Reviews Vivo X Fold3 Pro Global... WOW!

[ironass]

I waited patiently for the Samsung Fold6 to replace my Fold5 and felt that for the minor changes that it offered I could not justify shelling out £1,800+ for it and decided to wait for the launch of the Google Pixel9 Fold.

After the lacklustre launch of the Pixel9 Fold and its smaller battery and Tensor chip I resigned myself to not upgrading until I came across the Vivo X Fold3 Pro Global with its large, bright screen, huge battery and superfast charging, I decided to take a chance and received it a week ago. Since the lack of eSIM and stylus were not deal breakers to me, it was not a big jump.

All I can say is... WOW!

This is the fold phone that both Samsung and Google need to beat. Whilst I am by no means a professional photographer the Zeiss cameras on this device blows me away.

Luckily, I found a distributor here in the U.K. who also covers the U.S.A. and offers a years warranty.

There does not appear to be a Vivo X Fold3 Pro section so I will leave any further comparisons but if like me, you are underwhelmed at the latest Fold offerings from Samsung and Google I can recommend taking a look at the new Vivo X Fold3 Pro Global.

 

[AugieTN]

Specs look real good!

 

[ocnbrze]

for me going from the fold 4 to the fold 6 is night and day difference. i love my fold 6.....including the camera.

 

[ironass]

Specs look real good!

The specs are indeed good... bigger, (5700 mAh), battery, faster charging, (0>100% in 33 mins), biggest, (8.03"), folding screen, lighter than the Fold 6 and Pixel9 Fold, 16GB RAM+16GB of Swap RAM, smooth carbon fiber hinge, bright, (4500 nits), screen in direct sunlight that makes other phones look dim... and the list goes on.

for me going from the fold 4 to the fold 6 is night and day difference. i love my fold 6.....including the camera.

I would agree that the Samsung Fold4 upgrade to the Fold6 is a difference but the Fold5 to Fold6 does not yield the same returns. See...

Compare Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 - GSMArena.com

www.gsmarena.com

 

[treb1797]

I still have yet to see anyone actually using one of these out in public. Are they actually selling well?

 

[ironass]

They are only available in China, (Origin OS), and I believe, India and Malaysia, (global Funtouch OS), as a limited roll out.

 

[mikedt]

I still have yet to see anyone actually using one of these out in public. Are they actually selling well?

I've seen them in the local Vivo showrooms. Other than that I don't have any interest in having a folding phone myself.

 

[Hadron]

I still have yet to see anyone actually using one of these out in public. Are they actually selling well?

I have a couple of colleagues who have Fold phones (Samsung rather than Vivo). Not really enough to extrapolate sales figures from, but unlike a lot of devices you see discussed on the net I do see them in real life.

 

[dynomot]

blooomin' 'eck you return after years and discover "rusty bum" is now rocking some Chinese "bendy" phone, the forum's changed and everyone is now old.
Samsung S23 Ultra here (upgrade soon) worse it is unsullied by Odin (if indeed they still use that) and its good to use but not as exciting as it was in the Note 3 days.

Ho hum, see you all in 2030 or so.

 

[ironass]

Blimey! There is life after death.

Those were the days. Loving this Vivo X Fold3 Pro.

Don't leave it so long next time old son. 👍😆

 

[ironass]

WOW!

If you need a built-in esim* or stylus support... stop reading now.

Have now been on the Vivo X Fold3 Pro (Global) for about 3 weeks and I am blown away.

The OS is similar to OnePlus and more like Google than Samsung and has some nice, useful, features. Multi tasking is no problem for it with 16GB of RAM + 16GB of ZRAM and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, (as you would expect), and 120Hz scrolling on both inner and outer screens.

The carbon fibre, (fiber), hinge is so much better and smoother than the Samsung Fold 4&5. Easier to open and stays at all angles. I use my phone unfolded about 30% of the time... more so than the Fold4&5. The 6.53" front screen is also easier to use when the phone is closed, (roughly the same dimension as the Samsung Galaxy A54), and both screens are super bright in sunlight, (4,500 nits max).

The 5,700 mAh silicon carbide battery charges from 0-100% in 31 minutes (wired at 100W) and about an hour on wireless at 50W, (requires the Vivo wireless charger 2). A big bonus for me as I always need a fully charged phone. A full battery lasts me almost 2 days of my use.

I am by no means a professional photographer but just using the Zeiss automatic settings produces the best photos and videos I have ever had on any camera phone.

