The World of Foldable Smartphones: A Review of the Best Devices
In recent years, foldable smartphones have become increasingly popular, offering users a unique and innovative way to interact with their devices. With various brands offering their own versions of these devices, it can be challenging to determine which one is the best. In this article, we will review some of the top foldable smartphones available in the market, including the Honor Magic V2, OnePlus Open/OPPO Find N3, and other notable devices.
First up is the Honor Magic V2, a device that has been gaining attention for its impressive features and form factor. The device boasts a massive 5000mAh battery, which is remarkable considering its thin and light design. Additionally, it comes with 66-watt charging capabilities out of the box, making it an excellent choice for heavy users. However, there is a catch - the Honor Magic V2 is not readily available in the West yet, but it will be releasing in the coming months.
Another device worth mentioning is the OnePlus Open/OPPO Find N3, depending on your region. While it may not be as compact as the Honor Magic V2, it still offers impressive features such as a full usable cover display and 120Hz refresh rate on both the cover and folding displays. The device also comes with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage, WiFi 7, and 8 Gen 2, making it an absolute spec monster. Furthermore, it features excellent flagship cameras and includes 67 watts of fast charging out of the box.
In terms of multitasking, the OnePlus Open is one of the best devices in this category. The canvas-style multitasking feature allows for seamless interaction between apps, making it ideal for users who need to perform multiple tasks simultaneously. Another notable device worth mentioning is the Google Pixel Fold, which offers a unique and innovative way to interact with its device. While it still needs some work on the hardware side, it is an impressive device that showcases what foldable smartphones can do.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 almost made my top five list, primarily due to its excellent software optimized for the foldable form factor. Additionally, its large usable cover display at 3.4 inches is a significant advantage over other devices in this category. However, it still falls short of perfection due to its weight and bezels.
On the flip side, Motorola's Razr 40 Ultra or Razr Plus is an excellent flip smartphone that offers a unique design and user experience. While it may not be as sturdy as some of the other devices on my list, it is still a great option for users looking for a compact device with impressive features. Another notable mention is the Nothing Phone 2, which offers a unique glyph interface and clean software.
In terms of budget-friendly options, Techno and Infinix are doing an excellent job in this category. However, many of their devices are not available in the West, which limits my ability to fully review them. Xiaomi, Vivo, and OPPO have also released some great smartphones this year, but they seem to be either not available in the West or releasing late in the market.
As I conclude my top five list, I must mention that opinions may vary depending on individual preferences and needs. The devices mentioned above offer a range of features and form factors, making it essential for users to research and compare them before making a purchase decision. I would love to hear about your favorite foldable smartphones in the comments section below.
In conclusion, the world of foldable smartphones is rapidly evolving, with various brands offering innovative solutions to this emerging technology. While opinions may vary, the devices mentioned above offer impressive features and form factors that make them stand out in their respective categories. Whether you're looking for a compact device or an absolute spec monster, there's something on my list that should satisfy your needs.
**Honorable Mentions**
I'd like to extend a special mention to some of the other excellent smartphones I reviewed this year. The OnePlus 11 is one such device that takes the brand back to its roots, offering impressive performance and features at an affordable price point. The Honor Magic 5 Pro is another notable device that showcases the capabilities of Honor's flagship series.
Additionally, the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate offers exceptional gaming performance, making it a top choice for gamers looking for a high-end smartphone experience. Lastly, the ZenFone 10 remains one of the best compact phones available in the market, offering impressive performance and features at an affordable price point.
**Future Plans**
As I conclude this article, I'd like to mention that some devices will be released later in the year than their Western counterparts. While this can make it challenging for me to review them, it also means that users may have more time to research and compare different options before making a purchase decision.
In collaboration with Marquez, I'll be releasing an upcoming video that showcases my top five picks for smartphones this year. The video will cover the devices mentioned above as well as some of the other notable releases in 2023. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting development!
**Conclusion**
The world of foldable smartphones is rapidly evolving, with various brands offering innovative solutions to this emerging technology. By reviewing some of the top devices available in the market, we can better understand their features and form factors, making informed decisions about which one is right for us. Whether you're looking for a compact device or an absolute spec monster, there's something on my list that should satisfy your needs.
In conclusion, I hope this article has provided valuable insights into the world of foldable smartphones. If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts on foldable smartphones, please don't hesitate to reach out in the comments section below.
