I switched to Samsung’s foldable phone and now it’s hard going back

From the moment I popped my SIM card into Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra, I couldn’t wait to stop using it again.

It’s not because I prefer the iPhone—I toggle between iOS and Android for fun and research purposes—or because the S24 Ultra is a bad phone. The real culprit is Samsung’s other flagship, the Galaxy Z Fold5, which I bought in October.

At this point, I’m well past the new gadget honeymoon phase and am clear-eyed about foldable phones’ compromises. (There are quite a bunch.) But after using the Fold5 every day for the past three months, big phones that don’t fold just feel uncomfortable and unwieldly, and I’m eager to get back to something more flexible.

What’s a foldable phone for?

In case it’s not clear why you’d want a phone that unfolds into a small tablet, here are the uses that have most resonated with me:

• Watching videos.
• Watching videos with something else in split-screen, like social media.
• Reading e-books.
• Thumb-typing on a spacious keyboard.
• Taking selfies with the rear camera, with a preview on the outer screen.
• Using the tablet screen as a jumbo-sized viewfinder.
• Showing photos to other people on the bigger screen.
• Emailing and browsing in split-screen, ideally with my foldable keyboard.
• Plugging in my Razer Kishi controller for Nintendo emulation.
• Mounting it to my car dashboard for split-screen maps and music.
• Playing Golf on Mars.

Of course you can do most of these things on a regular-sized phone, but it just feels more cramped. And while I could use a small tablet instead, the foldable phone has the unbeatable advantage of always being in my pocket. Foldable phones are more useful to me than any iPad that I’ve owned.

A matter of comfort

Beyond the tangible use cases, the Galaxy Z Fold5 is also just comfier in my hands than the jumbo phones I’ve been using all these years.

The light bulb moment occurred for me while reading an e-book in bed on the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Holding the phone in one hand eventually became tiresome, but cradling it in on both hands was awkward. The Fold5, with its book-like tablet screen, felt just right.

At the same time, I’ve come around to the Fold5’s outer screen in a big way. While some reviewers have knocked it for being too narrow, that makes it easier to use with just your thumb while you’re on the move. If you think smartphones have become too unwieldy, a giant foldable phone might ironically be the answer.

Part of the added comfort also comes from the changes Samsung made with the Fold5 in particular. While the tech specs aren’t much different from 2022’s Galaxy Z Fold4, it finally folds flat with no wedge shape between both halves of the screen. That goes a long way toward making it feel like a normal phone, and it’s more comfortable in my pocket than the Galaxy S24 Ultra because of the narrow footprint.

Foldable phones make sense now

I’m not going to argue that foldable phones are without compromise. Samsung’s foldables still have inferior camera systems compared to the Ultra series, and the inner screen still isn’t as pretty with its pre-applied screen protector and raised edges. (It also requires more maintenance, as dust gets trapped around outside.) That screen still has a crease down the middle as well, though it’s hard to make out when you’re looking at it straight on.

And while most of my apps work fine on the larger screen, occasionally I’ll run into a website that loads a blown-up, mobile-optimized version, or an app that isn’t sure how to handle the extra screen space. In those cases, the tablet screen is more of a hinderance than an advantage.

But in my time with the Galaxy S24 Ultra, I’ve been reminded that every device has compromise. For years, I’ve tolerated huge, unwieldy phones like this because I wanted the extra screen space. Now I realize that in exchange for a different set of trade-offs, I can have an even roomier screen that’s more comfortable in practically every scenario.

As for the cost, the Galaxy Z Fold5 is astronomically expensive at its $1,800 list price, but here’s the secret: These phones are terrible at holding their value on the second-hand market. If you shop on a site like Swappa, you can get a mint-condition, unlocked Fold5 for just over $1,000—which is less than an S24 Ultra or an iPhone 15 Pro Max. (I got mine in October for $1,150 in like-new condition.)

At this point, I don’t see myself going back until I’m required to use another phone for the aforementioned research purposes. Having to do so with the Galaxy S24 Ultra made me a total convert.

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