Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review
Our Verdict
With a bigger embrace brandish, improved design and innovative Flex Fashion, the Galaxy Z Fold ii is the all-time foldable telephone yet and a productivity powerhouse.
For
- Bigger encompass brandish
- Flex Manner adds versatility
- Improved multitasking
- More durable design
- Apps make utilize of tablet manner
Confronting
- Quite expensive
- Relatively heavy
- Non water resistant
Tom's Guide Verdict
With a bigger cover brandish, improved design and innovative Flex Mode, the Milky way Z Fold ii is the all-time foldable phone yet and a productivity powerhouse.
Pros
- +
Bigger cover display
- +
Flex Way adds versatility
- +
Improved multitasking
- +
More durable blueprint
- +
Apps make apply of tablet mode
- +
Cons
- -
Quite expensive
- -
Relatively heavy
- -
Not water resistant
- -
Update: The Samsung Milky way Z Fold 3 is now available with a more durable design, h2o resistance Southward Pen support and improved multitasking. We no longer recommend the Milky way Z Fold 2. Run across our Galaxy Z Fold 3 review for our verdict.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 is a quantum leap better than the original Fold. And it needs to be for the high price. The forepart brandish is a lot bigger, 5G is standard, and the unsightly notch on the inside is gone. Plus, this foldable is more durable than the first Fold.
Samsung has further innovated to make this telephone-tablet hybrid a lot more versatile, thanks to a new Flex Style. Plus, the multitasking is better for running upward to three apps at the aforementioned time, and several apps take a dual-pane view for enhanced productivity.
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The Galaxy Z Fold ii's cameras are non as advanced as what you'll discover on the Galaxy S21 Ultra (particularly the zoom) and the blueprint is pretty hefty. Plus, Samsung is reportedly prepping the Milky way Z Fold 3 for a launch that'due south tipped for August, a sequel that may offer S Pen back up forth with other upgrades.
Simply if you're in the market for a foldable telephone at present, the Z Fold 2 does a very good job of justifying Samsung's high asking toll. It'southward no wonder why we named this the best foldable telephone in our Tom'south Guide Awards 2021 for phones.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review: What I like
- Bigger front display makes a huge difference: The comprehend brandish has grown to 6.two inches, which ways yous don't take to use the internal display to get stuff done. The exterior screen is narrower than typical phones, though.
- Apps finally make the well-nigh of tablet-size screen: For instance, in Gmail you lot'll come across your list of emails on the left and the body of messages on the right, and Slack will display contacts on the left and messages on the right. The iPhone can't practice this.
- The multitasking is amend: Information technology'south pretty like shooting fish in a barrel to create app pairs to launch three apps at once. I also like that y'all tin elevate and drop content from one window to some other in certain apps.
- Flex mode adds versatility: Thanks to the cam mechanism in the swivel, you can open the display at various angles. Flex Mode is there to take advantage of that. For example, in the camera app, you'll see the live previous up elevation and controls down beneath.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review: What I don't like
- The chief display is smudge prone: Although the Ultra Thin Glass on the vii.half-dozen-inch screen is more durable and has a better feel, it picks up smudges quickly. And, yes, the crease is still noticeable.
- Limited zoom: I can live without the Galaxy S21 Ultra's 108MP sensor, just having just 2x optical zoom on a $2,000 phone when you can get 10x on the Note is a bummer.
- No h2o resistance: When it started to drizzle exterior I took the Z Fold 2 indoors because in that location is no water resistance promised for this device.
- This is a hefty device: At 9.9 ounces, the Z Fold 2 is heavier than the original Galaxy Fold (9.5 ounces) and I felt a bit of strain later on several minutes of typing. So once again, yous are getting a telephone and tablet in i.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review: Toll and availability
Samsung Milky way Z Fold 2 specs
Price: $i,799
OS: Android 10
Main brandish: seven.6 inch inches 120Hz (2208 x 1768 pixels)
Embrace brandish: 6.two inches 60Hz (2260 x 816 pixels)
CPU: Snapdragon 865 Plus
RAM: 12GB
Storage: 256GB
Rear cameras: 12MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide, 12MP telephoto (2x optical/10x digital zoom)
Selfie cameras: 10MP (cover), 10MP (master display)
Bombardment: four,500 mAh
Bombardment life: 10 hours ten minutes
Size: 6.two 10 two.6 x 0.66 inches (closed); 6.2 ten 5 x 0.27 inches (open up)
Weight: 9.9 ounces
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold ii release date was September xviii, 2020. It's available for sale through multiple carriers besides as unlocked.
