The best foldable phones to buy in 2024
Now that Google has announced its new foldable phone, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, we finally have official information for what are probably all of the heavy hitters in this segment for 2024. That said, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold won't come to stores until sometime in September, so there will still be a bit more time until we get to test it and give you our honest opinion on it.
Of course, Samsung has already released Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6, while Motorola was first to enter the flip phone scene with the Razr Plus, which is better than its competition in more ways than one.
The only big announcement in this segment that's left is the OnePlus Open 2, but rumours are saying we will have to wait until 2025 to see the successor.
So, given that these are most likely the best foldable phones we will see for 2024, which one should you go for? The good news is that there's enough variety to fit all kinds of needs, so let's see what your options are.
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Our phone ratings are a comprehensive score that considers 12 key aspects of the smartphone experience, including battery life, photo quality, design, and performance. Each category is rated on a scale of 0 to 10, with varying weights assigned to reflect their relative importance. For instance, battery life is considered more crucial than design.
To provide a more accurate comparison, we also introduce the "Price Class Average." This metric evaluates how a specific model stacks up against competitors with similar specifications and pricing. By understanding the average score within its class, you can gain a better perspective on the device's overall performance.
Please note that perfect scores (9s and 10s) are rare. Our new rating system has been meticulously designed to be forward-looking and capable of discerning even subtle differences between phone models. This allows for future growth and ensures that top-tier devices maintain a competitive edge.
Currently, the best Android phones typically score around 7.5, leaving room for future advancements and improvements. For a more in-depth analysis, explore our sub-categories, such as Battery Score and Camera Score, which provide detailed breakdowns and finer-grained ratings.
The best foldable phones of 2024 at a glance
Best for mixed use: Pixel 9 Pro Fold
PhoneArena Rating: 6.7/10
PhoneArena Battery Score: 5 hours 42 minutes
PhoneArena Camera Score: 139
PhoneArena Battery Score: 5 hours 42 minutes
PhoneArena Camera Score: 139
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a significant improvement over its predecessor, offering a larger, brighter display, a more robust design, and impressive AI features. However, its high price tag and relatively minor camera upgrades make it a tough sell compared to competitors like the OnePlus Open and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Some of the key features and benefits that the Pixel 9 Pro Fold comes with include:
- Larger display: The Pixel 9 Pro Fold boasts an 8-inch inner display, larger than its rivals.
- Brighter screen: The display reaches a peak brightness of 2,319 nits, making it easier to see in sunlight.
- Improved design: The foldable is thinner, lighter, and has a sturdier hinge.
- AI features: The device offers new AI features like Made You Look, Gemini Live, and Reimagine.
Something that the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is great at, just like its predecessor, is being used as a regular phone. The cover display is shaped like one you would find on a regular non-foldable phone, which makes the phone more intuitive to use without opening it up. The inner display is mostly reserved for watching videos or multitasking, which it also does very well, making it a great 2-in-1 device.
The starting price for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is $1,799 for the 256GB model, which is a tough sell. Also, even though it has a good camera system, it is not better than the OG Pixel Fold in any way.
Read more: Pixel 9 Pro Fold review
Best camera on a foldable: OnePlus Open
PhoneArena Rating: 6.5/10
PhoneArena Battery Score: 5 hours 34 minutes
PhoneArena Camera Score: 144
PhoneArena Battery Score: 5 hours 34 minutes
PhoneArena Camera Score: 144
The OnePlus Open is a premium foldable smartphone that offers a compelling blend of performance, design, and features. Its lightweight construction and smooth hinge make it a joy to use, while the large, high-quality displays provide an immersive viewing experience.
Powered by a powerful processor, the OnePlus Open delivers exceptional performance for demanding tasks. The versatile camera system captures stunning images and videos in various lighting conditions, and the long-lasting battery ensures you can stay connected throughout the day.
Here are some key features that make the OnePlus Open a great choice:
Powered by a powerful processor, the OnePlus Open delivers exceptional performance for demanding tasks. The versatile camera system captures stunning images and videos in various lighting conditions, and the long-lasting battery ensures you can stay connected throughout the day.
Here are some key features that make the OnePlus Open a great choice:
- Lightweight and easy to use: The OnePlus Open is one of the lightest foldable phones on the market, making it easy to use with one hand. It also has a smooth and responsive hinge that allows it to fold and unfold easily.
- Large and bright screens: The OnePlus Open has a large and bright inner display that is perfect for watching videos, playing games, and browsing the web. The outer display is also large and bright, making it easy to use for quick tasks like checking notifications and taking selfies.
