The shopping team 10:48 am, September 28, 2023, modified at 10:48 am, September 28, 2023
Jewels of technology and design, foldable smartphones have become much more accessible. Initially seen as "UFOs", they now offer a new way of living telephony and its digital life. These products remain expensive, they are a real investment that our top 5 of the best foldable smartphones 2023 will help you make with full knowledge of the facts.SHOPPING
Folding smartphones have gone in a few years from products for tech-savvy and wealthy pioneers, to almost common products. The competition is fierce and since the first models launched by Samsung, almost all competitors have launched theirs. A competition that gives us a real choice and more "reasonable" prices, even if they are at 1,000 euros and more. One more reason to make an informed choice and to help you we tested all the products available on the market before offering you our top 5 of the best foldable smartphones 2023. Know before going any further that there are two foldable phone formats: the Flip which is similar to a powder tray or a GameBoy Advance, depending on your references. It is designed to be ultra compact and once opened offer the same diagonal as a classic smartphone. The Fold format (book) is, meanwhile, more thought for productivity or those who want to have a work or leisure surface worthy of a tablet, but that fits in a pocket or purse. All you have to do is choose your side!
Summary:
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, the most pro
- Motorola Razr 40 Ultra, the most stylish
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, the "fashion" choice
- Microsoft Surface Duo Hybrid PC, the true-fake foldable
- Huawei P50, the nomadic jewel
Our top 5 best foldable smartphones 2023
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, the most pro
Samsung is one of the few manufacturers to be present in both foldable smartphone market segments, which seems normal... since he invented them! This Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 focuses on the essentials. Thus, the hinge has been reworked to be able to close completely, without leaving gaps it is even more resistant. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor is ultra powerful and allows you to work using multitasking to produce, create, communicate or entertain. The external screen of 6.2 inches in 2316x904 allows to use it as a classic smartphone. Open it and appears a screen (with built-in camera) of 7.6 inches in 2176 x 1812 pixels that provides a very comfortable workspace. Both screens are at 120 Hz and are perfectly calibrated for optimal comfort. The photo part is of quality, as powerful as that of the Galaxy S23. A companion that offers very high level services and autonomy of a good day.
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Motorola Razr 40 Ultra, the most stylish
With its Motorola Razr 40 Ultra, the manufacturer gives a lesson to the entire industry. Design already, knowing perfectly how to play with clean and soft lines at the same time and dares colors like a very glamorous magenta. Its fold is very good news, certainly still visible, but less and less. In addition, it enjoys a simply luxurious finish. A product also designed for everyday life with an IP52 certification that makes it resistant to splashes and dust. Its 3.9-inch outdoor screen gives access to the same applications as those available on the 6.9-inch foldable screen, even video games! A unique feature on the market that makes a nice difference. The second screen, n in 2640 x 1080 pixels, is very well calibrated, bright and offers a natural colorimetry. Admittedly, the photo part is a little lighter, but it makes up for it with its powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor and a good day's autonomy, or even a little more if you mainly use the external screen.
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, the "fashion" choice
This Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 takes as a base its predecessor by improving it by keys more than notable. It starts with a new external display that is much larger and more practical. With 3.4 inches, it offers a very relevant and efficient display surface on a daily basis. For now, only Google and Samsung apps are 100% usable on this screen, but updates should quickly expand the offer. The 6.7-inch internal screen is sublime, with exceptional finesse and colorimetry. Now the hinge closes completely and the fold is very discreet. A Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is at the heart of the product, which means you'll erase slow or slow words from your vocabulary. Photo level, we have services close to the Galaxy S23 and an autonomy of a little more than a day. A nice evolution, which makes foldable smartphones even more interesting both in terms of style and everyday performance.
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Microsoft Surface Duo Hybrid PC, the true-fake foldable
With its foldable smartphone, Microsoft cheats a little... Indeed, it is not a product with a foldable screen, but two screens that are associated and work together. Thus, unfolded the Surface Duo 2 displays measurements of 184.5 x 145.2 x 5.5 mm and 145.2 x 92.1 x 11 mm folded. In the latter case, the product mainly allows you to consult its notifications. Open it and you have two 5.8-inch screens joined by a hinge that marks the separation between the two. Less technologically audacious, but a smart alternative. We then have a display diagonal of 8.3 inches in 4:3 format. Equipped with a Snapdragon 888, the mobile is powerful, fast, ideal for productivity. We then have three photo sensors: 12 megapixels, 16 megapixels in ultra wide-angle, and a 12-megapixel telephoto lens. The rendering is good, but remains below what offers a Samsung Fold 5. Level autonomy, count a good day of work.
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Huawei P50, the nomadic jewel
The Huawei P50 Pocket is surely one of the most stylish foldable smartphones on the market, not to say sexy. Its golden surface displays a ridged texture that composes an illustration inspired by nature. Its optical unit is perfectly integrated into the style of the product and offers quality photos, even at night. It embeds a Snapdragon 888 processor that allows it to display all your favorite applications without ever slowing down. The outer screen is limited to notifications and size (OLED in 1.4 inches), but unfold this jewel and you will discover a sublime 6.9-inch AMOLED panel and one of the most discreet folds on the market. The autonomy makes it possible to last a little more than a day and also offers a real fast charge. A perfect product? Unfortunately, Huawei no longer has access to Google services. It compensates with its own ecosystem, efficient, complete, but not as natural as the Google environment.
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How long does the hinge of a foldable phone last?
Folding smartphones are very expensive and so it is quite natural to worry about the quality of the hinge. Manufacturers are aware of this and know perfectly well that if the hinges are too fragile, it will not be forgiven in the age of social networks. They are therefore tested and retested in the laboratory and in real situations. Thus, the Z Flip 5 promises 200,000 folds! This represents 4 to 5 years of opening and closing on the basis of 100 per day. In these conditions, it is very likely that you change your smartphone before seeing the hinge of your folding screen let you go...
How to choose between Fold and Flip format?
In reality, the choice between "Fold" and "Flip" is quite simple. If you are looking for design, style and small footprint, the Flip format is preferred. Add that little pleasure of closing it like in the "good old days" of clamshell GSM, with one hand with a flick of the wrist. In addition, closed, they take up very little space, even if they gain thickness. Unless you only wear ultra-ultra-slim denims, it will fit in the majority of pockets and even micro handbags. If your needs are more professional, or productive, then the Fold format is preferred. Indeed, once opened we have a display area equivalent to that of a seven- or eight-inch tablet. More powerful than average, often accompanied by a stylus, they offer enough space for really effective multitasking. An ideal format to be productive in nomadism.