The Vivo X Flip is Vivo’s first foray into the clamshell-style foldable phone market. With flip phones gaining popularity, it was a logical move for Vivo to join the trend. In this review, we will explore whether the Vivo X Flip can hold its own against the competition.
Design and Build:
The Vivo X Flip sports a sleek and flashy design, particularly in the silk gold colorway. The glossy metallic sheen and smooth aluminum frame give it a premium feel. The hinge mechanism is sturdy, allowing the phone to stay open at different angles, doubling as a stable tripod for capturing photos. When folded, the X Flip closes flush, without any noticeable gap between the two halves. However, it lacks IP rating protection, unlike some of its competitors.
Inner and Cover Displays:
The X Flip boasts a 6.74-inch foldable LTPO AMOLED inner display with a 1080p resolution and an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate. The display offers a cinematic 21:9 aspect ratio, 10-bit color, and HDR10+ video support.
The color accuracy is excellent, and the crease where the display folds is subtle and smooth to the touch. The inner screen is also bright, with a maximum measured brightness of over 600 nits.
On the other hand, the 3-inch OLED cover display is not as sharp, but it still provides useful functionality, such as a calendar mode and customizable lock screen options. However, it falls short compared to the cover screen of Moto’s flip phone.
User Interface and Software:
The Vivo X Flip runs on Vivo’s Chinese UI, based on Origin OS, which sits on top of Android 13. While it shares similarities with Vivo’s global FunTouch OS, there are some differences in functionality. The user interface may present challenges for non-Chinese speakers, as many apps are in Chinese.
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Performance and Battery Life:
Powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, the X Flip delivers solid performance comparable to the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Moto Razer 40 Ultra. The thermal management of the device is impressive, maintaining stability during prolonged usage.
The 4400mAh battery offers exceptional endurance, earning the phone the best-in-class endurance rating of 110 hours. The included 44-watt charger allows for fast charging, reaching 53% in just half an hour. However, the X Flip lacks wireless charging support.
Camera Performance:
The Vivo X Flip stands out with its Zeiss-branded camera setup. The 12.5-megapixel photos from the main camera are highly detailed, well-balanced, and exhibit excellent dynamic range. Night mode processing produces impressive low-light shots with brightened skies and vibrant colors. Selfies using the main camera are equally impressive, capturing lifelike skin tones and offering a 4:3 aspect ratio.
The 32-megapixel front-facing camera also delivers vibrant colors and wide dynamic range. Video quality from the main camera is good, with detailed 4K videos and respectable low-light performance. The ultrawide camera captures photos with good detail, matching the main camera’s dynamic range and colors. However, selfie videos are limited to 1080p and lack stabilization options.
Conclusion:
Vivo has made an impressive entry into the clamshell foldable market with the X Flip. It boasts an appealing design, smooth folding mechanism, and a barely noticeable crease. The cameras, especially the main and ultrawide shooters, deliver excellent image quality.
However, there are some drawbacks, such as the absence of stereo speakers and wireless charging. Additionally, the limited capabilities of selfie videos while the phone is folded could be improved. Overall, the Vivo X Flip presents a compelling package, and it will be interesting to see how Vivo refines its future global flip phone offerings.
