic OriginOS superstructure.
As for the system, Vivo won here with the OriginOS environment, which is adapted for a larger display. It thus supports the opening of multiple windows at the same time and, for example, with the camera, it allows you to open the phone, place it on the table and thus replace the tripod. The camera preview will be displayed on the bottom half of the display
With the Vivo X Fold, you can take photos in the open or closed state. You can even use both the front camera in the external and internal displays, as well as the main camera, to take selfies.
Although manufacturers often put the camera behind the fold, the Vivo X Fold is a bit of an exception. Here, too, Zeiss participated in its development. Here we have a similar lineup to the brand’s flagship phones. That is, a 50 Mpx sensor, a 48 Mpx ultra-wide and a pair of telephoto lenses with resolutions of 5 and 12 Mpx with up to 5× zoom. Although there is no gimbal compared to the flagship model, all lenses can boast of optical stabilization. The phone even has two selfie cameras, but it doesn’t force you to use either one. In the open state, you can take selfies with the main camera as well.
Sample photos from the Vivo X Fold
Despite the fact that this is the first foldable smartphone from Vivo, the company has done a great job with it, and it’s a bit of a shame that it won’t make its way to us yet. He would certainly upset the local calm, where only a few brands dominate. The Vivo X Fold is intended exclusively for the Chinese market, where it is sold at a price starting at 9,000 yuan, i.e. approximately CZK 40,000.
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