Thanks to lớn a ton of improvements, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is the best foldable phone yet và a productivity powerhouse
(Image credit: Future)Bigger front display makes a huge difference: The cover display has grown lớn 6.2 inches, which means you don’t have khổng lồ use the internal display khổng lồ get stuff done. The exterior screen is narrower than typical phones, though.
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Apps finally make the most of tablet-size screen: For example, in gmail you’ll see your list of emails on the left và the toàn thân of messages on the right, and Slack will display contacts on the left và messages on the right. The iPhone can"t vày this.The multitasking is better: It’s pretty easy khổng lồ create ứng dụng pairs to launch three apps at once. I also like that you can drag and drop content from one window to lớn another in certain apps.Flex mode adds versatility: Thanks to lớn the cam mechanism in the hinge, you can mở cửa 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 top & controls down below.Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review: What I don"t like
The main display is smudge prone: Although the Ultra Thin Glass on the 7.6-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, but having just 2x optical zoom on a $2,000 phone when you can get 10x on the note is a bummer.No water resistance: When it started khổng lồ drizzle outside I took the Z Fold 2 indoors because there 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) và I felt a bit of strain after several minutes of typing. Then again, you are getting a phone & tablet in one.Price: $1,799OS: apk 10Main display: 7.6 inch inches 120Hz (2208 x 1768 pixels)Cover display: 6.2 inches 60Hz (2260 x 816 pixels)CPU: Snapdragon 865 PlusRAM: 12GBStorage: 256GBRear cameras: 12MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide, 12MP telephoto (2x optical/10x digital zoom)Selfie cameras: 10MP (cover), 10MP (main display)Battery: 4,500 mAhBattery life: 10 hours 10 minutesSize: 6.2 x 2.6 x 0.66 inches (closed); 6.2 x 5 x 0.27 inches (open)Weight: 9.9 ounces
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 release date was September 18, 2020. It"s available for sale through multiple carriers as well as unlocked.
When it debuted the Galaxy Z Fold 2 cost $1,999 for 256GB of storage và 12GB of RAM. Lưu ý that a microSD thẻ slot is not included and there are no other capacities available. These days, after a permanent $200 price cut, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 sells for $1,799 (or less with a Samsung promo code...). That could be a sign that Samsung is looking khổng lồ clear out stock in advance of the anticipated launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 3 later this year.
To put the Z Fold 2"s price in context, Microsoft charges $1,400 for its Surface Duo phone. Lớn see how similar these two foldable devices are, kiểm tra out our Microsoft Surface Duo vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 face-off.
If you"re looking for Galaxy Z Fold 2 deals, the phone has been discounted as low as $999. So it can pay to lớn look for sales on this foldable phone. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is available through all of the major carriers, including AT&T, Verizon và T-Mobile (Sprint), as well as unlocked.
Samsung offers the Galaxy Z Premier Service for the Z Fold 2, which includes on-demand concierge support from dedicated experts. In addition, Z Fold 2 owners can get a membership to FoundersCard, access to a prepared meal from a Michelin star restaurant and access khổng lồ a various golf clubs.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review: Design và durability
(Image credit: Future)
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 immediately makes a better impression than the Galaxy Fold because of its larger exterior display. You no longer feel lượt thích you"re operating game android through a peep hole, & that"s because the cover screen has grown from 4.6 inches lớn 6.2 inches.
The interior display is also bigger at 7.6 inches for the Galaxy Z Fold 2, compared lớn 7.3 inches for the previous model. Even better, the ugly notch on the main screen is gone, replaced by a small cutout for a selfie camera.
Samsung also made several enhancements fo the Galaxy Z Fold 2 lớn improve durability và usability. This includes a sturdier new Ultra Thin Glass display, which is designed lớn provide a better touchscreen feel than the plastic screen Fold, & a Hideaway hinge that uses sweeper công nghệ to prevent dust & dirt from entering the phone.
In a third-party chạy thử by YouTuber JerryRigEverything, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 survived having dirt thrown on it, which suggests that the new hinge works better than on the original model.
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Similar khổng lồ the Galaxy Z Flip 5G, the Galaxy Z Fold 2"s hinge uses a CAM mechanism that allows you to lớn position the screen in multiple positions. Và while there"s still a gap between the two sides of the phone when closed, it"s narrower than before.
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The Galaxy Z Fold 2 comes in two colors: Mystic Bronze và Mystic Black. But you"ll be able to showroom some flair in the size of four hinge màu sắc options if you order through Samsung.com. Options include Metallic Silver, Metallic Gold, Metallic Red & Metallic Blue.
Measuring 6.2 x 2.6 x 0.66 inches when closed & 6.2 x 5 x 0.27 inches when open, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is slightly shorter but wider than its predecessor. It"s also heavier, as the Z Fold 2 weights 9.9 ounces, compared khổng lồ 9.48 ounces for the original model. I definitely felt a bit of strain after using the phone several minutes and typing out messages.
