vivo X Fold5 Specs Leaked: 6000 mAh Battery, Slimmer Fold, No Pro Variant
By Michael B Norris, Independent tech journalist | 13, July 2025A Foldable I Didn’t Expect to Miss… Until Now
I still remember slipping the vivo X Fold3 Pro into my jacket pocket during last year’s MWC. It felt… dense but confident, like it knew it belonged beside the big players.
But it wasn’t until I left it at a hotel in Taipei - while testing its multitasking UI on the go - that I realized how much vivo had quietly refined the foldable experience.
The hinge was fluid, the battery held strong for a foldable, and the cameras? Surprisingly color-accurate for a device in that category.
So, when I received a supply-chain leak this week indicating vivo is skipping the Pro model altogether this year for the upcoming X Fold5, I paid attention.
So, when I received a supply-chain leak this week indicating vivo is skipping the Pro model altogether this year for the upcoming X Fold5, I paid attention.
Not just because it changes vivo’s foldable strategy - but because the leaked specs point to a foldable that doubles down on efficiency, thinness, and battery endurance, not just raw performance.
According to early info from tipster Yogesh Brar and Digital Chat Station, the vivo X Fold5 will include a 6000 mAh battery, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, and a 4.3 mm unfolded profile, making it one of the thinnest foldables yet.
According to early info from tipster Yogesh Brar and Digital Chat Station, the vivo X Fold5 will include a 6000 mAh battery, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, and a 4.3 mm unfolded profile, making it one of the thinnest foldables yet.
There's also no Pro variant this time, a shift that suggests vivo is consolidating its focus.
Here’s a closer look at what’s real, what’s likely, and what it means.
Feature Details
Here’s a closer look at what’s real, what’s likely, and what it means.
Key Specs: vivo X Fold5 at a Glance
Feature Details
Main Display 8.03" 2K+ AMOLED, 120Hz
Cover Display 6.53" FHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz
Battery 6000 mAh, 90W wired, 30W wireless
Processor Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Cameras 50MP + 50MP ultra-wide + 50MP 3x telephoto
Selfies 32MP (cover and inner)
Thickness 4.3mm (unfolded) / 9.33mm (folded)
Weight ~219g (fiberglass version)
Biometrics Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
IP Rating IPX8 water-resistant
Storage 16GB RAM + 512GB ROM (likely)
Launch Window Q3 2025 (China-first release)
What’s New & Notable About the X Fold5
A Massive Battery - In a Slimmer Body
One of the biggest surprises from the leaked specs is the 6000 mAh battery. In my years of testing foldables - from Samsung’s Galaxy Z series to Honor’s Magic V2 - I’ve rarely seen battery capacities cross the 5500 mAh mark.
Most manufacturers struggle to cram larger cells without sacrificing hinge durability or device thickness.
If vivo pulls this off, it will set a new battery benchmark for foldables.
If vivo pulls this off, it will set a new battery benchmark for foldables.
Tipster Yogesh Brar confirmed the figure last week in a private thread, suggesting the 6000 mAh cell may be split across dual-cell architecture, a common approach in foldables to balance heat and charge distribution.
Combined with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which is more power-efficient than Gen 2 on standby, users could see genuine all-day foldable endurance - a rarity even in 2025.
Interestingly, vivo seems to be sticking with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 instead of waiting for the Gen 4, which is expected to debut in flagship slabs later this year.
Combined with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which is more power-efficient than Gen 2 on standby, users could see genuine all-day foldable endurance - a rarity even in 2025.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: A Strategic (Not Latest) Choice
Interestingly, vivo seems to be sticking with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 instead of waiting for the Gen 4, which is expected to debut in flagship slabs later this year.
While this may appear like a step back on paper, my conversations with OEM thermal engineers indicate that heat management in ultra-thin foldables is still a bottleneck.
The Gen 3 chip is tested, optimized, and offers consistent frame stability, especially when running multiple apps in parallel on foldables.
The Gen 3 chip is tested, optimized, and offers consistent frame stability, especially when running multiple apps in parallel on foldables.
That’s a smarter move than cramming the latest silicon just for bragging rights - and ending up with thermal throttling or overheating complaints.
The Camera Setup: Uniform Sensors, Balanced Output
The Fold5 is rumored to include a trio of 50MP sensors:
Main: Sony IMX921
Ultra-wide: Autofocus supported
Telephoto: Sony IMX882, 3x optical zoom
This marks a shift from the 64MP telephoto used in the Fold3 Pro.
From a camera-tuning perspective (I’ve interviewed vivo’s image processing team at Shenzhen HQ), using sensors with similar resolutions helps with color consistency, particularly when switching between focal lengths.
The front-facing cameras are said to remain at 32MP on both displays.
The front-facing cameras are said to remain at 32MP on both displays.
That’s acceptable - but I’ll reserve judgment until we see low-light portrait performance, which has historically been vivo’s Achilles heel.
If the leaked dimensions are accurate, the X Fold5 will be just 4.3mm when unfolded and 9.33mm folded.
Slimmest vivo Foldable Yet
If the leaked dimensions are accurate, the X Fold5 will be just 4.3mm when unfolded and 9.33mm folded.
That would make it even slimmer than the already-thin Honor Magic V2, which stood at 4.7mm/9.9mm.