When it debuted the Galaxy Z Fold 2 cost $1,999 for 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM. Annotation that a microSD card slot is not included and there are no other capacities available. These days, afterwards a permanent $200 cost cut, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 sells for $1,799. (That could be a sign that Samsung is looking to articulate out stock in advance of the anticipated launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 later this year.)
To put the Z Fold 2'due south price in context, Microsoft charges $ane,400 for its Surface Duo phone. To see how similar these two foldable devices are, cheque out our Microsoft Surface Duo vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold ii confront-off.
If you're looking for Galaxy Z Fold 2 deals, the telephone has been discounted as low as $999. And then it tin can pay to await for sales on this foldable phone. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is bachelor through all of the major carriers, including AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile (Sprint), also as unlocked.
Samsung offers the Galaxy Z Premier Service for the Z Fold 2, which includes on-demand concierge support from defended experts. In add-on, Z Fold 2 owners can get a membership to FoundersCard, admission to a prepared meal from a Michelin star restaurant and access to a various golf clubs.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review: Pattern and durability
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 immediately makes a improve impression than the Galaxy Fold considering of its larger outside display. You no longer feel like you're operating Android through a peep pigsty, and that's because the cover screen has grown from 4.vi inches to 6.ii inches.
The interior display is too bigger at 7.half dozen inches for the Galaxy Z Fold 2, compared to 7.3 inches for the previous model. Even better, the ugly notch on the main screen is gone, replaced past a small cutout for a selfie photographic camera.
Samsung also made several enhancements fo the Milky way Z Fold two to improve durability and usability. This includes a sturdier new Ultra Thin Glass display, which is designed to provide a amend touchscreen feel than the plastic screen Fold, and a Hideaway hinge that uses sweeper technology to preclude dust and dirt from entering the phone.
In a 3rd-party examination by YouTuber JerryRigEverything, the Milky way Z Fold 2 survived having dirt thrown on it, which suggests that the new hinge works better than on the original model.
Similar to the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, the Galaxy Z Fold 2's hinge uses a CAM machinery that allows y'all to position the screen in multiple positions. And while there'south withal a gap between the two sides of the telephone when closed, information technology's narrower than before.
The Milky way Z Fold 2 comes in two colors: Mystic Bronze and Mystic Black. But you'll be able to add some flair in the class of 4 hinge color options if you order through Samsung.com. Options include Metallic Silver, Metallic Aureate, Metal Blood-red and Metal Bluish.
Measuring vi.ii x 2.half dozen x 0.66 inches when closed and 6.ii ten five 10 0.27 inches when open, the Milky way Z Fold ii is slightly shorter but wider than its predecessor. It's also heavier, as the Z Fold 2 weights 9.9 ounces, compared to 9.48 ounces for the original model. I definitely felt a bit of strain after using the telephone several minutes and typing out messages.
Another bummer: The Milky way Z Fold 2 doesn't offer water resistance, so you tin can't become it wet as y'all tin with other flagship phones.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review: Display
In addition to a larger size, the 7.vi-inch main display on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 boasts a 120Hz refresh rate, so yous should enjoy polish scrolling and overall performance compared to the 60Hz rate on the Galaxy Fold. Plus, considering the console is adaptive, it's smart enough to punch the rate down or up based on the content on screen.
The cover display on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 does non offer a 120Hz refresh rate, just it'due south still a heck of a lot better than what the first Fold featured. Measuring half dozen.ii inches, this OLED screen is large enough to perform pretty much any task, and you can still instantly resume what yous were doing on the primary display when you unfold the device.
Just proceed in listen that the aspect ratio on the Z Fold 2's cover display is narrower than nigh phones, so typing can experience a chip cramped.
Milky way Z Fold ii review: Software and Flex Mode
1 of the complaints we had about the Galaxy Fold is that many of the apps just felt like blow-upwardly phone apps in tablet mode. Simply Samsung is addressing this drawback with the Galaxy Z Fold 2.
