"click"
Close the Galaxy Fold (the feeling) is still satisfying, Samsung's first folding phone has finally been repaired, and the five-month wait seems to be worthwhile. It's cool to open it, because the large foldable phone that can be put in your pocket is not breathtaking at all.
The Galaxy Fold priced at $1,980 has not greatly improved my life, and it is very likely that it will not survive 2 years of use. This phone is a big step towards future smart phones, although it is more like a prototype for early holders, which means waiting for the second generation is the choice you should make.
What happened, and what did Samsung fix?
First of all, what exactly happened to postpone the release? In April, before the Fold debut, a batch of Galaxy Fold devices in the hands of reviewers encountered the display Screen issues, which caused Samsung to postpone the release.
This company recalled all the equipment, and there was no news from the Fold until the end of July. Samsung announced that they would fix these problems, and the phone release time was changed to September.
The following is a list of Fold hardware changes:
- The screen saver, which was mistaken for a screen saver by some reporters, is now inserted under the edge of the screen, adding The difficulty of removal. Earlier models will cause screen damage if removed.
- In order to ensure that small particles such as dust will not enter the phone, plastic seals are added to the top and bottom of the Fold when it is opened.
- The gap between the fuselage and the hinge is smaller, and it is also designed to prevent dust. The
- polymer screen has been additionally strengthened, and a metal backing plate has been added below.
now also adds advanced services, providing 7x24-hour Samsung technical services for those who have purchased Fold.
Galaxy Fold does not feel like a fragile mobile phone, but Samsung emphasizes that it treats mobile phones using new materials, not like ordinary mobile phones. It is true that another evaluation agency has a damaged screen, which does not rule out the defect of the machine itself. The new and old models in my hand have not encountered any problems, but obviously for a brand-new type of product, there is still a lot to polish in terms of hardware and software. Therefore I do not recommend anyone to buy this phone. When the second and third generation mobile phones come out, the price will drop and the hardware and software will be optimized.
Opening and closing: Hardware
Okay, let’s continue to talk about what everyone loves to see: the experience of using Galaxy Fold can be said to be unique. The first of the two screens is the one you see in your hand. It is a small, 4.6-inch Super AMOLED HD screen (1680x720) surrounded by thick edges that appear to have come from 2008. If you open the Fold like a book, you will see a 7.3-inch QXGA+ resolution (2152x1536) Dynamic AMOLED screen.
This 7.3-inch screen is the protagonist. Samsung calls it the Infinity Flex display. The material is not glass but a multilayer polymer. Not as smooth and beautiful as glass, but it is the key to folding screen mobile phones. It's very convenient to open from the edge, and closing the screen gives you the joy of hanging up with a flip phone.
After closing, the Fold is as long as the Galaxy S10 Plus. The thickness is very "appreciable", equivalent to two mobile phones superimposed on each other. After a few days of use, I found that although the Fold was thick, it could fit in all trouser pockets, so I didn’t care. It may be inconvenient for people with small pockets.
The phone is very long and narrow when closed, so it can be easily held in the hand. But when the book is unfolded, it is a different matter. The weight of the Fold can be completed with one hand, but it is more suitable for operation with both hands. AndThe navigation keys of roid can be set on either side of the left, center, or right, and can be adjusted according to the position of the dominant hand.
has the power button and volume button on the right, and the same fingerprint recognition as on the Galaxy S10e. Long press the power button will trigger the Bixby function, open Samsung's virtual assistant, you can also modify the settings to display the power menu.
The in-screen fingerprint recognition is not as cool as on the Note 10 Plus, but the position of the sensor is lower for me. I use the face unlock of the front camera instead, but it is not as secure as Apple's Face ID. Like the Galaxy Note 10 series, the headphone jack is removed but the Samsung Galaxy Buds are originally included.
mobile phone does not have IP-level dust and water resistance, it is the only Samsung flagship mobile phone without a rating. Spending a big price also means that you need to treat it differently from other phones. My biggest worry is the scratches and indentations on the polymer screen. The new Fold that has been evaluated has such problems. A larger screen means more damage, because the material is not rigid enough. The machine in my hand has not been scratched or dented.
When I opened the Fold for the first time, the edges on both sides of the unfolded were flat like a pancake. After a few days of use, the phone cannot be completely flattened. The edges are slightly raised, especially when held in the hand. Fold is no longer as strong as it was when it was out of the box. The displacement and friction of mobile phone components can be sensed by both hands and ears. I am curious how Fold feels after using it last year.
Yes, the phone is not fragile and looks like a brick, but I am sure that one or two drops on the road can make the device scrap. Perhaps to give comfort, a Kevlar-like protective shell was also included. Put on the protective case and you won't be able to use the front and back fingerprint recognition, but the soft material does not provide fall protection.
