Vivo X Fold+ First Impression: Please Bring This To Global Markets Already!

Straight from China, we'll be taking a quick look at the Vivo X Fold+, a premium foldable phone which is Vivo's answer to Samsung's ZFold lineup and goodness, this is one heck of a looker!

Firstly, allow us to set the record straight that this will not be a full review, just an impression of what could be one of the most popular foldable if brought to global markets. But, of course, we will do a full review when this hits global shelves and we can test it to its fullest potential, so stay tuned for that!

Unboxing

Before we dive right into it, could we just talk about the unboxing experience first? THIS-IS-PREMIUM! Box, phone and everything, right down to the accessories presented in a drawer-styled compartment.

They even included an 80W charger with two USB-C ports. For other phone brands, if you guys are watching, this is how you do it!

Design

The Fold+ sports a slim design with matte sides at 14.6mm folded, the back of the phone looks very similar to the X80 Pro with the circular camera compartment within the square glass. The only difference is that the back of the Fold+ has a leather-like texture with a small Vivo branding. This aesthetic is classy, allowing the phone to fit right within a business setting or an executive's pocket.

Back to the frame, you have your power and volume buttons, USB-C ports and even a mute switch. The spine mechanism looks just like the one on the ZFold and it essentially folds just like it, but the X Fold+ has a perceptible and audible snap when it opens and closes, making folding extremely therapeutic.

Display & Sound

When the display is flipped open, it measures a good 8.03 inches at 2160 by 1916 pixels, while closed, at about 6.53 inches at 2520 by 1080 pixels. Both displays are AMOLED with a 120Hz refresh rate, which means colour pop with vibrancy and blacks are deep. Compared to the narrower one found on the ZFold, the larger screen sizes also mean that you get slightly more screen real estate to play around with, and the phone remains comfortable to hold regardless, thanks to its slim design.

The phone is also fitted with a pair of stereo speakers, which sound alright. Highs and mids are indiscernible from each other in most cases, but there is a certain amount of kick within the bass. All in all, the sound experience is typical, so there is nothing of note here.

OriginOS

As this is a China unit, it runs Vivo's new OriginOS Ocean. So naturally, you won't be able to find any Google apps on the phone despite the OS being based on Android 12. However, you can easily find solutions online to load GMS into the phone and it's much easier than doing it on a Huawei device. Just perform it at your own risk, as these functions aren't natively supported yet, and support for your local apps may also be a hit or miss.

We were also able to get reception and 4G using our physical SIM (our Telco provider is M1, by the way) and based on accounts from existing Singaporean users, there weren't any telco issues with the phone so far, regardless of where you bought it from.

Camera

The X Fold+ features a four-camera setup with a 50MP f/1.8 main, an 8MP f/3.4 periscope, a 12MP f/2.0 telephoto, a 48MP ultrawide and a 16MP f/2.2 front camera. With an exception for the front camera and some slight aperture differences, the loadout is identical to the X80 Pro.

With Zeiss imaging thrown into the mix, you can expect a similar output, turn on Zeiss for that cinematic lack of vibrancy or turn it off to get ready-to-post photos from the moment you hit the shutter.

Pricing & Availability

The X Fold+ was announced in April of 2022, alongside the X Note and the Vivo Pad, for China markets only, so if you are interested in picking one up, the only way to do it would be through third-party sellers, so shop safely.

Depending on where you pick it up from, the X Fold+ ranges from just above S$2,000 to about S$2,200. The configuration will also factor into the pricing mentioned and the phone will be available with 12GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB storage options.

Overall, impressive design with a good amount of screen real estate, whether folded or unfolded. The only thing to note is that support for Google services isn't native yet, but when it is, the foldable market may start to see some fierce competition.