For example, in Gmail I could see my letters on the left and the torso of emails on the right. And in Slack my contacts were on the left and letters on the correct. You demand to flip the Milky way Z Fold ii display's orientation to landscape manner to run into these changes, merely it makes a huge difference in productivity. And it makes the Galaxy Z Fold two feel more laptop-like. Samsung as well promises an optimized viewing experience in Microsoft Office and YouTube.
The Galaxy Z Fold 2's Flex Fashion gives this foldable phone a lot of versatility. The thought is that yous tin accept controls or settings on one side of the display and content on the other for maximum productivity.
I actually enjoyed using Google Duo in Flex Mode, equally information technology lets yous ready the telephone downwardly in a laptop-similar position and accept a video telephone call with the other person without having to hold the device. It's something I immediately wished my iPhone could do.
Samsung says that Flex Mode is supported past several Samsung apps, including Camera, Video call, Gallery, Video thespian, Clock and Calendar. And Google is supporting Flex Fashion with YouTube as well as Google Duo. Samsung is working with third-party developers every bit well to create Flex Mode optimized apps.
Another cardinal Galaxy Z Fold 2 upgrade is multi-tasking. With the improved Multi-Active Window characteristic, you can open up to three apps at the same time and tin can apace create presets called App Pairs that you launch with just a tap.
I tried this with Slack, Twitter, and Spotify as well as YouTube, Photos and Messages, and it was very absurd to launch three apps at once.You tin also speedily re-arrange the layout with a tap or elevate an app from one window to another.
Fifty-fifty libation, you tin also drag and drop content from one window to some other. I had no problem dropping a photograph from the Gallery app into an outgoing message. However, information technology didn't work with the Google Photos app. Multiple Samsung apps support Drag and Drop, every bit does Microsoft 365, Gmail, Chrome and Google Maps.
Samsung's App continuity feature is besides on board from the original Galaxy Fold. The idea is that you lot can outset an app on the embrace display, open the main display and pick upwards correct where you lot left off. This worked in most apps, only the Sky Force 2 game forced to me restart the app when moving to the bigger canvass.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 cameras
It's a chip strange to say this, but the $2,000 Milky way Z Fold two represents a stride down from the $1,300 Galaxy Annotation twenty when it comes to the cameras. You don't get a 108MP main sensor, a 5x optical zoom or a 50x Space Zoom, but you exercise get 3 capable shooters y'all can utilize in a diverseness of ways.
The Galaxy Z Fold ii features a 12MP principal wide-bending camera, a 12MP ultra-broad angle photographic camera with a 123-degree field of view and a 12MP telephoto lens with a 2x optical zoom and 10x digital zoom.
The fun really starts with the photographic camera features that are unique to the Galaxy Z Fold two. For example, Dual Preview lets subjects run into how they're going to look using the front display while you're taking the shot. You can likewise have higher quality selfies with the rear cameras.
All you need to do is fire up the camera on the comprehend display and then press a button in the top right corner, then the Z Fold 2 will invite you to unfold the device and y'all'll see a live preview.
Another perk: y'all tin prop upwards the Galaxy Z Fold 2 in what looks similar laptop mode and it volition continue your discipline in focus when shooting video using a feature chosen Car framing. Thanks to Flex Mode, you can too review recent pictures on the lesser half of the screen while maintaining the live preview in the top half.
The Z Fold 2's camera did a fantastic job capturing a close-upwardly of these yellow and violet flowers. You can make out fine details in the petals and even fine droplets of water when you zoom in.
I also took this selfie using the rear 12MP camera and the Z Fold 2'southward embrace screen as the viewfinder. The blue in my shirt pops, and the surrounding trees and grass await vibrant. Y'all simply tin't exercise this on an iPhone.
As expected, the 10x digital zoom proved disappointing compared to the more powerful Infinite Zoom on the Milky way Note xx Ultra. As we zero in on the tree and hanging flower baskets, there'southward a off-white amount of grain. Information technology'due south certainly passable, though.
The Milky way Z Fold 2 did a fairly good task in this portrait shot, artfully blurring the photos in the background. The bokeh issue is better on the Z Fold 2 than the iPhone 12. Nonetheless, my face is a bit more diddled out in Samsung's shot.
In this shot of fall decorations, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 delivers a brighter overall image, and you lot can make out lots of particular in the turkeys. The iPhone 11 Pro Max does a better job rendering the hay only overall I requite the edge to Samsung here.
