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Vivo X Fold 5 review: Polished design, capable cameras and standout battery
Design
The Vivo X Fold 5 borrows its rear design from the X200, with a familiar circular camera module housing the triple camera setup. The main difference, of course, is that the X Fold 5 opens up into a larger, foldable form factor. I have used several foldable smartphones over the past year, including book-style foldables from Google and Samsung, but the X Fold 5 stands out with its ergonomics.
It's sleek at just 9.2mm when folded, which makes it feel no thicker than most standard bar phones. At 217g, it is not as light as traditional flagships, but the weight is impressive considering the battery it packs. For perspective, it is powered by a 6000mAh battery, the same capacity as the Vivo X200 Pro, while weighing 6g less.
Yes, the phone does wobble slightly on flat surfaces, largely due to the oversized camera module. But it is still usable in this position, especially for typing. That said, the same large module that enables the wobble can also hinder grip during extended use.
In terms of durability, the Vivo X Fold 5 carries IP5X and IPX9+ ratings for dust and water resistance. While I did not dunk the device during testing, Vivo claims the phone can withstand submersion, both folded and unfolded, if you somehow find yourself in such a scenario.
Display
Starting with the 6.53-inch cover screen, the 21.1:9 aspect ratio hits a sweet spot – it is tall, but not awkwardly so, and does not cramp everyday tasks like typing or browsing. The bezels are present but not distracting, giving the phone a familiar candy bar feel when folded. The panel offers a sharp 2748x1172 resolution, delivering clear visuals and vibrant colours.
Unfolding the device reveals the main 8.03-inch screen with a 2480x2200 resolution. While its pixel density is slightly lower than the cover screen's, there's no visible drop in image sharpness or colour richness. App continuity works reliably between folded and unfolded states, with software optimisation ensuring a smooth transition. Most apps scale well to take advantage of the main screen's larger aspect ratio, though a few glitches remain with select apps – nothing that breaks the experience, and often easily resolved.
Both displays support up to 120Hz refresh rates and feature LTPO technology for dynamic adjustment, helping with battery efficiency. Vivo also claims a peak brightness of 4500 nits on both panels. While I could not test that number precisely, both screens remain bright and highly legible in direct sunlight, with minimal colour shift at wide viewing angles. There is a faint glare near the hinge where the curvature catches light, but the crease is noticeably subtler than what I have seen on other foldables.
For content consumption, both screens support HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR. Streaming platforms like Netflix can display Dolby Vision content, and the HDR toggle shows up on supported YouTube videos. Vivo's own Visual Enhancement mode is also available. It is meant to boost contrast and colours for supported content, including on apps like Netflix and YouTube. However, the effect is subtle at best and not always noticeable.
Camera
The Vivo X Fold 5 delivers camera performance that comfortably rivals other flagship smartphones. Co-engineered with Zeiss, the triple rear camera setup includes a 50MP primary Sony IMX921 sensor (23mm equivalent), a 50MP Sony IMX882 periscopic telephoto lens (70mm equivalent), and a 50MP Samsung JN1 ultra-wide camera (15mm equivalent). Additionally, both the cover and inner displays feature a 20MP front-facing camera.
Optical image stabilisation (OIS) is available on the primary and telephoto lenses, while the ultra-wide relies on autofocus. The front-facing cameras, however, come with fixed focus.
Image quality is excellent, especially from the main sensor. Daylight shots come out vibrant and crisp with ample detail. In low-light conditions, while some finer textures are lost, overall performance remains impressive. The ultra-wide camera maintains good consistency in both colour and clarity, with reliable output across varying lighting conditions.
But as with other Vivo X-series devices I have tested, the real standout here is the telephoto setup. The 3x optical zoom (70mm equivalent) offers creative flexibility, especially for portraits, an area where Vivo phones continue to excel. While the X Fold 5 allows you to shoot portraits up to a 100mm focal length, I found the 50mm and 85mm modes delivered the best results. Daylight portraits were sharp and well-toned, but it was the low-light portraits that truly impressed me, with natural-looking bokeh and balanced detail – albeit not quite as refined as what you would get from the Vivo X200 Pro.
Speaking of bokeh, the Zeiss partnership pays off with signature effects like Sonnar, Biotar, and Cine-flare that add a layer of depth and character to portrait shots.
Macro photography is another strength. Using the 3x telephoto lens in Super Macro Mode, the phone captures fine textures and colour accuracy even when shooting from a distance.
