Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 Is Exciting…Here’s Why!

At the Unpacked 2020 event, the last thing Samsung announced is the Galaxy Z Fold 2, which is the successor to the Galaxy Fold from last year. Though from the official images, the Fold 2 looks a lot like the original Fold; however, there are several enhancements that are worth mentioning. And for a second-gen folding phone, the company has brought improvements that make it more exciting than the withstanding Note 20 Series. Let’s tale a look at them, shall we?

Bigger (and Faster) Screens

Not that the 7.3″ inner screen of the Fold is small or lacking, but the 4.6″ outer screen was one of the things that felt out of place in a futuristic device. The side bezels were manageable, but the top and chin portions left a lot of dead space. With Fold 2, those are non-existent. Instead, the outer screen stretches to 6.23″ diagonally for an elongated 25:9 aspect ratio. Is it too long for a phone? Yes. But, it’s better. A use case that I see where the extended screen is helpful is when reading articles and reviewing notifications. The scrolling action is much less, so it’s less stressful to the eyes. 

What’s more, the inner display is also bigger, now at 7.6-inch. When I tested the Fold, the outer screen was indeed bigger than all regular-slab phones out there, but it did feel cramped for some reason. Maybe because I was expecting it to be a tablet-like alternative, but it’s just like having two narrow screens side-by-side. Quality-wise, the resolution is a little over 1440p, 1768 x 2208 to be precise. It’s of Dynamic AMOLED 2X and supports HDR10+ playback. But, what’s even better is that Samsung bothered to include 120Hz. It’s a feature that I did not see coming. Much like the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, it’s probably going to use Adaptive refresh rate to save battery life. Lastly, the plastic screen is now of ultra-thin glass (UTG). The glass layer is so thin, it’s able to defy science. It’s more durable against scratches, but make no mistake, it’s still a lot fragile than traditional displays.

READ: Huawei Mate Xs Folding 5G Phone Now Official at P139,999

Bye, Obtrusive Notch

Given the Fold is a first-gen product, not a lot criticized the weirdly, rectangular notch made by Samsung. With the Fold 2, that’s also gone. Though the placement is off-centered, at the very least, the inner 10MP selfie camera is now less obtrusive. While it did come at the expense of the 8MP depth lens, it’s not really as useful as having the ultrawide lens. In other words, there’s more screen real estate to play with, and watching videos or playing games is more enjoyable. The same goes for productivity. Samsung Dex is still here and now supports wireless connection via Miracast. 

Thinner Yet More Durable

Just like how the Galaxy Note 7 burned a hole through Samsung’s history, no one can forget how the original Fold started breaking after a few days of use. Learning from their mistakes, Samsung has reinforced the hinge design of the Fold 2 while making the overall build thinner. First, the gap, when the device is closed, is much thinner. Not only it makes the folding phone more pocketable, but it also makes the screen harder to penetrate by unwanted debris. Second, the elastic fibers are back and more reliable as a preventive measure against dust and lint. Third, as mentioned earlier, the screen is slightly more durable when it comes to scratches. 

The only disappointing thing about the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is the fact that we won’t know the availability and price until September 1. But if you have money to burn in the middle of a pandemic, Samsung is open for pre-orders now. Much like the Fold, we expect the Fold 2 to come in at limited units. Last year, the Galaxy Fold launched with a $1980 price or P109,990 in the Philippines. While speculations point out to a higher price tag than that, we feel like the Fold 2 will retail for the same price. 

READ: Huawei Mate X vs Samsung Galaxy Fold – Not for the folding wallet

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 specs, price, availability in the Philippines

• Display: 7.6″ Dynamic AMOLED 2x 1768 x 2208, Infinity-O, HDR10+, UTG, 120Hz
• Outer Display: 6.23″ Super AMOLED, 816 x 2260 (25:9), 120Hz
• Design: aluminum body and hinge
• Dimensions: 159.2 x 128.2 x 6.9 (unfolded) 159.2 x 68 x 16.8 mm (folded), 279g
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865+ (7 nm+)
• CPU: Octa-core (1×3.09 GHz Kryo 585 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 585)
  
• GPU: Adreno 650
• RAM: 12GB
• Storage: 256GB UFS 3.1 non-expandable
• Main Camera: 12 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.76″, 1.8µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
  12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.6″, 1.0µm, AF, OIS, 2x optical zoom
  12 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide), 1/3.1″, 1.0µm
  | up to 4K@60fps video recording with gyro-EIS, HDR10
• Selfie Camera: Dual 10 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/3″, 1.22µm
  | video up to 4k@30fps with EIS
• Connectivity & Ports: 5G, 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.1, WiFi 6, GPS, USB-C, NFC
• Security: face unlock, side mounted scanner
• Battery: 4500mAh(25W), wireless charging(11W), reverse wireless charging(9W)
• Audio: stereo speakers Tuned by AKG, 32-bit hi-res
• OS: Android 10, One UI 2.1
• Colors: Mystic Bronze
• Price: TBD
• Release date: September 1, 2020 (Global)