The Milky way Z Fold's two Dark mode worked well in this shot taken in near darkness of a wall hanging. Even so, the iPhone eleven Pro Max's Night mode captured a considerably brighter image of the scene.
Samsung Milky way Z Fold two review: Performance
The Galaxy Z Fold two sports a Snapdragon 865 Plus processor forth with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage (UFS3.1). So we would expect similar functioning to the Galaxy Notation xx Ultra.
On Geekbench v, which measures overall performance, the Galaxy Z Fold ii scored 3,193 on the mult-core portion. The Annotation xx Ultra with the same flake scored a slightly college 3,294 and the Asus ROG Phone 3 hit iii,393. The iPhone eleven Pro was fastest with 3,500.
On the GFXBench graphics test, the Galaxy Z Fold two scored one,461 frames on the Aztec Ruins (High Tier) off-screen benchmark, compared to 1,455 for the Milky way Note 20 Ultra and 1,657 frames for the iPhone 11 Pro.
Overall, the Z Fold 2 offers smooth performance, but I noticed small software glitches at times. The YouTube app view didn't modify I switched screen modes at one indicate, but restarting the app resolved the problem.
In terms of 5G, the Galaxy Z Fold two supports both mmWave and sub-6GHz flavors, so you should have no problems tapping into 5G networks where in that location is coverage. I didn't come across the best results in fundamental New Bailiwick of jersey. On AT&T's network the Galaxy Z Fold 2's download speed striking simply 22 Mbps, but on T-Mobile it was a much higher 122 Mbps in the same location.
Because the Z Fold 2 also supports Ultra Broad Band technology, you can leverage Samsung'south Nearby Share features to apace share files with other compatible devices, which thus far only includes the Note 20 Ultra.
Milky way Z Fold ii review: battery life and charging
The Milky way Z Fold 2 packs a 4,500 mAh battery, which should be able to get you lot through most of the mean solar day. The Galaxy Fold had a slightly smaller 4,380 mAh, and then this is a step upwards.
On our battery test, which involves continuous web surfing at 150 nits of screen effulgence, the Galaxy Z Fold ii lasted 10 hours and 10 minutes on the 60Hz brandish setting. That'due south not enough to make our listing of all-time telephone bombardment life, where are the handsets last longer than eleven hours. Just given the size of the Z Fold two'due south display that's pretty practiced endurance.
As expected, the battery life dropped on the Z Fold 2 with the display set up to 120Hz (adaptive), with the telephone lasting 9 hours and v minutes.
Anecdotally, the battery life on the Z Fold 2 is pretty solid. I started using the phone at 10 am and afterwards a day of heavy usage information technology had nearly 18% juice left at 10 pm.
The Z Fold ii supports 25W fast charging, as well as fast wireless charging and PowerShare reverse charging. But we didn't see the best results in our testing. After 30 minutes the Z Fold 2 was at 46% and we would await l%. By comparing, the Annotation xx Ultra hit 56% in the same amount of fourth dimension.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold ii review: Verdict
Notation that a Milky way Z Fold three is rumored to launch this summer. It's expected to include a faster processor, Southward Pen back up and perchance an under-brandish camera, among other upgrades. So you'll probably want to hold off until mid-August until you brand a move.
Overall, though, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold two is the quintessential instance of a visitor listening to its customers and delivering a wide range of improvements they asked for. Fifty-fifty at its reduced $i,799 price, this is a phone that's still very much for early adopters. At to the lowest degree the Z Fold 2 seems a lot less like a prototype and more than like a viable product.
The front display on the Galaxy Z Fold two alone is a huge upgrade. I likewise actually similar Flex Mode and the versatility that gives this telephone. Existence able to prop upwardly the device at diverse angles really makes the Z Fold two feel like a brand new type of device. And while the Mult-Active window multitasking requires a bit of a learning curve, it maximizes productivity.
If y'all want a more powerful phone and better cameras, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is the better option, but Apple doesn't have anything most every bit innovative in its lineup to have on the Z Fold 2. An iPhone Flip could be on the mode at some point, but nosotros dubiousness it volition be someday before long.
Overall, I am really impressed with what Samsung has accomplished with the Galaxy Z Fold 2. This is clearly the best foldable phone yet and a sign of great things to come in the category.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-2-review-pros-and-cons
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