Screen and crease The 7.3-inch screen is beautiful, colorful and sharp. The brightness is sufficient to see the contents of the screen clearly under direct sunlight, but the polymer material reflects light to make the screen look thick and needs to be used at a specific angle. This is not inconvenient for indoor use, but you need to adjust the direction when picking up the Fold outdoors.
The front 4.6-inch screen looks better, but it is more difficult to evaluate due to its smaller size. The content looks crowded and typing on it is a nightmare. Samsung claims that the front screen is mainly used for prompting information, and I also use it.
Did you see the marks on the fold of the phone? Yes, the creases are especially obvious when viewed from the side or outdoors. It’s not easy to see it when viewed from the front, especially when using bright apps. You can even feel the trace when you swipe your finger across the 7.3-inch screen. I got used to it quickly, but it still compromises the experience of watching the video.
Software Experience
Samsung’s One UI is based on Android 9 Pie and comes with some surprises pre-installed. As mentioned earlier, I only use the 4.6-inch screen to clearly remind, check the time, or ask Google Assistant to ask questions. I use a 7.3-inch screen for everything else. The grip feel is similar to that of the Kindle. It is not difficult for people with large opponents, and it is difficult for people with small hands.
mentioned Kindle, Galaxy Fold has completely replaced my e-book reader. The size is similar to the Kindle, so reading on a 7.3-inch screen using the Amazon Kindle app is not great. I can even close my phone like a book after reading it, and successfully get my favorite big screen.
Playing games like Pako Forever and Alto’s Odyssey looks great. Movies and videos are more immersive than ordinary mobile phones. Each app is super large, and the adapted Google Maps, Gmail, and Google Calendar go further and make the most of the extra space.
Not all apps are easy to use, the Instgram interface looks exaggerated, and only one-timeTo see a post, Twitter also needs to be optimized. As time goes by, more folding phones enter the market, and developers are expected to adapt apps to larger screens.
The App Continuity function of Samsung and Google is worth mentioning. Any app used on a 4.6-inch screen will automatically open on a 7.3-inch screen. The seamless switching keeps the content of the app unchanged. You can also implement this function in reverse. For example, when I closed the Fold, the Google Maps app switched to a 4.6-inch screen, which is really great.
Multitasking is also good, although not as smooth as triggering on iPadOS. Samsung also added a floating window that can be called from the right. Clicking on the app in this panel will trigger the multitasking mode, and you can open three apps at the same time to achieve the best experience. It is better to use split screen mode when using two apps, like holding two phones at the same time.
Not all apps can work in this mode. For example, Facebook Messager cannot be opened in split screen mode. Samsung hopes that developers can add support for more folding phones in the future.
Maybe you are wondering why you need such a large screen, the following scene will let you know at a glance. For example, if I receive a meeting that needs to be re-formatted, I don’t need to close the mail app. I can select Slack from the multitasking bar and join the meeting with my colleagues. You can also open the calendar app to view the schedule. In this way, checking schedules, contacting colleagues, and reading emails can be completed by colleagues instead of switching back to the app. This is the best part of Galaxy Fold, but Samsung and Google's split-screen mechanism can be further optimized, but the experience is not as smooth as iPadOS.
Strong performance
Like the Galaxy S10 series, the Fold has a built-in Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor. This is the standard configuration of this year's flagship phones, and a large number of Android phones are already in use. With exaggerated 12GB memory and 512GB built-in storage. There is no MicroSD card slot for expansion, but basically no more storage is needed.
I always say that 12GB of memory is too hard. However, considering that few mobile phones can open multiple apps at the same time for multitasking, it is considered to be more secure than other mobile phones. I have not encountered any performance issues with Galaxy Fold. In addition, games like Pako Forever, Alto’s Odyssey, and PUBG: Mobile also run smoothly on a 7.3-inch screen.
running points are as follows:
- AnTuTu 3D running points: 361,857
- Geekbench 4 CPU: 575 single-core; 2,240 multi-core
- 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 4858 Vulkan; 5,571 OpenGLfc4d#
These scores are not bad, but compared to the new iPhone 11 series, OnePlus 7T, and ASUS ROG phone 2. In any case, Galaxy Fold will not let you down. The software you want runs without problems.
Six cameras
The camera experience of Galaxy Fold is the same as the Galaxy S10 Plus we have already seen. The difference is the number of cameras-this time It's six. The front camera is a 10MP lens. When the screen is turned on, it can also be paired with an 8MP 3D depth-of-field lens. The back is a 16MP ultra-wide lens, a 12MP standard lens (with variable aperture), and a 12MP telephoto lens. The front 10MP lens is newly added and is the only difference between Fold and S10 Plus configuration.
