(Pocket-lint) – Remember the days when text messages and Snake on your Nokia 3310 were two of the most exciting things a phone could manage? We do, too. Fast forward nearly two decades and we have in-display fingerprint scanners, bezel-free displays, under-display cameras, plus a whole different take on slider and flip phones.
Flip phones were once slim, compact and hinged devices. Now, flip phones have morphed into foldable phones with actual bendable screens. That tends to bring the potential for huge price tags, though, to get hold of a piece of the magic.
Here are the devices leading the foldable smartphone trend.
Best Foldable Phones in 2022
Our Top Pick: Best Foldable Phone
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3
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For
- Much improved front screen
- Powerful hardware
- Excellent design
Against
- Not a huge upgrade on the old model
- Crease and screen reflection issues
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 features a more refined design compared to its predecessors – the Galaxy Flip and Galaxy Flip 5G – with more streamlined cameras on the outside and a larger external display.
Like the Galaxy Z Fold 3, the Z Flip 3 adds waterproofing and a tougher frame. The cover display bumps up from 1.1-inches to 1.9-inches and the internal display gets a 120Hz refresh rate too.
The camera specifications are the same as the Z Flip 5G, as are the RAM and storage options and the battery capacity, but the Z Flip 3 runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset over the Snapdragon 865+.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3
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For
- One of the most impressive looking foldables around
- S Pen compatibility
- Speedy performance and good software
Against
- The under-panel camera is quite noticeable
- The usual crease and screen reflection gripes
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 succeeds the Galaxy Z Fold 2, offering a more refined design, tougher frame and waterproofing.
It offers the same display specifications as its predecessor with a 6.23-inch external display and a 7.6-inch internal display, though the external screen has a 120Hz refresh rate and the internal display has an under-display camera. The Z Fold 3 is also compatible with a specially-designed S Pen.
Hardware also gets an upgrade compared to the Z Fold 2, with the Z Fold 3 running on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset with 12GB RAM, 256GB or 512GB storage and a 4400mAh battery.
Oppo Find N
For
- One of the least noticeable creases around
- Fast and snappy performance
- Compact design
Against
- Only available in China at the moment
- The square aspect ratio isn’t great for video-watching
The Oppo Find N really impressed us with its practically invisible crease thanks to its very clever hinge design.
The software experience is great and it allows for easy multitasking, which pairs well the square-ish aspect ratio of the internal display. Performance is strong all around and the compact form factor makes it easier to live with than the Fold 3.
There’s one major caveat, though, and that is the fact that the Find N is exclusively available in China for now.
Microsoft Surface Duo 2
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For
- Much improved cameras
- Faster processor
- Superb design
Against
- Very expensive
- UI has quirks
The Surface Duo 2 is a bit of a different option, the screen doesn’t fold as with the other devices on the list, instead, the phone has two separate screens and folds like a notebook.
This screen separation makes it a great option for multitasking and Microsoft seems to have its sights squarely aimed at professional power users for this device.
It can’t match the camera quality of its competitors and the UI has some annoying quirks – but if you’re looking for ultimate productivity on the go, the Surface Duo 2 is a great option.
Motorola Razr 5G
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For
- Improved second display
- Great battery life
- Iconic design
Against
- Expensive
- Distracting screen reflections
Lenovo-owned Motorola quite literally morphed its 15-year old iconic Razr flip phone into a foldable phone, switching the numerical keyboard for a flexible OLED screen display that folds into an almost square when you shut the phone, with a second Quick View display on the front.
The original device was unveiled in November 2019 but the company has since released a second-generation model in the Razr 5G. The Razr 5G features a glass and stainless steel construction, a fingerprint scanner on the rear, and it’s around 16mm thick when folded. The main screen is 6.2-inches, made from Plastic OLED so it can fold, while the second screen on the front is a fixed 2.7-inch panel for glancing at notifications.
Under the hood, you’ll find a Qualcomm Snapdragon 765 processor, coupled with 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and a 2800mAh battery. There is a 48-megapixel camera that flips to be a selfie and main camera and there is a 20-megapixel internal camera.
More about this story
Every product in this list has been tested in real-life situations, just as you would use it in your day-to-day life.
A phone is something you use all day, every day, so we’ve used all the options on this list extensively to see how they hold up in the real world. We’ve tested battery life, gaming performance, connectivity, camera performance and everything else you could possibly need to know. Then we’ve given you all the data you need to help with your buying decisions.
As with any roundup, it’s not possible to deliver a list that works for every type of user, but we lean on the experiences and opinions of the wider Pocket-lint team – as well as thoroughly assessing the areas above – in order to do our best in this regard.
What we always tend to avoid when compiling these picks are needless spec comparisons and marketing lines; we just want to provide an easy to understand summary that gives you an idea of what each product is like to use. Our verdicts are concise, but this is purely in the interest of brevity. Rest assured all the things on this list have been fully tested.
Writing by Britta O’Boyle. Editing by Conor Allison.
