LikeRefined look and feelSits open at a number of anglesFixes practically each flaw from the unique
Don’t LikeInner display nonetheless fragileFingerprint unlock errors too quite a fewTyping can really feel cumbersome
The Galaxy Z Fold 2 isn’t just a foldable telephone. It’s a motion ready to occur. Samsung’s profitable do-over of its first foldable design improves on the unique Galaxy Fold in practically each means. It begins on the new 6.2-inch outer display and strikes on to the 7.6-inch inside show, and each hinge half, notch and crevice in between, delivering a high-end gadget that for the primary time attracts a full-size foldable telephone from the realm of fantasy to the sting of actuality. Samsung’s authentic Galaxy Fold was a daring idea with horrible execution. Besieged by issues and pitfalls at practically each flip, Samsung needed to redesign the gadget after evaluate fashions broke in a number of methods, inflicting the model to lose distribution companions, drop shade choices and ship the foldable gadget 4 months late.
For extra like this
Subscribe to the CNET Now publication for our editors’ picks of crucial tales of the day.
The Z Fold 2 might preserve the identical form as the unique, however it exudes confidence and competence that the primary design lacked — with one exception. CNET Section Editor Juan Garzon’s evaluate unit has a bubbled inside display, which might clearly fall underneath Samsung’s guarantee if a bought product arrived broken. The evaluate unit I’ve been utilizing hasn’t skilled any points. CNET has reached out to Samsung to report the issue.
Now taking part in:
Watch this:
Galaxy Z Fold 2: The new foldable telephone king
13:34
When I have a look at the Galaxy Z Fold 2’s massive outer show (6.2 inches), sturdy hinge and upleveled multitasking expertise, I see a foldable telephone striving to outline the intersection of smartphone luxurious and technical innovation, however with a utility that banishes the suggestion of gimmick. For instance, the Z Fold 2 changed my laptop computer for 28 hours and did practically every thing I wanted, although writing and enhancing admittedly took longer tapping out on a display than typing on keyboard squares. The Z Fold 2 is not a telephone for everybody — its $2,000 (£1,799, AU$2,999) worth places it out of vary for a lot of — however it’s a tool that deserves and calls for your consideration. Read on for the very best and worst Z Fold 2 options, and every thing that you must find out about digital camera, battery life and Samsung’s VIP remedy. You’ll discover the complete specs comparability with the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, Galaxy Fold and Microsoft Surface Duo on the finish.
Galaxy Z Fold 2: Samsung’s most luxe foldable telephone but
See all photographs
8 greatest enhancements to the Galaxy Z Fold 2 Premium look and feelHinge mechanism is sturdy and clean as you open and shut the gadgetNo gaps between the display and physique (I attempted with my fingernail. All sealed.)6.2-inch exterior display takes up many of the exterior footprintUltraskinny glass on the inside display as an alternative of plastic adhesive aloneSupport for 120Hz refresh fee (inside display)No notch on 7.2-inch inside showApps seamlessly swap between inside and outer shows How the Z Fold 2 could possibly be even higher Inner display is not waterproof, requires particular care instructionsReflection on the display crease is noticeable when hinge stays open Heavy, with sharp edges. Grows wearisome to carry throughout long-term useBetter cameras, together with a 5x optical zoomA extra correct fingerprint reader (extra under)Apps can elevate the bar on conforming to the display (extra under)Support for Work Profile apps within the multitasking view (extra under)Taken with the Galaxy Z Fold 2’s 2x optical digital camera.
Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
Z Fold 2 cameras are good, however Note 20 Ultra’s are higher Photography on the Z Fold 2 leaves little to complain about, until you have simply used the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra as your major telephone, like I’ve. That gadget, which prices $1,300 retail, has 5x optical zoom that the Z Fold 2’s 2x optical zoom needs it could possibly be, and some different fancy options that I might normally take or depart. Zooming into architectural options on a day journey to San Francisco, or seeing animals in nature, was so much much less satisfying on the Z Fold 2 in comparison with the Ultra. A ravishing view of San Francisco’s iconic Ferry Building on a gorgeous day, however the Z Fold 2’s 2x optical zoom is not any match for 5x if we needed to get somewhat extra shut and private.
Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
Photos are nonetheless good — excellent, even — however this is not probably the most superior digital camera telephone that Samsung makes. There are professional picture and professional video modes, which deliver it updated, and I do like with the ability to unfold the gadget to take a higher-quality selfie with the rear cameras. The Z Fold 2’s outer display serves as a viewfinder in the event you faucet the proper onscreen management, however it’s awkward to carry the telephone this fashion whereas taking a photograph, and every thing appears barely off-kilter in the event you’re your self onscreen and never the digital camera sensor. I additionally observed that lots of my normal photographs appeared ever so barely askew. Reviewing photos on the 7.6-inch display, although, is a dream. San Francisco avenue, utilizing night time mode.
Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
Flex Mode: Highs and lows of the self-supporting hinge I genuinely thought Flex Mode could be the Z Fold 2’s killer characteristic, however it did not fairly work out as anticipated. Flex Mode is Samsung’s option to describe the state of the Z Fold 2 if you bend the 2 screens in between completely closed and absolutely open, and the 2 “sides” keep the place they’re. The advantages are a lot actual. The telephone can prop itself open from a variety of at the least 75 to 115 levels, which implies it could turn into its personal stand vertically or horizontally, and a few apps can shift to make the most of the brand new dimensions. That primarily splits the interface in order that, for instance, you possibly can see a video on “top” and different navigation choices on the “bottom.” The Z Fold 2’s hinge can preserve its form from 75 to 115 levels with out snapping shut or flopping open.
Angela Lang/CNET
But there aren’t sufficient apps but that acknowledge the lengthy, slender dimensions and know learn how to use them nicely. And the pure display ratios if you bend the telephone in half work extra cohesively on the smaller Galaxy Z Flip than they do on the Z Fold 2. For instance, when the Z Flip bends in half, it kinds two squares. The backside creates a stand and the highest has a centered video digital camera that is intuitive to make use of for video calls, studying, watching movies and framing photographs from entrance and rear cameras. Meanwhile, the angles on the Z Fold 2 by no means felt fairly proper for many of these. Samsung says there are extra apps coming to make the most of the split-screen design — I actually hope that is the case. Battery life higher than I feared I frightened in regards to the Z Fold 2’s potential to ship all-day battery life with its 4,500-mAh battery capability. Note that these are two separate battery cells that collectively create the identical complete capability because the Note 20 Ultra, a telephone I believed had middling battery efficiency due to its resource-hungry 120Hz display. Now, add into the equation two battery cells which are usually regarded as much less environment friendly than one huge battery (due to battery chemistry) and a extremely huge 7.6-inch display that refreshes at twice the speed of a typical display (utilizing extra battery) and you may perceive the skepticism. The power-hungry 7.6-inch inside display helps a 120Hz refresh fee, which ought to drain the battery quicker the extra you utilize it. However, the Z Fold 2 ought to nonetheless final a day on a full cost.
Juan Garzon/CNET
However, the day I exchanged my laptop computer for a Z Fold 2, I used resource-hungry stay maps navigation for two hours in a 28-hour interval, browsed and messaged nonstop, watched hours of Netflix, took dozens of photographs and so forth. Even on this heavy day, I nonetheless managed to get from morning to night on a single cost. Part of that’s as a result of the 7.6-inch inside display solely makes use of 120Hz display refresh fee on an “adaptive” cycle, which implies it routinely flicks on if you’re doing one thing intensive sufficient to warrant the ultrasmooth scrolling, gaming and extra. The remainder of the time it reverts to 60Hz (just like the outer display, which I used at the least 60% of the time), and which held reserves in test. Battery life is not superb, however it’s greater than doable, and for a tool like this, I contemplate {that a} constructive. You may also manually swap the inside display’s refresh fee to 60Hz and in the event you enter battery-saving mode, 120Hz will fall away. You can use the outer display as a viewfinder for taking selfies from the principle digital camera — neat trick.
Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
Multitasking, typing, app continuity: A combined bag Multitasking: I like Samsung’s new multi-window app characteristic — principally — as a result of it makes it a lot simpler to separate the 7.6-inch display into two or three zones to make use of apps on the identical time. Dividing the display this fashion felt pure and useful for intervals of time. In this iteration, when you have got one app open, you are capable of swipe out from the facet menu, choose an app and drag it into one in every of three places: to the proper or left pane, horizontally, backside (a vertical place under the principle window), or a pop up in the course of what you are . This is nice flexibility right here. Unfortunately, not each app you have got put in works with this structure, together with apps sandboxed within the “Work Profile” part of Samsung’s Knox safety that works with company apps. It’s a disgrace, because the productiveness apps are among the many ones I wish to multitask with probably the most. Any app you begin on the outer display seamlessly picks up the place you left off if you open the Z Fold 2.
Jessica Dolcourt/CNET
App hand-off: I beloved the liquidity with which apps from the inside and outer display slid over to the opposite once I opened or closed the Z Fold 2. Any app you open the 6.2-inch outer display, any app you have got loaded will leap to the inside display as you unfold the gadget — seamlessly. It’s a bit of labor to dig into the settings to pick which apps you wish to go the opposite means when closing the bigger inside display, like a video (it’s going to routinely work for calls). I’ll say, it is fully well worth the effort to set this up. Typing: Once once more, I’ve to commend Samsung for making a break up display keyboard for the inside Fold display. The objective is to make typing extra snug on a wider-than-usual gadget that is most useful when it is absolutely unfolded into pill kind. However… my arms are on the smaller facet, which implies that even on the split-screen keyboard my paws really feel stretched. There actually aren’t third celebration apps to exchange the default keyboard, which implies I wind up collapsing the unfolded telephone — bending it barely towards the middle — to get the 2 sides collectively and achieve some typing reduction. If your arms are bigger, you could not thoughts as a lot, however it’s not a design for everybody. Apps that work for the display: Samsung is slowly however absolutely engaged on apps to make the most of the Z Fold 2’s bendable design in any formation. For instance, there’s drag and drop between Gmail, Chrome, Microsoft Outlook and Samsung native apps. Other apps, like YouTube video, will play good with the configuration. But till this catches on for all, anticipate some bootstrapping to get all of it how you want. The fingerprint reader (on the backside proper of this picture) is difficult to precisely hit when the telephone is closed.
Angela Lang/CNET
Fingerprint reader not a deal breaker, however wants a repair In the closed place, each new and authentic Galaxy Fold units appear like two telephones stacked on high of the opposite in a scrumptious cell sandwich. The draw back — and weirdness — is that the fingerprint reader on the Z Fold 2’s energy/lock button (on the proper backbone) is each fully wise and in addition irrational. Here’s what occurs. You enroll as much as 4 fingerprints when the telephone is totally flat, unfurled (not folded in half), however in the event you attempt to unlock the gadget when it is closed, your thumb has to seek out the exact angle and divot within the backside portion of the stacked display sandwich to unlock it with out error or delay. Despite this very handy placement and setup, I needed to punch in my backup credentials extra instances than not. Should you get the Galaxy Z Fold 2? A $2,000 telephone is not a paltry affair, particularly when 50% of the screens are fragile and finicky at greatest. But I’ve a totally totally different viewpoint than I did of the primary Galaxy Fold — to the good thing about the successor. The Galaxy Fold was a mesmerizing beta telephone, a blueprint, meant for probably the most devoted of tech advocates dwelling on the sting whereas Samsung and the remainder of the business labored out the small print. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is not for everybody, however it does so much to deliver the way forward for foldable telephones inside attain.
