Foldable smartphones have been around for a while, but very few have managed to strike the perfect balance between design, performance, durability, and practicality. Many look impressive on paper, yet fail when put to daily use. With the launch of the Vivo[1] X Fold 5, the question is whether this device can finally deliver the complete foldable experience.
I used the Vivo X Fold 5 for nearly two weeks, testing every aspect from design and displays to cameras, battery life, and performance. Here’s an honest breakdown.
Price and Added Benefits
The Vivo X Fold 5 is priced at Rs. 569,000 in Pakistan. Buyers will also get Vivo Buds free of cost, along with exclusive X-Care service. The package includes a free replacement of the outer screen within the first 12 months, while the inner screen can be replaced with a 25% discount for up to 24 months.
Design and Build Quality
The device immediately stands out with its premium design. It features a glass back, an aluminum frame, and a bold camera bump. Despite being a foldable, it is surprisingly light at 217g and measures only 9.2 mm when folded and 4.3 mm when unfolded, making it slimmer than both the iPhone 15 Pro Max and even a standard pen.
Durability has often been a weak point for foldables, but Vivo has addressed this with IP5X dust resistance and IPX8/IPX9 water resistance. The carbon fiber-supported hinge is rated for 600,000 folds, while the second-generation armor glass is said to be 30% stronger than competitors.
The crease, often the most noticeable flaw in foldables, is barely visible here and far less distracting than on the Samsung[2] Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Displays: Inner and Outer
Vivo has not compromised on screens. The inner display is an 8.03-inch flexible AMOLED panel with 2K+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision, HDR10+ support, and an impressive peak brightness of 4500 nits. The outer display is a 6.53-inch LTPO AMOLED, also with 120Hz refresh rate and the same level of visual quality.
Both screens provide an equally immersive experience, whether for streaming, gaming, reading, or multitasking. Typing and one-handed usage are smooth, and despite its large display size, the phone remains pocket-friendly.
ZEISS Partnership and Camera System
One of the most striking aspects of the Vivo X Fold 5 is its partnership with ZEISS a legendary name in the world of optics.
Vivo and ZEISS entered into a strategic global partnership in December 2020. On 17 December 2020, both companies announced a long-term collaboration to push the boundaries of mobile photography. This agreement led to the establishment of the Vivo ZEISS Imaging Lab, a joint R&D center dedicated to developing next-generation imaging systems. The partnership also launched the “Vivo ZEISS Master Photography” program, which aimed to deliver professional-level photography experiences on smartphones.
What ZEISS Brings to the Table
ZEISS has over a century of expertise in optics and lens manufacturing. Their lenses are known for precision engineering, sharpness, true-to-life colors, and natural bokeh effects, qualities long admired in professional cameras and microscopes, and even applied in space exploration projects. In smartphones, ZEISS contributes advanced lens coatings (such as the T coating*) that reduce reflections and ghosting, improve clarity in low light, and enhance overall image quality.
Vivo X Fold 5 Camera Performance
The Vivo X Fold 5 benefits directly from this partnership with a triple 50MP ZEISS-tuned camera system featuring OIS:
- Main sensor: Sony IMX921, 50MP
- Telephoto periscope: Sony IMX882, 50MP with 3x optical zoom
- Ultra-wide: 50MP
On the front, the phone houses dual 20MP selfie cameras (one on each display).
In real-world use, photos taken with the X Fold 5 consistently impressed. Daylight shots delivered natural tones and excellent dynamic range, while low-light photography produced clean, sharp images with minimal noise. Portrait mode, enhanced by ZEISS’ bokeh simulation, delivered a professional DSLR-like depth of field. Even food photography and landscapes appeared crisp and vivid.
Compared with other foldables and even flagship devices like the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the X Fold 5 offered noticeably superior results in night photography and overall sharpness. This makes it not just a foldable with good cameras, but a serious mobile photography tool.
Performance and Battery Life
Under the hood, the phone runs on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4nm) with 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB UFS 4.1 storage. It posted benchmark scores around 2.2 million, reflecting its flagship-level power.
Battery life is another area where foldables usually fall short. The Vivo X Fold 5 houses a 6000mAh battery, which comfortably lasts a day and a half on regular use. The 90W fast charger recharges it fully in about 45 minutes, solving one of the biggest challenges with foldable phones.
On the software side, it runs Android 15 with OriginOS/Funtouch 15, offering smooth multitasking, split-screen support, and productivity-focused features.
Verdict: A True Daily Driver?
The Vivo X Fold 5 addresses nearly every problem that has held foldables back. It is slim, lightweight, durable, and practical. The displays are outstanding, the cameras perform at a flagship level, and the battery finally makes a foldable reliable for daily use.
In short, the Vivo X Fold 5 is the first foldable device I can confidently recommend as a true daily driver. It’s powerful, stylish, and practical, and for the first time, a foldable doesn’t feel like a compromise.
References
- ^ Vivo Mobiles Price in Pakistan (propakistani.pk)
- ^ Samsung Mobiles Price in Pakistan (propakistani.pk)