The Best Folding Phones in 2024

The smartphone industry has been one of the fastest growing industries in the field of tech. Going all the way back, the era of simple, small screen phones with physical keypads evolved into bigger phones with bigger screens and fewer physical keys, and has now reached a point where phones are huge with no physical keys or buttons, at least at the front. For the next logical step in the evolution of smartphones, manufacturers tried to fit an even bigger screen, but in a small form factor. Enter folding phones.

The advancement in technology has allowed OEMs to incorporate folding or bendable screens in smartphones that give the user the option to have more screen real-estate. Chinese startup Royale was the first to commercially introduce a folding phone, which was called the Royole Flexpai back in 2018. Then, Samsung released its first Galaxy Z Fold phone, but it was somewhat of a disaster because of how new the technology was. Motorola then followed with its Razr late in 2019, after which both Samsung and Motorola, along with other OEMs, have been releasing folding phones quite regularly.

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With the brief history of folding phones out of the way, the current market has quite a few options for smartphone enthusiasts to choose from. This guide will help users find the right foldable smartphone for their needs.

Game Rant’s Picks for the Best Folding Phones in 2024

OnePlus Open

Best Folding Phone Overall

The OnePlus Open is the company’s first attempt at a folding phone, but it seems to have done a great job. The Open comes with the Snapdragon 8 Gen2 processor that can run all modern graphics-intensive games without any issues. It features a large 7.82-inch internal display with a 120 Hz refresh rate. It also houses a 4805 mAh battery that supports 65W fast charging.

Brand

OnePlus

SoC

Snapdragon 8 Gen2

Display

7.82″ 120 Hz Flexi-fluid AMOLED, 6.31″ 120 Hz Super Fluid AMOLED

RAM

16 GB

Storage

512 GB

Battery

4805 mAh

Operating System

OxygenOS 13.2 based on Android 13

Front camera

20MP on primary display, 32MP on cover screen

Colors

Voyager Black, Emerald Dusk

Weight

239g

Charge speed

67W

Main Camera

48MP

Wide-Angle Camera

48MP

Telephoto

64MP with 120x zoom

Pros

• More affordable than the competition
• Largest and brightest inner display
• Lightweight design

Cons

• Still on the expensive side
• No wireless charging

Being one of the more recent launches, the OnePlus Open has learned quite a lot from the more established competitors like Samsung and Motorola. Even though the OnePlus Open is the company’s first folding phone, it does a lot of things better than the competition and takes the cake for the best folding phone overall.

OnePlus has spent a lot of time and research on the hinge mechanism for the OnePlus Open, and it shows. The phone closes shut with almost no gap near the hinge, which is certified for 1,000,000 folds. This means, even with more than 100 folds a day, the hinge mechanism will be fine. With all this engineering and hardware packed into the phone, it is still the lightest folding phone at just 239 grams.

Coming to the specifications, the OnePlus Open features a 6.31-inch display up front in its closed form. This display is extremely bright and capable of up to 120Hz refresh rate. Opening the phone reveals a massive 7.82-inch AMOLED display, which is also extremely bright and refreshes at up to 120Hz. This is the biggest and brightest screen on any folding phone. Powering the device is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC which is a generation old but still very capable.

The OnePlus Open comes with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage, which is plenty for most users. It is backed by a 4805 mAh battery which is one of the biggest in the folding phone space. The battery life experience is enhanced by the superfast 67W wired charging, but there is no wireless charging option. OnePlus brings its Hasselblad partnership to the Open as well, offering a 48 MP primary camera, a 64 MP telephoto shooter, and a 48 MP ultrawide camera.

Google Pixel Fold

Best Camera in a Folding Phone

$1299 $1799 Save $500

The Pixel Fold from Google is its first folding phone, but it checks a lot of the right boxes. It has a 5.8-inch screen up front and a 7.6-inch inner display. Powered by the Tensor G2 SoC, it comes with 12 GB of RAM with options for 256 GB or 512 GB of storage. There is a triple camera system on the back which delivers excellent photos and videos.  

