Officially Announced

Announced officially and finally ready to debut in the Italian market, vivo X Fold6 is in our hands, in its Chinese version (awaiting the European one), and we have put it to the test without using it as a primary smartphone. Indeed, for this first look, we will focus primarily on aesthetics and daily use functionalities. We will wait for the version with Italian software for a complete review.

Design and Build

Holding the vivo X Fold6 for the first time, the feeling of wonder is tied to the excellent engineering optimization work done on the device's body. The vivo X Fold6 has a closed thickness of just 9.4 millimeters, which drops to an incredible value of 4.4 millimeters when the display is opened. The weight is at 228 grams: a lower value compared to some traditional flagship models with titanium bodies. Although it's not the thinnest foldable on the market, vivo has done an excellent job on the dimensions and materials.

The hinge has been completely redesigned using materials derived from the aerospace industry. The mechanism not only guarantees a perfectly airtight closure without gaps, but it also offers the right resistance during opening. It’s possible to tilt the screen in Flex mode (or “desk mode”) at any angle between 60 and 130 degrees, without feeling any lurches or slack. The crease on the inner panel exists, but it is practically invisible to the eye when the screen is on and barely noticeable when running a fingertip across it.

The side frame is made of high-strength aerospace aluminum, with a matte finish that retains very few fingerprints. On the back, the large circular camera module is protected by a knurled ring that recalls the design of professional camera lenses, clearly representing the device's vocation. A notable point for durability: the vivo X Fold6 boasts a double certification IP58 and IP59.

This means that the smartphone is not only protected against immersion in fresh water and dust ingress, but it can even withstand high-pressure water jets and high temperatures. This is one of the best certifications for foldables, just behind the HONOR Magic V6 which is even IP68/IP69.

Display: Inside and Outside

We are presented with a display compartment that does not compromise, thanks to the adoption of the brand new Samsung M14 luminescent materials on both panels.

The external screen is a 6.51-inch LTPO AMOLED unit with an aspect ratio of 20:9 and a resolution of 1120 x 2528 pixels. This geometric choice is crucial, as unlike other foldables that feature narrow and long external screens, the X Fold6 when closed is held and used exactly like a traditional smartphone. The keyboard is not sacrificed, one-handed typing occurs naturally, and the variable refresh rate up to 120Hz ensures impeccable fluidity.

Opening the device reveals the true protagonist, a massive 8.02-inch LTPO AMOLED foldable display with a resolution of 2312 x 2504 pixels and an almost square aspect ratio (4:3.7). The visual quality is simply outstanding. Colors are vibrant, blacks are absolute, and support for HDR10+, HDR Vivid, and Dolby Vision standards transforms multimedia content viewing into a portable cinematic experience.

Both panels reach a peak local brightness value of 5,000 nits. Under direct summer sunlight, readability is total: reflections are effectively dampened, and we never had to shield the screen with our hand to read an email or view a photo preview. Conversely, for nighttime use or in completely dark environments, vivo has implemented an extra low brightness mode of 1 nit combined with the TÜV Rheinland Global Eye Protection 3.0 certification, with a high-frequency PWM dimming that eliminates visual fatigue even after hours of reading.

Hardware and Software

Under the hood of the vivo X Fold6, we find the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 Super Edition processor, a 3-nanometer chipset developed in close collaboration between the two brands over two years. The goal was not only to excel in benchmarks (where the SoC gets stunning scores thanks to the main C1-Ultra core clocked at an impressive 4.21 GHz), but to create a platform optimized for the usage logic of an ultra-premium foldable. Our test configuration features 16 GB of LPDDR5X Ultra RAM and 512 GB of UFS 4.1 internal memory that is not expandable.

The operating system is based on Android 16 with the customized interface OriginOS 6 Fold. It is an extremely responsive UI, rich in smooth animations, focusing heavily on artificial intelligence and productivity. When the smartphone is closed, the user experience is practically the same as that of a standard smartphone. The Dimensity 9500 Super handles daily tasks without issues or overheating. Thanks to the width of the external display, there is never a need to open the phone to quickly respond to a message on WhatsApp or check a notification. The fingerprint sensor, integrated at the side in the power button, is lightning-fast and accurate in every circumstance.

Opening the phone, the switch of applications from the external to the internal panel is instantaneous and without graphic uncertainties. Vivo has redesigned the OriginOS 6 Fold framework to push multitasking to the max through the Parallel Mode function.

On the large 8.02-inch screen, we could run up to four applications simultaneously, positioned in side-by-side windows, with the essential feature that all remain active in the foreground without being paused by the system. During our working days, we were able to keep several apps open simultaneously with no signs of lag or reloading. Being the Chinese version, Italian is not present as a language, and Google services are not available. For this reason, we decided to wait for the European version to better explore the software aspect.

Cameras: ZEISS Experience at the Highest Level

However, if there is one department we can talk about without market version issues, it is certainly the photographic one. If historically foldables have always suffered from a performance gap on the photographic front compared to traditional flagships, the vivo X Fold6 bridges this gap disruptively, inheriting the technologies of the successful X-Ultra series of the brand.

The rear triple camera setup is led by the optical expertise of ZEISS and supported by the proprietary imaging chip vivo BlueImage V3+.

• Main Sensor: 200 MP, Samsung HPB sensor 1/1.4