"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- What's up guys?Saf here on SuperSaf TVand it's almost the end of 2023.And that means it's timefor my traditional top fivesmartphones of the year.Now, a few disclaimersbefore we start as always.I have used lots of differentsmartphones this year,but of course I've notused every single one.So there may be one of your favoritesthat's not in this list, andthat's absolutely fine, guys.We can still be friends.Drop your favorites down in the comments.Also, this list is in no particular order.I'm giving you just my top five favorites.However, I will berevealing my daily drivers,the devices that I'mtaking with me to 2024in the end of year SuperSafStylecollaboration with all of my friends.You're going to want to seethat first, so do subscribeand hit that bell iconif you haven't already.With all of that out theway, let's get to my list.Now, I did do a midyearversion of this videoand there were lots ofcomments in that video saying,why are there no iPhones in your list?But that video was done back in Mayand there were no new2023 iPhones back then.However, we have had the newiPhones, so it just makes senseto start with my favoriteiPhone this year,which is the first on this list.And I think there's no surprises here.For me, it is the iPhone 15 Pro Max.Now this is an excellentoverall smartphonewith an amazing display, great build,and some of the mostconsistent cameras out there,especially when it comes to video.I still would say thatthe iPhone 15 Pro Maxhas the best video on any smartphone.We now also have five times zoom,which is excellent for portraits.And we have the new A17 Pro,which is the industry's firstthree nanometer chip seton a smartphone, and that allows youto play console levelgames right on your iPhone.We also now, finally,finally have USB Type C.And although this is notan innovation by any means,it's something that should have beenthere many, many years ago.I'm just so glad it's hereand I don't have to carryaround so many cables.Now, there was someoverheating issues initiallythat people reported, butwe did get a software updateand it's something that I'venot experienced massively.And although we havethis new action button,it's really not very reachable,so I've not used it much at all.And the same goes for the dynamic island,which is great foranimations and information,but it's the top mostelement of the screen,which I just don't findmyself interacting with.Now, the iPhone 15 Pro is very similarand it does get an honorable mention.It just doesn't havethat 5 XL photo camera.But the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plusdo not make my list this year,and that's because to me,although they're good smartphones,they don't really stand out.They are almost iPhone 14Pros, slightly cut backwith the same A16 bionicchip, a 60 hertz display,not a ProMotion display,no telephoto camera,and the build not being aspremium as the Pro models.Moving on, the secondsmartphone on my list,once again in no particular order,is the opposite of Apple,and that is Google.It's the Google Pixel 8 Pro.Now traditionally the Pixel Pro devices,although they're very good,they sometimes have somecutbacks which don't put themright up against the competition.This year however, the Pixel8 Pro is a true flagship,which goes head to headwith anything out there.It's got an amazing display,one of the brightest at 2,400 nits,and excellent cameraswith Google's processing.Now, I know not everybodyloves Google's processing.Some people do feelthat it's overprocessed,but I absolutely love it,especially the dynamic range.Some of the best you're going to get.And of course, because it's from Google,we get the clean Androidexperience with seven yearsof OS and security updates promised.Now there's a star there.This is something that's promised.We're going to have towait and see if Googledo deliver on this promise.But regardless, some ofthe AI software featuresthat you're going toget on the Pixel 8 Pro,you're not going to get on pretty muchany other device out theresuch as Magic Editor,Audio Magic Eraser aremy favorite best take.Now, some of these featuresdo take some time to processbecause everything hasto go into the cloud.We do have the Tensor G3, whichis fine for your day to day,but it doesn't really match upto the high performance of someof the other flagships out there.We also have a temperaturesensor, which is somethingthat I've literallyonly used for the reviewand not touched since.And the price has increased comparedto the Pixel 7 Pro last year.However, Google have had some crazy dealssuch as getting the Pixel Watch 2 for freewith the purchase of a Pixel 8 Pro.I'll leave some of thelatest Black Friday dealsfor the Pixel 8 Pro and other devicesdown in the descriptionif you're interested.Now, an honorable mention does have to goto the Pixel 8, whichhas lots of the featuresthat the Pixel 8 Pro has.It now has a 120 hertz display,which is not as bright,but we do have similar camerasand lots of the samefeatures at a lower priceas well as a more compact form factor.And also the Pixel 7A is a great optionif you are in a budget, whichhas lots of the featuresthat we had last year on the Pixel 7and something that I caneasily recommend to a lot of people.Now, the third smartphoneon my list was actually onethat was probably one of thefirst that released in 2023,but it still holds upand goes head to head withall of the other flagships.It is of course theSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.Now, yes, it's an incremental update.It looks pretty much exactlythe same as the S22 Ultra,but in my opinion, this isstill the best all rounder.We've got a great display,excellent consistent cameraswith the best extendedzoom on any smartphone.And this year we finallygot Snapdragon 8 Gen 2across the board.No XNS and Qualcomm battle this year.The battery life has stillbeen good and still holds up,and we do have the S Pen,which although I don't use all the time,I'm so glad it's there