Foldable phones: A love-hate relationship. After a smartphone hiatus, foldables lured me back, but not without some drawbacks. Having used most US-market foldables, here’s my perspective, written from my own foldable device.

6. Unconventional Aspect Ratios: My first foldable was the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, followed by the 2024 Moto Razr . Both offer screen resolutions differing from traditional phones.

• ##### Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

  The Galaxy Z Fold 5 (Samsung's 2023 flagship) boasts a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 'for Galaxy' chip, 12GB RAM, and UFS 4.0 storage. Its new Flex Hinge allows a completely flat closure, but it has shortcomings elsewhere.

  See at AmazonSee at SamsungSee at Best Buy

• ##### Motorola Razr (2024)

  The Motorola Razr offers innovative interaction, capture, and creation features. Its large external display allows for many functions without opening the phone.

The Z Fold’s exterior is tall and narrow, while the interior is tall and wide. The Razr is nearly square externally and slender internally. Apps adapt well, but games and videos often exhibit letterboxing or pillarboxing.

5. Flip Foldables: Unexpectedly Tall: Flip foldables aim to transform into standard smartphones, but they're taller than expected. Even with long fingers, the Razr’s height required awkward swiping for notifications. The centrally placed hinge necessitates higher-than-usual volume buttons. This tall, slender form factor, while not ideal for me, might appeal to those seeking to minimize phone usage.

Personally, I find this less comfortable than a traditional phone.

4. Cameras: Not Flagship-Level: Book-style foldables are premium-priced (unless you find deals on the secondary market, like I did with my Z Fold 5 and 6, both acquired at roughly the price of an iPhone Pro).

##### Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

8/10 The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 seamlessly blends tablet functionality with phone convenience. Its large internal screen offers seamless transitions from the cover display.

See at Amazon$1900 at SamsungSee at Best Buy However, the camera hardware lags behind non-foldable flagships. My Z Fold 6's camera is comparable to the Galaxy S25, not the S25 Ultra. While still excellent, it lacks the S25 Ultra's telephoto lens and higher-resolution ultrawide. The foldable experience, though, enhances photography in ways that outweigh these limitations for me.

Related ##### 4 Ways a Foldable Phone Changes Your Camera Game

Foldables might not have top-tier camera hardware, but they offer a uniquely fun photography experience.

3. Flip Phones: Less Compact Than Expected: Flip phones offer the best of both worlds: a full-sized phone when open, and a compact device when closed. But the compactness is relative. Pocket-friendliness is more about width than height or depth. My Z Fold is more pocket-friendly due to its narrower design. Flips like the Razr and Z Flip maintain their open width when closed, resulting in a thick, awkward square. While potentially better for purses, they don't significantly reduce pocket bulk.

2. Larger Screen, Smaller Battery: The 7.6-inch screen is amazing, dwarfing even the Galaxy S25 Ultra and iPhone Pro Max. But this comes at a cost: smaller batteries. My Z Fold 6's 4400mAh battery powers a 7.6-inch screen, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra's 5000mAh powers a smaller 6.9-inch display. Shorter battery life isn't a dealbreaker for me, but it's a reality.

1. Lower IP Rating: Foldables' fragility is a common concern, but my Z Fold phones have been surprisingly durable. However, they have lower IP ratings (my Z Fold 6 has IP48, compared to the Galaxy S phones' IP68). This means less dust and water resistance, a trend across models like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and OnePlus Open.

• ##### Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold

  The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold features the Tensor G4 processor, 16GB RAM, and advanced AI capabilities.

  Buy on Amazon$1799 at Google Store$1799 at Best Buy

• ##### OnePlus Open

  The OnePlus Open is a tablet-like foldable with a phone-sized outer display and a nearly square inner display, plus a large camera array.

  $1699 at OnePlusSee at Amazon

Despite the drawbacks, I don't regret owning a foldable. My wife now uses my old Z Fold 5, treating it with more care than her previous Pixels. For her, it’s a phone. For me, it’s transformed my digital life, replacing my PC and freeing me from my desk.

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