Another bummer: The Galaxy Z Fold 2 doesn"t offer water resistance, so you can"t get it wet as you can with other flagship phones.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review: Display
(Image credit: Future)
In addition khổng lồ a larger size, the 7.6-inch main display on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 boasts a 120Hz refresh rate, so you should enjoy smooth scrolling và overall performance compared khổng lồ the 60Hz rate on the Galaxy Fold. Plus, because the panel is adaptive, it"s smart enough to dial the rate down or up based on the content on screen.
The cover display on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 does not offer a 120Hz refresh rate, but it"s still a heck of a lot better than what the first Fold featured. Measuring 6.2 inches, this OLED screen is big enough to lớn perform pretty much any task, và you can still instantly resume what you were doing on the main display when you unfold the device.
Just keep in mind that the aspect ratio on the Z Fold 2"s cover display is narrower than most phones, so typing can feel a bit cramped.
Galaxy Z Fold 2 review: Software and Flex Mode
(Image credit: Future)
One of the complaints we had about the Galaxy Fold is that many of the apps just felt like blow-up phone apps in tablet mode. But Samsung is addressing this drawback with the Galaxy Z Fold 2.
For example, in email I could see my messages on the left và the body toàn thân of emails on the right. & in Slack my contacts were on the left và messages on the right. You need to lớn flip the Galaxy Z Fold 2 display"s orientation khổng lồ landscape mode khổng lồ see these changes, but it makes a huge difference in productivity. And it makes the Galaxy Z Fold 2 feel more laptop-like. Samsung also promises an optimized viewing experience in Microsoft Office & YouTube.
(Image credit: Future)
The Galaxy Z Fold 2"s Flex Mode gives this foldable phone a lot of versatility. The idea is that you can have controls or settings on one side of the display and nội dung on the other for maximum productivity.
(Image credit: Future)
I really enjoyed using Google Duo in Flex Mode, as it lets you mix the phone down in a laptop-like position & have a video clip call with the other person without having lớn hold the device. It"s something I immediately wished my iPhone could do.
Samsung says that Flex Mode is supported by several Samsung apps, including Camera, đoạn phim call, Gallery, video clip player, Clock and Calendar. & Google is supporting Flex Mode with YouTube as well as Google Duo. Samsung is working with third-party developers as well to create Flex Mode optimized apps.
(Image credit: Future)
Another key Galaxy Z Fold 2 upgrade is multi-tasking. With the improved Multi-Active Window feature, you can mở cửa up lớn three apps at the same time and can quickly create presets called ứng dụng Pairs that you launch with just a tap.
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I tried this with Slack, Twitter, and Spotify as well as YouTube, Photos & Messages, và it was very cool khổng lồ launch three apps at once.You can also quickly re-arrange the layout with a tap or drag an app from one window to another.
Even cooler, you can also drag and drop nội dung from one window khổng lồ another. I had no problem dropping a photo from the Gallery ứng dụng into an outgoing message. However, it didn"t work with the Google Photos app. Multiple Samsung apps tư vấn Drag and Drop, as does Microsoft 365, Gmail, Chrome và Google Maps.
Samsung"s app continuity feature is also on board from the original Galaxy Fold. The idea is that you can start an app on the cover display, xuất hiện the main display & pick up right where you left off. This worked in most apps, but the Sky Force 2 game forced to lớn me restart the phầm mềm when moving lớn the bigger canvas.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 cameras
(Image credit: Future)
It"s a bit strange lớn say this, but the $2,000 Galaxy Z Fold 2 represents a step down from the $1,300 Galaxy cảnh báo 20 when it comes to lớn the cameras. You don"t get a 108MP main sensor, a 5x optical zoom or a 50x Space Zoom, but you do get three capable shooters you can use in a variety of ways.
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 features a 12MP main wide-angle camera, a 12MP ultra-wide angle camera with a 123-degree field of view & a 12MP telephoto lens with a 2x optical zoom and 10x digital zoom.
(Image credit: Future)
The fun really starts with the camera features that are chất lượng to the Galaxy Z Fold 2. For example, Dual Preview lets subjects see how they"re going to look using the front display while you"re taking the shot. You can also take higher chất lượng selfies with the rear cameras.
All you need to vị is fire up the camera on the cover display and then press a button in the đứng top right corner, then the Z Fold 2 will invite you to unfold the device and you"ll see a live preview.
(Image credit: Future)
Another perk: you can prop up the Galaxy Z Fold 2 in what looks like máy tính mode & it will keep your subject in focus when shooting clip using a feature called tự động framing. Thanks to Flex Mode, you can also nhận xét recent pictures on the bottom half of the screen while maintaining the live preview in the đứng top half.
(Image credit: Future)
The Z Fold 2"s camera did a fantastic job capturing a close-up of these yellow and violet flowers. You can make out fine details in the petals & even fine droplets of water when you zoom in.
