Vivo X Fold 2 Review: Beautiful, Yet Compromised
If it's not clear by now, folding phones are still considered "niche" phones, but they're not going away. However, the best folding phones in North America are not only from Samsung, but also from Xiaomi, Honor, Vivo, and more.
Last year's Vivo X Fold proved that there is a foldable phone with a basic camera and better hardware. A year later, we got our hands on the Vivo X Fold 2 to see if the company continues to grow in the ever-changing market segment.
Vivo X Fold 2: Display
Before I go too far, I should admit that the Vivo X Fold 2 is the second non-Samsung foldable phone I've tried after the original Microsoft Surface Duo. The main reason for this is that they are not readily available in the US, as almost all foldable phones are limited to certain regions. But more on that later.
One of my biggest concerns with the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is that the screen protector is too tight for "everyday" use. It's great for replying to messages or checking email, but for everything else, it's better to switch to the built-in 7.6-inch screen.
None of this is a problem for the X Fold 2's 6.53-inch external display, which offers a similar experience to phones like the Galaxy S23 Plus. Even though the screensaver is "only" 1080p, it's still very bright and has a 120Hz refresh rate.
Now for the 8.03-inch AMOLED main display. Simply put, this is the best screen I've ever seen on a foldable phone. They also feature a 120Hz refresh rate and 2160 x 1916 resolution for clear, comfortable viewing.
Of course, one of the first questions you might ask is whether a wrinkle is visible. Thanks to Vivo's waterdrop hinge, you'll barely notice the crease unless you start digging into it. I didn't even feel the hinge when sliding the screen or using the X Fold 2.
Finally, Vivo takes a different approach when it comes to biometrics and unlocking the phone. Instead of integrating the fingerprint scanner into the side power button, there is an ultrasonic scanner, one on the protective display and the other on the open screen.
There is no need to register the same fingerprint for each sensor, because you can set it up and recognize the fingerprint regardless of whether you are on the screen. During my time with the X Fold 2, it was extremely reliable and very fast. I wouldn't say that Google or Samsung should go this route, but I wouldn't be disappointed if they did; Assuming it's as reliable as the one used by Vivo.
PWM View Flash section by Nicholas Sutrich
Vivo X Fold 2 is a great example of a time when size and numbers didn't matter. When I first bought the phone, I was delighted to discover that the foldable phone uses a faster PWM speed for its OLED display than any other phone on the market.
In theory, Vivo uses a 990Hz PWM frequency, which means I can use the phone for long periods of time without feeling nauseous.
A quick look at the table above shows that both displays are excellent value compared to most modern smartphones with static displays, low refresh rates and OLED screens, not to mention foldable smartphones where PWM speeds are even worse.
If you are sensitive to PWM modulation or screen flickering, do not use this phone under any circumstances.
But within 5 minutes of using the phone, my eyes started to hurt and general PWM nausea set in. He said "no risk" for the problem - I felt bad.
In fact, I can't think of another phone in my extensive smartphone collection that makes me feel as horrified and horrified as the Vivo X Fold 2. I don't know what's going on here, but Vivo is displaying what it's doing, not just showing it on the graph.
If you are sensitive to PWM modulation or screen flickering, do not use this phone under any circumstances.
Vivo X Fold 2: Design
Another possibility that this hinge allows is the ability to close X layer 2. It can be a problem if dust or dirt gets inside, but I've never had that problem and the screen still looks great. Despite its weight, it feels more like a padded Galaxy S23 Ultra than a folding phone when closed.
The X Fold 2 I used was the red version with the textured leather cover available on the original X Fold. There's a nice glossy accent that runs the length of the phone, and Vivo has a back cover that looks similar but gives you some protection.
Aside from the hinge design and large screen, there's another thing I like about the Vivo X Fold 2: the phone has an actual hardware mute button on the side. I really wish phone makers would stop apologizing for not being able to implement these kinds of hardware features, but I'm glad to see the X Fold 2 do the same.
Aside from the mute button, the rest of the X Fold 2 is what you'd expect. The volume and power buttons are on the right side of the phone, while the bottom has the speaker, microphone, USB-C charging port and SIM tray. At the top there is nothing but another microphone and additional speakers.
