Foldable phones may still be a relatively niche category of smartphones but with the Galaxy Z Fold2, Samsung is well on its way to make foldables more mainstream.
Design & Hardware
Like Samsung’s other smartphones, the company doesn’t skimp in the hardware department. The Galaxy Z Fold2 takes the look and feel of last year’s Note20 Ultra with its metal and glass exterior and makes it into a folding device.
The phone is on the heavier side but that is partially due to the added weight of the hinge internals and screens. With the Fold2, Samsung was able to create what they call a Hideaway Hinge to help seamlessly blend into the phone’s body. The hinge can also stop at different angles, so you could prop the phone up when using the camera or for video calls.
Speaking of screens, the Galaxy Z Fold2 has two of them, one 6.2-inch cover display for quick access, which works much better than the original Fold’s 4.6-inch one. The main display is the 7.6-inch folding screen that has a 120Hz refresh rate and resolution of 2208 x 1768.
When holding the Galaxy Z Fold2 folded, it feels like a slimmer, taller but heavier version of the Note20 UItra.
Having a higher refresh screen makes the phone just feel that much smoother to use every day. On the right side of the Fold2 is the volume buttons and power button that doubles as a fingerprint reader.
Powering the Fold2 will be the Snapdragon 865 Plus processor with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. There’s also a 4,500 mAh battery with 25W fast wired charging and 11W wireless charging with reverse wireless charging support.
One downside of the Fold2 is that it doesn’t have is an official IP rating, meaning it’s not water-resistant, so think twice before taking it out in the rain. It does have what the company called Anti-Erosion Waterproof Coating, which might protect it somewhat.
The Galaxy Z Fold2 comes in two colours, Mystic Black and Mystic Bronze and normally costs $2,779 CAD (as of writing this review) but since the Fold3 is coming soon, it’s down to $1,699 CAD. The device that Samsung sent for review, came in the Mystic Bronze colour which looks great in-person.
Software
For the software side of things, the Galaxy Z Fold2 is running Android 11 with Samsung OneUI 3.1. My review device came with Android 11 with Samsung’s OneUI 2.5 but for some reason would not show that there was an update.
The software experience is usually pretty similar on all Samsung smartphones with your usual array of pre-install apps etc.
But for the Fold2, there are a couple of software tweaks like opening up multiple apps in split-screen view or pop-up view, so then you can multitask.
As mentioned earlier, the Fold2 can be used at different angles such as Flex Mode which activates when you fold the screen halfway. It basically gives you split-screen functionality for different apps and works in apps like YouTube, Google Duo and Samsung’s own apps.
When you’re using the Fold2 on either its cover display or main folding screen, the software with let you continue using the app, so if you’re looking for a place to eat find it on the smaller screen and then continue to use Google Maps on the bigger display.
Cameras
In terms of cameras, the Fold2 has a 10MP on the front in the form of a hole-punch camera. For the rear, there are three cameras, a 12MP Ultra Wide, a 12MP Wide-Angle and 12MP Telephoto with 2X optical zoom and 10x digital zoom.
When using the phone unfolded to take photos and videos, you can use the cover display as a viewfinder for your subject or for selfies.
Photos and videos taken with the Fold2 were generally on par with Samsung’s other flagship phones or just a step below. There are a couple of features missing like the ability to shoot 8K video (you can shoot up to 4K 60fps).
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Galaxy Z Fold2 is a great device that brings a cool form factor to the market but it’s still relatively priced out of reach for most people, especially considering you can get similar features on Samsung’s other phones.
Pros
- Great look screen with 120Hz refresh rate
- Smooth performance
- Great cameras
- The larger cover display is helpful for quick access
- The folding mechanism is solid
Cons
- Expensive
- No official water or dust resistance rating
- Display crease can be noticeable
TheCanadianTechie 