Vivo X Fold 3 Pro: The lightweight foldable champion for 2024?

Vivo's third-gen foldable phone is a major upgrade for foldable technology. Unlike its predecessors, the X Fold 3 Pro is lighter, thinner, and available outside China. 

This device aims to deliver a top-tier experience focusing on its standout camera system, expansive high-quality displays, and impressive 5,700mAh battery. 

Competing directly with the Galaxy Z Fold6, the X Fold 3 Pro sets itself apart with its superior hardware and thoughtful design. 

In this review, we'll find out if the combination of hardware excellence translates to user-friendliness and an overall premium smartphone experience. 

So what makes the X Fold 3 Pro stand out from the competition?

Vivo X Fold3 Pro Specs at a Glance

• Body: 160.0x142.4x5.2mm, 236g; Carbon fibre hinge; IPX8 dust/water resistant 
• Display: Main: 8.03" Foldable LTPO AMOLED, 1B colours, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 4500 nits (peak), 2200x2480px resolution, 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): 
• Memory: 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM
• 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.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, Cinematic mode (4K); Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 5700mAh; 100W wired, 50W wireless, Reverse wireless.
• Connectivity: 5G; Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 7; NFC
• Misc: fingerprint reader (under display, ultrasonic); stereo speakers.

Vivo X Fold 3 Pro: Unboxing

The X Fold 3 Pro arrives in a sleek, premium-looking box. Inside, you'll find the phone itself, a 120W charger, a USB cable, and a simple snap-on case. 

While the package isn't overly extravagant, it includes the essentials without unnecessary clutter.

Vivo X Fold 3 Pro: Design and Speaker

The vivo X Fold3 Pro showcases a refined design, reflecting the company's experience in the foldable market. Weighing 236g, it’s lighter than both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 and the OnePlus Open, yet offers nearly three times the display area. 

Its aluminium frame provides a sturdy, scratch-resistant structure, with the cover display protected by Armor Glass for enhanced drop resistance. The device boasts an IPX8 rating, ensuring it can survive submersion in fresh water up to 1.5 metres for 30 minutes, outperforming the OnePlus Open’s IPX4 rating.

The hinge, made of carbon fibre and weighing just under 15g, is designed to withstand 500,000 folds and can be set at various angles. The internal display, protected by ultra-thin glass, is tough and durable, with a minimal crease. The back combines polyesters and glass fibres, contributing to its lightweight design. 

Available in Celestial Black which has a glitter-like effect under direct sunlight and White, the device's dual under-display fingerprint sensors provide quick and secure access, outperforming competitors with only one sensor.

Additional features include a two-position slider for muting alerts and media, similar to the three-position sliders on the OnePlus Open and Oppo Find N3. 

The device houses two speakers in the cover screen half, offering decent audio performance with a ‘Good’ rating for loudness, although it lacks some bass compared to the Galaxy Z Fold6 and is less boomy than the OnePlus Open.

Vivo X Fold 3 Pro: Display

The vivo X Fold3 Pro is equipped with two impressive displays. The main inner screen is a large 8.03-inch panel that gets incredibly bright in adaptive brightness mode, reaching a peak of 4500 nits, making it one of the brightest foldable displays we've reviewed up to date. Both screens support HDR10+ and Dolby Vision for enhanced picture quality. 

In manual mode, the display reaches nearly 600 nits, comparable to competitors, though the Galaxy Z Fold6 can push 200 nits more with Extra brightness enabled. The cover screen, at 6.53 inches with a 21:9 aspect ratio, achieves an impressive 1,800 nits in adaptive mode and 570 nits manually.

The X Fold3 Pro features three refresh rate modes: Smart Switch, High, and Standard. All modes dynamically adjust the refresh rate, dropping to 1Hz when idle. High and Smart Switch modes adapt between 60Hz and 1Hz based on activity, while Standard caps at 60Hz. However, games were limited to 60fps in all modes.

The device supports all major HDR standards, including HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, unlike the Galaxy Z Fold6, which only supports HDR10+. The X Fold3 Pro offers a comprehensive display experience, combining high brightness, adaptive refresh rates, and extensive HDR support.

Vivo X Fold3 Pro: Camera

The main camera features a 50MP OmniVision OV50H sensor, the largest seen on a foldable, delivering exceptional detail and dynamic range. 

The telephoto lens, with its 64MP sensor and 3x zoom, excels at close-ups, producing sharp, noise-free images, even in low light.

The ultrawide camera, while not the most expansive, still offers great performance with accurate colours and good dynamic range. Its autofocus capability allows for creative angles and close-up shots. However, the lack of a dedicated IP and a kill switch are notable omissions, potentially affecting the overall user experience.

One of the unique benefits of the X Fold 3 Pro’s design is its ability to leverage the foldable form for versatile shooting angles, like waist-level or overhead shots. But, there are limitations, such as the inability to use the cover display for live previews when photographing others. 

Additionally, while the device’s video capabilities are extensive, including 8K recording and various frame rates, the results, particularly in low light, can be softer than expected.

