Introduction
2019 had been a great year in the smartphone industry! Not only we saw manufacturers trying out different ways to eliminate the notch, but there were breakthroughs in terms of technology. We saw 5G phones, but only a few selling here right now. We saw foldable devices, some folding inward and some outward. Today, we have a foldable device! Without further ado, this is the Samsung Galaxy Fold review, a late one, though.
Unboxing
Since this is a premium device, the unboxing experience is rather different compared to other Samsung flagships. In fact, the box is bigger as well, with a big “Galaxy” word being folded, nice one Samsung!
The box contains:
- Galaxy Fold
- Protective case
- User guide & warranty
- 25W fast charging brick
- USB-A to USB-C cable
- Galaxy Buds
- Extra ear tips
- USB-C to USB-A adapter
- SIM ejector tool
It’s nice that the Galaxy Fold actually comes with the Kevlar protective case split into two halves. The reason for doing that is because it’s impossible to latch on the hinge part.
Design
In terms of design, the Galaxy Fold looks awfully thick when it is folded, which reminds me of the old thick brick phone. The volume rocker, power button, and fingerprint sensor are located on the right, as well as the SIM slot.
As for the left side, the hinge in between covered with this metal shroud. It has stereo speakers, which located on the top and bottom (together with the USB-C). Since this is a foldable device, it’s normal that there’s a gap when it’s folded. Overall, it is quite easy to grab with one hand when it is folded.
When it’s unfolded, it is quite hard to grab with one hand. It is all about the screen, though the crease in the middle is quite obvious. There’s one annoying thing, by the way, which is the notch that houses the dual-camera — 10MP selfie camera + 8MP RGB depth camera.
We all know what happened to the initial version of the Galaxy Fold, with that Samsung has made improvements for the latest version:
- The top protective layer of the Infinity Flex Display has been extended beyond the bezel, making it apparent that it is an integral part of the display structure and not meant to be removed.
- Galaxy Fold features additional reinforcements to better protect the device from external particles while maintaining its signature foldable experience:
- The top and bottom of the hinge area have been strengthened with newly added protection caps.
- Additional metal layers underneath the Infinity Flex Display have been included to reinforce the protection of the display.
- The space between the hinge and body of Galaxy Fold has been reduced
Display
Here comes the main part of the device — the screens. The Galaxy Fold has two displays, the cover display is a 4.6-inch HD+ Super AMOLED display. As for the main display, it is a 7.3-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED Display (4.2:3) Infinity Flex display.
I’ve already mentioned that the crease is quite obvious when it’s unfolded, especially when you’re viewing it at a specific angle or bright light reflections. For normal usage, it isn’t really a big problem, but you can still feel it. One thing you’ll need to be careful about is the main display is made of plastic, so it can easily get scared or scratched. During my review period, I’ve noticed that there are marks, please don’t put your credit card and fold it, unless you want your credit card number permanently marked on the screen.
As usual, AMOLED remains one of the top-class displays, especially when it’s on Samsung devices. The 4.2:3 aspect ratio is kind of weird if you watch videos a lot. That weird notch actually spoils the overall viewing experience.
Performance
In terms of performance, the Galaxy Fold is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor with 12GB RAM and 512GB UFS 3.0 storage. For the first time since the Galaxy S4 Active, the Galaxy flagship device in Malaysia uses a Qualcomm processor, instead of its own Exynos processor. It performs pretty well as expected but gaming can be a little weird given it has a 4.2:3 screen.
Software
The Galaxy Fold runs on Samsung One UI 1.5 on top of Android 9.0. The overall software experience is quite similar to the Galaxy Note10+ that we reviewed but without the S Pen features.
However, Samsung has added a few features to take advantage of the multiple screen sizes. The first one is App Continuity, which allows apps and content to quickly and seamlessly switch from the cover display to the main display or vice versa. Do take note that this feature won’t work on every app and there might be some scaling issues.
The next feature is the Multi-Active Window, which is designed for the ultimate multitasker. It works just like an iPad, you can open and run multiple active apps simultaneously on the main display.
Camera
The Galaxy Fold packs a triple-camera setup on the back — 16MP ultra-wide 123˚ + 12MP F1.5/F2.4 Super Speed Dual Pixel with OIS + 12MP telephoto with OIS. There’s a 10MP selfie camera located on top of the cover display and 10MP selfie camera + 8MP RGB depth camera on top of the main display.
Image quality generally is quite similar to the Galaxy Note10+ if not better. It still has the Night Mode which captures nice low-light photos. Once again, Samsung did well in retaining the color consistency for three different focal length cameras, but the Pro Mode still doesn’t have wide controls.
Battery Life
The Galaxy Fold comes with two batteries with a total of 4,380mAh, one on each half. It supports 25W fast charging, which charges up quickly. The battery life wasn’t that impressive, though, I was able to get around 4.5 hours of screen-on-time, but it is able to last through a day.
Final Words
Retailing at RM8,388, this is definitely the most expensive Android device that I’ve ever reviewed. In fact, Samsung Malaysia recently has also come out its Easy Payment Plan (valid until 16 February 2020), which lets you choose either 12, 24 or 36 months installment and you’ll be entitled a rebate worth RM699!
If you purchase the Galaxy Fold, you’ll get access to its new premier service, which includes free on-site pick-up and delivery Service Support for your convenience and customers are entitled to a one-time inner screen replacement or repair when they register their Galaxy Fold in Samsung Members. Both services are available within 12 months from the date of purchase.
As a reviewer, I am grateful that Samsung Malaysia loaned this device for me to experience the company’s latest innovation. It was pretty cool bringing this phone walking around and the reaction when other people saw me unfolding the phone was priceless. Though the practicality is still lacking since this is just the first-gen product, I am looking forward to seeing what Samsung will come out for the next-gen product.
Obviously, this is not a device for everyone, this is more of a device for those who want to buy the technology or innovation. If you really want a Samsung flagship device, just go ahead to get the latest Galaxy S or Note series, which is around half the price.