We’ve been covering some of the biggest names in the smartphone market over the past couple of weeks, but that’s not to say that there aren’t others out there—some of which are incredibly innovative, but also quite expensive. Let’s examine some of these options.
People thought that Samsung’s decision to make foldable OLED screens was nothing but a fad, but the fact of the matter is that the technology in the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is quite impressive, and it will shape the smartphone market for the foreseeable future. With a sturdy aluminum frame with Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and back, the Z Fold3 is a tough phone. When folded up, the device has a 6.2-inch, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 832x2,268px display that refreshes at a rate of 120 hz. These impressive specifications allow users to do just about anything they need from the outside of the phone.
Other features of the Z Fold3 include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chip, 12 GB of RAM, and either 256 or 512 GB of built-in storage. The device can also be upgraded to the Android 12 and Samsung One UI OS right away. Other applications might get some use out of its form factor with time. As for the camera, this device features a 12 MP wide-angle lens with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), a 12 MP telephoto lens with 2x zoom and OIS, and a 12 MP ultra wide-angle lens. The front-facing camera on the large display is a 4 MP in-display wide-angle lens, while the cover camera is 10 MP wide-angle lens.
The battery life, however, is not ideal, clocking in at a paltry 4,400 mAh and 25w fast charging (a 7.5 hour battery life). There is, however, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, as well as iPX8 water resistance, Samsung’s DeX capability, and (as the model name implies) 5G. The Galaxy Z Fold3 5G is available in Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, Phantom Green, Thom Browne Edition, and an exclusive Wooyoungmi Edition. As for the price, the Galaxy Z Fold3 costs nearly $2,000 from Samsung and most major cell carriers.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
Body: Aluminum Frame, Gorilla Glass Victus front and back, plastic large display
Display: Closed - 6.2-inch Super AMOLED 2X, 120 Hz, 832 x 2,268 (~374 ppi); Open - 7.6-inch Super AMOLED 2X, 120 Hz, 1768 x 2208
OS: Android 11; upgradable to Android 12, One UI 4.0
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
Memory: 12 GB RAM; 256-to-512 GB onboard storage
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Rear - 12 MP, 26mm, OIS; 12 MP 52mm 2x optical zoom OIS; 12 MP 123º ultrawide. Front of device - 10 MP 26mm; Front of folded display - 4 MP under-display
Sounds: Stereo Sound
Battery (battery endurance rating): 4,400 mAh (7.5 hours)
Security: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
Miscellaneous: Samsung DeX, IPX8 water resistant, 24W fast charging
The Z Flip3 is Samsung’s take on the classic flip phone with an aluminum frame, plastic front, and a Gorilla Glass Victus back. The screen is a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 1,080x2,640px and a 120Hz refresh rate. The screen folds in half for protection, and on the outside there is a 1.9-inch Super AMOLED screen for notifications, time, and other quick-view information. This device runs Android 11, but it can be upgraded to Android 12 with Samsung’s One UI 4.0, and it runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 FG chip. With 8 GB of RAM and 128 or 258 GB of storage, it is also fairly powerful.
Other features include a side-mounted fingerprint sensor and its camera, which is admittedly somewhat lacking compared to other options. It has a 12 MP wide-angle lens and a 12 MP ultrawide angle lens, so it’s not incapable, while the selfie camera is a 10 MP wide-angle lens. Its battery is also unimpressive at 3,300 mAh and 15W fast-charging with a 6.9-hour battery life. Available in a litany of colors including Phantom Black, Green, Cream, Pink, Dream White and more, the Z Flip3 runs about $1,000 from your friendly neighborhood cell carrier or from Samsung directly.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3
Body: Aluminum frame, plastic front, Gorilla Glass Victus back
Display: 6.7-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120 Hz, 1,080 x 2,640px
OS: Android 11; Upgradable to Android 12, Samsung One UI 4.0
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G
Memory: 8 GB RAM; 128 GB-to- 256 GB of onboard storage
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Rear - 12 MP 27mm OIS; 12 MP 123º; Front - 10 MP 26mm
Sounds: Stereo sound
Battery (battery endurance rating): 3,300 (69 hours)
Security: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
Miscellaneous: IPX8 water resistant, 15 W fast charging
The Microsoft Surface Duo 2 is the company’s second attempt at a high-end productivity smartphone. There is no external display; rather, there are two 5.8-inch AMOLED panels that total an 8.3-inch screen when it is folded out, including some large bezels. Its superb build quality makes it seem like additional app development could make this device a beast for productivity down the line.
This device runs Android 11 on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chip with 8 GB of RAM and up to 512 GB of internal storage. There is also a side-mounted fingerprint scanner for security and a 4,449 mAh battery with 23W fast charging. As far as cameras go, the rear-mounted cameras have a 12 MP wide-angle lens with OIS, a 12 MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom and OIS and a 16 MP ultra wide-angle lens. The front-facing camera is a 12 MP wide-angle lens.
Available in Glacier and Obsidian, the Microsoft Duo 2 is currently being sold for $1,500 online at microsoft.com and some other retailers.
Microsoft Surface Duo 2
Body: Plastic frame, Gorilla Glass Victus front and back
Display: 8.3-inch AMOLED, 90 hz, 1,832 x2,688 (~401 ppi)
OS: Android 11
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
Memory: 8 GB RAM; 128-to-512 GB onboard storage
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Rear - 12 MP 27mm OIS; 12 MP 51mm telephoto 2x optical zoom OIS; 16 MP 13 mm; Front - 12 MP 24mm
Sounds: Stereo sound
Battery (battery endurance rating): 4,449 mAh
Security: Side-mounted fingerprint reader
Miscellaneous: Stylus support
Foldable OLED technology sure is neat, but do you think it’s worth the price point? Let us know in the comments below.
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