Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
Best Overall
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
Pros & Cons
Improved, more durable design
Wider cover screen
Excellent cameras
Blazing performance
Bright displays
Long software support window
Very expensive
Lagging charging speeds
Why We Picked It
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 features two brilliant displays: a 7.6-inch inner screen and a 6.3-inch external one. Its combination of a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and 12GB of RAM means it can take on any task, while multitasking software tweaks (including the desktop-like DeX mode) make the device a productivity powerhouse. It costs a lot of money, but Samsung justifies the cost with lots of features, S Pen stylus support, and the latest 5G and Wi-Fi radios.
Who It’s For
If you are looking for a device to replace your phone, tablet, and maybe even your laptop, the Z Fold 6 is built for you.
Specs & Configurations
Operating System
Android 14
CPU
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
Dimensions
6.04 by 5.22 by 0.22 inches
Screen Size
7.6 inches
Screen Resolution
2,160 by 1,856 pixels
Camera Resolution (Rear; Front-Facing)
50MP, 10MP, 12MP; 10MP, 4MP
Battery Life (As Tested)
11 hours, 30 minutes
Learn More
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Review
Best for App Continuity
Motorola Razr+ (2024)
Pros & Cons
Top-notch display
Helpful outer screen
Waterproof
Stylish and easy to use
Cameras are only average
Limited AI features at launch
Why We Picked It
The Motorola Razr+ makes the most of its generous external 4.0-inch display, letting you run virtually any app you want. Meanwhile, the high-resolution, 6.9-inch inner pOLED display provides plenty of real estate for typical smartphone tasks. The Razr+ also sports an IPX8 rating, which means you can submerge it in water up to 1.5 meters deep for up to 30 minutes.
Who It’s For
If you want complete control over your foldable phone experience—and to possibly even reduce your screen time—the Moto Razr+ intuitively helps you take advantage of its two screens.
Specs & Configurations
Operating System
Android 14
CPU
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3
Dimensions
6.50 by 2.91 by 0.28 inches
Screen Size
6.9 inches
Screen Resolution
2,640 by 1,080 pixels
Camera Resolution (Rear; Front-Facing)
50MP, 50MP; 32MP
Battery Life (As Tested)
14 hours, 37 minutes
Learn More
Motorola Razr+ (2024) Review
Biggest Internal Screen
OnePlus Open
Pros & Cons
Gorgeous displays
Attractive design
High-quality hardware
Advanced multitasking
Expensive
Average cameras
No wireless charging
Why We Picked It
The OnePlus Open splits the size difference between the short-and-wide Pixel and the tall-and-narrow Z Fold 5, as well as manages to be lighter than both. The outer 6.3-inch display is large, but the inner 7.8-inch panel is massive; the latter is the biggest we’ve tested in this category. OnePlus also enhanced its software for multitasking, giving the Open a sleek home screen that impresses. Meanwhile, pairing a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and 16GB of RAM with 256GB or 512GB of storage makes the device competitive on benchmarks.
Who It’s For
If you want the biggest screen you can squeeze into your pocket for a bit less than Google or Samsung’s foldables, the OnePlus Open currently leads the pack.
Specs & Configurations
Operating System
Android 13
CPU
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
Dimensions
6.04 by 5.63 by 0.23 inches
Screen Size
7.8 inches
Screen Resolution
2,440 by 2,268 pixels
Camera Resolution (Rear; Front-Facing)
48MP, 64MP, 48MP; 20MP, 32MP
Battery Life (As Tested)
10 hours, 1 minute
Learn More
OnePlus Open Review
Best Flip Phone
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
Pros & Cons
Bright internal screen
Improved IP rating
High-precision build quality
Great cameras
Long-term software support
Limited cover screen functionality
25W wired charging
Why We Picked It
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 folds without a gap and lets you access quick bits of information, widgets, and key notifications right from its outer screen. And when you do open it, the internal 6.7-inch screen provides a full Samsung Galaxy experience. The phone has plenty of power thanks to its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor and 12GB of RAM; it also offers 256GB of storage by default, which is plenty for most people, and AI-assisted photo editing features.
Who It’s For
If you want a big Android phone in a tiny package, this device should appeal to you. It’s also great for taking creative selfies because the folding screen works as a tripod of sorts.
