How to choose the best foldable smartphone
How to choose the best foldable smartphone
Choosing the best foldable smartphone isn’t always that easy and obvious. In fact, both the needs of those looking for a smartphone with a display capable of flexing and the specific characteristics of the terminals and the design choices of the various manufacturers change a lot.
A good foldable must first be a great smartphone
First of all, in choosing the best folding smartphone to buy, obviously, take a look at the technical data sheet of the products. In fact, before being able to categorize a device as the best folding smartphone for your needs, you need to make sure that, fold or not, you are faced with a smartphone capable of completing all the tasks that we want to assign it.
We check the number of cameras and their quality, the processor mounted under the body, the amount of memory, and other technical characteristics such as battery capacity and charging system, but not only. Connectivity plays a fundamental role in modern smartphones and it is right to ask yourself some questions such as “ Does it have 5G? “, “ Does it support the latest Wi-Fi connectivity standards? “, and “ What version of Bluetooth is it compatible with? “, “ Is it Dual SIM? “.
Having verified that the foldable you are evaluating is a smartphone sufficient to meet your expectations, it is then a must to dwell on the unique characteristics of the foldable.
Form factor
Not all foldable smartphones are created equal. Indeed, it is perhaps the smartphone market segment in which, at least to date, there is greater diversity of products. Therefore, when preparing to decide which device is best suited to your needs, it is necessary to evaluate the different designs and sizes of the various foldable smartphones.
It is roughly possible to separate the world of foldable into two macro-categories:
Smartphones that fold in half to save space
Smartphones that open to reveal an even larger display
The first of the two categories is the one populated by products such as Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 and Huawei P50 Pocket. These are devices that when unfolded have roughly the size of a classic smartphone but which, if necessary, can be folded in half to be stored and reduced in size in trouser pockets, jacket pockets, or handbags.
The second category has prominent exponents such as Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 and Oppo Find N2. These are foldable that when closed have dimensions that can roughly be attributed to a classic smartphone (thickness excluded) but which can be opened to reveal a larger work and viewing surface.
Smartphones belonging to the first category usually fold from top to bottom while the latter has a hinge that allows you to fold the internal display on the vertical axis. Once we have chosen the type of leaflet that interests us the most, it is also right to compare its dimensions with its closest competitors.
Display
Displays already play a fundamental role in classic smartphones, let alone in the sub-category of leaflets which in most cases even have two!
When choosing the best foldable smartphone, the diagonal and resolution of the internal and external displays should be taken into consideration when compared to the overall dimensions of the device. The first Samsung Galaxy Fold had, for example, a very small external display which made interaction difficult. Similarly, the Huawei P50 Pocket has a small circular display accessible when closed which is not sufficient for using the device for long periods of time or for complex operations, but is instead very convenient for quick actions and checking notifications.
The refresh rate is another characteristic of the displays to keep in mind. If one of the two displays is faster than the other (the most evident disparity in the category of foldable with form factors of the second type) you will be constantly distracted by the difference in fluidity of the contents displayed. For some users, this can be a feature that is easy to get used to, for others it makes the difference between a product to buy and one to ignore.
Finally, the type of protection applied to the flexible display must be carefully evaluated. To be able to flex like that it cannot be protected by the resistant hard glass we are used to. Then evaluate the material from which these displays are protected (Samsung uses for example what is called UTG, Ultra-Thin Glass) and the resistance to scratches, bumps, dirt, and continuous bending over time.
Foldables are relatively new products and evolve quickly, so it is sometimes difficult to rely on a historian on the duration of flexible displays over the years. However, it is easy to find on the net a lot of content concerning resistance to accidental damage and mistreatment.
Zipper and fold
Smartphone makers have developed several techniques to efficiently fold foldable displays. Leafing through the (currently very short) list of products equipped with a flexible display, a fundamental difference in the fold of the displays immediately catches the eye.
Most products with flexible displays fold inward, so as to better protect the delicate OLED panel. Some, however, fold outwards like the Huawei Mate Xs.
In addition to this more obvious difference, however, there are other factors that diversify the offer of foldable smartphones. The hinges developed by the various manufacturers are incredibly intricate and unique, as well as treat the folding panel completely differently.
Some, like Samsung, have opted for a single crease in order to reduce the slightly “distorted” display area to a minimum, however with the consequent result of showing a more evident sign in that area and having to leave a small gap between the two halves. devices where dirt or dust could easily get stuck.
Others have engineered a “multi-fold” hinge to achieve a teardrop panel shape when closed. This avoids the appearance of obvious signs in a single area and allows the perfect closure of the two halves of the device but results in a larger crease area in which small deformities of the panel can still be noted. Matter of execution and taste.
Hinges can then be divided into four other categories. Those that have an internal mechanism to support the display (and therefore reduce the fold) and those that don’t have it, then those that can be stopped at practically any angle, and those that with a spring mechanism is only open or closed altogether.
Manufacturers usually also share the number of openings and closures the hinges have been tested for, a fact that is still useful to know in order to evaluate the purchase.
Extra
Some technical characteristics are less generic and are more linked to individual products, they are no less important for this. For example, Samsung’s latest and penultimate generation foldable are the only ones at the moment that have been certified against water grease (IPX8) and Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Z Fold4 are the only ones to support stylus input (S Pen ).
The usefulness of a foldable is obviously also linked to the exclusive software functions implemented by the manufacturers to improve multitasking or the general use of the smartphone. The ability to resume using active applications on a different display when opening/closing the terminal is one example, adapting applications to the state of the hinge (opening angle and orientation) is another.