Despite these few drawbacks, the X Fold 3 Pro delivers a compelling camera experience, with the rear camera providing superior results, especially for selfies and night shots. 

Vivo X Fold 3 Pro: Software and battery life

The vivo X Fold3 Pro, running Android 14 with Vivo's proprietary software layer, offers Origin OS for the Chinese market and Funtouch OS for other regions. Vivo promises three years of Android OS upgrades and four years of security patches. 

Funtouch on the cover display resembles that of a standard Vivo phone, while the internal screen provides a larger workspace with a reasonably intuitive multi-window implementation. Though not as polished as Samsung's One UI on the Galaxy Z Fold6, it still offers useful features grouped in the Foldable Devices submenu.

Flex mode splits the screen into actionable and viewing halves for compatible apps, and Smart Screen Shift switches the active display based on orientation changes, though it can be disabled if it interferes with overhead photos.

Additionally, there's a simple setting for managing the phone's behaviour when closing the foldable display, lacking per-app settings found in some other Android overlays.

The X Fold3 Pro uses silicon cathode tech for its battery, allowing for a more energy-dense design, keeping the phone thin while offering a 5,700mAh capacity. This capacity surpasses other large foldable phones, such as the Galaxy Z Fold6, which has a 4,400mAh battery. 

In active use testing, the X Fold3 Pro posted excellent results, with class-leading overall scores and top-tier screen-on test numbers. Despite this, the endurance-to-capacity ratio isn't the highest among its competitors.

The phone includes a proprietary FlashCharge adapter rated up to 120W, although the X Fold3 Pro itself supports up to 100W, peaking at around 86W in testing. 

This is slightly slower than the previous model but still competitive, being only marginally slower than the OnePlus Open and Oppo Find N3, yet quicker than other foldable tablets. 

Vivo X Fold 3 Pro: Performance and Gaming

Equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, the phone showcases impressive performance similar to other top-tier Android devices of 2024. 

Unlike the X100 Pro, which uses the Dimensity 9300, the X Fold 3 Pro features three memory configurations in China: 12GB/256GB, 16GB/512GB, and 16GB/1TB, with the middle option available outside China. The UFS 4.0 storage standard ensures consistent speed.

In benchmarks, the X Fold 3 Pro performs on par with the X100 Ultra and matches the Z Fold6 in CPU performance, surpassing it in the Antutu benchmark and 3DMark disciplines, though it trails slightly in the ray tracing Solar Bay test. Under prolonged load, it excels, maintaining high average values in the CPU Throttling test, despite some fluctuations.

For gaming, the X Fold 3 Pro handles demanding games like CODM, Squad Busters and PUGB effortlessly without heat buildup, and sometimes maintains a consistent 60fps with high graphics settings. 

The phone did heat up slightly but cooled down quickly after gaming sessions. Performance was notably better when the phone was unfolded, likely due to improved heat dissipation. 

Overall, the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro's hardware delivers exceptional performance, especially during long-term CPU loads and high-demand gaming, making it a standout choice for power users.

What we like about the X Fold 3 Pro phone                                             

• Sleek and comfortable to handle
• IPX8 rating for water resistance
• Advanced Ultrasonic fingerprint readers
• Exceptional Battery Life and up to 16GB RAM
• Outstanding displays with Dolby Vision
• High-quality Imaging capabilities
• Impressive performance

What to consider before buying the phone

• Availability is regionally limited
• Video quality could be better
• No eSIM support

Our Verdict

The Vivo X Fold3 Pro is a formidable competitor to Samsung's dominance. With superior displays, battery life, charging, cameras, and dual fingerprint sensors, it offers a compelling package. While Samsung's ecosystem and S Pen hold advantages, the X Fold3 Pro's hardware excellence shines. Limited global availability is its main drawback. 

The X Fold3 Pro is primarily available in parts of Asia, making it harder to obtain internationally without hefty import duties and lacking a global warranty. This makes the Galaxy Z Fold6 a more practical choice for many. 

If cost is not a concern and you seek the best camera, fastest charging, longest battery life, and most attractive display in a foldable phone, buy the vivo X Fold3 Pro.

Pricing and Availability in Africa

We’re yet to see a foldable that is below $600 in the market. The Vivo X Fold3 Pro starts at $787 (₦1,268,549) and can go up to $1600 (₦2,576,800). Despite its impressive features, Vivo has limited the global availability of the X Fold3 Pro since its launch in March 2024.

For those in Africa, the phone will be available at Vivo's showrooms and authorised retailers once released. Alternatively, you can purchase it through online stores like Aliexpress and Sunsky, or from Chinese gadget stores, but be prepared for import taxes. Buying from markets such as Malaysia or India via Amazon or third-party sellers is another option, although markups may apply.

The Vivo X Fold3 Pro comes in three variants: 256GB with 12GB RAM, 512GB with 16GB RAM, and 1TB with 16GB RAM. However, the 1TB model is exclusive to China, and only the 512GB model is available for the global market.