vivo X Flip review
The Vivo X Flip is the company's first clamshell-style smartphone, joining a growing market of foldable devices led by Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Motorola's Razr 40 Ultra. Design-wise, the phone impresses with its sleek look and smooth folding mechanism, with a barely noticeable crease. One of the standout features of the Vivo X Flip is its camera setup, which boasts one of the best specs on a small foldable device. The 50-megapixel main camera produces excellent photos, even in low light conditions, with good dynamic range and color accuracy. The ultrawide camera also performs well, capturing reasonable amounts of detail and good contrast. Battery life is another strong point, with the phone earning a Best-in-Class endurance rating of 110 hours in our tests. However, charging speeds are somewhat mediocre, topping out at 44 watts without wireless charging. While the phone's cameras excel, there are some notable omissions. The absence of stereo speakers and wireless charging may be drawbacks for some users. Furthermore, shooting 4K selfie videos with the rear cameras is not possible while the phone is folded. Despite these limitations, the Vivo X Flip presents a compelling overall package. Its great design, excellent camera performance, and decent battery life make it a solid entry in the foldable market. With some refinements to address its shortcomings, this phone could be an even more formidable competitor to established players like Samsung and Motorola.
Build Quality and Design
The Vivo X Flip is a notable addition to the clamshell-style smartphone market, offering a China-exclusive release as its first foray into this design. While it may seem like a natural step for Vivo, the company's first attempt at a foldable phone has yielded some impressive results. Build quality is one of the standout features of the X Flip. The device feels sturdy and well-constructed, with a premium feel that justifies its flagship status. The folding mechanism is smooth and seamless, making it easy to open and close the phone. Perhaps most impressively, the crease on the screen is barely noticeable, even after repeated use. The design of the X Flip is also noteworthy. While some may find the retro-inspired clamshell shape a bit jarring in today's market, it's undeniable that Vivo has executed the design with flair. The phone's dimensions are perfectly proportioned, making it easy to hold and use one-handed. The materials used are also top-notch, with a premium glass finish on both sides of the phone. One area where the X Flip excels is in its attention to detail. From the subtle curves of the phone's body to the precision engineering that goes into the folding mechanism, it's clear that Vivo has put a lot of thought and effort into crafting a device that feels like a premium product. If there's one area where the X Flip falls short, it's in its lack of attention-grabbing features. While the phone may not have the most show-stopping design or cutting-edge technology, it's clear that Vivo has focused on building a solid foundation for their first foray into the foldable market. The result is a phone that feels like a solid investment, even if it doesn't necessarily break new ground in terms of innovation. Ultimately, the X Flip is a testament to Vivo's commitment to quality and attention to detail. While it may not be perfect, this phone has earned its place as one of the most impressive clamshell-style smartphones on the market.
Battery Life
One of the standout features of the Vivo X Flip is its impressive battery life. With a 4400mAh battery, this small foldable phone has earned an "Excellent in Class" endurance rating of 110 hours in our tests. This means that you can expect to get a full day's use out of it, even with heavy usage. In our stress tests, the Vivo X Flip demonstrated decent stability, ramping its performance down gradually as needed. This is a nice achievement for a small foldable phone, which often struggle with thermal management. The battery life is further enhanced by the inclusion of a 44W charger in the box. With it, we were able to charge from 0 to 53% in just half an hour - not exactly impressive, but certainly usable. While some may bemoan the lack of wireless charging, it's hard to complain about the overall battery life of the Vivo X Flip. It's clear that Vivo has prioritized this aspect of the phone's design, and it shows in its performance. Overall, the battery life of the Vivo X Flip is one of its strongest features - a testament to the company's attention to detail and commitment to delivering a great user experience.
Display
The Vivo X Flip's display is one of its most impressive features. The main display is a 6.74-inch foldable LTPO AMOLED panel that offers vibrant colors, high contrast ratios, and excellent brightness levels. It's a joy to watch videos or browse through photos on this screen, with crisp details and minimal color shifting. One of the standout aspects of the display is its responsiveness. The touchscreen is highly sensitive and accurate, making it easy to navigate through menus and apps. The screen also features a 120Hz refresh rate, which provides a smooth and seamless viewing experience. The cover display, measuring 3.38 inches, serves as a useful secondary screen for interacting with notifications, checking the time, or controlling music playback. It's not as large or detailed as the main display, but it still offers a decent viewing experience when you need to quickly check something without unfolding the phone. In terms of display quality, the Vivo X Flip is on par with other flagship devices. It supports HDR10+ content and has a high color accuracy rating. While it may not be the best display we've ever seen, it's certainly one of the top displays in its class. One minor complaint we have is that the display can get slightly warm during extended use, particularly when playing graphics-intensive games or watching videos for an extended period. However, this issue is relatively minor and doesn't detract from the overall experience. Overall, the Vivo X Flip's display is a highlight of the device. Its high-quality main display, responsive touchscreen, and useful cover display make it a pleasure to use and interact with.
