The folding phone market has evolved a lot since 2019. However, this category has struggled to grow beyond a niche. 

Even as they’ve gotten sleeker and more polished, many still feel like experiments—nice to try, but not quite ready for everyday use. Vivo’s new X Fold 5 quietly pushes back against that idea.

Instead of focusing on flashy features or just high-end specs, the X Fold 5 works on the basics: making the phone lighter, thinner, more compatible with other devices, and better for real-world use. And the formula seems to be working for Vivo. 

Here are five things that make the Vivo X Fold 5 stand out from the rest of the foldables. 

Lighter Than a Slab

The biggest hardware change in the X Fold 5 is how light it is. Its titanium version weighs just 217g while the glass model is slightly heavier at 226g.

That’s lighter than many regular flagship phones, including the iPhone 16 Pro Max (227g) and even Vivo’s own X200 Ultra (229g). 

Vivo also keeps pushing the limits of thinness. Last year’s X Fold 3 was already as slim as a USB-C cable when folded at 4.7mm thickness. The X Fold 5 goes even further and is now just 4.3mm slim. 

And it’s not just about being light and thin for looks. The lighter design makes it easier to use the phone while closed and to carry it around without it feeling bulky in your pocket.

Foldable, Not Fragile

Durability has always been a weak spot for foldables. Moving parts, bendable screens, and complex hinges often reduce long-term reliability.

Vivo is trying to solve that with the X Fold 5. It is the industry’s first folding phone with three ingress protection. It is IPX8 rated for water resistance, IPX9+ for high-pressure water jet protection, and IP5X for dust protection. Vivo says the foldable can handle temperatures as low as -20°C.

This level of protection is rare in foldables. Most brands still treat dust and water resistance as sacrifices you have to make. Vivo doesn’t.

Bridging Android and Apple—Sort of

One of Vivo’s more surprising moves is trying to reduce the gap between Android and Apple. While most Android brands ignore the Apple ecosystem, Vivo is trying to work with it.

The standout feature is support for Apple Watch on an Android device. Using a new app called Vivo Health Connect, users can now pair an Apple Watch with the X Fold 5. Of course, this will sync all your health data, notifications, and activity rings. And you can pick your calls from the watch itself.

It’s the first Android phone to offer this, and it could make switching from an iPhone easier for Apple users. There’s also a case designed with MagSafe support, and the phone can wirelessly reverse-charge an iPhone. 

Productivity That Feels Practical

Foldables are often sold as productivity tools, but few truly deliver. The X Fold 5 takes a more thoughtful approach. It doesn’t try to replace your laptop, but it does make multitasking easier.

It has a feature called “Atomic Workbench” that lets you open up to five apps at once on the screen, with drag-and-drop support between them. It doesn’t just stretch the phone UI to a bigger display—the layout adjusts smoothly whether you’re holding it vertically or horizontally.

It also works well with Apple’s macOS. You can mirror your MacBook screen, control both devices with the same keyboard and mouse, and even access your Mac files directly on the phone.

It’s also the first Android device that can access iCloud Drive directly, removing yet another roadblock for Apple users who want to switch.

Still a Capable Camera Phone

Vivo hasn’t forgotten that foldables should still have strong cameras. The X Fold 5 borrows its camera system from the X Fold 3. It includes a 50MP main sensor, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 3x periscope zoom lens.

Not to forget, the 3x telephoto is also tuned for macro photography. Vivo is also continuing its partnership with ZEISS, and the camera includes several classic filters and styles. 

This isn’t Vivo’s best camera setup—that honor still goes to the X200 Ultra—but it doesn’t feel like a downgrade either. Keeping the camera system slightly more compact helps the phone stay light and thin.

Vivo X Fold 5 Specifications

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The post 5 things that make Vivo X Fold 5 special than any other foldable appeared first on Gizmochina.