Fold takes pictures quickly and is colorful in good lightAnd details, stable HDR makes the photos will not be overexposed or underexposed. The three lenses on the back form a robust system, and you can choose the perfect card between zooming in focus or ultra-wide angle. The details are often muddy in low light, and the main lens that can be switched to a large aperture in night scenes is much better. But still not as good as the night view of iPhone11, Huawei P30 Pro or Google Pixel 3.
Live Focus, Samsung’s portrait mode that increases the background blur effect of objects, performs best in the sun. It's not that the strokes or details of the object are strong, but the results are quite solid.
In addition to the above, you can also shoot 4K HDR video, which can add a sense of cinema and more color to your video. Super stable mode can also sacrifice photo quality to get smooth shots.
is an average selfie, from the 10MP camera located above the retractable screen. Compared with the iPhone 11 or Pixel 3, it lacks details, and I often encounter the problem of overexposed background. You may prefer the selfie camera on the inner screen-that is, the camera with depth-sensing-selfies taken with Live Focus are slightly better. The blur is more precise and the photo looks more dynamic. If you like to shoot vlog, these selfie cameras can also shoot high-quality 4K UHD videos.
The camera system is not number one, but the six cameras of the Galaxy Fold are satisfactory. Moreover, the reversible means that you have more options for taking pictures.
Excellent battery life
Galaxy Fold has a built-in 4380mAh battery. This is a dual-cell battery, but you only need to consider the battery life to be good. Under light and moderate daily use: including browsing social media, sending messages, etc. I often have 50% battery power until 6 o'clock in the afternoon. If you add content such as watching videos, playing games, reading Kindle, streaming music, etc., Fold can persist all day, with 30% remaining at 7pm. Although not as good as the iPhone 11 Pro Max, it is good enough.
There was an in-depth reading test. I measured 7 hours of contact bright screen time, which was quite touching. I want to use the same conditions on Google Pixel 3 XL for an average of only three and a half hours.
The battery test passed the maximum brightness to play 1080p tubing video, Galaxy Fold lasted 14 hours and 10 minutes. Very powerful. Behind the Huawei P30 Pro ranked second.
You can wirelessly charge the Galaxy Fold-in either folded or open mode-or you can choose to use a USB Type-C charging cable. Although it supports fast charging, it only supports Qualcomm's QC2.0 technology, which is not fast compared to other mobile phones that support 4.0. Although the charging speed is slower than that of the Note 10 Plus, it has also been fully charged from 5% to full in 2 hours.
Support for wireless charging means that it has inherited the wireless sharing from Galaxy S10. You can turn the Fold into a Qi wireless charging station to charge other devices that support this standard, such as the Galaxy Bus headset or even the iPhone Xs. Of course, due to the slow charging speed, it is only suitable for the most urgent situations.
Price, place of sale and warranty
Galaxy Fold is priced at $1,980, with built-in 512GB storage and Samsung’s Galaxy Buds true wireless headphones. The colors are cosmic black and space silver. There were 2 colors available before, but Samsung has streamlined it in the new version. There is also a 5G version of the Galaxy Fold outside the United States.
Buyers can get Samsung's advanced services, providing 7x24 consultants with third-level engineers. You can ask any questions about the Fold, and they can help you show the phone features or more.
The warranty is only standard one yearTime, but includes a free screen repair. After the warranty period, you have the opportunity to spend $150 to replace the screen at a time, or $600 if you need it later. Samsung Advanced Warranty can extend the warranty period and warranty content, but it costs $12 per month.
our point of view
Samsung Galaxy Fold, despite its unsuccessful release, is indeed a solid footprint for folding phones. The price of 2,000 dollars makes most people unattainable.
Is there a better choice?
If you want to find a folding phone, there are not many opponents. The biggest competitor is Huawei’s Mate X, which has a more expensive price of $2,600, a larger battery, a more lubricious design, an extra screen on the back, and perhaps a better camera like the Huawei P30 Pro. Unfortunately, Huawei phones are not sold in the United States.
If you just want a good phone, then the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus is a good start. You can also take a look at the Galaxy S10 and iPhone 11 series. If you are a photography party, you can also consider Google Pixel 4.
How long will it last?
For the first folding mobile phone from a major international manufacturer, this question is a bit evil. Ideally, it can be used for 3-4 years, but due to the early screen problems, the delayed release, coupled with the damage of the new version, from the fragile mechanical structure of the hinge to the damage to the screen in daily use, will shorten the service life.
One thing is that Samsung is really slow in pushing software updates. If you want to use Android 10 early in 2020, you may be disappointed.
Should you buy?
No. Galaxy Fold feels like the phone of the future, but the current price is still too expensive.