Here’s how it stacks up:
Model Unfolded / Folded Thickness
Here’s how it stacks up:
Model Unfolded / Folded Thickness
vivo X Fold5 4.3mm / 9.33mm (rumored)
Honor Magic V2 4.7mm / 9.9mm
Galaxy Z Fold5 6.1mm / 13.4mm
The fiberglass chassis version may weigh under 219g, a welcome drop from the Fold3 Pro’s 236g.
That’s a meaningful reduction for pocket comfort - especially if you're wearing light clothing in summer, as I was during my last trip to Bangkok testing GPS stability outdoors.
Sources inside vivo’s component supply chain confirmed: there will be no X Fold5 Pro this year.
Here’s why that’s notable:
Single flagship = streamlined R&D
Avoids overlap between standard and Pro features
Frees up marketing and software resources
This echoes what Samsung considered with its Galaxy Z Fold line before refocusing on a single foldable per year.
From a consumer standpoint, fewer SKUs mean clearer messaging - and potentially faster software updates.
But it also raises a concern: Will power users miss the Pro-exclusive perks? If the Fold5 doesn’t match the Fold3 Pro’s camera tuning, for example, some enthusiasts may feel left out.
Notably, this year’s X Fold5 may shift from an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor (previously seen in vivo foldables) to a side-mounted reader.
No Pro Variant: What This Means
Sources inside vivo’s component supply chain confirmed: there will be no X Fold5 Pro this year.
Here’s why that’s notable:
Strategic Focus
Single flagship = streamlined R&D
Avoids overlap between standard and Pro features
Frees up marketing and software resources
This echoes what Samsung considered with its Galaxy Z Fold line before refocusing on a single foldable per year.
From a consumer standpoint, fewer SKUs mean clearer messaging - and potentially faster software updates.
But it also raises a concern: Will power users miss the Pro-exclusive perks? If the Fold5 doesn’t match the Fold3 Pro’s camera tuning, for example, some enthusiasts may feel left out.
Design Changes: Goodbye Ultrasonic?
Notably, this year’s X Fold5 may shift from an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor (previously seen in vivo foldables) to a side-mounted reader.
While less futuristic, it likely improves reliability and cost-efficiency - two things critical in thin foldables with limited internal space.
The Alert Slider remains, and the device retains an IPX8 rating for water resistance.
No microSD slot is expected - standard for the foldable category.
According to reliable Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station, the vivo X Fold5 is expected to debut in China in Q3 2025, likely between August and September.
The Alert Slider remains, and the device retains an IPX8 rating for water resistance.
No microSD slot is expected - standard for the foldable category.
Launch Timeline & Market Availability
According to reliable Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station, the vivo X Fold5 is expected to debut in China in Q3 2025, likely between August and September.
That timeline would put it approximately 1.5 years after the Fold3 Pro, indicating a longer refresh cycle.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It allows vivo to:
Mature hinge and display tech
Improve software optimization
Learn from previous thermal performance issues
As for global availability, don’t expect a simultaneous release. vivo’s pattern has been to test waters in China first, then selectively launch in India and parts of Europe.
Having spent extended periods with the X Fold3 Pro as my daily driver (I used it for camera testing across Tokyo’s subway lighting and battery drain in Iceland’s cold), a few patterns stood out:
vivo’s hinge durability is industry-leading - no creaks after months of usage
Color calibration on their AMOLED panels outperformed even Samsung’s in direct sunlight
But UI responsiveness under multitasking still needs refinement
If vivo has solved even half of those with the Fold5, it’s not just an upgrade - it’s a statement.
The vivo X Fold5, based on current leaks, represents a refined shift - not a revolution.
If you’re a foldable enthusiast seeking practical elegance over specs race, the X Fold5 might just hit the sweet spot.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It allows vivo to:
Mature hinge and display tech
Improve software optimization
Learn from previous thermal performance issues
As for global availability, don’t expect a simultaneous release. vivo’s pattern has been to test waters in China first, then selectively launch in India and parts of Europe.
Expert Observations from Field Testing
Having spent extended periods with the X Fold3 Pro as my daily driver (I used it for camera testing across Tokyo’s subway lighting and battery drain in Iceland’s cold), a few patterns stood out:
vivo’s hinge durability is industry-leading - no creaks after months of usage
Color calibration on their AMOLED panels outperformed even Samsung’s in direct sunlight
But UI responsiveness under multitasking still needs refinement
If vivo has solved even half of those with the Fold5, it’s not just an upgrade - it’s a statement.
Final Verdict
The vivo X Fold5, based on current leaks, represents a refined shift - not a revolution.
- 6000 mAh battery solves foldable endurance
- Slimmer and lighter build enhances usability
- Balanced cameras suggest real-world versatility
- No Pro model could disappoint power users
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is efficient but not cutting-edge
If you’re a foldable enthusiast seeking practical elegance over specs race, the X Fold5 might just hit the sweet spot.
But vivo now faces the critical challenge of software polish and global accessibility - the real battleground in the foldable wars.
Author Bio
Michael B Norris is an investigative tech journalist with over 12 years of experience covering smartphone innovation.He has conducted field tests in over 20 countries and regularly interviews engineers from OEM supply chains. He uses the devices he reports on - often until they break.
Comments
Post a Comment