vivo X Fold3 Pro review | Infinium-tech

Introduction

The more foldables there are, the better, right? The Vivo XFold3 Pro joins the ranks of large-sized foldable devices sold outside China, challenging the Galaxy Z Fold6 and other less popular options. The Vivo’s main selling points are its unusually capable camera setup, top-spec display, and the largest battery capacity in the form factor.

The X Fold3 Pro’s triple camera setup includes the highest-capacity telephoto (high-res sensor, close focusing), an ultrawide with a large sensor and autofocus lens, and a main camera with the largest sensor on a foldable – it’s a configuration that’s hard to beat. The hardware in hand is clearly superior to the Z Fold6.

The display specifications won’t disappoint you either. The well-proportioned and reasonably sized cover screen and large foldable panel have adaptive high refresh rate and Dolby Vision support, and they make big promises for maximum brightness.

On the inside, the top-tier Snapdragon goes without saying. What’s unheard of in competitors is the 5,700mAh battery capacity – the next highest number on a phone-turned-tablet device is 5,150mAh. Charging is also pretty fast and it’s not like the X Fold3 Pro is sacrificing pocketability to give you all this – at 236 grams, it weighs less than the Z Fold6.

There are a few other niceties, too, like under-display fingerprint sensors (two of them, even) – most other foldable devices stick to side-mounted capability sensors, which is a thing of 2016. The X Fold3 Pro is also IPX8 rated, so dust resistance is no guarantee, but water should be reliably kept out. Are we still mentioning the IR emitter? Well, there is one.

Vivo X Fold 3 Pro specs at a glance:

• Body: 160.0×142.4×5.2mm, 236g; Carbon fibre hinge; IPX8 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5 metres for 30 minutes).
• Display: main: 8.03″ foldable LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 4500 nits (peak), 2200x2480px resolution, 10.1:9 aspect ratio, 413ppi; Cover: 6.53″ AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, Armor Glass, 4500 nits (peak), 1172x2748px, 21:9 ratio.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm): Octa-core (1×3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3×3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2×3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2×2.3 GHz Cortex-A520); Adreno 750.
• Memory: 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM; UFS 4.0.
• OS/Software: Android 14, Funtouch 14 (International), OriginOS 4 (China).
• rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.7, 23mm, 1/1.3″, PDAF, Laser AF, OIS; Ultra Wide Angle: 50 MP, f/2.0, 119˚, 1/2.76″, PDAF; Telephoto: 64 MP, f/2.6, 70mm, 1/2.0″, PDAF (15cm – ∞), OIS, 3x optical zoom.
• front camera: Wide (main): 32 MP, f/2.4; Wide (main): 32 MP, f/2.4; Wide (main): 32 MP, f/2.4.
• Record video: rear camera: 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, Gyro-EIS, Cinematic Mode (4K); front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 5700mAh; 100W wired, 100% in 31 minutes (advertised), 50W wireless, reverse wireless.
• Connectivity: 5G; Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 7; BT 5.4, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, LHDC (market/region dependent); NFC; Infrared port.
• various: Fingerprint reader (under the display, ultrasonic); stereo speakers.

Vivo X Fold 3 Pro Unboxing

The X Fold3 Pro ships to us in a standard Vivo high-end box – a large square package made of thick cardboard. The list of contents, while not grand by old standards, still covers the basics well – something you can’t expect everywhere.

The bundle includes a 120W power adapter (the phone only supports up to 100W) and a USB cable to go with it. A snap-on back cover adds a layer of protection without adding too much bulk and spoiling the looks too much.