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The best foldable phones in 2024

The best foldable phones in 2024

What are the best foldable phones in 2024? That’s a tricky question, with plenty of brands taking a leaf out of Samsung’s book and bringing their own form factor wonders to the market. Fortunately, we’ve gone hands-on with almost all of them, including options from Google Pixel, OnePlus, and more, in an effort to help you decide which foldable Android best suits your needs and budget.

Here at Pocket Tactics have bags of experience with cell phones, so we know the difference between a good piece of tech versus a pure gimmick, and we’ve also got a solid idea of what specs you should expect for a certain price point. Just keep in mind that this isn’t a list of the best flip phones, that’s a completely different kettle of fish.

Why you can trust our advice ✔ At Pocket Tactics, our experts spend days testing games, phones, tech, and services. We always share honest opinions to help you buy the best. Find out how we test.

Here are the best foldable phones in 2024:

The best foldable phone overall.

OnePlus Open specifications:

Displays 7.82 inch 120Hz foldable AMOLED (2268 x 2440), 6.31 inch 120Hz OLED (cover display, 1116 x 2484)
Battery Li-Po 4805 mAh
Chipset Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
RAM 16GB
Storage 512GB
Reasons to buy

  • Thin and light
  • Good battery life
  • Slightly more affordable

The OnePlus Open is a slightly more affordable foldable phone compared to some others on this list, but a lower price does not mean any compromises on quality.

In terms of size, the OnePlus Open is thinner and lighter than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 and the Google Pixel Fold, while also housing a slightly larger battery than the two. It introduces the Open Canvas software that features a UI that is ideal for multitasking as you glide through different apps seamlessly.

The OnePlus Open also takes some lovely pictures with its (somewhat bulky) triple-lens camera configuration and 48MP sensor, though it doesn’t perform too well in low light. We won’t call this phone cheap, but if you’re looking for a quality foldable at a slightly lower price tag, it’s hard to look past the OnePlus Open.

The best Honor foldable phone.

Honor Magic V3 specifications:

Displays 7.92-inch 120Hz OLED (2156 x 2344 pixels), 6.43-inch 120Hz OLED (1060 x 2376 pixels)
Battery 5150 mAh
Chipset Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
RAM 12GB / 16GB
Storage 256GB / 512GB / 1TB
Reasons to buy

  • Sleek design
  • Fantastic performance
  • Great cameras
  • Subtle crease
Reasons to avoid

  • Mediocre battery
  • Hard to get in US
  • Can get hot

At the time of writing, the Honor Magic V3 is the thinnest foldable phone on the planet, but this thing has much more to offer than just a slim form factor. It’s a performance powerhouse, with big OLED displays that are ideal for streaming or gaming. Both screens also boast 120Hz refresh rates, making for buttery smooth animations and visuals that might get you some jealous stares from regular iPhone users.

In terms of improvements over the V2, the Magic V3 has a less noticeable crease, better protection against dust and water, and some fun new AI features. Simply put, it’s a statement of intent from Honor that Samsung isn’t the only big name in the foldable phones marketplace, and from the time we’ve spent with the brand’s latest foldable, we think it the Huawei spin-off brand might have a point.

In terms of downsides, the most obvious is that this thing can be tricky to get your hands on in the US as it’s not one of the markets Honor is currently launching into. It’s also worth pointing out that we found in our testing that the battery life can be a little disappointing, often only just making it through a full day, and it can also get a bit hot when running demanding games like Honkai Star Rail or Diablo Immortal.

The best Samsung foldable phone.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 specifications:

Displays 7.6-inch 120Hz OLED (1856 x 2160), 6.3-inch 120Hz OLED (968 x 2376)
Battery Li-Po 4400 mAh
Chipset Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
RAM 12GB
Storage 256GB / 512GB / 1TB
Reasons to buy

  • Improved form factor
  • Excellent UI
  • Decent cameras
  • Galaxy AI
Reasons to avoid

  • Minor hardware upgrades
  • Noticeable crease
  • Expensive

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 doesn’t change much from its predecessor, but it doesn’t need to. With an excellent chipset, some lovely and reasonably durable 120Hz displays, and a winning form factor, Samsung is really leading the foldable charge.

