Vivo X Fold 2 Review: Beautiful, Yet Compromised
As wasn't clear until now, foldable phones aren't going anywhere, though most are still considered niche. But the best foldable phones in North America aren't just Samsung, they're also Xiaomi, Honor, Vivo, and more.
Last year's Vivo X Fold proved that it's possible to find a foldable phone with a flagship camera experience and a better overall hardware experience. Fast forward a year and we got our hands on the Vivo X Fold 2 to see if the company has managed to keep growing in an ever-changing market segment.
Vivo X Fold 2: display
Before I go any further, I have to admit that the Vivo X Fold 2 is only the second non-Samsung foldable phone after the original Microsoft Surface Duo. The main reason is the lack of availability in this situation as almost all other foldable phones are limited to certain regions. But more on that later.
One of my biggest issues with the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is that the lock screen is too narrow for "everyday" use. It's fine for replying to messages or checking email, but for anything else, it's better to upgrade to the 7.6-inch internal screen.
That's not a problem with the X Fold 2, thanks to its 6.53-inch external display, which offers a similar experience to phones like the Galaxy S23 Plus. And even though the shutter screen has "only" a resolution of 1080p, it's still bright, and it also has a 120Hz refresh rate.
Now the star of the show, the main 8.03-inch AMOLED display. It's simply the best screen I've ever seen on a foldable phone. You will also find a refresh rate of 120Hz and a resolution of 2160 x 1916, which makes for a smooth and comfortable viewing experience.
Of course, one of the first questions you might have is about slot visibility. Thanks to Vivo's inclusion of a waterdrop zipper, you can barely see the crease unless you're really looking for it. I haven't found the time to look at the hinge when I'm sliding 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 power button on the side, there are two ultrasonic scanners, one on the screen for closing and the other on the screen for opening.
You don't even have to register the same fingerprint for each sensor, because you can set it up and identify your fingerprint regardless of the screen you're using. In my time with the X Fold 2, it was very reliable and very fast. I wouldn't go so far as to say that Google or Samsung should go this route, but I wouldn't be disappointed if they did. as long as it is as reliable as the one used by Vivo.
The flashing part of the PWM screen was written by Nicholas Satrich
The Vivo X Fold 2 is a perfect example when size and numbers don't matter. When I first got the phone, I was excited to try out the foldable phone that uses a much higher level of PWM for its OLED display than any other phone on the market.
Vivo uses a 990Hz PWM speed on the Vivo X Fold 2 display, which is four times faster than the 240Hz PWM speed used on all Samsung foldables, Google Pixel Fold and many other devices. In theory, this means I can use the phone for extended periods of time without feeling nauseous.
Taking a quick look at the graphs above, both screens offer solid numbers, low modulation levels, and overall very good numbers compared to most modern phones that use OLED displays, not to mention foldable devices with worse PWM levels.
If you are sensitive to PWM modulation or screen flickering, do not use this phone under any circumstances.
However, within 5 minutes of using the phone, my eyes started hurting and the usual PWM pain started. Even using the phone at 100% brightness, the modulation is very low and my Opple Light Master IV bright monitor says there is no risk of problems, which makes me feel very bad.
In fact, I can't think of another phone in my huge smartphone collection that makes me feel as sick and generally awful as the Vivo X Fold 2. I don't know what's going on here, but what Vivo is doing with this screen isn't Does this make sense.
If you are sensitive to PWM modulation or screen flickering, do not use this phone under any circumstances.
Vivo X Fold 2: design
Another thing that makes this addiction possible is that the X Fold 2 can slide all the way through. This can cause problems if dust or dirt gets stuck between them, but I haven't had any such problems and the screen still looks great. Despite its weight, when closed it looks more like a foldable phone than a charged Galaxy S23 Ultra.
The X Fold 2 I'm using is the red version, complete with the "leather texture" finish found on the original X Fold. There are nice glossy accents on the phone and Vivo has even included a back cover in the box, giving you the same look while protecting you.
Along with the hinged design and larger bezels, there's one more thing I really like about the Vivo X Fold 2. There's a hardware power off button on the side of the phone. I really wish phone makers would stop making excuses to implement a hardware feature like this, but I'd also like to see it on the X Fold 2.
