Daccanomics
While it is still early to be talking about the best phone of the year, we have seen a dramatic shift in the mobile phone industry. The tech companies are bringing back the old design mixing it up with the latest technology and creating something more alluring than ever. You probably have heard about the coming of the foldable phones and all the buzz around it.
Well, it is no longer a concept or prototype. There are some options to choose from the foldable phone category which are already available in stores. Though it is pretty early for the re-emergence of foldable phones, but you can get yourself one if you like. It seems like all the big brands are leaning towards it. The latest one to drop-in is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. Yes, finally Samsung did it and it might be the best available foldable phone available in the market.
The best thing the Galaxy Z Flip has to offer is normalcy and minimal compromises. At its core, the Z Flip is effectively a refreshed and slightly improved Galaxy S10+, which is a good thing. You’re getting capable specs and performance, hardware that feels solid and high-quality, and a set of cameras that are just a little bit behind the highest-end phones this year. Compared to the shortcomings of other foldable, the Z Flip shines for having such good daily usability.
The Galaxy Z Flip also has the most durable folding screen available today, with its Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) screen covering. Now, of course, that’s all relative, as other foldable up to this point have purely plastic screen coverings, but it’s something. The UTG covering can still be damaged rather easily compared to the extremely hard glass found on non-folding phones, but it’s more robust than what we had before and it should be a bit more resistant to damage through normal use.
As a compromise, you’re giving up a little bit compared to a normal phone of the same (or lower) price. With just a 3,300mAh battery, longevity is on the low side. While its screen is great for a foldable, it’s just 1080p and doesn’t have the same clarity and quality as a fixed panel — and its large bezels can be cumbersome. You’re also getting a pretty weak single speaker, there’s no ultra-wide camera on the back, and the tiny 1.06-inch cover display on the outside isn’t useful for much more than showing the time and date.
Pros:
- Most durable foldable screen
- Really strong specs
- Typically great Samsung build quality
Cons:
- UTG screen covering still isn’t very strong
- Cameras a step behind 2020 flagships
- Weaker battery life than standard phones
- Tiny cover display is almost useless
Bottom line
When it comes to the limited selection of foldable phones, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is the best of the bunch. It doesn’t offer the same level of quality and value as a normal non-folding smartphone, but that’s not what we’re evaluating here. If you are really looking for a flip phone setting aside the specifications then it is the best you will get at this point in time.
As far as a foldable goes, it offers the best combination of features and quality while limiting compromises. When it’s open, it operates mostly like the Galaxy S10+ — and then you can fold it in half to a more compact size to better fit in your pocket or bag. Being familiar and normal is a feature in this case when you get the extra benefits of having a folding display on top of it all.