andit's very, very useful,something you don't geton many of the devices.Now it has been overtakenby other devices in certaindepartments such as,for example, the display, which is good,but it's not as good as someof the other competition out there.But the S24 Ultra isjust around the cornerand it's probably going tobring lots of the improvements.Now, if you're still thinkingof getting the S23 Ultra right now,I can still recommend it.And once again, you can getsome really, really good deals.I'll leave those linked downin the description below.Now I do have to givesome honorable mentionsto the S23 as well as the S23 Plus.They have a lot of the featuresthat the S23 Ultra has,but at a lower priceand especially the S23, very, very compactand easy, easy to recommend.So that's three.Now, my last two picks,they were very difficult to decide on,but I've finally settled on two foldables.The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 isan excellent device overalland still a really good foldable option.However, it has not mademy list and that's becausealthough Samsung is theinnovator of this categoryand it still has some of thebest multitasking software,I do think that they have been overtakenin the hardware department.And the leader in foldablehardware in my opinionis the Honor Magic V2and it has made my list.Now this is easily thebest foldable when it comesto hardware because itdoesn't feel like a foldable.It weighs just 231 grams, which is lesscompared to the iPhone 14 Pro Max.And when it's folded, it'sunder 10 millimeters thin.And this to me is what thedream of a foldable is.You shouldn't have to havea compromise when you're using it closed.It should feel like a regular smartphone.The display is not narrow,the device is not thick,and when you do want to experiencethat full folding display,you can open it upand then you can use it for multitasking,gaming or whatever you'd like.Both displays are 120hertz, they're really good.We've got the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2and somehow Honor have managedto fit in a massive 5,000total milliamp hour batteryin this very thin and light form factor.We still get 66 watt chargingincluded out of the box,which you don't get onmany of the smartphones.However, there is a bit of a catch.The Honor Magic V2 isn'treadily available in the Westas yet, but it will becoming in the next few monthsand I cannot wait for the next versionof the Honor Magic V2.And that brings us on tothe final pick in the list,once again in no particular order.And that is the OnePlus Openor the OPPO Find N3depending on your region.Now this is not as compactas the Honor Magic V2,but it's still relativelycompact for a foldableand once again, no compromises.We've got a full usable cover display,which feels like you'reusing a regular smartphone.And best of all, it's oneof the brightest displaysyou're going to find out therewith a peak brightness of 2,800 nits,refresh rate of 120 hertz.This is both for the cover displayas well as the folding display.Now because the device is from OnePlusit's an absolute spec monster.16 gigabytes LPDDR5X RAM, 512gigabytes UFS 4.0 storage,wifi 7, 8 Gen 2.And we also have reallygood flagship cameraswith no compromise.67 watts of fast chargingincluded out of the box.And I really do like thecanvas style multitaskingthat you get on the OnePlus Open.I think it's one of thebest multitasking featuresthat you've got on any foldable.Now on the foldable side,I do want to give some honorable mentions.One is to the Google Pixel Fold,which is the first attemptat a foldable from Google.And it is really nice.I think it still needssome work on the hardware,it's still quite heavy andwe do have those bezels.And on the flip side of things,the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5almost made my top five list,and that's because itfinally has a large usablecover display at 3.4 inches.Excellent software optimizedfor the foldable form factorand still under $1000 in the US,but the price has increased in the UK.And we also did have theMotorola Razr 40 Ultraor the Razr Plus in the US,and that is a great flip smartphone,but it still has lastyear's 8 Plus Gen 1 chipand it's just not as sturdy with the hingecompared to the Z Flip 5.And of course there were lotsof other excellent smartphones this year,which do get honorable mentions.The OnePlus 11,taking things back to theroots of OnePlus in my opinion.The Honor Magic 5 Pro, anexcellent flagship from Honor.The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate,the best gaming phone in my opinion.And the ZenFone 10, whichI think is still the bestcompact phone that you can buy.A lot of these devices werecovered in my midyear top fivepicks, which I did incollaboration with Marquez.You can also see his top five picks.I'll link that video in the cardsand down in the description,but some phones thatrelease later in the year.The Nothing Phone 2, I stillthink it's quite uniquewith the glyph interface and has someof the cleanest software out there.And on the budget side of things,I think Techno and Infinixare doing really good things,although a lot of those devicesare not available in the West.Now with Xaiomi, Vivo, and OPPO,some great smartphonesthey've released this year.However, they seem to eithernot come out in the Westor come out very late in the West,which has not given me theability to fully cover them.And in particular with OPPO, they seemto have not been pushing somuch in the Western markets.I'm hoping that will change next year.So that is my top five list.I know it's going to bedifferent to your favorites.Drop those down in the comments belowand I will be revealing my daily driversin that upcoming collaboration.If you want to see that first,do subscribe and hit that bell icon.I hope you enjoyed thisvideo and find it useful.If you did, do smashthat Like button for me.I'll leave the related videosthat we talked about here and here.Thanks for watching,this Saf on SuperSaf TVand I'll see you next time.\n"