Aside from the toggle switch, the rest of the X Fold 2 is pretty much what you'd expect. The volume and power buttons are on the right side of the phone, while the bottom houses one of the speakers, the microphone, the USB-C charging port and the SIM card tray. At the top is just a microphone and more speakers.
Vivo X Fold 2: specifications and performance
I won't sit here and bore you with tons of benchmark results to demonstrate the power and performance Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 has to offer. and if you want to know more, you can see Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 vs. 8+ generation 1 vs. See 1 of the eighth generation.
What I will mention is that the only problem I've had in the two weeks of using the X Fold 2 is when I try to use the Nintendo Switch emulator. After setting up and loading the emulator with Tears of the Kingdom, I was getting 20-30 fps in input, but after throwing some Keeses (bats), the game crashed. But I did it using an unstable emulator compared to the phone.
Vivo has also managed to think more about what I want from a future foldable phone. Not only does the X Fold 2 pack a 4,800mAh battery, but Vivo also includes 120W wired charging. You can get the phone from 0 to 100% in around 30 minutes, but Vivo goes even further.
While the X Fold 2 uses a leather back, it also supports up to 50W wireless charging. There's also 10W reverse wireless charging, which can be found on many phones, but it's just plain sweet.
For a quick comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 has 25W potential for wired charging and is limited to 15W for wireless charging. Meanwhile, the Google Pixel Fold nearly beats Samsung with its 30W wired charging speed, but lags behind with its 7.5W wireless charging speed.
Vivo X Fold 2: Camera
Going back to the Z Fold 4 comparison, I was really hoping to see the Galaxy S22 Ultra's camera in an $1,800 phone. Samsung "still" uses the same triple camera setup as the Galaxy S22 Plus, which offers a much better experience than the Z Fold 3, but it's not the best camera phone.
Based on Nick's experience with the original Vivo X Fold coupled with the excellent camera hardware of the Vivo X90 Pro, I had high hopes for the Vivo X Fold 2. In the grand scheme of things, the X Fold 2 was not Really. disappointing, as it performed better than the Z Fold. 4, but Vivo seems to have cut corners.
All in all, there are three cameras on the back, with a 50MP wide-angle lens at the top and a 12MP 2x telephoto sensor along with a 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera. I had fun fiddling with the different settings, like activating the Zeiss "Natural Color" profile, as well as the different camera modes that the Vivo includes.
What disappointed me the most was Vivo's complete removal of the 5x telephoto lens from the X Fold. Instead, there is "only" a 2x optical zoom with another digital zoom. Not what I expected from Vivo, a company clearly focused (pun intended) on providing a great camera experience.
Vivo X Fold 2: things to watch out for
As mentioned above, the only way to get the Vivo X Fold 2 in the US is to import it from GizTop or another similar retailer. Some problems arise with this. The first is software that doesn't have Google Play Services, but it's easy enough to get started.
The other problem is that even after installing and launching Google Apps, the software itself takes some getting used to. Scrolling through the endless options in the Settings app will eventually lead you to an untranslated screen for one reason or another.
The software itself isn't all bad, as Vivo followed Samsung's approach by throwing the kitchen sink into the X Fold 2. You'll also find some popular features like the smart sidebar. And thanks to Android 13, you also get a taskbar at the bottom of the screen, giving you one-tap access to your most used and recently used apps.
However, there were other issues, such as black bars appearing on the sides when using certain apps in landscape mode. It's supposed to hide the internal screen selfie camera, but I haven't figured out a way to remove it yet, and it's not always visible.
Vivo X Fold 2: Should you buy it?
You should buy if:
Want a foldable with wireless charging and a hardware switch?
Want one of the most foldable phones?
Are you looking for great performance when you switch?
You shouldn't buy if:
You want to use it with an eSIM
Want a foldable phone with a pen holder?
You don't want to worry about imports
It's really hard to recommend the Vivo X Fold 2 to just about anyone in North America right now. After the recent launch of the Pixel Fold, Samsung will soon introduce the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and OnePlus may launch its own foldable device later this summer.
At least compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 4 (and possibly 5), the lack of a stylus holder is a shame. When folded, the X Fold 2 is a tablet, and sometimes it helps to use the stylus to take quick notes or interact with the phone.
Vivo has absolutely nailed the design and is giving me a whole new perspective to judge the future foldable phones I hold in my hands. Now we need more competition to really enter the US market and Vivo, unfortunately, is not interested in that.