- Top-notch hardware: The OnePlus Open is powered by a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, making it one of the fastest foldable phones on the market. It also has a large battery that provides excellent battery life.
- Versatile camera system: The OnePlus Open has a versatile camera system that includes a main camera, a wide-angle camera, and a telephoto camera. The cameras take great photos and videos, and the telephoto camera allows you to zoom in on subjects without losing quality.
- Long-lasting battery: The OnePlus Open has a large battery that provides excellent battery life. It also supports super-quick charging, so you can quickly charge it up when you're on the go.
Overall, the OnePlus Open is a blend of everything you would want from a foldable phone, and more. Given that it is a bit older than the other devices on this list, you can also probably find it with great discounts that reduce its price. OnePlus itself has currently placed a 23% discount on its website, dropping the price down to $1,299.99.
Read more: OnePlus Open review
Best overall foldable phone: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
PhoneArena Rating: 6.8/10
PhoneArena Battery Score: 5 hours 33 minutes
PhoneArena Camera Score: 142
PhoneArena Battery Score: 5 hours 33 minutes
PhoneArena Camera Score: 142
The Galaxy Z Fold 6's sleek design, powerful performance, and robust software support make it a top choice for users seeking a high-quality foldable smartphone.
Here are a few key characteristics that make it the safe choice as far as foldable phones go:
- Improved design: The Fold 6 has a thinner and lighter design than the Fold 5. It also has a stronger hinge and a wider cover screen, making it more comfortable to use.
- Durable display: The Fold 6's main screen has a new protective layer that is said to be more resistant to pressure and sharp objects. The crease in the middle of the screen is also less noticeable than on previous models.
- Excellent performance: The Fold 6 is powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset, which makes it very fast and powerful. It also has a larger vapor chamber for better cooling, making it a great phone for gaming.
- Improved battery life: The Fold 6 has the same battery capacity as the Fold 5, but new optimizations from Samsung allow for better battery life.
- Good cameras: While the cameras haven't been upgraded significantly from the Fold 5, they are still very good and can take high-quality photos and videos.
But where there is good, there is usually bad, and the Z Fold 6 lacks in some specific areas, just like its predecessor. For example, it does not have a dust resistance rating, which means it may not be the best phone for use in dusty environments. Also, it only supports 25W wired charging, which is slower than some other flagship foldable phones like the OnePlus Open.
Arguably the worst part about the Z Fold 6 is its extreme price tag of $1900 for the 256GB model, reflecting a $100 price increase compared to its predecessor. The 512GB and 1TB variants come in at $2020 and $2260 respectively.
Read more: Galaxy Z Fold 6 review
Thinnest foldable phone: Honor Magic V3
PhoneArena Rating: 7/10
PhoneArena Battery Score: 6 hours 37 minutes
PhoneArena Camera Score: 134
PhoneArena Battery Score: 6 hours 37 minutes
PhoneArena Camera Score: 134
The Honor Magic V3 has emerged as a formidable contender in the foldable smartphone market. In a close comparison with the Galaxy Z Fold 6, the Magic V3 narrowly edged out its rival, securing a 0.2-point advantage in our rating system.
While both phones offer compelling features, the Magic V3 stands out for its exceptional thinness. If a sleek, compact foldable is your priority, this device is a compelling choice. However, availability may be a challenge, particularly in regions like the United States.
While both phones offer compelling features, the Magic V3 stands out for its exceptional thinness. If a sleek, compact foldable is your priority, this device is a compelling choice. However, availability may be a challenge, particularly in regions like the United States.
Some of its standout features are:
- Exceptional Thinness: The Magic V3 boasts the slimmest profile among foldable phones, measuring at an impressive 4.35mm when folded. This makes it remarkably portable and pocket-friendly. The slim design contributes to a more comfortable and discreet carrying experience, making it easier to slip into your pocket or bag.
- Powerful Performance: You get the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, ensuring smooth and efficient multitasking, gaming, and demanding app usage.
- Long-Lasting Battery: The Magic V3 features a substantial battery that can comfortably last through a full day of moderate to heavy usage. It also comes with very fast charging so you can top up in a pinch.
However, the V3 has very limited availability and you won't find it in stores in the US. That said, you can buy it on Ebay for $2,489, which is quite the hefty price tag.
Also read: Honor Magic V3 review
Best battery life on a foldable: Vivo X Fold 3 Pro
PhoneArena Rating: 7.2/10
PhoneArena Battery Score: 6 hours 44 minutes
PhoneArena Camera Score: 137
PhoneArena Battery Score: 6 hours 44 minutes
PhoneArena Camera Score: 137
The Vivo X Fold 3 presents a compelling proposition in the foldable smartphone market. Its combination of high-quality displays, sleek design, robust performance, and competitive pricing makes it a worthy contender.