Specs & Configurations
Operating System
Android 14
CPU
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
Dimensions
6.50 by 2.83 by 0.27 inches
Screen Size
6.7 inches
Screen Resolution
2,640 by 1,080 pixels
Camera Resolution (Rear; Front-Facing)
12MP, 50MP; 10MP
Battery Life (As Tested)
16 hours, 20 minutes
Learn More
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Review
Best Camera
Google Pixel Fold
Pros & Cons
Excellent build quality
Capable cameras
Vibrant screens
Multitasking could be better
Screen crease can be distracting
Expensive
Why We Picked It
Google’s first attempt at a foldable is successful overall. Thanks to Google’s in-house Tensor G2 SoC, it packs an excellent bag of tricks including AI-assisted image editing, offline transcription, and even offline translation. The hardware is elegant with a short-but-wide 5.8-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner screen that makes reading feel natural. It doesn’t have as many software productivity tweaks as Samsung’s foldables but has much better cameras.
Who It’s For
If you find the external screen of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 too narrow or like Google’s version of Android the best, or want the best cameras available on a modern foldable, the Google Pixel Fold is the one to get.
Specs & Configurations
Operating System
Android 13
CPU
Google Tensor G2
Dimensions
5.50 by 6.24 by 0.23 inches
Screen Size
7.6 inches
Screen Resolution
2,208 by 1,840 pixels
Camera Resolution (Rear; Front-Facing)
48MP, 10.8MP, 10.8MP; 9.5MP, 8MP
Battery Life (As Tested)
8 hours
Learn More
Google Pixel Fold Review
Most Affordable
Motorola Razr (2024)
Pros & Cons
Appealing and playful design
Excellent inner and outer screens
Long battery life
Waterproof
Unimpressive performance
Average cameras
Why We Picked It
The Moto Razr packs an enormous 6.9-inch display into a compact package. Its 3.6-inch outer screen lets you run full apps and easily frame selfies with the 50MP camera. Although this device uses a MediaTek Dimensity 7300x chip to keep the cost down, it still performs adequately. Last but not least, the 4,200mAh battery provides over 16 hours of battery life on a single charge.
Who It’s For
If you want to dip your toe into the world of foldable phones without spending a lot of money, the Motorola Razr is the best value on the market. It isn’t as powerful as others but still looks quite fashionable.
Specs & Configurations
Operating System
Android 14
CPU
MediaTek Dimension 7300X
Dimensions
6.50 by 2.91 by 0.28 inches
Screen Size
6.9 inches
Screen Resolution
2,640 by 1,080 pixels
Camera Resolution (Rear; Front-Facing)
50MP, 13MP; 32MP
Battery Life (As Tested)
16 hours, 5 minutes
Learn More
Motorola Razr (2024) Review
Buying Guide: The Best Folding Phones for 2024: Google, OnePlus, Samsung, and More
Hands On With the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
When Is the Best Time to Buy a New Folding Phone?New foldables aren’t announced as often as regular phones are, but they still arrive with a regular cadence. There’s really no bad time to buy so long as the phone has all the features you want. As for manufacturer-specific release windows, Samsung and Google have both moved up their foldable release schedules in 2024, respectively, to July and August, so we are still waiting for an annual pattern. OnePlus last announced a foldable in October 2023, but a refresh may not arrive until early 2025. What Are the Types of Foldables?Foldables primarily come in either a book- or clamshell-style design. Book-style foldables like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold feature an outer screen that’s about the size of a regular slab phone and open to reveal a larger, tablet-sized screen. Meanwhile, clamshell-style devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Motorola Razr+ have a small outer screen and resemble a regular slab phone when you flip them open.
Galaxy Z Flip 5 (top), Galaxy Z Flip 6 (bottom) (Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)
The two styles of folding hardware offer completely different experiences, so it’s critical to decide which is right for you before buying.How Durable Are Foldables?Foldables have an inherent design weakness due to their hinges. Any time you add a moving part or parts, you introduce a point of failure. The hinges are exquisitely engineered but will still wear over time. Samsung claims its Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 can each withstand 200,000 folds over their lifetimes, while Motorola claims its Razr+ can handle 400,000 folds. That’s a lot of action on the hinge. In more practical terms, 200,000 folds breaks down to about 100 folds every day for more than 5 years. With the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Google didn’t disclose how many folds the device could withstand.What about that bending screen? Gorilla Glass protects the external screens of some foldables from scratches and damage that might come from drops. The flexible nature of the inner screens prevents manufacturers from coating them with the same hardened materials as a traditional phone, but they generally feature a secondary layer of protective folding glass.Due to the engineering challenges the hinge introduces, no foldable has yet achieved a full dustproof and waterproof IP68 rating. The Moto Razr+ has an IPX8 rating, meaning it can withstand water, but is not rated for dust ingress. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 has an IP48 rating; meaning it can resist entry of materials greater than 1mm and is rated and withstand submersion.How Big Are Foldables?Just like regular smartphones, foldables have gotten thinner and lighter over the years. The original Galaxy Fold resembled two smartphones stacked together, with a thickness of 0.7 inches when closed. But the most recent Galaxy Z Fold 6 is just 0.48 inches thick when closed (a 0.16-inch difference versus the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max.) And at 8.43 ounces, the Fold 6 doesn’t weigh too much more than the biggest iPhone (7.81 ounces).