The best bits of the Z Fold6 are the usual things Samsung excels at. The inner display is gorgeous and near edge-to-edge, and using this tablet-style display really does make a big productivity difference. Meanwhile, the cameras, while not flagship-level, are very competitive.

There are some downsides, though these likely come down to personal preference. The form factor of the Z Fold series is notably tall – far taller than some of the competitors – so you may prefer a slightly stubbier offering. Plus, the cost is steep if you’re used to non-foldable prices. Still, it’s the best foldable phone on the market right now. If you want to know more, check out our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review here.

Oppo Find N2

The best foldable alternative if you want a different form factor.

Oppo Find N2 specifications:

Displays 7.1-inch 120Hz foldable AMOLED (1792 x 1920), 5.54-inch 120Hz AMOLED (cover display, 1080 x 2120)
Battery Li-Po 4520 mAh
Chipset Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
RAM 12GB/16GB
Storage 256GB/512GB
Reasons to buy

  • Slightest crease
  • Pocketable form factor
  • Competitive performance
Reasons to avoid

  • UI bugs
  • Not great for videos
  • Hard to find

The Oppo Find N2 is a wonderful foldable thanks to its slight form factor. With this sort of passport-sized design, the Find N2 is easily pocketable, and the outer screen is far more usable than the taller counterparts out there. Better yet, Oppo has managed to reduce the crease on the inner screen slightly beyond the competitors.

Combine this with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, and it competes on power too. There are, at least on paper, very few downsides to the Find N2 – if you prefer the form factor, it’s a very easy recommendation. That is, however, until you start using it.

This is no dramatic downside – most foldables struggle here – but the inside screen of the Find N2 is almost perfectly square, meaning various Android apps struggle. What’s worse, the aspect ratio is completely useless for watching videos, something many people may want to do on the big screen that a foldable offers.

Combine this with the fact that Oppo doesn’t even seem to sell the device anymore, and it might be a little hard to find. Still, we prefer it to Google’s offering primarily because of its form factor and the preferable Snapdragon chip. It’s a tight competition, but if you don’t want a tall foldable, we’d go here.

The best foldable Google phone.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold specifications:

Displays 8-inch 120Hz OLED (2076 x 2152 pixels), 6.3-inch 120Hz OLED (1080 x 2424 pixels)
Battery 4,650mAh, 21W wired charging
Chipset Google Tensor G4
RAM 16GB
Storage 256/512GB
Reasons to buy

  • Exceptional build quality
  • Impressive, bright displays
  • Solid cameras
Reasons to avoid

  • Not the best for gaming
  • Slow charging speeds
  • Hidden costs with Gemini

According to our Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold review, this phone is a massive improvement on its predecessor, the Google Pixel Fold, and it’s easily one of the most appealing large-format foldables on the market today. It looks and feels exceptionally premium, with great software adding to the experience. However, the competition is tough, and brands like Honor offer far more impressive specifications for your money.

While it’s a little disappointing that this model’s camera is the exact same as the original Google Pixel Fold, this still means you can take some incredible shots with it.

The cheapest foldable phone on the market.

Tecno Phantom V Flip specifications:

Displays 6.9-inch 120Hz LTPO AMOLED (1080 x 2640 pixels), 1.32-inch AMOLED (cover display, 466 x 466 pixels)
Battery Li-Po 4000 mAh
Chipset Mediatek Dimensity 8050
RAM 8GB
Storage 256GB
Reasons to buy

  • Competitively priced
  • Good performance
  • Pleasant design
Reasons to avoid

  • Poor cameras
  • Software support
  • Very hard to come by

The TECNO Phantom V Flip is a fantastic foldable phone for its price, offering a stylish build, decent performance, and plenty of customization options. It’s also pretty solid in the battery department, offering a full charge from flat in less than 45 minutes and staying alive for over a day even with frequent or demanding use. 

Still, our favorite thing about the Phantom V Flip is the cute cover screen widgets. There’s a selection to choose from, but we love the adorable digital Husky that pops up just underneath the cover screen’s clock. It’s just a little mood-lifter, and while other foldables might have better hardware, they don’t have Huskies.  