The phone feels so much slimmer and lighter than the Samsung Folds and the stereo speakers are comparable with the Fold's. I like the sound On/Off switch at the top right of the closed device... a la OnePlus. Also useful is the IR blaster for controlling my TV's and a range of other devices. Not too much manufacturer's bloatware and that it can be easily got rid of or disabled is a bonus. The fact that the Vivo X Fold3 Pro was first released in China back in March with such top spec hardware followed by a limited global release to India and, I believe, Malaysia and still manages to offer as much, if not more, than the latest fold phone releases, (including the new Honor Magic V3 and forthcoming Samsung Fold6 Ultra Slim), says a lot.

As it is a global model, it connects to 5G here in the U.K. but U.S. users will need to the bands with their various carriers. Wi-Fi calling works fine.

The phone came with a 120W charging brick and cable, (although it charges at 100W) and a rear case.

For me, in the U.K, the choice was the 512GB Samsung Fold6, (£1,899), the Google Pixel9 Pro Fold, (£1,869) or the Vivo X Fold3 Pro Global, (£1,799). See comparison...

Compare vivo X Fold3 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 vs. Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold - GSMArena.com​

Downside is that I have bought the Chipola ONE Point smart tag as the Samsung tag and Smart Things does not work on non Samsung devices. Also there is no stylus support but since I have hardly used my Samsung stylus in 2 years, this is not a deal breaker for me.

* An esim would have been useful but I am exploring the Airalo: eSim app from the Google Play Store.

IMHO, this is the fold phone that both Samsung and Google need to look to.

Settings

RAM

AccuBattery

 

[ocnbrze]

Yeah but is there support? Thats my worry. With Samsung I have their Samsung care or i could use Best Buys geek squad.

 

[ironass]

Yeah but is there support? Thats my worry. With Samsung I have their Samsung care or i could use Best Buys geek squad.

Since the Vivo X Fold3 Pro is not intended for sale outside of India and Malaysia, I do not receive the standard 2 year European phone warranty. However, there is a manufacturers 1 year warranty that is handled by Average Dad, the seller, whereby the phone is returned by them to China for repair or replacement.

 

[ironass]

Two things I forgot to mention are...

The under screen fingerprint scanners on both the cover screen and the main screen, (6.26 in this video). I was dubious at first as I had only ever used the side, (Power), button scanner before. They are both fast and accurate and I much prefer them to the Power button.

The crease on this phone is barely there. Certainly, the least noticeable of any fold phone that I have seen and used. Even rubbing my finger over the inner screen the crease is hardly discernible. I was tempted by the new Xiaomi Mix Fold 4 at 9.55mm thick but the crease on it was on a par with the Samsung Folds... not to mention the smaller battery and slower charging.

 

[sachertorte]

I waited patiently for the Samsung Fold6 to replace my Fold5 and felt that for the minor changes that it offered I could not justify shelling out £1,800+ for it and decided to wait for the launch of the Google Pixel9 Fold.

After the lacklustre launch of the Pixel9 Fold and its smaller battery and Tensor chip I resigned myself to not upgrading until I came across the Vivo X Fold3 Pro Global with its large, bright screen, huge battery and superfast charging, I decided to take a chance and received it a week ago. Since the lack of eSIM and stylus were not deal breakers to me, it was not a big jump.

All I can say is... WOW!

This is the fold phone that both Samsung and Google need to beat. Whilst I am by no means a professional photographer the Zeiss cameras on this device blows me away.

Luckily, I found a distributor here in the U.K. who also covers the U.S.A. and offers a years warranty.

There does not appear to be a Vivo X Fold3 Pro section so I will leave any further comparisons but if like me, you are underwhelmed at the latest Fold offerings from Samsung and Google I can recommend taking a look at the new Vivo X Fold3 Pro Global.

The size, folded, seems similar to the Z Fold series, narrow and tall. I bought the Pixel Fold after having bought the Z Fold 5. I have switched to the Pixel Fold for the more usable folded screen size.

Danny

 

[ironass]

The size, folded, seems similar to the Z Fold series, narrow and tall. I bought the Pixel Fold after having bought the Z Fold 5. I have switched to the Pixel Fold for the more usable folded screen size.

Danny

The Vivo X Fold3 Pro's 72 .6mm is an improvement over the Samsung Fold6 68.1mm but the Google Pixel9's 77.1mm would have been nice however, the Tensor chip and smaller, slower charging, battery with only a 2,700 nit (peak) screen brightness and extra 21g weight, swung it to the Vivo for me.