Vivo X Fold 5 review: Pro cameras, all day battery, zero compromises

Foldables have always fascinated me, but they've also always come with trade-offs. They're bulky, heavy, the crease is annoying, the cameras usually take a hit, and the battery rarely lasts a full day. So when Vivo announced the X Fold 5, promising to fix all of that, I was sceptical. Another “slim foldable” that claims to be different? Sure.

But a few weeks in, I can confidently say this isn’t just another iteration. It’s a foldable that genuinely feels like a flagship, not an experiment. From its surprisingly lightweight design to its battery stamina and pro-grade camera setup, the X Fold 5 doesn’t just tick boxes, it rewrites them.

Design and First Impressions

Let’s start with the design. This thing is incredibly sleek for a foldable, just 9.2mm thick when folded and only 217 grams. Fold it open, and it’s shockingly thin. Yet somehow, it doesn't feel fragile. Vivo’s carbon-fibre hinge is easily the most polished I’ve seen, solid, smooth, and subtle. No weird creaks, no over-the-top wobble. And yes, it’s got actual IP ratings for water and dust with IPX8, IPX9, IPX9+, IP5X ratings.

The Displays: Two Panels, Zero Compromise

The inside screen is an 8.03-inch AMOLED panel and the outer one is 6.53 inches, both 120Hz, both crazy bright with up to 4500 nits peak brightness, and both top-tier in colour and clarity. I’ve been watching Netflix on the inner screen like it’s a mini OLED tablet. Reading emails, editing Docs, multitasking, it just feels natural.

No weird aspect ratio struggles either. Apps scale well. And that crease? Honestly, you forget it exists after an hour of use.

Performance: It’s Got Muscle

Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, 16GB of RAM, and UFS 4.1 storage, the phone flies through everything. I split-screened YouTube, Call of Duty Mobile, Instagram and Spotify using the new Origin Workbench multitasking feature, and the phone didn't break a sweat. In fact, the X Fold 5 can handle 5 apps total in this multitasking view with ease, so if you're ever stuck on a loading screen in a game, just turn on this feature and start doomscrolling on Instagram while the game loads.

There are other AI features, including Gemini integration, Circle to Search, AI Erase, and even AI Captions that work well on the Vivo X Fold 5. Productivity people will love this phone.

Camera: ZEISS Does the Trick

Triple 50MP cameras, co-engineered with ZEISS. The main sensor is excellent in daylight. It nails colour science and handles shadows well. And ultra-wide shots don’t distort. The camera also has a macro mode that takes some brilliant shots. I got really up close and personal with an army of ants and managed to capture some stunning shots. 

Here are some camera samples from the Vivo X Fold 5.

It also does well from a distance, thanks to the 3x periscope. I was quite a few metres away from a squirrel, and yet I managed to capture a power pose with ease, without losing any quality.

Night photography could use a touch more detail at times, but the overall performance is solid, especially for a foldable. I'm not much of a selfie person, but whenever I wanted to take one, I would just use the rear camera instead of the front one (either on the cover display or the main display). What better way to capture your selfie than a 50MP ZEISS triple camera setup?

Battery: A Foldable That Lasts

Here’s where Vivo surprised me the most. The 6000mAh battery is the largest in any foldable I’ve tested, and it actually delivers. I’ve ended most days with 25-30% left, even with mixed-use and loads of screen-on time.

Charging is equally impressive with 80W speed, meaning I never had to wait hours for topping it up, despite the large battery size. 

A Few Weak Spots

It’s not all perfect. The speakers are just okay, clear but flat, no real bass. Also, Funtouch OS still has some polish issues. Notifications sometimes behave weirdly, and gestures can feel clunky until you tweak them.

And yeah, only one colour and one storage option in India, so not much choice if you want something other than Titanium Grey.

Verdict: Should You Buy Vivo X Fold 5?

I’ve used every major foldable on the market, from Samsung’s Z Fold series to the OnePlus Open. The Vivo X Fold 5? It might just be the most balanced of the lot. It's practical, powerful, durable, and priced sensibly at ₹1,49,999.

No gimmicks, no huge compromises. Just a foldable that finally feels like a complete product.

If you’re in the market for a foldable that nails battery, display, camera, and design without needing to compromise on real-world usability, the Vivo X Fold 5 is easy to recommend.