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Vivo X Fold3 Pro Review

Android 14 with an international Funtouch on top

The X Fold3 Pro runs Android 14 with a proprietary layer of vivo software on top - Origin OS for the Chinese version, and Funtouch OS for handsets meant for other markets, as is our review unit. The brand has promised to deliver three years of Android OS upgrades and four years of security patches for the X Fold3 Pro.

Funtouch on the cover display looks and feels just like it does on a non-bendy vivo. We did a more detailed overview of that when we had the X100 Pro in the office and you can head over there if you want to learn more. Here's just a quick taste.

Funtouch OS on the vivo X Fold3 Pro

The internal screen gives you a much larger canvas for activities and it provides a reasonably intuitive and full-featured multi-window implementation, though it's not quite as polished as it is in One UI on the Galaxy Z Fold6 - this one requires a bit more getting used to.

Funtouch on the large screen

There's a handful of features to make use of the bendy display, grouped together in the Foldable devices submenu in settings. Flex mode splits the screen into two halves - one actionable, the other for viewing - for apps that can benefit from it. Smart screen shift will switch the active display to the cover when the phone detects a certain change in orientation - disable it, if you feel the phone is acting out when you want to take overhead photos.

There's also a simple 'turn off/keep on' selector for what the phone is supposed to do when you close the foldable display - there's no per app setting like some other Android overlays have.

Foldable features

An intriguing desktop clock functionality with multiple possible interfaces is also on the menu.

Benchmarks

The vivo X Fold3 Pro uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, like the China-only X100 Ultra we last saw from vivo. Conversely, the other high-end X from the company that we've reviewed, the X100 Pro has a Dimensity 9300 inside, as does the X100 non-Pro.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is a known quantity, of course, found in the bulk of top-tier Androids in 2024. It's the AB variety, and not the 'special' AC version of the Qualcomm chip that has slightly higher frequencies for this or that bit. Then again, it's not like the Z Fold6 stands out with extreme performance with its 'for Galaxy' chip (essentially the AC version).

The X Fold3 Pro has three memory configurations in China - a 12GB/256GB base spec, the 16GB/512GB 'middle option', and the 16GB/1TB top version. Outside of China, it's apparently only the middle option that will be available and that's what we had for review. The storage speed was consistent with the UFS 4.0 standard.

The X Fold3 Pro performed admirably in benchmarks, roughly on par with the X100 Ultra. The vivo foldable matches the Z Fold6 in CPU performance, is way ahead in the compound Antutu benchmark and is better than the Galaxy in the easier 3DMark disciplines, though it trails a little in the ray tracing Solar Bay test.

We've discontinued GFXBench graphics benchmarking as the app is often banned/blacklisted on the phones we receive for review. The graphics performance ranking in 3D Mark is just as meaningful, so we suggest you refer to that one instead.

Under prolonged load, the X Fold3 Pro returned very interesting results. The GPU numbers in 3DMark Wild Life were sort of similar to those on the OnePlus Open or the Galaxy Z Fold6 with all handsets dropping to roughly the same minimum levels.

In the CPU Throttling test, on the other hand, the vivo shone brighter, recording average values for the 1-hour duration of the test that were as high as the Galaxy or the Open's scores at the very start of their tests. It wasn't the most stable of performances, with a bit of a hair comb effect of highs and dips, but the dips weren't too deep. Overall, it's one of the more impressive long-term CPU load results - on a foldable or otherwise.

CPU Throttling test • 3DMark Wild Life stress test

Upcoming MediaTek Non-flagship Dimensity Chip Beats The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 In Benchmark Test

MediaTek is the leading supplier of application processors for smartphones and for its current flagship chipset, the Dimensity 9300, MediaTek rolled the dice and came out a winner. The SoC does not feature a low-power efficiency CPU core which puts it at risk of overheating. But the Dimensity 9300 has done a strong job powering the Vivo X100 series and in May, MediaTek followed up with the Dimensity 9300+ which adds more support for AI. The Dimensity 9300 has generated over $1 billion in revenue for MediaTek.

