vivo X Fold6 review

Introduction

Getting a foldable normally comes with a number of compromises. With the thickness split between the two parts you normally have to live with a less-than-stellar camera setup and frequently not the largest battery around. There is simply not enough space to make it all fit alongside all that screen estate.

vivo's very talented engineer set off to change that. The X Fold6 is here and it promises to set new benchmark for camera quality and battery life in the book-style foldable segment.

vivo X Fold6 specs at a glance:

• Body: 157.2x145.7x4.4mm, 228g; Glass front (closed), aluminum frame, glass-fiber reinforced plastic back; IP58/IP59 dust protected and water resistant (high-pressure water jets; immersible up to 1m for 30 min).
• Display: 8.02" Foldable LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, HDR Vivid, Dolby Vision, 2312x2504px resolution, 9.75:9 aspect ratio, 425ppi; Cover display:, LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 5000 nits (peak), 6.51 inches, 1120 x 2528 pixels, 20:9 ratio.
• Chipset: Mediatek Dimensity 9500 Super (3 nm).
• Memory: 512GB 12GB RAM; UFS 4.1.
• OS/Software: Android 16, OriginOS 6 Fold.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 200 MP, f/1.7, 1/1.4", PDAF, OIS; Telephoto: 50 MP, f/2.6, 70mm, 1/1.95", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 50 MP, f/2.1, 16mm, 119-degree, 1/2.76", 0.64µm, PDAF.
• Front camera: Wide (main): 20 MP, f/2.4, 21mm, 1/3.6", 0.61µm; Wide (main): 20 MP, f/2.4, 21mm, 1/3.6", 0.61µm;.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 6900mAh; 80W wired, 40W wireless, Reverse wired, 5W reverse wireless.
• Connectivity: 5G; Wi-Fi 7; BT 5.4, aptX HD, LHDC 5; NFC; Infrared port.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); stereo speakers.

The vivo X Fold6 just began its global rollout and it brings at least two major upgrades over last year's X Fold5. One would be its new 200MP Zeiss-branded main camera. It is built around Samsung's 1/1.4-inch HPB sensor, which already proved its salt in the impressive telephotos of the vivo X300 and vivo X300 Pro. Of course, there is a telephoto on the X Fold6 as well - with 50MP LYT602 sensor and 3x optical zoom. And there is also an autofocusing 50MP ultrawide camera, to complete the setup. Photography fans will also appreciate that the X Fold6 supports the optional ZEISS Teleconverter G2, which boosts its reach to 200mm.

The other major upgrade is the battery. Well, two batteries, actually, as is usually the case with such foldables. These add up to a massive 6,900 mAh of total capacity. That's the most on a globally available foldable as the Honor Magic V6 dropped down to 6,660 mAh overseas. The 6,900 mAh is also 900 mAh more than last year's model. Modern Si/C battery chemistry is really pushing the boundaries lately.

Vivo didn't really sacrifice anything in the charging department either. The X Fold6 still supports 80W wired charging, 40W wireless charging and reverse charging of both the wired and wireless varieties.

So on paper we really couldn't ask for much more from the X Fold6. Sure, it has gotten a bit heavier than last year's model, and the huge camera island remains a bit awkward to handle. There is also a switch from Qualcomm to MediaTek silicon, but we are yet to see what kind of difference that makes.

Unboxing

There are two sides when it comes to lavish phone boxes. On the one hand, it is very impractical as many of the included accessories will never get used, turning into immediate e-waste. It also makes shipping harder, pricier and less eco-friendly. On the other hand, there is something to be said about the way a great presentation elevates your initial experience and conveys the sense that what you invested in is actually premium. Plus, it reminds us of the good old days of smartphones.

The X Fold6 comes in a very sturdy two-piece box. The surface finish is this smooth, faux-leather thing and it looks and feels really nice. There is embossing, and even a raised decorative ring. Premium all the way. The phone itself is housed in a plastic cradle, which is not particularly eco-friendly. The bottom of the box does say it "contains soy ink", which, we guess, is something.

You actually get accessories in the box too. It is worth noting that our review unit is not made for the EU market, and you probably shouldn't expect a bundled charger in those boxes. In our case we got a 100W vivo FlashCharge charger (model number: V10091L0A1-UK) that takes USB Type-C to Type-C cable. It is an e-Marked cable rated for 20V and 5A of current. That said, the cable itself has "9.2A" printed on it, so apparently it is rated for more, and indeed the charger does say it can push 11V@9.1A in one of its modes. So, you are probably best off sticking with both the charger and cable for your quick charging needs.

Our retail box also includes a hard, semi-transparent snap-on case. Granted, it does not offer amazing protection, but it is still better than nothing, and we very much appreciate its inclusion.