Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Review - Android

We’ve seen a couple of bizarrely-designed and foldable smartphones in the market before. But most of them are just too over-reaching that they feel awkward to use as a daily driver.

The Z Fold 2 is nothing like that, surprisingly. It feels like a finished smartphone and not a prototype. But the question is, is it worth spending Php100,000+ on? We spent quite a long time with it to find out. So, without further ado, here’s our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Specs

• Android 10, Samsung One UI
• Dual SIM, dual standby
• 7.6-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, 2208 x 1768 pixel resolution
• 6.2-inch HD+ Super AMOLED cover display, 2260 x 816 pixel resolution, ~386ppi
• 3Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus octa-core processor
• 12GB RAM
• 256GB UFS 3.1 internal storage, non-expandable
• 10-megapixel cover camera, f/2.2
• 10-megapixel front camera, f/2.2
• 12-megapixel (Super Speed Dual Pixel AF, OIS, f/1.8) + 12-megapixel (ultra-wide, f/2.2) + 12-megapixel (f/2.4, OIS, Telephoto) rear cameras
• 2x optical zoom, 10x digital zoom, HDR10+ recording, Tracking AF
• Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
• Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos
• 4G LTE, 5G
• WiFi 6, WiFi hotspot
• Bluetooth 5.0, NFC
• GPS, GALILEO, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
• USB Type-C
• Dimensions: 159.2 x 68.0 x 16.8mm (folded), 159.2 x 128.2 x 6.9mm (unfolded)
• Weight: 282g
• Color: Mystic Black, Mystic Bronze
• 4,500mAh non-removable battery, 25W wired charging, 11W wireless charging, 4.5W reverse wireless charging

Design and Build Quality

The original Fold feels a lot like a prototype. If anything, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 should have been the first Fold sold to the market. The bezels and notches in the front and main screens are now larger and more usable, and its main component — the hinge — now feels sturdy enough to last long a long time.

What struck us the most when we first saw this device is its outside 6.2-inch AMOLED screen. Besides being a huge step-up from its bezel-laden predecessor, its tall aspect ratio and uniform, ultra-thin bezels make it incredible to look at.

Other than looking good, this makes the outside screen more usable. It was supposedly made for quick tasks like checking notifications, skipping music, answering calls, and whatnot. However, possibly due to the size familiarity, I’ve used it in doing tasks that I should’ve done on the main screen like social media, web browsing, and more.

And that’s just the first screen. The main event happens when you fold it open, where a tablet-like 7.6-inch Super AMOLED screen greets you. It now uses a more glass-like material for better durability.

Samsung downscaled the first generation’s annoying notch to a smaller single punch-hole for the selfie camera on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2. The bezels are also ultra-thin and uniform, which makes it incredibly nice to look at.

Although Samsung is yet to fix the creasing issue, that’s inevitable to pretty much anything that folds, just like the screen on this one.

But actually, the crease is almost unnoticeable during my time with it, especially when you’re looking at it head-on. You won’t be bothered by the crease unless you’re really looking for it or if you’re staring off-axis. You can feel the dent when you touch it, but you can get used to it immediately.

Now let’s talk about one key feature that makes this form-factor possible: the hinge. A new internal mechanism provides enough tension, so you can have it folded half-way in a laptop-like form without the screen slipping down.

I also like how it provides a satisfying click when you fold it close or open. Letting you know that it would stay in place.

The screen gap when it’s closed was also kept at the minimum so it stays thin as possible when in your pocket.

You can also notice that the hinge is almost tightly sealed to prevent any dust from coming in and possibly ruining the screen or the internals. The hinge is completely concealed when you open it up, just like the Galaxy Z Flip 2.

Probably my only gripe about the design is its chunkiness. It weighs a whopping 282g, about 50% heavier than a regular smartphone. It’s also 16.8mm thick when folded. Clearly, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 is quite hard to hold for a normal phone and really sticks out in your pocket.

But you have to understand that this is a new form-factor. Clearly, there’s a price to pay for having a smartphone-tablet hybrid as a daily driver. On the upside, when unfolded, it’s only 6.9mm thin, making it really sleek for a tablet.

The rest of the outer features are pretty basic. We have the tactile volume controls on the side, just above the lock/power switch that doubles as the fingerprint scanner. Having it on the side makes more sense than having an in-display scanner on the outside and inside screens.

We have the USB-C port and microphone on the bottom, while on the top, we have the noise-isolating microphone. The second part of the screen has loudspeakers on each side. Ensure that it’s the one on top while you’re holding the device on landscape, so you don’t cover the speakers with your hands.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 features a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus for the cover display, Gorilla Glass 6 on the back, and a solid aluminum frame.

You can notice the triple cameras on the back, which has a Galaxy Note 20 design to it.

Well, it goes without saying that the design and form-factor is the key feature of the Galaxy Z Fold 2. We just wish that, in the future, foldable phones will be a whole lot thinner and more compact.

Display and Sound Quality

Let’s talk about the center of attraction here, the main foldable display. At 7.6-inches, it’s almost tablet-like. It features a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a 2208 x 1768 pixel resolution.

Being an OLED panel, it offers vibrant colors and deep contrast. Screen brightness is also sufficient in outdoor use.

Another key feature here is the 120Hz refresh rate. Due to its large size, we keep the setting to Adaptive, which intelligently switches to 60Hz depending on the task at hand to conserve battery. The high refresh rate works really well, making everything a whole lot smoother — from browsing the interface to playing select compatible games.

One of the key improvements of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 over the first Fold is the outside screen. It’s now a larger 6.2-inch Super AMOLED screen, but only with an HD+ resolution, so sharpness is really not the best.

Samsung rigged that Galaxy Z Fold 2 with a great pair of speakers to complement its large screen. It has a really loud volume, with great sound balance. And since it’s a large device, the stereo separation is really distinct.

But just like most high-end phones, this one doesn’t come with a headphone jack. No Type-C to 3.5mm adapter in the box either. Thankfully, the AKG wired earphones that it came with is USB-C. There’s also a chance that you’d get it with a free Galaxy Buds Live bundled.

Performance and Hardware

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 is already a niche device by itself, which is probably why it comes standard with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus processor for all markets. No Exynos 990 variant, which not a lot of people are a fan of.

AnTuTu Benchmark on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

GeekBench on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

As you know by now, the Snapdragon 865 Plus is the most powerful mobile chipset in the market today. Partnered with its generous 12GB of RAM, you can take full advantage of the device’s large screen. You can multitask and split-screen all you want.

Gaming was also great on this phone, especially on this screen. You can play top games like League of Legends Wild Rift and Call of Duty Mobile at max settings with no issue.

Call of Duty Mobile on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2

The tall aspect ratio of the inside screen sure makes everything large. However, in games like CODM, it would be better to have a w