Samsung Galaxy Fold review

Final Thoughts

Samsung Galaxy Fold is truly a unique device, there are no two words about it. The moment we laid our hands on it, folded that screen, and began the initial setup - we were in awe. It's so rare for us - the reviewers - to be jaw-droppingly impressed nowadays by something. In the era of mundane designs and big screens, the closest thing we get to innovation is a slider. Or an ugly pop-up appendix.

And the Galaxy Fold changed that. It's one of kind, for now, and offers something unseen - a foldable tablet-sized screen of flagship-grade quality at that. It has a notch, who cares. It's foldable, it works, it's...did we say foldable!? You get the idea.

When folded the Galaxy Fold is very reminiscent to one probably obscure to many device - the LG BL40 Chocolate - the first phone with a 21:9 display. But Pepperidge Farm remembers!

Anyway, it's one of the most unique devices around and that alone is the key selling point of the Fold. We are sure that most of the people who get it will do it for the opportunity to experience history in the making rather than the sum of its internals.

But there will be enough users to pay really close attention to the Galaxy Fold details - the people that value those $2000 and expect the Moon, the stars, and more. And a lot of them may be disappointed in the end, because the Galaxy Fold is not only far from perfection, but it's not even close to today's flagship standards.

After a couple of days playing with this new toy the joyful sighs will pass and the golden dust will eventually settle down. The Galaxy Fold is a concept device first and foremost. It has all the flaws you can expect from a first generation of any technology, and if you are not ready to accept them, your journey into the future cannot start with the first Fold.

Then, you could have thought like many others that the Galaxy Fold is a smartphone. It is not. It's more of an Android tablet that can be folded and thus carried in your pocket. But the Galaxy Fold isn't there. It is one very fragile device, super susceptible to dust and other particles which may enter the space under the foldable screen and annoy you forever.

You can't take the Fold everywhere - not in the rain or snow, not on the beach, let alone in the sea/pool, and you probably won't let any kids near it. So, if you want to be safe - you will need to have an extra phone for these occasions. Yes, having a Galaxy Fold means having a backup device and carry both with you occasionally.

Before this review was ready Samsung had already recalled all review units for further investigation of reported screen damage. This is a hint of what it means to be an early adopter of such a futuristic tech - invest a lot of money and accept the worse may happen.

Yet, even despite the potential issues, we are already missing the Fold. Can we have it back, Samsung? Please? Pretty please?

The Alternative

The only competition the Galaxy Fold is facing on the market is the Huawei Mate X, of course. It has an even bigger OLED display - it's notch-free, and it folds the other way round which leaves its entire surface exposed. While this makes it less secure, it allows for a much simpler hinge and there is no visible gap in-between the folded panels.

The Mate X is equally fast, it has the trio of cameras to impress, there is a larger battery with 55W fast charging, and you can even expand its memory via an NM card.

Huawei Mate X

But what matters is that it shows a different type of folding screen and we are yet to see which solution will prevail if any.

The Mate X is expected in June, probably when the Fold will launch as well, but it will cost more than the Galaxy. Though we are already in the luxury territory, where price tags don't really matter. Not in the way the mainstream user is used to, anyway.

The Verdict

It's rather easy with the Fold - if you want to own the next big thing on the mobile market in spite of its hefty price, many caveats, and potential issues lurking within - you either buy the Galaxy Fold or the Mate X. It's up to you to decide which folding form factor you like better.

The Fold is like a prototype device you can buy a few months (or years) before its completely ready and it will show you a glimpse of the future. Perfect it is not. But a perfect show off it truly is.

Pros

• Futuristic design and a never-before-seen form factor
• Both screens are really high-quality
• Dependable battery life
• The fastest and richest hardware package around, 12GB RAM, 512GB UFC 3.0 storage
• Excellent camera for both photos and videos
• Lovely One UI with great multi-tasking capabilities

Cons

• It feels like a concept device, and it's not a phone but a tablet-phone
• It's far from water or dust proof and particles may get under the screen
• The screen crease is hard to stop noticing
• It's expensive and it's not clear whether it will ever launch