Samsung has introduced the second generation of its foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Z Fold2 5G. The South Koreans seem to have eliminated some of the problems of its predecessor. In addition to visual changes, Samsung has also made some changes to the inner workings.
Samsung’s announcements are coming thick and fast
It’s only been a few weeks since Samsung announced some new devices besides the Galaxy Note 20. So it was all the more surprising when it became known that the South Korean company wanted to launch a new edition of its foldable smartphone. Now Samsung has officially unveiled the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G at a major event. And unlike its predecessor, the manufacturer seems to have made some improvements.
The manufacturer has added some more
When the first pictures of the predecessor circulated on the net, the fans were thrilled. This was not least due to the futuristic design of the Samsung Galaxy Fold. But the first hands-on tests already revealed many teething problems. This already began with the first look at the display. Not only did you have to accept thick display edges. The first generation of the foldable smartphone was also controversial in terms of quality. If you now take a look at the successor, it becomes clear that Samsung has really put its heart and soul into it. Margins don’t really exist on the Galaxy Z Fold2 5G. This means that the screen diagonal grows from 4.6 inches to a proud 6.2 inches. The actual dimensions of the foldable smartphone do not change in comparison to its predecessor.
Next is the camera. The Selfie camera has Samsung hidden behind a hole. The same is already known from the family members of the S20-, and Note 20 series. The Galaxy Z Fold2 now joins the ranks of the rest of the common high-end smartphones. This was not the case with the first generation. Only the resolution of the second generation of the foldable smartphone cannot really keep up with the competition with HD+. However, this is a compromise that has to be made. After all, it buys the actual feature of the Galaxy Z Fold2.
Smartphone and tablet in one
The very special feature of the Galaxy Z Fold2 is, of course, the ability to fold it. This turns the former smartphone into a 7.6-inch tablet. The screen diagonal has also increased here. The predecessor only offered 7.3 inches. Samsung has created the appropriate space for this by painting the notch of the predecessor and smaller screen edges. But even with the display turned on, you notice big changes. The refresh rate of 120 frames per second is impressive. To save battery power in an emergency, the new generation of foldable smartphones can reduce the refresh rate to 11 frames per second. In order to offer great contrasts, Samsung has also improved the brightness. The Galaxy Z Fold2 achieves 30 more than its predecessor at 450 cd/m². If the Z Fold2 registers extremely bright ambient light, it can even adjust the screen brightness up to 900 cd/m². With the predecessor, only 800 cd/m² were possible in this respect.
Do you need it?
Despite the many improvements over the predecessor, one question still remains unanswered. Do you really need something like this? The question is more than justified. After all, the Galaxy Z Fold2 alone costs more than a high-end smartphone plus flagship tablet. Is this folding mechanism really worth this high price? Samsung promises that the folding mechanism of the new foldable smartphone will survive 200,000 folding operations. Despite this, it still seems vulnerable as an additional weakness. The South Koreans obviously know that the fall mechanism alone is not enough to win customers. Accordingly, they rely on additional features.
Now the Galaxy Z Fold2 can be folded so that you can choose freely between different angles. Here Samsung speaks of the new “Flex Mode”. This brings some exciting advantages. So the foldable smartphone can now be used like a small notebook. But the “Flex Mode” also offers exciting entertainment. If an app supports the mode, a completely individual layout is possible. For example, in “Flex Mode” on YouTube, the entire upper half of the display can be used. Samsung’s own camera app also supports this special mode. This turns the Galaxy Z Fold2 into its own tripod. So the “Flex Mode” seems to have potential.
Revised software
It is not only on the outside that things have changed. Samsung has also adapted its own software to the Galaxy Z Fold2. The new “Flex Mode” is used here in particular. Samsung cites the use of the gallery app as an example. Here you can find the picture or video on the complete upper half. The lower half of the screen is then transformed into a segment for suitable control elements. This way you could use the Z Fold2 even for video editing. Other changes affect the general display. Samsung leaves it up to the users whether they want to use the 7.6-inch display as a tablet or rather as a gigantic smartphone. The user interface can be customized accordingly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXRbFnRf4X4
Stronger inner life
Samsung also seems to be making a significant step forward in terms of hardware. Although the Z Fold2 can’t keep up with pure high-end smartphones, the Koreans have made sure there is enough power. The heart of the foldable smartphone is the powerful Snapdragon 865+ from Qualcomm. This is accompanied by a whopping 12 GB of RAM. The 256 GB of memory should be enough for most users. In addition, the Galaxy Z Fold2 offers WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 5, and Samsung has installed stereo speakers so that you can have fun with Netflix and co. All in all, the Z Fold2’s equipment sounds very decent. Only the battery drives worry lines into our faces. The 4,500 mAh would probably be more than sufficient for a classic smartphone. But the foldable smartphone is anything but classic. In addition to the tablet mode, the 120 FPS should also ensure that the battery condition shrinks quickly. We are curious if these concerns are proven to be true.
Price and availability
Those interested in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G can choose between two different colors – bronze and black. In addition, you should also be able to adjust the color of the hinge. You can choose between gold, blue, silver and red. This option is only available when ordering from Samsung’s online store. For the new eccentric from Samsung’s product family you have to put a proud price of 1,949 on the counter. The price of the upcoming foldable smartphone is still high. But compared to its predecessor, Samsung estimates just under 500 euros less. That is fair!