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold (Credit: Eric Zeman)
Clamshell-style foldables are still pretty thick when closed. The Z Flip 6 comes in at 0.60 inches, for instance. But it’s not very wide (2.8 inches), tall (3.4 inches), or heavy (6.6 ounces). Of course, foldables are half as thick when opened, so the Z Fold 6 measures 0.22 inches thick, and the Z Flip 6 measures 0.27 inches thick.
2024 Moto Razr+ (Credit: Eric Zeman)
The most important thing to remember is that the shape and size changes when you unfold them. Book-style foldables become wide, tablet-size devices, while flip-style foldables become the size of a regular phone. Each has distinct pros and cons.What’s It Like to Use a Foldable Phone?Because you can use foldables closed or open, the experience is a bit different than with a typical phone. Taking a selfie is a good example of how things differ. When you take selfies on a regular phone, you usually use the front-facing camera so you can see the viewfinder. Since foldables have multiple displays on which you can see yourself, the best camera changes based on what you’re doing and what sort of photo you want.There are no folding iPhones yet, which means Android is the sole mobile operating system for foldables. The good news is that the platform is robust and should feel familiar to anyone who has used an Android phone in the past few years. Even so, Android faces usability issues on particularly tiny or huge screens because most apps aren’t built with these sizes in mind. Each phone maker handles the issue differently. Motorola’s Razr+ allows you to run almost any app on its pint-size front screen, but it warns you of potential incompatibility issues. In comparison, Samsung intentionally limits the Flip 6’s external screen to a select few apps.
Left to right: Galaxy Z Flip 6, Galaxy Z Flip 5 (Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)
For the large, inner screens of book-style phones, you must deal with the same problems that many Android tablets face, namely stretched-out apps and limited multitasking abilities. Again, phone makers differ in how they approach this issue. The Google Pixel Fold, for example, lets you run two apps at once on the inner screen along with a floating video window. Samsung’s One UI allows you to tile up to three apps, open a video player on top, and access other apps in a pop-up view. Here, the latter approach is more effective for multitasking.
Recommended by Our Editors
Manufacturers also have different ideas when it comes to app continuity. That is, should an app continue from the smaller external screen to the larger inner one and vice versa? By default, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 assumes you won’t immediately use the outer screen once you close the device. But Motorola’s Razr+ gives you the option to continue the app to the front screen after closing it. Nearly all foldables will expand an app you are using on the outer display to the full inner display when you open the phone.All of this is to say that you can find ways to get the experience you want out of a foldable device with two screens. It just might take some fine-tuning.What About That Crease?Foldable displays still have a visible crease that runs in a line parallel to the hinge. In our experience, the crease is most visible if the display is off or if you are viewing the screen from an off angle. When using apps, playing games, or watching videos, the small inconsistency of the screen is otherwise easy to ignore. Additionally, improvements to flexible displays and hinges have made the crease less visible and more durable on the most recent models.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 (Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)
What’s Next for Foldables? As the technology behind folding phones matures, the devices will likely become more durable, with smaller bezels, and pack more power into frames that are increasingly thin and light. Will Apple ever make a folding iPhone? It hasn’t officially committed to the idea. Meanwhile, rumors are swirling that Samsung will introduce a thinner version of the Fold later in 2024. Samsung also has a history of bringing top-tier features to more affordable devices over time, so a Z Fold FE or Z Flip FE seems like an eventuality (at least we hope so).
TCL concept tri-fold device (Credit: Steven Winkelman)
We could see other foldable designs in the future, too. Back in 2020, TCL showed off a tri-fold device with a massive 10-inch display. This device remains a concept and has yet to hit the market. But Tecno recently showed off its own tri-fold concept. Some foldables outside of the US show off new ideas, too. The book-style Honor V Purse, for example, resembles a digital handbag with a camera bar along the outer edge. Rollables are another way to squeeze a larger screen into a smaller package, but these still appear to be limited to proofs-of-concept rather than devices intended for production. If and when these new devices come out, we plan to review them and update this roundup with any new details. Make sure to check back often for all the latest news.