As you might have guessed, though, the it is not available in the US, just like the Magic V3. There is an international version of the X Fold 3 that can cost you around $1,500. For that money, you get:
- Exceptional Displays: The device boasts a large, vibrant 8-inch internal screen and a 6.5-inch external display, both featuring high resolution and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate.
- Compact and Lightweight: Despite its expansive internal screen, the X Fold 3 maintains a thin and lightweight profile, ensuring comfortable handling and easy portability.
- Enduring Battery Life: The ample 5,700mAh battery consistently delivers all-day performance, allowing users to go about their day without worrying about frequent recharges.
- Powerful Performance: The X Fold 3 Pro's endurance is truly remarkable, as demonstrated by its exceptional performance in our battery tests, where it scored 13 and 38 minutes
- Enhanced Security: Dual ultrasonic fingerprint scanners provide convenient and secure biometric authentication, ensuring easy access to the device.
But while the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro offers impressive features like high-quality screens, robust build, dual ultrasonic fingerprint scanners, exceptional performance, and long battery life, its availability can be a challenge, especially in certain markets.
Given the potential difficulties in acquiring the X Fold 3 Pro and the risk of carrier compatibility issues, it might be worth considering alternative options that are more readily available and can still deliver a satisfying user experience.
Given the potential difficulties in acquiring the X Fold 3 Pro and the risk of carrier compatibility issues, it might be worth considering alternative options that are more readily available and can still deliver a satisfying user experience.
If you're fortunate enough to secure the X Fold 3 Pro, you'll be rewarded with a premium device that offers excellent value, particularly when compared to the price increase of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold. However, the challenge of finding a reputable retailer selling the X Fold 3 Pro may deter some potential buyers.
Also read: Vivo X Fold 3 Pro
Are foldable phones worth the extra cost?
Well, nowadays it is the big book-like foldable phones that actually cost more than your regular flagship phone. Whether that extra cost is worth the money depends on what you want to use that phone for. If can make use of the additional productivity that this form factor allows, then yes, it might be worth the cost. In all other cases, however, we would venture to say that you are better off with something like a Galaxy Ultra from Samsung, or any equivalent from another manufacturer.
- They are usually much more expensive than a regular high-end flagship
- They tend to weigh more
- They are not as durable
- They can very rarely match the camera performance of regular flaghsips
- There is a display crease where the screen folds
On the other end of the spectrum are flip phones, which have become more affordable, with the best example being this year's Razr (2024) from Motorola. For a starting price of just $700 you get many benefits of this form factor, such as a more compact body and the ability to control much of the phone functionality without having to open it. Still, you get the usual downsides of a foldable phone when you buy a flip foldable, which is less space for good camera hardware and lower durability.
Are foldable phones durable enough?
The foldable tech has been improving in the last couple of years. Foldable smartphones were somewhat fragile in the beginning. Now things have changed and current foldable phones are way more durable. For the Z Fold 4, Samsung promises the device is durable enough to survive a minimum of 200,000 folds – more or less 5 years if you fold and unfold it 100 times a day. Americans check their phones on average 344 times per day, according to a survey by Reviews.org on smartphone usage for 2022. That's around 122,000 checks a year. But checking doesn't mean interacting with it – you can check the outer screen of the Samsung foldable for notifications, texting, or even a brief scroll through social media, without ever unfolding the phone.
The moral of the story – a foldable phone like the Z Flip 4 and the Z Fold 4 should survive for around five years of regular usage. Good enough for today's standards.
Is battery life affected in foldables phones?
Yes, battery life seems to be a bit lower than regular flagship phones. When comparing a foldable phone to regular flagship devices, we see some differences in the battery department, including when pinning them against the best Android phones. As you may know, we at PhoneArena perform extensive tests for all the phones we review. Check the table below to see for yourself what the battery life results for foldable phones vs regular phones are.
Are there any differences between foldable and traditional phones' camera quality?
It depends on which foldable vs which traditional phone. The camera has no interaction whatsoever with the folding mechanism, and is like any other smartphone camera. If it has a higher megapixel count and better features, image processing and color calibration, it will be better no matter if it's on a foldable phone or a standard smartphone. The only thing is that some folding phones may lack the space for a periscope lens or some other special lens though. If we talk about selfies, some foldable phones like the Z Fold 4 can deliver even better results given the fact that you can use the phone's rear camera to take a selfie.
Also check out: The best phones to buy right now
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