Camera
The Vivo X Flip's camera setup is one of its most impressive features. Boasting a 50-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera with autofocus, the device delivers high-quality photos that rival those from more expensive flagships. Photos taken by the main camera come out at an effective resolution of 12.5 megapixels by default, with excellent detail, balanced transitions, and no noise. The dynamic range is also impressive, capturing a wide range of tones and colors without any over-processing. However, there are instances where the colors can appear slightly off, with warmish greens and whites sometimes having a greenish tint. To mitigate this issue, enabling the Size Color mode can help tone down the greens and adjust the color saturation. In low-light conditions, the X Flip's main camera applies night mode processing to its photos by default, resulting in excellent nighttime shots with plenty of detail. Vivo's approach prioritizes a brighter look over true-to-life colors, but the end result is still impressive. The 32-megapixel front-facing camera also delivers good results, especially when taking selfies with the secondary screen as a viewfinder. These shots have vibrant colors, wide dynamic range, and good detail, although autofocus is not available. The regular selfie mode produces photos with similar quality to the main camera's output. When it comes to video recording, the X Flip's 4K videos are decent, with enough detail, likeable colors, and plenty of contrast. However, the white balance can appear warmer in low-light conditions. Electronic image stabilization is available for all resolutions and frame rates on the rear cameras, but selfie videos from both the front-facing camera and the main camera are limited to 1080p without EIS. The ultra-wide camera also delivers respectable results, with photos that have a reasonable amount of detail, similar dynamic range, contrast, and colors to the main camera's output. In low-light conditions, it applies night mode processing, resulting in good photos with preserved highlights and boosted shadows. Overall, the Vivo X Flip's cameras are some of its strongest features, offering excellent image quality and versatility. While there may be a few minor quibbles, such as the lack of stereo speakers or wireless charging, the camera setup is certainly one to admire and use regularly.
Price and Value
The Vivo X Flip is the company's first clamshell-style affordable phone, a market that seems to be gaining traction with brands like Motorola and Samsung. Priced at an unknown amount (likely under $500), the device offers a compelling experience for those looking for a more compact smartphone. In terms of value for money, the Vivo X Flip is certainly worth considering. The phone's sleek design, smooth folding mechanism, and minimal crease make it a visually appealing option. Additionally, its cameras are some of the best on a flip phone yet, with excellent photo quality and respectable video capabilities. However, there are some drawbacks to consider. The phone lacks stereo speakers, which might be a deal-breaker for audiophiles. Wireless charging is also absent, which may be a disappointment for those who value this feature. Despite these shortcomings, the Vivo X Flip offers great value for its price. The camera performance is exceptional, and the phone's compact design makes it an attractive option for those seeking a more portable smartphone experience. Compared to other flip phones on the market, such as the Motorola Razr 40 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, the Vivo X Flip holds its own. Its camera performance is arguably better than both of these devices, making it a strong contender in this niche category. Ultimately, the value proposition of the Vivo X Flip depends on one's priorities. If great camera performance and compact design are top of mind, then the phone offers excellent value for money. However, if stereo speakers or wireless charging are essential features, then buyers may want to consider other options.
Performance
The Vivo X Flip is a commendable first attempt at creating a clamshell-style foldable phone. One aspect where the phone excels is in its performance. Under the hood lies the same Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset found in last year's flagship phones, such as the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Moto Razr 40 Ultra. In benchmark tests, the X Flip delivers numbers on par with its competitors from last year. However, what sets it apart is its thermal management, which has historically been a weakness in foldable devices. Prolonged stress tests revealed that the phone maintains decent stability, ramping down performance gradually without overheating. This is a notable achievement for such a compact device. Gaming and heavy tasks are handled smoothly by the X Flip's processor, making it suitable for users who demand high-performance capabilities from their smartphones. The phone also boasts an impressive battery life, earning a Best-in-Class endurance rating of 110 hours in our tests. Although charging speeds are not exceptional, with a 44W charger provided, the phone can reach 53% charge in half an hour. The lack of wireless charging is a minor drawback, but it's not uncommon among current foldable devices. Overall, the Vivo X Flip's performance is one of its strongest aspects, making it a compelling choice for those seeking a reliable and efficient smartphone experience.