Vivo’s been making foldable phones for a few years now, and while the first two X Fold phones had very impressive hardware, I ultimately found the phones too heavy to recommend. Not to mention, they only sold in China.
This changes with the third generation. The Vivo X Fold 3 series (which now includes two phones) are among the lightest and thinnest foldable phones. And in a major surprise, Vivo has launched it outside China, albeit only in a small handful of Southeast Asian countries and India.
Even though Vivo’s third-gen foldable are a few months old now, and major names like Samsung have since followed with its sixth-generation foldable, the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro is still probably the best foldable phone hardware right now. I say this as someone who used a China model for months, and then recently, a global model. Vivo’s camera hardware is still the most impressive among foldables, and it is still the only foldable phone to use an in-display fingerprint scanner.
The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro is a large book-like foldable with an 8-inch inner screen, and a 6.5-inch outer screen. When folded, it measures 11.2mm, which is still thinner than Samsung’s just-launched “slimmed down” Galaxy Z Fold 6. However, new foldables from Honor and Xiaomi are even thinner by another couple of millimeters. But Vivo’s foldable has a larger 5,700 mAh battery and arguably the best camera hardware still (Xiaomi’s just launched Mix Fold 4 may have a case for being the new king).
The hinge of the X Fold 3 Pro is well-built, though not quite as reassuring as Samsung’s hinge, the latter built like a tank. Vivo’s hinge, while can stay in place at most angles, can be a bit wobbly when opened at under 30-degrees or over 160-degrees. But there is IPX8 water resistance, so the phone is fine to use in the rain — I have tried it, in fact.
The China version and global version I tested have identical hardware, but noticeably different Android skin. Vivo phones for China run OriginOS, which is a flashier and more feature-packed version of Android than FunTouchOS, which runs on Vivo’s global phones. Even though FunTouchOS lacks the dynamic interactive widget of OriginOS, and even though FunTouchOS has a slightly more outdated look, it’s still a very functional software that doesn’t get in the way of core Android.
Instead, the global version of FunTouchOS plays nicer with Google apps, including being able to run Wear OS or Android Auto, as well as summon Google Assistant via verbal commands, which OriginOS cannot do. So I think for most readers, FunTouchOS is going to provide a better experience.
The star of the show for me are the cameras. I think Vivo’s software image processing is best in class, and the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro keeps this streak going. The 3X Periscope zoom lens here, for example, is impressive in the foldable space, but definitely has a smaller sensor than the best zoom lenses on slab phones. But yet, I prefer images grabbed by the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro more than most slab phones, including those from the top Samsung or Apple phones. Vivo’s color tuning aims to give photos this film look, with deeper shadows, more striking contrast, a subtle hint of grain. There’s also some software assisted bokeh that looks great, providing shots with background and foreground blur.
Vivo’s HDR is always on point, and I’m a fan of this film-like color aesthetic.
I have also been testing Samsung’s Fold 6 side-by-side the past week, and I definitely prefer Vivo’s images. Below are 3X telephoto shots with the Vivo and Samsung foldables in low light.
Battery life is also the best in a foldable, with a 5,700 mAh cell that’s larger than almost everything out there. Paired with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, this phone is a top performer almost everywhere.
The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro is priced in China at about the equivalent of $1,500, with the Southeast Asian and Indian global model priced a bit higher at about $1,700. This is still lower than what Samsung is asking for its Fold 6.
When it comes to hardware, the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro is, at worst, the second best foldable right now. The only other phone with a case above it is the Xiaomi Mix Fold 4, which is only selling in China. The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro selling in Southeast Asia and India is a big win for foldable enthusiasts.