Brand

Google

SoC

Tensor G2

Display

5.8-inch cover, 7.6-inch inner

RAM

12 GB

Storage

256 GB, 512 GB

Battery

4821 mAh

Operating System

Android 14

Colors

Porcelain, Obsedian

Main Camera

48 MP

Wide-Angle Camera

10.8 MP

Telephoto

10.8 MP

Pros

• Google software and update cycle
• Qi wireless charging
• Impressive battery size

Cons

• Expensive
• Wider than competition

Google joined the folding phone space in 2023 with its first offering simply called the Pixel Fold. While in terms of raw specifications, the Pixel Fold is not leading the competition, as its Snapdragon counterparts are relatively faster, it brings to the table a solid clean software experience that the public has fallen in love with from the Pixel line of phones. Because of this, the company has pushed a premium price for the Pixel Fold.

It is wider than some of the other folding phones and feels more like a book than the rest. There is a 5.8-inch screen at the front, which opens up to reveal a 7.6-inch main display. Both displays are capable of a 120Hz refresh rate, but are smaller and less bright compared to the OnePlus Open. It is powered by Google’s Tensor G2 SoC and comes with 12 GB of RAM, with options for 256 GB or 512 GB of storage.

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Along with the folding form factor, the Pixel Fold also brings Google’s camera technology and image processing. There is a 48 MP primary camera accompanied by a 10.8 MP ultrawide camera and a 10.8 MP telephoto camera. There is also a 9.5 MP camera on the cover display and an 8 MP camera on the inner display. The solid camera hardware is taken to the next level with Google’s AI photography and videography tools that allow for fixing and editing photos in post.

Motorola Razr+ (2023)

Best Budget Folding Phone

The Motorola Razr+ (2023) is a relatively affordable yet premium folding phone that brings a clamshell design that gets a lot of improvements compared to its predecessor. It has a much larger and usable cover display that wraps around the cameras. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC and comes with 8 GB of RAM with 256 GB of storage.

Brand

Motorola

SoC

Snapdragon 8 Gen 1

Display

6.9″ FHD+ main, 3.6-inch external

RAM

8 GB

Storage

256 GB

Battery

3800 mAh

Colors

Infinite Black, Glacier Blue, Viva Magenta, Peach Fuzz

Charge speed

30W

Main Camera

12 MP

Wide-Angle Camera

13 MP

Pros

• Great value
• Large unique outer display
• Front display can handle most apps

Cons

• No wireless charging
• Relatively small battery

Being one of the first manufacturers to release a folding phone, Motorola is technically on its fourth generation, having refined the design and features quite a bit. The Motorola Razr + (2023) is the latest offering in the company’s folding phone lineup, which only includes clamshell-style foldables. In its closed state, the Motorola Razr + features a small 3.6-inch 144Hz pOLED display that can essentially do everything a normal phone would. Any app can be opened on the cover display, which means, in a lot of cases, users may not need to flip open the phone at all. This not only makes things more convenient, but also reduces the time people spend staring at their phones.

There are also two cameras on the cover display, but they do not take up a lot of screen real-estate. The primary is a 12 MP shooter while the secondary is a 13 MP ultrawide + macro shooter. Once opened, the Motorola Razr + reveals a much larger 6.9-inch FHD+ pOLED display that has up to 165Hz refresh rate and is fairly bright. In its open state, the phone appears to be a standard bar phone but with a horizontal crease in the middle where the screen bends in half.

In terms of performance, the phone is powered by the older but very capable Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC, 8 GB of RAM, and 256 GB of storage. This combination, along with a relatively smaller 3800 mAh battery, has allowed Motorola to keep the price down. Speaking of the price, while the phone’s official price is about $1000, it is often discounted to $700, making it the perfect budget folding phone.

Motorola Razr (2023)

Best Entry-level Folding Phone

The Motorola razr has the classic foldable design. It fits easily in your pocket and comes in various colors with a vegan leather finish. The phone features Flex View, allowing it to stand on its own at multiple angles. 

The 6.9-inch pOLED screen provides vivid graphics and the phones comes with Dolby Atmos and Spatial Sound. It also has versatile cameras for capturing high-resolution photos. The external camera has a 64MP sensor with OIS, and the internal camera features a 32MP sensor with Quad Pixel technology.