Vivo X Fold 2: Specifications and Performance
I'm not going to sit here and bore you with a series of test results to once again prove the performance and functionality of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. This is the same chipset that powers many of the best Android phones coming out in 2023. And if you want to know more, you can check out our comparison between Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 8+ Gen 1 and 8 Gen 1.
What I want to note is that in the two weeks I've had the X Fold 2, I've only encountered this when trying to use the Nintendo Switch emulator. After installing the emulator and downloading Tears of the Kingdom, the speed would fluctuate between 20-30 fps during the intro, the game would crash after just a few keystrokes (bat). But I attribute this to using an unstable emulator, not the phone itself.
Vivo was able to give me a better idea of what to expect from foldable phones in the future. Not only does the X Fold 2 have a respectable 4,800mAh battery, the Vivo also has 120W wired charging. It can take the phone from 0 to 100% in about 30 minutes, but Vivo pushes the limit even further.
Despite using a faux leather back, the X Fold 2 supports wireless charging up to 50W. There's even 10W reverse wireless charging, which many phones have, but that was just the icing on the cake.
For a quick comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 has 25W for wired charging and 15W for wireless charging. Meanwhile, the Google Pixel Fold is slightly ahead of Samsung, reaching 30W wired charging speed, but falling behind at 7.5W wireless charging speed.
Vivo X Fold 2: Camera
Back to the Z Fold 4 comparison, I really expected to see the Galaxy S22 Ultra's camera on a $1,800 phone. Samsung has agreed to use the same triple camera as the Galaxy S22 Plus, which offers a better experience than the Z Fold 3 but falls short of the best camera phone.
Looking at Nick's experience with the original Vivo X Fold and Vivo's excellent camera hardware, it seems that while the Z Fold is superior to the 4, Vivo has made some sacrifices.
There are a total of three rear cameras, including a 50MP wide-angle lens, a 12MP telephoto lens with 2x zoom, and a 12MP wide-angle camera. I enjoyed playing around with different settings, such as enabling the Zeiss Natural Color Profile, as well as the various camera modes that Vivo offers.
What disappointed me the most was Vivo's decision to completely ditch the 5x telephoto lens on the X Fold. Instead, there's "only" 2x optical zoom, and everything else is digital. Not what I expected from Vivo, a company clearly (pun intended) focused on providing a premium camera experience.
Vivo X Fold 2: Everything you need to know
As I mentioned, the only way to get the Vivo X Fold 2 in the US is to import it from GizTop or a similar seller. There are two problems with this. The first version doesn't have Google Play Services by default, but it's fairly easy to set up and run.
Another problem is that even after installing and running Google Apps, it takes some time to get used to the program. As you scroll through the endless options in the Settings app, you'll eventually come across screens that don't translate for one reason or another.
The software itself isn't bad, as the Vivo X follows Samsung's approach of adding a "kitchen sink" to the Fold 2. You'll also get some familiar features like the Smart Sidebar. And thanks to Android 13, there's a taskbar at the bottom of your screen that gives you one-touch access to your most used and recent apps.
However, there are other problems like B. A black bar appears on the side when using some apps in landscape mode. It's meant to hide the in-display selfie camera, but I haven't found a way to remove it yet, and it's not always visible.
Vivo X Fold 2: Is it worth buying?
You should buy it if:
You need a foldable model with wireless charging and a hardware mute switch
You want one of the slimmest foldable phones out there
Looking for an incredibly productive wrinkle?
You should not take it in the following cases:
Want to use it with an eSIM?
You need a foldable phone with a pen support
You don't want to worry about imports
It's really hard to recommend the Vivo X Fold 2 to almost anyone in North America right now. The recently launched Pixel Fold, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 are expected to go on sale soon, and OnePlus could launch a foldable model before the end of summer.
At least compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 4 (and maybe 5), the lack of stylus support seems like a big drawback. When unfolded, the X Fold 2 is like a tablet, and sometimes it's good to use the stylus to take quick notes or just keep in touch with the phone.
Vivo has definitely taken the design a step further and now it gives me a new perspective on how to evaluate future foldable phones. Now we need more competition to enter the US market and unfortunately Vivo is not interested in that.