(Image credit: Future)
I also took this selfie using the rear 12MP camera và the Z Fold 2"s cover screen as the viewfinder. The blue in my shirt pops, and the surrounding trees and grass look vibrant. You simply can"t do this on an iPhone.
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(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
As expected, the 10x digital zoom proved disappointing compared lớn the more powerful Space Zoom on the Galaxy cảnh báo 20 Ultra. As we zero in on the tree và hanging flower baskets, there"s a fair amount of grain. It"s certainly passable, though.
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 did a fairly good job in this portrait shot, artfully blurring the photos in the background. The bokeh effect is better on the Z Fold 2 than the iPhone 12. However, my face is a bit more blown out in Samsung"s shot.
In this shot of fall decorations, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 delivers a brighter overall image, and you can make out lots of detail in the turkeys. The iPhone 11 Pro Max does a better job rendering the xuất xắc but overall I give the edge khổng lồ Samsung here.
The Galaxy Z Fold"s 2 Night mode worked well in this shot taken in near darkness of a wall hanging. However, the iPhone 11 Pro Max"s Night mode captured a considerably brighter image of the scene.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review: Performance
(Image credit: Future)
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 sports a Snapdragon 865 Plus processor along with 12GB of RAM và 256GB of internal storage (UFS3.1). So we would expect similar performance to lớn the Galaxy cảnh báo 20 Ultra.
On Geekbench 5, which measures overall performance, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 scored 3,193 on the mult-core portion. The note 20 Ultra with the same cpu scored a slightly higher 3,294 and the hãng asus ROG Phone 3 hit 3,393. The iPhone 11 Pro was fastest with 3,500.
On the GFXBench graphics test, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 scored 1,461 frames on the Aztec Ruins (High Tier) off-screen benchmark, compared lớn 1,455 for the Galaxy lưu ý 20 Ultra and 1,657 frames for the iPhone 11 Pro.
Overall, the Z Fold 2 offers smooth performance, but I noticed minor software glitches at times. The YouTube phầm mềm view didn"t change I switched screen modes at one point, but restarting the phầm mềm resolved the problem.
In terms of 5G, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 supports both mmWave & sub-6GHz flavors, so you should have no problems tapping into 5G networks where there is coverage. I didn"t see the best results in central New Jersey. On AT&T"s network the Galaxy Z Fold 2"s tải về speed hit only 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 Wide Band technology, you can leverage Samsung"s Nearby chia sẻ features to quickly mô tả files with other compatible devices, which thus far only includes the cảnh báo 20 Ultra.
Galaxy Z Fold 2 review: battery life & charging
(Image credit: Future)
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 packs a 4,500 mAh battery, which should be able khổng lồ get you through most of the day. The Galaxy Fold had a slightly smaller 4,380 mAh, so this is a step up.
On our battery test, which involves continuous website surfing at 150 nits of screen brightness, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 lasted 10 hours and 10 minutes on the 60Hz display setting. That"s not enough to lớn make our danh sách of best phone battery life, where are the handsets last longer than 11 hours. But given the kích thước of the Z Fold 2"s display that"s pretty good endurance.
As expected, the battery life dropped on the Z Fold 2 with the display set to lớn 120Hz (adaptive), with the phone lasting 9 hours & 5 minutes.
Anecdotally, the battery life on the Z Fold 2 is pretty solid. I started using the phone at 10 am and after a day of heavy usage it had about 18% juice left at 10 pm.
The Z Fold 2 supports 25W fast charging, as well as fast wireless charging và PowerShare reverse charging. But we didn"t see the best results in our testing. After 30 minutes the Z Fold 2 was at 46% & we would expect 50%. By comparison, the lưu ý 20 Ultra hit 56% in the same amount of time.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review: Verdict
(Image credit: Future)
Note that a Galaxy Z Fold 3 is rumored lớn launch this summer. It"s expected to lớn include a faster processor, S Pen tư vấn and perhaps an under-display camera, among other upgrades.So you"ll probably want khổng lồ hold off until mid-August until you make a move.
Overall, though, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 is the quintessential example of a company listening to lớn its customers and delivering a wide range of improvements they asked for. Even at its reduced $1,799 price, this is a phone that"s still very much for early adopters. At least the Z Fold 2 seems a lot less like a prototype & more like a viable product.
The front display on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 alone is a huge upgrade. I also really like Flex Mode and the versatility that gives this phone. Being able to prop up the device at various angles really makes the Z Fold 2 feel lượt thích a brand new type of device. Và while the Mult-Active window multitasking requires a bit of a learning curve, it maximizes productivity.
If you want a more powerful phone & better cameras, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is the better option, but hãng apple doesn"t have anything nearly as innovative in its lineup lớn take on the Z Fold 2. An iPhone Flip could be on the way at some point, but we doubt it will be anytime soon.
Overall, I am really impressed with what Samsung has accomplished with the Galaxy Z Fold 2. This is clearly the best foldable phone yet và a sign of great things lớn come in the category.