Angela Lang/CNET
I nonetheless do not assume this $2,000 Z Fold 2 with its fragile display is value it for many, however it’s so much nearer to the sort of gadget on a regular basis individuals may need and need than final yr’s inchoate version. As an ultrafancy telephone, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 affords status and superior marksmanship for a do-everything telephone of this sort. As a tech-lover’s dream, it presents a grounded risk that did not exist earlier than. Samsung’s VIP foldable Z Premiere remedy Samsung has expanded its VIP membership for foldable telephones. Anyone who buys a Z Fold 2, Fold or Z Flip (together with the brand new Z Flip 5G) will get entry to this system. Galaxy Z Concierge program for on-demand customer support and sessionFirst-time display alternative of $149Six months of LinkedIn PremiumFoundersCard advantages: 12-month membership if you preorder. After launch, you get six months freeA ready meal from a Michelin starred restaurant via TockFairway Pass Elite via ClubCorp, which supplies you entry to golf clubsSix months of Obe Fitness on-line exercises$50 off Glamsquad in-home hair serviceGalaxy Z Fold 2 vs. Microsoft Surface Duo vs. Galaxy Fold vs. Galaxy Z Flip
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2
Microsoft Surface Duo
Samsung Galaxy Fold
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
Display measurement, decision
External 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED; Internal: 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED. External: 2,260×816 pixels. Internal: 2,208×1,768 pixels
Dual 5.6-inch AMOLED; 1,800×1,350 pixels. Combined: 8.1-inch AMOLED; 2,700×1,800 pixels
Internal: 7.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED; 2,152×1,536 pixels (plastic). External: 4.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED; 1,680×720 pixels (Gorilla Glass 6)
Internal: 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED; 2,636×1,080 pixels. External: 1.1-inch Super AMOLED; 300×112 pixels
Pixel density
386 + 373 ppi
401 ppi
362 ppi (inside display)
425 ppi (inside), 303 ppi (exterior)
Dimensions (Inches)
Folded: 2.67 x 6.26 x 0.6 in (hinge) ~ 0.54 in (sagging). Unfolded: 5.04 x 6.26 x 0.27 in (body) ~ 0.23 in (display)
Folded: 5.72 x 3.67 x 0.399 in. Unfolded: 5.72 x 7.36 x 0.19 in
Folded: 6.3 x 2.5 x 0.6 in. Unfolded: 6.3 x 4.6 x 0.3 in
Folded: 2.99 x 3.44 x 0.62 ~ 0.68 in. Unfolded: 2.99 x 6.59 x 0.27 ~0.28 in
Dimensions (Millimeters)
Folded: 68 x 159.2 x 16.8mm (hinge) ~ 13.8mm (sagging). Unfolded: 128.2 x 159.2 x 6.9mm (body) ~ 6mm (display)
Folded: 145.2 x 93.3 x 9.9 mm. Unfolded: 1,145.2 x 186.9 x 4.8 mm
Folded: 62.8 x 161 x 15.7mm ~ 17.1mm. Unfolded: 117.9 x 161 x 6.9mm ~ 7.6mm
Folded: 73.6 x 87.4 x 15.4 ~17.3 mm. Unfolded: 73.6 x 167.3 x 6.9 ~ 7.2 mm
Weight (Ounces, Grams)
9.95 oz; 282 grams
8.8 oz; 250g
9.7 oz; 276g
6.46 oz; 183g
Mobile software program
Android 10
Android 10
Android 9.0 with Samsung One UI
Android 10
Camera
12-megapixel (important) + 12-megapixel (vast angle) + 12 megapixel (telephoto)
11-megapixel
12-megapixel (wide-angle), 16-megapixel (ultrawide-angle), 12-megapixel (telephoto)
12-megapixel (wide-angle), 12-megapixel (ultrawide-angle)
Front-facing digital camera
10-megapixel, 10-megapixel
Uses important digital camera
Two 10-megapixel, 8-megapixel 3D depth
10-megapixel
Video seize
4K
4K
4K (HDR 10+)
4K (HDR 10+)
Processor
Snapdragon 865 Plus
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855
Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ (64-bit octa-core)
Storage
256GB
128GB, 256GB
512GB
256GB
RAM
12GB
6GB
12GB
8GB
Expandable storage
None
None
None
None
Battery
4,500 mAh
3,577 mAh
4,380 mAh
3,300 mAh
Fingerprint sensor
Side
Right facet
Power button
Power button
Connector
USB-C
USB-C
USB-C
USB-C
Headphone jack
No
No
No
No
Special options
Foldable show, 120Hz refresh fee, wi-fi charging assist,
Dual-screen show; dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM)
Foldable show, wi-fi charging, quick charging
Foldable show; wi-fi PowerShare; wi-fi charging; quick charging
Price off-contract (USD)
$2,000
$1,400
$1,980
$1,380
Price (GBP)
£1,799
Converts to £1,080
£2,000
£1,300
Price (AUD)
AU$2,999
Converts to AU$1,915
AU$2,950
AU$2,999
First printed Sept. 16