Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 review

Competition

Finding something worthy to be called an alternative to the Z Fold2 is a tall task. In fact, seeing how Samsung is still breaking ground on the foldable display tech and this particular form factor, it is almost impossible. One could argue that the Z Fold2 is easily the most mature foldable out of all of these novice devices.

Speaking in more particular examples, you could, technically get the older Galaxy Fold. You will be missing out on the large cover screen which makes all the difference in single-handed use. That and the less refined and protected hinge mechanism are enough to sway us away from this option.

The other large foldable on the market - the Huawei Mate Xs - is by no means a better option. It also costs as much as the Galaxy Z Fold2 launch price so we would still recommend the latter.

If you want a smartphone with a display that unfolds to turn it into a tablet, the Galaxy Z Fold2 is not only the technologically-superior out of the limited available options. Also, in an odd and twisted way, it also seems to offer the best value. The amount of hardware and the incredibly over-engineered, cutting-edge design you would be getting are on a level of their own.

But the launch price of EUR 2,000 is enough to get you the best conventional smartphone out there and then some. Fancy the best phone Samsung currently has on offer? Well, why not pick up the Galaxy Note20 Ultra? With a bit of shopping around and going for lower storage options, you can probably even pick up the flagship Galaxy Tab S7+ and still stay reasonably close to the EUR 2,000 budget.

Alternatively, you can just as easily get an iPhone 11 Pro Max and probably fit an Apple iPad Pro 12.9 (2020) in the budget. Base models, though, since we are still talking Apple devices here.

One cool idea for the affluent gamer crowd out there would be to pick up the Asus ROG Phone 3 and then accessorize it to your heart's content with this budget. We would personally start with a TwinView Dock 3 and then see how far the rest of the budget gets us. And there is a lot of ground to potentially cover. Fancy Huawei instead? Well, why not a P40 Pro+ and a nice MatePad Pro to go along. You get the point.

The verdict

The Galaxy Z Fold2 mandates what is probably one of the hardest verdicts we have had to give in a while. The Galaxy Z Fold2 is an amazing device, a marvel of modern engineering - cool and futuristic on multiple levels - and it has been nothing short of a treat to experience. We are fairly certain that most of you out there will share the same sentiments if given the chance to use it for a while.

Even though this phone is prohibitively expensive, unattainable, and vastly impractical as a purchase for most smartphone buyers out there, we stand by our belief that, for what it is, the Z Fold2 actually offers good value - okay, it's more of a unique value than a really good deal. With a risk of repeating ourselves, it's probably the "most phone" you can get if budget is of no concern.

But since you are reading this review, we would guess that the budget is and always will be a part of the equation. You don't just buy something because its unique or unmatched. It has to provide good value for you, personally, at a price you are willing to accept, with as little compromises as possible. Now, that feels more like the real question to ask. While we obviously can't answer it on an individual level, we can try to break it down.

Is the Z Fold2 practical and functional? That would be a resounding yes! We feel like Samsung engineers literally made a list of all of our complaints and addressed them one by one. The Z Fold2 is refined and vastly improved on every conceivable level - mechanically, visually, and functionally. Simply put, it is a close as anyone has gotten to making a real, usable product, around a foldable display.

What about compromises then? Durability remains the single major point of concern. This is one of those things you do have to gauge for yourself. However, as far as facts go, Samsung has improved upon the durability of its foldable tech in the Z Flip and now the Z Fold2. There is a screen protector, which, though susceptible to scratching is potentially even replaceable. Though the jury is still out on that. Objectively, even in this category, the Z Fold2 is not only better than its predecessor, but arguably leading the industry, when it comes to durability.

Finally, there's really not much that can be done about prohibitive pricing at this point in time. That final hindrance of foldable display adoption will, hopefully, get addressed gradually in time. However, if the price is really the only objective minus we are left with, then the Z Fold2 deserves nothing short of a recommendation. One with some major asterisk signs attached, but a recommendation nonetheless.

Pros

• Improved durability, build quality, usability, and design. The Flex mode opens the door to various new use cases.
• The two displays are bigger, brighter, more color-accurate. The larger cover display makes all the difference.
• Surprisingly solid battery life, especially with mixed use between the main and cover displays.
• Excellent stereo speaker setup.
• Familiar and feature-rich One UI 2.5, modified to facilitate the unique form factor and imbued with rich multi-tasking features.
• Flagship-grade camera system, complete with unique selfie capabilities, through the cover display.

Cons

• No ingress protection rating.
• No microSD slot.
• The Snapdragon 865+ chipset is a bit thermally-constrained and underperforms slightly.
• Charging speed underperforms for its 25W rating.