However, as you might expect, the affordability of the Phantom V Flip means there are a couple of caveats. For a start, the cameras are by no means the best on this list. They’re not awful, but they don’t hold a candle to what we’ve seen from the OnePlus Open or Honor Magic V2. The performance is a little less disappointing but still doesn’t impress quite as much as the more expensive foldables, especially when it comes to demanding games like Honkai Star Rail and Diablo Immortal. 

It’s also worth making the point that Tecno phones can be tricky to get hold of in the U.S.A. and EU, with the brand concentrating on developing markets. However, they occasionally pop up on Amazon, and there’s plenty of eBay listings if you’re keen on giving the thing a go.

For more, see our TECNO Phantom V Flip review.

Huawei Mate X3

The slimmest foldable on the market.

Huawei Mate X3 specifications:

Displays 7.85-inch 120Hz OLED (2000 x 2296), 6.4-inch 120Hz OLED (cover display, 1080 x 2504)
Battery Li-Po 4800 mAh
Chipset Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
RAM 12GB
Storage 256GB/512GB/1TB
Reasons to buy

  • Very slim design
  • No gap when folded
Reasons to avoid

  • Very expensive
  • Last generation processor

Right off the bat, let’s get it out of the way – this is the most expensive foldable we’ve found. That in itself is a big drawback. If you do find yourself in the position to purchase this phone, it does have some very impressive features.

The Huawei Mate X3’s triple camera setup offers fantastic 4K video recording, regardless of how far you’ve zoomed in, coupled with a sleek and bright display on all screens to view your lovely video work.

There’s a solid battery life here with fast charging, so you don’t have to wait hours for your shiny new X3 to get some juice. Meanwhile, the physical design of the phone is also really nice – the hinge proves to be strong and there’s no gap when the phone is fully folded – as you’d expect for such a hefty price. The phone is the slimmest and lightest on the market.

However – there are a couple of drawbacks that may change your mind. The Mate X3 runs off the last generation Snapdragon chipset, hampering its long-term performance somewhat. It also doesn’t use Google apps, so if you’re not comfortable with that, you best look at a different option.

How do we choose the best foldable phones?

More and more foldable devices keep cropping up, but our expert opinions can help sort the wheat from the chaff. The first thing we assess with any foldable phone is the longevity of the device and usability – does it have a noticeable crease? Does it feel like it’ll last, or is it flimsy? We’re past the point where foldable smartphones are just a gimmick, so we only choose devices that will stand the test of time.

In terms of usability, we look at the size, weight, and shape of each phone. Sometimes, two screens can be bulky to use, and harder to use with one hand as we’re accustomed to with most phones. We take into account how the design, build, and handling of the handset affects the aspect ratio, changing how Android reacts and how it feels to watch videos.

There are also the basic things any mobile phone needs, like decent performance, a good camera, a bright and crisp screen, and an overall pleasant experience. Luckily, all the current foldables have pretty closely matched chips, equally excellent screens, and only slight differences in the user experience, all of which we note down. Learn more on our how we test page.

What’s the best foldable phone for me?

If you’re struggling to choose between the best foldable phones, there are some things you can do to make it easier. First and foremost, what’s your budget? If you only have $1,200 to play with, you’re going to have to go with the Tecno Phantom V Fold.

The second thing is the form factor – what sort of phone do you want to use? If you can’t get into a store to test out how the handsets feel (something we highly recommend with foldable phones), think about how your current phone feels in the hand. If it’s a big phone, like the S23 Plus, you should be okay with the Z Fold5 or OnePlus Open. If it’s smaller, like the standard S23, you might struggle with all the foldables on this list – though the best would be the Oppo Find N2 or the Honor Magic V2.

Keeping in mind everything that you need in a phone is key here – the primary benefit of a foldable is a big inner screen. If you already have a tablet or don’t think you’ll make use of a bigger screen, maybe you don’t even need a foldable phone. This is still pretty new tech after all, and even with recent improvements, there are inevitable imperfections that arise with the exciting folding screens. Make sure you actually need one in the first place, and you should be fine.

If you’re not sure that a foldable phone is for you, we’ve rounded up the best Samsung phones, best Xiaomi phones, best Motorola phones, best Google Pixel phones, and best Sony phones. Or, if all those Android devices don’t get you going, we’ve also compared iPhone vs. Android to help you decide between the two.

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