Explore the 10 best foldable smartphones on the market, assessing their performance, design, and functionality to determine if they truly live up to the hype.
Foldable smartphones have been one of the most exciting innovations in the mobile industry in recent years. Combining the portability of a smartphone with the larger display of a tablet, these devices promise to offer the best of both worlds.
Despite their cutting-edge designs and tech-forward appeal, there remains some skepticism about whether foldable smartphones can live up to the hype.
With high prices, new form factors, and durability concerns, it’s important to assess whether foldable phones are truly worth the investment. Here’s a rundown of the 10 best foldable smartphones available, and a look at whether they truly offer value for money.
1. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is arguably one of the most refined foldable smartphones on the market today.
With a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED display that unfolds into a tablet-like experience and a 6.2-inch cover screen, it offers an immersive multimedia experience that no regular phone can provide.
The Fold 4 is powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, making it fast and capable of handling multitasking, gaming, and other intensive tasks.
Its IPX8 water resistance and improved under-display camera are big improvements over its predecessors. While it remains expensive, its polished design and versatility, as well as its multi-window multitasking capabilities, make it a premium option that justifies the price for tech enthusiasts and professionals who want the power of a tablet in a portable device.
2. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 brings a more compact foldable design with a 4.2-inch outer display and a 6.7-inch foldable AMOLED main screen. This clamshell-style phone folds neatly into a smaller form factor, making it easy to carry in your pocket.
Despite its smaller size, the Flip 4 offers high-end performance with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset and 120Hz refresh rate on the main screen, delivering smooth performance for daily use.
With its stylish design, variety of color options, and improved durability, the Z Flip 4 is ideal for those looking for a more affordable and compact foldable phone.
It is not as functional as the Z Fold 4 for multitasking, but its compactness and ease of use make it a great choice for those seeking a foldable phone for style and portability.
3. Motorola Razr 2022
The Motorola Razr 2022 offers a nostalgic clamshell design with a modern twist. Featuring a 6.7-inch foldable OLED screen and a 2.7-inch Quick View external display, it offers a balance between stylish design and functionality.
The Razr 2022’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor ensures smooth performance, and its improved hinge design addresses the durability concerns that plagued earlier models.
Motorola’s foldable phone is geared toward those who appreciate design and nostalgia, combining the flip-phone concept with the power and versatility of a modern smartphone.
While it does not offer as many multitasking features as the Galaxy Z Flip 4, its unique design and competitive price point make it a strong contender in the foldable market.
4. Huawei Mate Xs 2
The Huawei Mate Xs 2 is a highly impressive foldable with a 7.8-inch OLED display that unfolds outward, rather than inward like the Z Fold 4. This unique design allows for a larger screen and eliminates the crease that is visible on inward-folding devices.
The Mate Xs 2’s Kirrin 9000 5G chip provides solid performance, and the camera system is also top-notch for mobile photography enthusiasts.
However, due to Huawei’s ongoing issues with Google services, the Mate Xs 2 lacks access to the Play Store and some popular Google apps, which can be a dealbreaker for some users.
Nevertheless, its sleek design, high-quality display, and innovation make it one of the most striking foldable devices available.
5. Oppo Find N
The Oppo Find N presents a more compact folding design compared to the larger Z Fold 4, with a 7.1-inch AMOLED display that folds inward.
Oppo’s foldable phone is lighter and more compact, making it easier to use one-handed while still offering a tablet-like experience when unfolded.
Powered by the Snapdragon 888 chipset, the Find N offers solid performance but does not support the latest Snapdragon chips. What sets it apart is its no crease display and refined folding mechanism, giving it a smoother feel when unfolded.
Although it lacks some of the features of Samsung’s premium foldables, the Oppo Find N provides a great balance of price, design, and performance.
6. Royole FlexPai 2
The Royole FlexPai 2 was one of the first foldable smartphones to enter the market, but its second iteration has improved significantly in both design and performance.
It features a 7.8-inch AMOLED screen that folds outwards, similar to the Huawei Mate X series. The FlexPai 2 uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset, providing adequate performance, but it lacks some of the refinement seen in other foldables.
The dual-camera system delivers decent photography, though it falls short compared to other foldable competitors.
Despite its limitations, the Royole FlexPai 2 stands out for being one of the few foldable phones available at a slightly more affordable price, making it a decent option for those looking for innovation on a budget.
7. Xiaomi Mix Fold 2
The Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 takes on a similar design to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold series with its 8.02-inch inner display and 6.56-inch outer display.
Powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, it offers strong performance for multitasking and media consumption. The Mix Fold 2 also stands out for its thinner and lighter design, making it easier to handle compared to other foldables in the market.
The device’s camera system is co-engineered with Leica, offering exceptional photographic capabilities.
The flexible AMOLED screen delivers vibrant colors and sharp images, but its software ecosystem remains a little behind the competition in terms of seamless multitasking.
Regardless, the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 is an impressive, high-performance foldable phone with competitive features.
8. Microsoft Surface Duo 2
The Microsoft Surface Duo 2 is unique in the foldable space as it utilizes two separate screens connected by a hinge, rather than a single flexible display.
It’s built for productivity and multitasking, allowing users to run multiple apps side-by-side with ease.
The 5.8-inch outer display and 8.3-inch inner displays provide ample real estate for work and entertainment, though the device lacks a full-folding design.
The Snapdragon 888 processor ensures fast performance, and the dual-camera setup allows for decent photos, though it’s not on the same level as other foldable phones.
The Surface Duo 2 is ideal for users who want a productivity-driven foldable with the flexibility of two screens.
9. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 remains a top contender for those who want a larger foldable device. The phone features a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED display that folds into a compact form, offering the versatility of a tablet and smartphone in one device.
Equipped with the Snapdragon 888 chip, it delivers smooth performance and excellent multitasking capabilities.
The Z Fold 3 is also water-resistant, a major improvement over previous models, and features the addition of an under-display camera for a more seamless design.
While the Z Fold 4 improves upon some of its features, the Z Fold 3 remains a strong option for content creators and business professionals who need the ultimate combination of a powerful phone and a large screen.
10. ZTE Axon M
The ZTE Axon M was one of the first attempts to bring foldable technology to the mainstream, with a unique dual-screen design that unfolds to create a large display.
It’s built with a 5.2-inch display on each side, and when unfolded, it creates a larger screen for multitasking.
Although it’s not as refined as later foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold, the ZTE Axon M provides a compact, functional solution for users seeking dual displays.
The Snapdragon 821 processor and dual-camera setup ensure decent performance, though it lags behind newer devices in terms of technology.
Foldable smartphones have introduced an exciting chapter in mobile technology, offering flexibility, design innovation, and more screen space in a portable form.
While these devices can be expensive, they offer unique features that cater to those who value multitasking, gaming, media consumption, and productivity.
Whether it’s the Galaxy Z Fold 4, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, or the innovative Huawei Mate Xs 2, foldable smartphones are here to stay, and their evolution shows promise for even more improvements in the near future.
For those willing to embrace the next frontier of mobile technology, foldables offer unparalleled versatility and performance.