New camera modes include Landscape Mode, which blends features like Long Exposure, Night Mode, and Astro Mode into a single, versatile setting. However, curiously, Vivo has left out the Street Photography mode, which is one of my favourite and available on the recently launched X200 FE.
For videography, the main camera supports 8K recording at 30fps, while all three rear cameras offer 4K recording at up to 60fps. Both front-facing cameras, meanwhile, are limited to 1080p at 30fps. However, that is not much of an issue as you can always flip the phone open to use the rear cameras for front-facing recording.
Performance and software
The Vivo X Fold 5 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, the same processor used in the last generation model launched in India, the X Fold 3 Pro. While this chip is more than capable of delivering top-tier performance, the absence of the newer Snapdragon 8 Elite might leave some power users wanting, especially at this price point. That said, in real-world use, the X Fold 5 delivers across the board. Whether it is multitasking, shooting high-resolution video, or running graphically demanding games, the phone handles it all with ease. There is some noticeable warmth around the rear camera module during intensive tasks, but it never translates into performance throttling or discomfort during use.
On the software side, the X Fold 5 runs Android 15-based Funtouch OS 15. The interface is relatively clean, with fewer bloatware notifications than in previous versions, though Vivo still has a way to go in terms of software refinement. The animations and transitions are fairly basic, and the level of UI customisation is still limited when compared to competitors.
That said, Vivo has added some clever features tailored to the foldable form factor. Chief among them is the new Origin Workbench, a multitasking interface that allows you to open and manage up to five apps at once. Once you launch an app, swiping up from the bottom-left corner brings up a flexible windowed layout where one app takes centre stage while four others line up in smaller floating windows along the right. You can easily switch the focus between apps with a tap. The feature works well and feels somewhat reminiscent of Apple's Stage Manager, although there is room for improvement. For example, you cannot resize these floating windows or move them freely around the screen currently.
Another practical addition is the new Documents app, which not only supports viewing and editing standard formats like PPT, Word, and Excel but also adds support for CAD files. It includes native tools for converting between PDF, image, and Microsoft Office formats, enhancing productivity.
The X Fold 5 also introduces a customisable side key, which can be mapped to quick actions like changing sound profiles, opening the camera, launching voice recording, or accessing AI captions.
As for AI features, the foldable comes with Vivo's full suite of smart tools. This includes Smart Call Assistant (for real-time audio-to-text conversion during calls), transcription support for meetings, and a variety of AI-powered image editing tools such as AI Reflection Remover, AI Eraser, and AI Photo Enhance.
Battery
The Vivo X Fold 5 packs a hefty 6000mAh battery, an impressive feat for a foldable smartphone. This alone sets it apart from many of its competitors, where battery life tends to be a consistent compromise. With the X Fold 5, battery anxiety becomes a non-issue, even during extended usage on the larger internal display. In my daily use, which included streaming YouTube on the main screen, casual gaming, some photography, and regular messaging and browsing, the phone easily lasted a full day. I typically charged it to around 80 per cent in the morning, and it cruised through the day without needing a top-up.
In terms of charging speeds, Vivo claims 90W wired charging support, although the bundled adapter in the box is rated at 80W. Even with this charger, the phone charged from roughly 20 per cent to 80 per cent in just 30 minutes, which is more than respectable for a phone with such a large battery. There is also support for 40W wireless charging, a rarity among foldables, and reverse wireless charging for topping up accessories like earbuds, which adds an extra layer of convenience.
Verdict
Price: Rs 1,49,999
The Vivo X Fold 5 is one of the most refined foldable smartphones on the market today. It strikes an impressive balance between sleek design, reliable performance, and meaningful usability. The slim profile and lightweight build make it feel far less bulky than most book-style foldables, while still packing a massive 6000mAh battery – something even many slab-style flagships cannot match. Add to that a highly capable camera system, especially the telephoto portrait performance, and you have a foldable that genuinely delivers across the board.
However, it is not a perfect package. While the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 offers more than enough power for daily use and gaming, Vivo could have truly gone all-in by including the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite to future-proof this flagship. The software, too, has made some welcome strides with features like Origin Workbench and the Documents app, but Funtouch OS still feels a step behind the polished experience you would expect at this level, particularly when compared to some competitors.
That said, if you are looking for a foldable that does not compromise on ergonomics, battery life, or camera quality, and you are willing to accept a few trade-offs on the software front, the Vivo X Fold 5 is easily among the best foldables you can buy right now in India.
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