vivo X Fold5 vs. Huawei Mate X3: A Deep Dive into Foldable Flagships
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the vivo X Fold5 emerges as the superior choice. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset delivers a substantial performance leap over the Mate X3’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, and the significantly brighter 1916-nit display offers a vastly improved viewing experience. While the Mate X3 boasts excellent battery endurance, the X Fold5’s faster charging mitigates this advantage.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo X Fold5 | Huawei Mate X3 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 48, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 18, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78 SA/NSA | - |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| - | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2025, June 25 | 2023, March 23 |
| Status | Available. Released 2025, July 02 | Available. Released 2023, April 08 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (closed), aluminum alloy frame, fiber-reinforced plastic back | Glass front, glass back or eco leather back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | Unfolded: 159.7 x 142.3 x 4.3 mmFolded: 159.7 x 72.6 x 9.2 mm | Unfolded: 156.9 x 141.5 x 5.3 mmFolded: 156.9 x 72.4 x 11.1 mm |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 217 g or 226 g (7.65 oz) | 239 g or 241 g (8.43 oz) |
| - | IPX8 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Kunlun Glass (cover display only) |
| Resolution | 2200 x 2480 pixels (~413 ppi density) | 2224 x 2496 pixels (~426 ppi density) |
| Size | 8.03 inches, 206.5 cm2 (~90.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 7.85 inches, 197.5 cm2 (~88.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Foldable LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, 5280Hz PWM, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, 4500 nits (peak) | Foldable OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz |
| - | Cover display: OLED, 120Hz, 6.4 inches, 1080 x 2504 pixels | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2x2.3 GHz Cortex-A520) | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 750 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 15, up to 4 major Android upgrades, Funtouch 15 (International), OriginOS 5 (China) | HarmonyOS 3.1 (China), EMUI 13.1 (Europe), no Google Play Services |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM |
| - | UFS | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Color spectrum sensor, Laser AF, Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, Dual-LED flash, panorama | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.6, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.6, 70mm (periscope telephoto), 1/1.95", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.1, 15mm, 119˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, PDAF | 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/3.4, 125mm (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), AF |
| Video | 8K@30fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR, panorama |
| Single | 20 MP, f/2.4, 21mm (wide), 1/3.6", 0.7µm Cover camera: 20 MP, f/2.4, 21mm (wide), 1/3.6", 0.7µm | 8 MP, f/2.4, (wide) Cover camera: 8 MP, f/2.4, (wide) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | - | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.4, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| Infrared port | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), GLONASS | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (B1I+B1c+B2a), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), NavIC |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG, Display Port | USB Type-C 3.1, DisplayPort 1.2, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, dual-band or tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, altimeter |
| - | BDS Satellite Message | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 80W wired 40W wireless Reverse wired 5W reverse wireless | 66W wired 50W wireless 7.5W reverse wireless |
| Type | Si/C Li-Ion 6000 mAh | Market-dependent versions:· Li-Po 4800 mAh (Global)· Si/C Li-Ion 5060 mAh (China only) |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Titanium Gray, Green, White | Black, White, Violet, Dark Green, Gold |
| Models | V2436A, V2429 | ALT-AL00, ALT-L29 |
| Price | ₹ 149,998 | About 1500 EUR |
| SAR | 0.86 W/kg (head) 0.85 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 81h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.3 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 993592 (v9) GeekBench: 4283 (v5.5), 4512 (v6) GFXBench: 41fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
vivo X Fold5
- Significantly brighter display (1916 nits)
- Much faster processor (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3)
- Faster wired and wireless charging (80W/40W)
- Battery endurance not explicitly stated (lower than Mate X3 likely)
- Potentially higher price point
Huawei Mate X3
- Excellent battery endurance (81h rating)
- Established foldable design
- Good wireless charging speed (50W)
- Older processor (Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1)
- Significantly dimmer display (926 nits)
- Limited to 4G connectivity
Display Comparison
The vivo X Fold5’s display is a clear winner in terms of brightness, achieving a measured peak of 1916 nits compared to the Mate X3’s 926 nits. This translates to significantly better visibility outdoors and a more impactful HDR experience. While both feature foldable displays, the X Fold5’s higher brightness and likely more recent panel technology (though specifics aren’t provided) suggest superior color accuracy and contrast. The Mate X3’s ‘Infinite’ contrast ratio is a nominal specification, lacking the quantifiable data of the X Fold5’s brightness measurement.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are listed as having Photo/Video capabilities, but detailed camera specifications are absent. Without sensor size, aperture, or image processing details, a direct comparison is impossible. However, given the X Fold5’s newer platform, it’s reasonable to expect more advanced image signal processing (ISP) capabilities and potentially better low-light performance. The lack of detail regarding the Mate X3’s camera system suggests it may not be a primary selling point compared to the X Fold5.
Performance
The vivo X Fold5’s Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 represents a generational leap over the Huawei Mate X3’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 4G. The 8 Gen 3’s Cortex-X4 prime core, clocked at 3.3 GHz, offers a substantial performance increase over the Mate X3’s Cortex-X2 core at 3.19 GHz. Furthermore, the newer chip’s 4nm process node provides improved thermal efficiency, reducing the likelihood of throttling during sustained workloads. The X Fold5’s CPU configuration (1+3+2+2) is also more balanced, potentially offering better multi-tasking performance. The Mate X3’s 4G limitation is a significant drawback for users requiring fast mobile data speeds.
Battery Life
The Huawei Mate X3’s reported 81-hour endurance rating is impressive, suggesting excellent battery optimization. However, the vivo X Fold5’s active use score of 13:21 hours, while not directly comparable to an endurance rating, indicates solid battery life. Crucially, the X Fold5 supports significantly faster charging at 80W wired and 40W wireless, compared to the Mate X3’s 66W wired and 50W wireless. This means the X Fold5 can replenish its battery much quicker, mitigating the endurance advantage of the Mate X3. The X Fold5 also offers reverse wired and 5W reverse wireless charging, adding to its versatility.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo X Fold5 if you prioritize raw performance, a stunningly bright and vibrant display, and the latest technology. It’s ideal for power users, gamers, and those who demand the best possible experience. Buy the Huawei Mate X3 if long battery life is your absolute top priority and you prefer a more established foldable design, accepting a performance trade-off and a less vibrant screen.