Brand

Motorola

SoC

Snapdragon 7 Gen 1

Display

6.9″ FHD+ main, 1.5-inch external

RAM

8 GB

Storage

128 GB

Battery

4200 mAh

Colors

Sage Green, Summer Lilac, Vanilla Cream, Cherry Blossom

Charge speed

30W

Main Camera

64 MP

Wide-Angle Camera

16 MP

Pros

• Very affordable for a folding phone
• Water-repellent design
• Lightweight

Cons

• Only 128 GB storage
• Tiny external display

The entry point into the folding phone space is quite steep, with most models going over the $1000 range. Those looking to buy their first folding phone should consider the relatively affordable Motorola Razr (2023). As the name suggests, it is the younger sibling of the Motorola Razr + (2023) and, thanks to some strategic cost-cutting moves, Motorola has been able to price this phone at $700. Just like the Plus model, this phone is also often discounted to under $500, making it the perfect entry point into folding phones.

The Motorola Razr (2023) also has a clamshell flip phone style design, but it sacrifices the large cover display as seen on the Plus model. Instead, there is a tiny 1.5-inch OLED display that shows only the essential information and allows for some customizability. It can show notifications, weather updates, play music, record video, and do a little more, but for everything else, users will have to flip open the phone and use the much larger 144Hz 6.9-inch FHD+ pOLED display.

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Powering the Motorola Razr is the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 SoC, 8GB of RAM, and 128 GB of storage. While in 2024 this may seem like a very basic configuration, one that would cost half of what the phone is priced at, but more than performance is the form factor that users are paying for. Interestingly, the Motorola Razr has a larger 4200 mAh battery compared to the Plus model which, in combination with the smaller outer display and mid-tier specifications, should result in great battery life.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5

Best Premium Folding Phone

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 continues to improve on the world’s most popular foldable smartphone. Once unfolded, the 7.6″ screen provides enough real estate for watching videos, gaming, or productivity rivaling large tablets and notebook PCs. Multi-tasking is better than ever on the Z Fold5, with Dual-App Viewing, making use of the 6.2″ cover display to drag and drop files and do more simultaneously. Flex mode allows users to consume content from a distance, hands-free. 

Brand

Samsung

SoC

Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

Display

7.6″ 2176 x 1812 120Hz OLED primary, 6.2″ 2316 x 904 120Hz OLED cover screen

RAM

12GB

Storage

256GB, 512GB, or 1TB

Battery

4,400mAh

Operating System

Android 13

Front camera

4MP f/1.8 under-display camera (80˚ FoV, 2.0μm pixels), 10MP f/2.2 cover display camera (85˚ FoV, 1.22μm pixels)

Rear camera

50 MP f/1.8 wide-angle (85˚ FoV, OIS, 1.0μm pixels), 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide (123˚ FoV, 1.12μm pixels), 10MP f/2.4 telephoto (36˚ FoV, OIS, 1.0μm pixels)

Colors

Cream, Phantom Black, Icy Blue, Blue Gray

Weight

253 grams

Micro SD card support

No

Pros

• Incredible display
• IPX8 water resistance
• Productivity powerhouse
• Wireless charging and reverse power share

Cons

• Expensive
• A bit on the bulky side

As the name suggests, the Galaxy Z Fold5 is the fifth iteration of the folding design by Samsung. The company has refined the features and design to the point where the phone sits as one of the premium offerings in the folding phone space. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, 12 GB of RAM, and up to 1 TB of storage. There is a stunning and bright 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 120Hz display that can reach an impressive 1,750 nits peak brightness. On the outside, it has a 6.2-inch cover display that is just as bright and fast.

With the Galaxy Z Fold5, Samsung has managed to achieve an IPX8 water resistance, which is quite impressive considering the hinge mechanism adds so many points of failure. The company has also managed to add three cameras on the back without a massive camera bump like most other phones have. The primary camera is a 50 MP shooter that is accompanied by a 12 MP ultrawide camera and a 10 MP telephoto shooter. While it doesn’t get the company’s iconic 100x zoom feature, it can still do 30x, which is impressive.

Even though, overall, the phone is among the thicker folding phones, it is still very pocketable. It is backed by a 4400 mAh battery and supports 15W wireless charging as well as 4.5W wireless power share, which means other phones with wireless charging can be charged by simply placing them on the back of the Galaxy Z Fold5.

