Let’s start with the basics. Or what should be the basics, but… aren’t. The new vivo X Fold5 isn’t just another foldable. It’s the kind of device that makes you pause mid-scroll, squint, and ask, “Wait—IPX9+? Is that even real?” Apparently, it is.
vivo announced the X Fold5 in China with a spec sheet so stacked it almost reads like a tech fantasy. A dual 120Hz LTPO AMOLED setup—an 8.03-inch 2K+ foldable inner screen and a 6.53-inch cover display—both reaching a blinding 4,500 nits. Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 under the hood. A 6000mAh battery using not one, but three industry-first battery techs. It’s… a lot. And yet, despite all that firepower, there’s this nagging question: who’s it really for?
Hinge First, Everything Else Later?
Let’s talk hinges. Not typically headline material, but here? It matters. vivo went out of its way to redesign the antenna around the hinge itself. Not because it sounds cool—but because it frees up internal space. More importantly, it means better signal reception, even when the phone’s folded. A clever, if niche, engineering decision. I tried to picture using Tencent Meetings at 300km/h on a bullet train with 99% video fluency. That’s their claim. I’m skeptical, but intrigued.
Still, it’s the kind of claim that feels aimed at people who really care about whether they lose a signal inside an elevator. Or maybe a cave.
The Folding Tank: Waterproof, Dustproof, Heatproof, Freezeproof
If you’re the type who worries about drop-kicking your phone into a puddle or steaming jungle, vivo has you covered. The X Fold5 isn’t just IPX8-rated. It also has IPX9 and IPX9+ certifications—designed to resist pressurized hot water. And it adds IP5X for dust resistance. For context, that’s rare. Foldables usually avoid water resistance altogether.
This phone can allegedly survive -20℃ cold. Or -30℃, if you believe the battery claims. Which begs the question: is this for mountaineers who want to shoot 4K at base camp, or is it just… spec flexing?
A Camera System That Refuses to Choose
There’s no real compromise in the camera department, either. You get three 50MP sensors—main, telephoto, ultra-wide—and twin 20MP selfie cams, one for each screen. vivo calls its main shooter “ultra-sensing,” paired with Sony’s IMX921 and a wide f/1.57 lens. Is it enough to beat the Galaxy Z Fold5 in real-world photography? Maybe. Maybe not. vivo’s track record in mobile imaging has improved, but it doesn’t quite own the conversation—yet. Still, you can’t fault the ambition.
It Talks to Your Apple Watch. No, Seriously.
Here’s where it gets a little strange. The X Fold5 is—somehow—the first Android device that can connect directly to an Apple Watch. Notifications, calls, even health data syncs with vivo’s own app. Add in native AirPods support, and seamless Mac file transfers, and you begin to wonder: is this foldable trying to be… kind of like a better iPhone?
It even forwards iPhone calls and messages to itself. A weird, borderline brilliant, workaround for the “ecosystem trap” Apple fans know all too well. I’m impressed. But I also can’t help but think—would Apple users actually use this? Probably not. But power users? Maybe.
Battery of the Future — In a Phone Today
The battery tech is worth a moment. Or five. This is the first smartphone with a fourth-gen silicon negative electrode battery, paired with semi-solid-state chemistry. What that means practically: a 13% boost in energy density in normal temps, and 20% better performance in cold conditions. vivo claims it still works at -30℃. Not “kind of works.” Works works. It’s also got 80W wired and 40W wireless charging, plus reverse charging. You won’t need a power bank anytime soon.
vivo X Fold5 specifications
- 8.03-inch (2480 × 2200 pixels) 2K+ AMOLED 8T LTPO display with 1-120Hz refresh rate, HDR 10+, up to 4500 nits brightness, UTG Glass, Dolby Vision
- 6.53-inch (2748 × 1172 pixels) FHD+ AMOLED LTPO display with 1-120Hz refresh rate, up to 4500 nits brightness, Armor Glass, Dolby Vision
- Octa Core Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 4nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 750 GPU
- 12GB / 16GB LPDDR5X RAM with 256GB / 512GB / 1TB UFS 4.0 storage
- OriginOS 5 based on Android 15
- Dual SIM
- 50MP camera with 1/1.56″ Sony IMX921 sensor, f/1.57 aperture, OIS, Zeiss T* coating, 50MP ultra-wide camera with 1/2.76″ Samsung JN1 sensor, f/2.0 aperture, 15mm focal length, 50MP 1/1.95″ Sony IMX882 3x periscope telephoto camera, f/2.55 aperture, ZEISS optics
- 20MP front camera on the inside and outside with f/2.4 aperture
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
- USB Type-C Audio, Stereo speakers
- Dimensions: 159.68×142.29×4.3mm (expanded)/ 72.60mm×9.2mm (Closed); Weight: 217g (Titanium) / 226g (White, Green Pine)
- Dust and Water proof ( IP5X, IPX8, IPX9 and IPX9+ ratings)
- 5G SA/NSA, Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ax (2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.4 LE, GPS (L1 + L5 Dual band), BeiDou, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC,NFC, USB Type-C
- 6000mAh (typical) battery with 80W fast charging, 40W wireless charging, reverse wireless charging
Pricing, Storage, and a Bit of a Gut Check
You’ll find the X Fold5 in Green Pine, White, or Titanium. And it comes in four configurations, starting at 6999 yuan (~$975 USD). The top-end version? 16GB RAM and a full 1TB of storage for around $1,324 USD. Reasonable, if you think of it as a phone and tablet and possibly Mac accessory.
But honestly, this thing might be overbuilt for its own good.
It’s hard not to admire what vivo’s done here. But also—who really needs a foldable that talks to an Apple Watch, resists boiling water, and runs flawlessly on a bullet train? Maybe the answer is: no one. And maybe that’s the point.