The next flagship chip being developed by MediaTek is the Dimensity 9400 which is expected to feature one Cortex-X5 prime CPU core, three Cortex-X4 CPU cores, and four Cortex-A720 efficiency-performance cores. In March, MediaTek signed up its first customer for the unannounced Dimensity 9400. That company is Vivo which, as noted, uses the Dimensity 9300 SoC for its Vivo X100 series. Meanwhile, another application processor (AP) that will be released later this year by MediaTek is the non-flagship Dimensity 8400. A post on Chinese social media site Weibo by known leaker Digital Chat Station reveals that the Dimensity 8400 scored between 1.7 million and 1.8 million points on the AnTuTu benchmark test which tops the score tallied by Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. The latter tallied about 1.7 million points on AnTuTu.

The MediaTek Dimensity 8400 is not a flagship chip, but it beat the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 on AnTuTu.Image credit-Gizmochina

Additionally, the Dimensity 8400 AP could also be a cheaper option for phone manufacturers, and devices using the chip could be priced as low as 1,500 yuan ($206.33). If the AnTuTu benchmark test results are valid, a phone manufacturer could equip a handset with a more powerful Dimensity 8400 AP instead of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and pay less for the chipset. One manufacturer expected to use the Dimensity 8400 SoC is Xiaomi.

In April, Digital Chat Station said that Xiaomi's Redmi unit is working on various smartphones that will be

The MediaTek 8400 SoC could end up inside several mid-range handsets later this year and next year. After all, what manufacturer wouldn't want to power a mid-ranger with a chip that could be more powerful than a current flagship chipset and pay a lower price for the component?

MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Outperforms Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 At AnTuTu

MediaTek has verified itself as a leader in smartphone application processors. Now, its flagship Dimensity 9300 chipset is making significant waves in the industry. The Dimensity 9300 defies convention by skipping a low-power efficiency CPU core, which typically risks overheating. Despite this, the highly anticipated chipset powers the Vivo X100 series effectively. Building on this success, MediaTek released the Dimensity 9300+ in May, improving AI capabilities. This flagship chipset has generated over $1 billion in revenue, highlighting MediaTek's dominant market position. Additionally, MediaTek has plans to launch a non-flagship chip, the Dimensity 8400, later this year. Guess what? This chipset surpassed the SD8G3 chipset at AnTuTu.

According to Digital Chat Station on Weibo, the Dimensity 8400 scored between 1.7 million and 1.8 million points on the AnTuTu benchmark test. It surpassed Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which scored approximately 1.7 million points. This outstanding performance makes the Dimensity 8400 a tempting, cost-effective option for manufacturers, with potential pricing for smartphones as low as 1,500 yuan ($206.33). Xiaomi is expected to equip its devices with the Dimensity 8400, offering a powerful alternative to more expensive chipsets.

MediaTek is reportedly developing its next flagship chip, the Dimensity 9400. Anticipated specifications include one Cortex-X5 prime CPU core, three Cortex-X4 cores, and four Cortex-A720 efficiency-performance cores. Vivo, which uses the Dimensity 9300 in its X100 series, has already committed to the unannounced Dimensity 9400, revealing a continued partnership with MediaTek.

Sources claim that Xiaomi's Redmi division is working on smartphones featuring different chipsets, including the Dimensity 9300+, Dimensity 8400, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 4. These handsets are anticipated to showcase premium features such as metal frames, glass bodies, 1.5K or 2K displays, large batteries, and 100W fast charging.

The Dimensity 8400 is poised to power several mid-range smartphones this year and next. Its capability to transcend current flagship chipsets at a lower cost presents a captivating proposition for manufacturers. By offering high performance at a low price, MediaTek strives to push the boundaries of smartphone technology, setting new standards for innovation and accessibility in the smartphone industry.

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