Besides the hardware, Samsung’s software has matured like fine wine. It brings features like Samsung AI and Multi Control, which allows users to control a keyboard and mouse across compatible Galaxy devices. It is also compatible with the S Pen and with dual app viewing, the Galaxy Z Fold5 becomes a productivity monster.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5

Best Compact Folding Phone

The Galaxy Z Flip5 from Samsung is its clamshell-style folding phone that brings a compact form factor without compromising on performance, it is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC and comes with 8 GB of RAM. There are options for 256 GB or 512 GB storage. The Galaxy Z Flip5 has two 12 MP cameras on the cover display that double as the main cameras when the phone is opened. 

Brand

Samsung

SoC

Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

Display

3.4-inch external, 6.7-inch main

RAM

8 GB

Storage

256 GB, 512 GB

Battery

3700 mAh

Colors

Mint, Graphite, Cream, Lavender, Grey, Blue, Green, Yellow

Main Camera

12 MP

Wide-Angle Camera

12 MP

Pros

• Compact form factor
• Wireless charging and reverse power share
• Samsung AI features

Cons

• Relatively small battery
• On the expensive side

Samsung is not only known for its Fold lineup of folding phones but also for its clamshell style foldables that are aptly part of the “Flip” series. Like the Z Fold5, the company is on the fifth iteration of its flip phone called the Galaxy Z Flip5, and it brings a similar form factor to the Motorola Razr+, not just in terms of size, but also the larger cover display. With the Galaxy Z Flip5, users get a 3.4-inch AMOLED Display that reaches 1,600 nits peak brightness. The display, however, does not wrap around the cameras like on the Motorola Razr+. Flipping it opens reveals a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a crease running through it.

The Galaxy Z Flip5 also brings a smoother hinge mechanism that can be locked at a variety of different angles. The cover display not only allows for running any app but brings some more customization options and functionality, like an always-on display. However, the Motorola offering allows for using the cover display as a full-fledged phone.

For photography and videography, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 has a 12 MP primary wide camera with support for 10x digital zoom and a 12 MP ultrawide shooter. It has about the same battery as the Motorola offering at 3700 mAh, but supports wireless charging as well as wireless power share. Overall, it is a well-rounded package that is compact yet powerful.

Things to Consider When Looking for a Folding Phone

It’s natural to feel a bit skeptical of folding phones, given the newness of the technology and the fact that plenty of phones are not worth the money they cost. However, there are a few key features that can indicate whether a folding smart phone will work for you.

Form Factor: Folding phones in the current market are available in two formats: book-style and clamshell. The book-style folding phones are the more standard looking bar phones that open up like a book to reveal a bigger screen. On the other hand, clamshell-style phones are compact half-sized phones with small displays that flip open to reveal a regular-sized smartphone display. As expected, the book-style folding phones offer much larger displays, but clamshell ones are easier to use and carry.

Battery Life: Because of the folding mechanism, there are some compromises that manufacturers have to make. The limited space, in some cases, results in a smaller battery. However, most modern folding phones still offer decently sized batteries that can last about the same as regular non-folding phones.

Weight: There is a lot of extra hardware inside folding phones, making them slightly heavier than the regular phones. But the increased weight is something shoppers should keep in mind, as it may become bothersome overtime.

Price: Folding phones are typically more expensive than their non-folding counterparts with the same specifications. Since the market for folding phones is still in its growing stages, these phones sit in the premium price range, so be prepared to shell out some extra cash if thinking of getting a folding phone.

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FAQ

Q: What is the best Samsung fold to buy?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 is the best Samsung folding phone one can buy. Those looking for a more compact Samsung folding phone should consider the Galaxy Z Flip5.

Q: Why are foldables so expensive?

Unlike the standard bar phones, folding phones have intricate hinge mechanisms and screens that bend 180 degrees which makes them a lot more complicated than non-folding phones. The technology is still relatively new and has not been perfected. While there are some affordable options like the Motorola Razr (2023), folding phones are generally more expensive.

Q: What is the disadvantage of foldable phone?

Folding phones have more moving parts which adds more points of failure. Because of their design, they cannot be completely water and dust resistant like some non-folding phones. They also come with a crease in the middle of the display that takes some getting used to.