Our first glimpse into the sci-fi future of communication is now here and is starting to gain more traction, foldable phone models! Or simply put, folding phones. You can consider them as the precursor tech to flexible screens (maybe after a few more decades). For now, if you want to be an early adopter of this new baby tech, we have some strong recommendations.
Fair warning: all of them are expensive. It’s a relatively fresh new tech, after all, and those folding screens are hard to make. Check out these foldable phone models of 2023.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
PROS
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is powerful
- Beautiful Samsung screen
- Compact
- Generous storage
CONS
- RAM is only 8GB
- Small battery
Specs:
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Display: 6.7” Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz
- RAM / Memory: 8GB
- Storage: 512GB
- Battery: 3700 mAh
The wide foldable phone from Samsung is a little too expensive and not really something you can maximize unless you’re using it for work. So for that general-purpose foldable phone, then look no further than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.
It’s great for gaming (minus the limited battery life) and it fits better in your pocket than most phones. You will need to contend with Samsung’s usual shenanigans with their Android version, but that’s pretty standard at this point.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
PROS
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is powerful
- Lots of screens
- Somewhat compact
- Stylish
CONS
- Visible crease
- Exorbitant price for a phone
- Only 12GB of RAM
Specs:
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Display: 7.6 inches Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz
- RAM / Memory: 12GB
- Storage: 512GB
- Battery: 4400 mAh
If you do have the budget for a 2-in-1 phone-tablet combo (I can’t believe I just said that), then the bigger Galaxy Z Fold 5 might be a more accommodating design. It’s big, it’s spacious, and it’s still somewhat compact despite its size, thanks to the fold.
Right now, it’s Samsung’s flagship foldable phone design and it’s more expensive than a gaming PC. You will be the star of your own social group if you follow this trend, of course. Such a unique design is like the jewelry version of electronics.
Google - Pixel Fold 5G
PROS
- Lots of screens
- Somewhat compact
- Stylish
- AI integration
CONS
- Exorbitant price for a phone
- Only 12GB of RAM
- Google Tensor G2 is not as powerful as Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for gaming
Specs:
- Chipset: Google Tensor G2
- Display: 7.6 inches Foldable Dynamic OLED, 120Hz
- RAM / Memory: 12GB
- Storage: 256GB
- Battery: 4821 mAh
You can further embrace change with the Google Pixel Fold. It’s their newest smartphone lineup and the first in its generation, making it an early adopter tech. The big difference is the stock Android experience as well as the AI-focused Google Tensor G2.
This lets you use your phone more conveniently compared to other brands and models since the Google Tensor G2 chipset is directly tied to Google’s own AI. It’s a seamless integration that should help you anywhere from work to your daily routine.
Motorola razr+
PROS
- Really compact
- Stock Android
- High refresh rate
- Beautiful display
CONS
- Only 8GB for the 256GB storage version
- Small battery
Specs:
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
- Display: 6.9 inches Foldable LTPO AMOLED, 1B colors, 165Hz
- RAM / Memory: 8GB
- Storage: 256GB
- Battery: 3800 mAh
Budget is a bit of a misnomer here since this one still costs the same as a non-foldable flagship Samsung phone. However, if you don’t like Samsung’s implementation of its Android OS and prefer an experience closer to stock, then the Motorola razr+ is the ideal choice.
Like the Galaxy Z Flip 5, this one is really compact and folds vertically. It also has a high refresh rate and the stock Android OS should help in conserving battery life more so than the highly-modified Android versions of other brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Are foldable phone models more powerful than regular phones?
Not really. They come with the same chipset and the same RAM. They just have bigger screens. -
Why are foldable phone models more expensive?
Because the screen technology that allows them to fold without breaking is still expensive and somewhat experimental.