Vivo has launched its first foldable smartphone in India: the X Fold 3 Pro. While it already had foldables in the Chinese market, Vivo took time to study the Indian market, its aspirations, and most importantly, mistakes of other smartphone players selling the flexible form factors here before launching their foldable phone. The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro has got Samsung’s Z Fold series and OnePlus Open to compete with as it bets on its proportional weight, durability, optics and a more refined crease. Does it have enough to convince luxury buyers? Let’s find out.
Design
The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro design impresses you at first glance. You would almost take it for a bar phone. The device carries just 236 grams of weight and is so evenly distributed that it won’t stress your hands. It is available only in Black. The matte finish at the back provides a firm grip and remains clean without finger imprints and scratches.
The buttons can be reached easily despite it being in open state. The alert slider commonly found in OnePlus’s flagship phones is a positive addition. The circular camera module reminds of the X100 Pro with minor adjustments.
Vivo X Fold 3 Pro design | Photo Credit: Haider Ali Khan
Vivo has used a carbon fibre ultra-durable hinge in the X Fold 3 Pro. It feels robust and solid when you open or close it. The hinge of the phone claims to last 12 years which can be translated to 100 folds/unfolds per day. The hinge allows 60° to 120° hovering. Both, front and back are protected by Armor glass. The phone is IPX8 rated for water submersion. The finger scanner on the cover display is amazingly fast and rarely fails to recognise.
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Display
Vivo X Fold 3 Pro cover screen measures 6.53 inch and is LTPO 8T AMOLED in nature with a 2,748x1,172 resolution on top of 120Hz refresh rate and 4,500 nits of peak brightness. When you first interact with it, the brilliance strikes you with its brightness, great colour reproduction, and sharpness. When you unfold it, an 8.03 inch AMOLED display with 2,480x2,200 resolution greets you. The main display has the same refresh rate and brightness levels as the cover screen. Both displays support HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. The finger scanner will automatically appear on the main screen as well when you use it unfolded. You don’t have to register again.
X Fold 3 Pro display | Photo Credit: Haider Ali Khan
The Vivo X Fold 3 Pro main screen hardly bothers while watching content with its crease-less appearance. You can feel the depression but it vanishes the moment you start watching or reading. This is a major plus as the foldables available in the market failed to address this major concern. Being a multitasking phone gives you an option to use it in flexi mode or split screen where you can maximise the potential of the phone and its large screen.
Processor
Vivo X Fold 3 Pro uses Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and comes in a single variant of 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. The 4nm processor has been commonly found in the major premium phones launched in 2024. The tried and tested processor runs everything and anything thrown at it with ease. The performance matches with flagship phones and the final output is more satisfying. Scrolling, multitasking and switching between apps is not a big deal for it. The 16GB RAM boosts its performance and offers enough headroom for gaming as well. The phone does heat under prolonged usage like gaming, photography and even while charging which could also be attributed to immense Delhi heat. While using it in Chennai, where the weather was cool and rainy, the heating wasn’t noticed.
The X Fold 3 Pro runs on Funtouch 14 based on Android 14. There’re pre-installed apps which you can uninstall. The phone is also among the first to use Gemini Pro in-built that helps you with Notes and Recording but, you need to separately use or create a Vivo login ID to get their benefits on top of your Gmail account. Vivo has promised just 3 software updates which is strange for a super luxury phone.
Camera
Vivo X Fold 3 Pro is among the best camera phones till date and simultaneously shines brightly among the foldables fellas. The Vivo-ZEISS union brings a setup of triple rear camera, led by a 50MP main lens with OIS, and another 50MP ultrawide sensor, along with a 64MP telephoto camera with OIS. These are not just numbers, but they actually produce some stunning images in majority conditions.
Vivo X Fold 3 Pro daylight shot | Photo Credit: Haider Ali Khan
The daylight images are vibrant and colour rich with natural tones. Thankfully, the saturation does not happen. Pictures are clear, preserve detail, and maintain a warmer hue during the day. The OIS works well and helps get you a good shot without blur if you or the object is on move. The wide-angle lens gets a vast area and helps you gather information quite easily in a frame. Detailing may not be quite accurate but the purpose of having a wide lens is fulfilled easily. At times, the edges aren’t well defined while using the ultrawide lens.
Vivo X Fold 3 Pro ultrawide shot | Photo Credit: Haider Ali Khan
The 64MP telephoto sensor with 3x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoom and 100x digital zoom is the star in this trio. It lets you explore unfetched things quite precisely. The 3x optical zoom maintains the identity of the subject, preserves detail and brings out natural shades. The 10x zoom also works well during most of your routine tasks. As you go further, the quality will obviously deplete. Macro shots are good too.
Vivo X Fold 3 Pro zoom | Photo Credit: Haider Ali Khan
The Portrait mode is a must use with different focal lengths like 23mm, 35mm, 50mm, 80mm and 100mm. It helps you analyse the kind of portraits you want which isn’t common. The ZEISS bokeh flare modes can help a lot at achieving your photography goals with X Fold 3 Pro.
Vivo X Fold 3 Pro portrait shot | Photo Credit: Haider Ali Khan
Night photography is another segment where X Fold 3 Pro shines.
Vivo X Fold 3 Pro night shot | Photo Credit: Haider Ali Khan
Cinematic Portrait can give you an iPhone-like feel while recording videos. There’s a Supermoon option as well if that is how you want to impress your muse.
There are two 32MP front-facing cameras present on the cover and main screen of X Fold 3 Pro. Have tried in day as well as during the night, and the results were impressive. They preserve natural colour tone, but you have to set it at original or else it will add a layer on top.
Battery
Vivo X Fold 3 Pro is way ahead of its competitors with a massive 5,700mAh battery. It adds charm to the multimedia experience with a long sustaining battery life. For an ideal user, it lasts more than a day filled with everyday tasks. On top, it gets support from a 100W fast charger which fills up to100 percent in around 50-55 minutes from 0. Wireless charging is also supported on it.
Verdict
Vivo X Fold 3 Pro is a well-thought-out phone that surpasses the other foldables in the market currently with its balanced weight distribution, impressive design, and defining camera experience. The durability of the hinge is equally good. A crease-free indulgence with the main display achieves what most foldables could not, thus providing an immersive interaction with the phone. Processing is as good as it can be. A vibrant set of cameras provides X Fold 3 Pro an added advantage where users get desired output.
Vivo X Fold 3 Pro gives you a holistic foldable smartphone experience, but at a premium of ₹1,59,999. Given that it’s the company’s first foldable phone in India, Vivo could have reduced margins a bit more to give a tough competition to the OnePlus Open and Galaxy Z Fold5.
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