I used Samsung’s R50,000 folding phone for 2 weeks, and I don’t want to go back

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G is one of the coolest smartphones to ever come to South Africa.

Its most innovative feature is its fold-out screen and the highly advanced hinge mechanism that drives it.

It also has a single separate screen on the front cover, which you can use when folded.

This front screen is exceptionally slim but still easy to use, and it means the device looks fantastic in any configuration.

However, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G comes at a price: it costs around R2,799 a month with a mobile contract in South Africa, or you can buy it outright for R49,999.

Fortunately, Samsung sent us a new Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G to test.

After emerging victorious from the fight that ensued for the smartphone as soon as it arrived, I had the opportunity to use it for the next two weeks and find out what it was like to use a flip phone as my everyday device.

Eager to join the exclusive flip phone users club, I migrated my data and went diving.

Trust and care

Once you get used to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G, it’s impossible to go back to the smaller, single-panel displays of standard smartphones.

Folding and unfolding the device also becomes second nature as it gets used to doing so for different applications.

On my first day with the Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G, I was tentatively bending the screen as if its hinge was made of glass, but by the end of the two weeks, I was closing it with the same confidence that I used to exercise. the last samsung flip phone i owned.

While you’ll get used to the folding mechanism and sleek Android interface that makes it easy to switch between settings seamlessly, the accompanying attention will follow for a while.

It’s hard to ignore someone folding their phone and putting it in their pocket when their Uber arrives, or opening the phone to read a book in the waiting room.

I got some curious looks during the two weeks that I used the smartphone and was often politely questioned about it.

It’s more of a talking point than subtle, but you won’t find yourself unfolding and folding it just for the sake of novelty – there are plenty of great apps enabled by the unique design of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G.

Excellent utility

The first thing you miss about the Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G when you go back to a normal phone is its screen.

Unfolded, the Fold 2 5G’s main screen size allows for many new applications outside of the capabilities of standard smartphones.

These include providing a comfortable mobile reading experience, using the half-folded smartphone as a laptop to take part in a video call or watch YouTube, and working in multiple windows without things getting cramped.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G taught me that I primarily use my smartphone in two ways: to quickly check messages, enter short replies, and navigate notifications in an unfocused and usual way; and focus on device content by writing longer messages, watching videos, or reading longer content.

The smartphone is designed to perfectly adapt to this behavior. The smaller front screen is sleek and well-sized for one-handed operations, making it perfect for the regular checks and quick responses we put our devices through throughout the day.

Opening the smartphone provides an interface that offers twice the screen size of standard smartphones, and is great for engaging in more detailed content, such as Netflix or mobile games.

These screens can also be used simultaneously, a function that is best displayed when taking pictures of other people.

When taking a photo with the device unfolded using the main camera, you can toggle an option to use the front display as a mirror so your subjects can see themselves while shooting.

Whether with wireless reverse charging or high-quality photography, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G never failed to meet my expectations. Most of the time, he got over them.

Impressive hardware

One of the most impressive features of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G is the battery life.

Despite having two displays to drive, as well as a 5G-capable chipset, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G easily lasted all day on a single charge.

This great battery life is partly due to the smartphone’s dynamic refresh rate, where it adapts the frequency at which it updates the home screen based on the application being used.

The processor, storage space, RAM and other internal components offer great performance, and the 5G modem is capable of excellent speeds, as long as it is in a coverage area on a supported network.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G’s triple-lens rear camera system is excellent too, delivering the image quality you’d expect from a high-end flagship smartphone and the two front-facing cameras (one on the folding screen and one on the front side) means you can use it for selfies and video calls in any setting.

It also offers Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, which is great if you have a high-speed home Wi-Fi connection and a compatible router.

However, the most impressive thing is the design of the folding mechanism of the smartphone.

We put it through two weeks of intensive use, folding and unfolding the smartphone regularly without any problems.

There are little covers on the top and bottom of the OLED screen that protect the back of the screen from anything that might otherwise get into the device, and the whole gadget feels much sturdier than the previous generation Galaxy Fold. .

Priced at R49,999, it is understandable that there are few flaws with the Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G.

My experience with this smartphone has been one of the best I’ve ever had, and it has only made me more excited about folding smartphones and their applications in the future.

Full specifications and images of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G that you provided us for review are below.

specs

Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G

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Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G – Applications

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