Following the vivo Pad2 and the X Fold2, we can finally complete our preview trilogy of the company’s products that may hit the global market with the vivo X Flip clamshell smartphone.
Of course, like the other two devices we’ve recently previewed, the vivo X Flip is the mainland Chinese version running on OriginOS 3.
Table of Contents
Box Contents
- vivo X Flip
- Clear protective case
- 44W FlashCharge fast charger
- USB Type-A to Type-C charging cable
- Quickstart guide
vivo X Flip – Specifications
| Model | vivo X Flip |
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 166.4 x 75.3 x 7.8 mm Folded: 86.4 x 75.3 x 16.6 mm |
| Weight | 198g |
| Processor | CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 GPU: Adreno 730 |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 256 / 512 GB UFS 3.1 |
| Display | Main Display: 6.74″ AMOLED 1080 x 2520 pixels 120Hz Cover Display: 3″ AMOLED 422 x 682 pixels |
| Camera (Front) | 32 MP, f/2.5 |
| Camera (Rear) | Main Camera: 50 MP, f/1.8, Dual Pixel PDAF, Laser AF, OIS Ultrawide Camera: 12 MP, f/2.2, Dual Pixel PDAF |
| Operating System | OriginOS 3 (based on Android 13) |
| Battery and Charging | 4,400mAh 44W wired charging |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6 Bluetooth 5.3 NFC USB Type-C 2.0 |
| Biometrics | Face unlock Fingerprint sensor (side mounted) |
Design
Released in China back in April 2023, the vivo X Flip is available in three colours, roughly translated to Matte Black, Metallic Gold and Lavender. While the first two colour options are self-explanatory, the Lavender colour option features an elliptical pattern reminiscent of leather designer handbags.
Our review copy came in the gold colour option, and includes a matching clear protective case. However, the gloss finish makes the phone prone to fingerprint smearing, so if you have sweaty fingers, its best to go the the matte options.
When folded, the X Flip just fits the size of my palm. While the clamshell hinge is technically gapless, there is however a small hole between the top and bottom screen. Completing the cover screen is a dual Zeiss camera array and a two-tone flash.
Unfolding the phone reveals a large 6.74-inch AMOLED display with a punch-hole style selfie camera at the top. The lock screen and volume rocker is located at the right side, while the bottom houses a SIM tray, USB Type-C charging port and a single downward firing speaker.
Display
The cover screen is quite large, and users can customise the screen to feature a digital pet (our pick would be the fat ‘oyen’), and arrange certain app shortcuts for quick access. However, I find the screen to be not as bright as I would have liked, especially when viewed under direct sunlight.
While the crease on the main screen is visible when off, it disappears when the screen is in use. It is almost invisible when viewed head on or from each side. The colour gamut is quite decent, and sunlight legibility is not bad as well.
Audio
The vivo X Flip only comes with a single down-firing speaker. While its a bummer that it does not have stereo audio, the speaker actually sounds decent and can get quite loud.
Performance
The vivo X Flip is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. While this is not the latest flagship chipset from the chipmaker, it is still pretty capable at handling heavy tasks.
On AnTuTu, the X Flip scored a total of 1,288,549 points, which is still quite respectable even in 2023. Gaming performance is also decent, as the Adreno 730 can run even the most graphically demanding games at high settings.
Camera
While the dual camera offering is not as feature-rich as flagship smartphones like the vivo X90, its still quite capable to capture the user’s daily moments. The 50MP main shooter takes pleasant photos under good lighting with great detail. Colour tones also looks natural with any over-sharpening and oversaturation. Portrait mode is also excellent, with decent edge detection and subject separation.
Closing Thoughts
The vivo X Flip is quite a looker and packs great performance in a clamshell body. While it remains unconfirmed whether vivo plans to release this for the global market, the flip phone market deserves some competition of this calibre.
For more information, please visit the official vivo China’s official product page.
