The vivo X Fold3 Pro is a formidable challenger to Samsung’s foldable dominance in India, offering impressive hardware, versatile displays, and relatively competitive pricing. How does it hold up one month later? Read on.
Now that the much-anticipated Galaxy Z Fold6 has been launched, I thought it was worth my while to revisit the only device in India that could give the Fold6 a run for its money, literally and figuratively — the vivo X Fold3 Pro.
in the market — Samsung’s just-launched Galaxy Z Fold6 starts at ₹1,64,999 for the 256GB variant and goes up to ₹2,00,999 for the 1TB model. Considering all this, vivo’s offering seems to hold its own in terms of value proposition.
Thin and durable design
One of the key selling points of the vivo X Fold3 Pro is its design. It is just 11.2mm thick when closed and a mere 5.2mm when unfolded. This is the thinnest foldable smartphone available in India, edging out the excellent OnePlus Open by just 0.6 mm. The device feels close enough to a traditional premium flagship smartphone when held despite its foldable nature.
vivo has also equipped the X Fold3 Pro with an IPX8 water resistance rating. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold6 has an IP48 rating for dust and water resistance, making it the first foldable with some protection against dust ingress. But make no mistake. The IPX8 rating should give you peace of mind when using the device in inclement weather, though I’d advise you against intentionally exposing it to water, as the warranty does not cover such damage.
My absolute favourite — and I can’t stress this enough — is the on-screen fingerprint reader on both the cover and main displays, which I found insanely preferable to the side-mounted sensor that all other foldable smartphones come with.
Performance and camera capabilities
Under the hood, the vivo X Fold3 Pro is powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, paired with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The device handled demanding tasks, such as gaming and multitasking, with ease, thanks in part to the efficient cooling system.
In the camera department, the X Fold3 Pro sports a triple-camera setup on the rear, including a 50MP primary camera, a 50MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 64MP telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. The primary and telephoto cameras are impressive, delivering excellent image quality in various lighting conditions. However, the ultra-wide-angle camera was a tad underwhelming in comparison.
Expansive and versatile displays
In addition to the main display, the device also features a 6.53-inch cover display with a 21.1:9 aspect ratio. I found this one of the largest cover displays on a foldable, allowing for using a Bluetooth keyboard and turning the device into a small Android tablet.
The vivo X Fold3 Pro boasts an impressive 8.03-inch main display, the largest on any foldable smartphone to date. With a 4:3.55 aspect ratio, this expansive screen provides an excellent canvas for content consumption and productivity tasks.
vivo has also implemented several software features that take advantage of the foldable’s unique form factor. For instance, the ‘fold-to-split’ gesture allows you to quickly split the screen and launch two apps. The Desk Calendar AOD mode, which turns the cover display into a table clock when the device is placed in a tent-like position, is a fascinating feature.
Conclusion: A worthy challenger, but challenges remain
The vivo X Fold3 Pro is a formidable challenger to Samsung’s long-standing dominance in the Indian foldable smartphone market. With its impressive hardware and versatile display features, the device offers a compelling alternative to Samsung’s foldables.
That said, vivo faces an uphill battle in convincing Samsung’s loyal customer base to switch brands, especially given the company’s commitment to software updates and the lack of a paid care programme to protect against potential display or hinge damage.
Overall, the vivo X Fold3 Pro is a well-rounded foldable that deserves serious consideration from those seeking a premium smartphone experience beyond the traditional Samsung offerings. As the foldable market continues to evolve, vivo’s latest entry has undoubtedly raised the bar and put the competition on notice.
Battery life and charging
vivo has equipped the X Fold3 Pro with a massive 5,700mAh battery which is shockingly good for a foldable smartphone. The device easily lasted me more than a day — on multiple days — with heavy usage, and the included 120W fast charger could juice up the battery from zero to 82% in just 30 minutes.
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Software and ecosystem concerns
Additionally, vivo’s software update commitment of three years of major Android updates and four years of security patches must catch up to the industry-leading support offered by Samsung and Google.
The vivo X Fold3 Pro runs Funtouch OS, the company’s custom Android 14 skin. While the software is generally functional, a few areas could use some polish, such as inconsistent app scaling when the device is used in landscape mode and the presence of some bloatware.
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