Skip to main content

At 4.75mm thick, the new Vivo X5 Max is in danger of disappearing when turned sideways

vivo x5max thin smartphone news x5 max
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Chinese smartphone brand Vivo has announced the X5 Max, which claims the title of World’s Thinnest Smartphone. There have been many pretenders to this throne throughout 2014, and Vivo’s attempt is not only decisive, but very innovative in places – proving the race for ultimate slimness isn’t just about bragging rights.

How thin is the X5 Max? A mere 4.75mm, or about half the size of the LG G3 or Nexus 5. It’s not the first time we’ve heard about the phone. Vivo teased its arrival at the beginning of November, and rumors gathered prior to this suggesting the phone would measure a ridiculous 3.8mm thick. Whether the firm attempted this, and met with problems, isn’t known.

Vivo has adopted an internal design standard where critical components are gathered to one side of the battery. It says this alone reduced the thickness of the phone by 1.77mm, but did make the device slightly wider than other, similarly sized phones. The X5 Max has a large, 5.5-inch Super AMOLED touchscreen with a 1080p resolution, which it claims is one of the world’s thinnest panels at 1.36mm. The phone is powered by an octa-core, Snapdragon 615 processor with 2GB of RAM, and runs Android 4.4 with Vivo’s own user interface.

The 16GB of internal memory may not seem like much, but despite the tiny frame, Vivo has found a way to include a MicroSD card slot. Cleverly, it has made a multi-purpose SIM tray, which can take either a MicroSD card up to 128GB in size, or a second SIM card if you’d prefer. It hasn’t forgotten about the camera features either. A Sony produced, 13-megapixel camera sits inside a slightly raised housing on the rear panel, and there is a 5-megapixel selfie cam on the front.

A 3.5mm headphone port is fitted to the chassis – just – and inside the phone is a specially designed, 2.45mm speaker, along with Yamaha’s YSS-205X DSP chip. The only worrying part is Vivo hasn’t talked about the size of the X5 Max’s battery. We’ll update here when we find out more. The phone will go on sale at the end of December, at a cost of around $485, but a U.S. or wider international release outside China is unlikely.

CONTINUE TO PAGE TWO FOR ALL THE RUMORS CIRCULATING BEFORE THE VIVO X5 MAX’S ANNOUNCEMENT

Vivo, a Chinese smartphone manufacturer, will announce a new smartphone named the X5 Max soon, and if the latest rumors are correct, it’ll measure a mere 4.75-millimeters thick. This eclipses the 4.85-millimeter thick Oppo R5, and the 5.1-millimeter thick Gionee Elife S5.1, to potentially take the hotly contested title of world’s thinnest smartphone.

Vivo X5Max Teaser ImagesThe company has started publishing teaser images of the device through its social networking channels, but hasn’t given away any details. However, a set of spy photos published by the MyDrivers.com website allegedly show the phone being measured, apparently confirming the 4.75-millimeter thick chassis.

Vivo tagged images on its Weibo page with the name X5 Max, and talked about how it was creating the “ultimate slim mobile phone,” by spreading the 786 internal components around the side of the metal device. The pictures show the astonishingly slim phone in profile, and it looks very similar to the device measured by MyDrivers’ source.

Vivo X5Max Spy ShotThe X5 Max’s rumored spec sheet should include a 5-inch, 1080p touchscreen, a MediaTek octa-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage space. A 13-megapixel camera could be fitted to the rear, and there’s no evidence of a bulge to house the lens in the teaser pictures either. It may be joined by a 5-megapixel front camera, while the operating system is expected to be Android 4.4 KitKat.

We first heard about an unfeasibly thin phone from Vivo at the end of October, when rumors suggested it would be 3.8-millimeters thick. Whether this proved to be impossible, or was just inaccurate, isn’t clear.

Vivo doesn’t sell its phones internationally, so unless it opens an online store in the near future, there’s little hope of picking up this sliver of a smartphone outside China. The official announcement is expected in December.

Article originally published on 11-12-2014

Editors' Recommendations

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Best Samsung Galaxy S22 deals: Save big on unlocked models
The back of the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus.

For a couple of years now the Samsung Galaxy S22 has made for some of the best phone deals you can shop. This includes both the Galaxy S22 and its big brother in the lineup, the Samsung Galaxy S22+. These phones have been out for a little while now, and they’re getting more and more difficult to find brand new. We’ve managed to find a few deals available on both the Galaxy S22 and the Galaxy S22+, however, and there are several ways to save on refurbished models out there. We’ve rounded up all of the best Samsung Galaxy S22 deals taking place at a number of different retailers, but if you're looking for a newer model, be sure to check out other Samsung Galaxy deals, such as Samsung Galaxy S23 deals and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra deals.
Samsung Galaxy S22 deals at Samsung

Samsung isn’t currently carrying very many older models of the Samsung Galaxy S phone. You’ll find some newer models like the recently released Samsung Galaxy S24 there, but if you’re looking for something from the S22 model lineup all you’ll find is a Galaxy S22 renewed model. It’s offering some great savings, however, as you can claim it for just $679 with up to $300 in trade-in savings.

Read more
Best Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra deals: How to get the phone for free
Close-up view of the cameras on the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Despite the recent release of the Samsung S24 Ultra, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra remains a powerhouse smartphone worth considering. Right now is also one of the best times to buy a new Galaxy S23 Ultra, as it becoming a generation older has ushered in some really impressive Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra deals. You’ll find these deals scattered across all kinds of retailers, so we’ve done the heavy lifting of organizing all of them in one place. The best Samsung Galaxy deals include some massive savings through sales and trade-in credits, so keep reading for more details on which retail outlet may net you the most savings on a new Galaxy S23 Ultra. Be sure to compare these to older Samsung Galaxy S22 deals and newer Samsung Galaxy S24 deals.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra deals at Amazon

Amazon is offering a 14% discount on the 512GB version of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, bringing the price from $1,380 to $1,199. That's a savings of nearly $200 to get the new phone. This version of the phone is unlocked for all carriers, so you have the freedom to use whatever plan you choose with it.

Read more
Best Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 deals: Get the foldable for free
YouTube Flex mode features on Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.

While there are a lot of great foldable flip phones that you can grab, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is one of the best folding phones on the market right now. It has excellent performance, some of the best cameras on any Samsung device, and the overall build quality makes it feel luxurious. Of course, all this quality comes at quite a premium, and with a device that can cost over $1,000, depending on which model you want to grab, you'll want to snag a deal on it. That's why we've gone out and found some of our favorite Samsung Galaxy deals out there, either as a direct discount or through trade-in deals for both locked and unlocked models of the phone. Be sure to compare these with the similar Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 deals and non-folding Samsung Galaxy S24 deals.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 deals at Samsung

Go directly to the source by buying the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 from Samsung, and you can get up to $600 instant trade-in credit. It depends on what phone you're trading in but it's useful if you prefer to go direct.

Read more