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Best Foldable Phones of 2024: Reviews and Recommendations
Foldable phones have arrived, but they’re not for everyone. They tend to be heavier, pricier, and sometimes less durable than standard smartphones. However, thanks to innovations from companies like Google, the gap is closing, and these devices are becoming increasingly appealing. This guide breaks down the best options available, helping you navigate the evolving world of foldable technology.
Understanding the Foldable Landscape
There are two primary types of foldable phones: those that fold like a book and those that fold clamshell-style, like a classic flip phone. Book-style foldables, such as the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold, effectively combine a phone with a tablet, offering a large inner screen for enhanced productivity and entertainment. Flip-style foldables, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, prioritize portability, offering a compact design with a smaller outer screen for quick access to information.
Choosing the right foldable depends on your needs. Those seeking maximum screen real estate may prefer the book-style, while those prioritizing compactness might lean towards the flip-style. Regardless of your choice, consider investing in the manufacturer’s extended warranty, as repairs can be costly and specialized. If you opt out of the warranty, make sure you can replace your phone in the event of any damage.
Top Foldable Phone Recommendations
Best Book-Style Foldable: Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold
The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold stands out as a top contender, boasting an impressive IP68 rating for water and dust resistance, a significant milestone for foldables. This allows you to take the $1,799 device to the beach or on a hike without worry. Additional features include Qi2 support with built-in magnets for accessories and wireless charging, along with Google’s more powerful Tensor G5 chip.
- Pros: Full dust resistance, Qi2 support with built-in magnets.
- Cons: Heavy and chunky, cameras aren’t as good as other 10 Pro phones, pricier than a regular phone.
The Pixel 10 Pro Fold offers an 8-inch, 2076p, 120Hz OLED inner screen and a 6.4-inch, 1080p, 120Hz OLED cover screen. It is powered by a Google Tensor G5 processor and features a 5,015mAh battery. It has a main camera of 48-megapixel f/1.7, 10.8-megapixel 5x telephoto with OIS, 10.5-megapixel ultrawide, 10-megapixel selfie (cover screen), and 10-megapixel inner selfie camera.
While the Pixel 10 Pro Fold excels in durability, its battery life can suffer if the inner display is used extensively. Furthermore, the cameras, while capable, don’t quite match the performance of other Google 10 Pro models, especially in low light.
Best Flip-Style Foldable: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 offers a compelling blend of style and functionality. It features a larger, 4.1-inch cover screen that wraps around the cameras, providing more space to respond to messages and perform tasks without opening the phone. It also has a bigger 4,300mAh battery, and a reliable camera.
- Pros: Samsung adopted the big cover screen, all-day battery, reliable camera.
- Cons: More susceptible to dust than your average phone, still hard to run full apps on the cover screen.
The Galaxy Z Flip 7 includes a 6.9-inch, 1080p, 120Hz OLED inner screen, a Samsung Exynos 2500 processor, and a 50-megapixel f/1.8 main camera with OIS. It also has an IP48 weather-resistance rating, meaning that long-term durability against fine dust particles remains a concern. Samsung offers a great warranty and repair program, along with seven years of OS and security updates.
Most Fun Foldable: Motorola Razr Ultra (2025)
The Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) is a stylish and enjoyable device. Its 4-inch outer screen is perfect for checking notifications and responding to messages. However, its camera processing can be inconsistent, and long-term durability is still a question mark.
- Pros: One of the best-looking phones you can buy, great battery life, outer screen is useful.
- Cons: AI button is wasted real estate, long-term durability is still a question mark, camera processing is occasionally weird.
The Razr Ultra features a 7-inch 1224p OLED 165Hz inner screen and a 4-inch 1080p OLED 165Hz outer screen. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and has a 4,700mAh battery. The Razr Ultra is one of the best-looking phones, with a gold-bronze chassis and wooden back panel.
Best Battery Life in a Foldable: Oppo Find N5
The Oppo Find N5, though not available in the US or Europe, offers excellent battery life thanks to its silicon-carbon battery technology and a 5,600mAh battery. The Find N5 is also thin for a book-style foldable, and its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset is highly capable.
- Pros: It’s really, really thin, excellent battery life, the crease is almost invisible.
- Cons: Foldables are still fragile, it’s not launching in the US or Europe.
The Oppo Find N5 has an 8.12-inch, 2248p, 120Hz OLED inner screen and a 6.62-inch, 1140p, 120Hz OLED outer screen. It has a 5,600mAh battery. When a foldable is only about as heavy and bulky as a regular phone, using the inner screen feels like getting away with something fantastic.
Other Foldables to Consider
Other notable devices include the Huawei Mate XTs, which offers a trifold design with a stylus and an upgraded Kirin 9020 chipset, and the Motorola Razr Plus 2025, which features a titanium hinge and IP48 dust and water resistance. The standard Motorola Razr 2025 is a more affordable option.
What’s Coming Next
Samsung is working on a trifold device, with a prototype already showcased. The details, including the name and price, are still under wraps, but it could be a game-changer.
Sources: The Verge
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