Samsung continues to bet heavily on mobile phones with a folding screen. The new Galaxy Z Fold 2 has just been released. The smartphone market has been stuck for a long time without providing new experiences to what it means to use the mobile. The folding screen and the second screen is a true revolution, and Samsung knows that whoever arrives first will have a lot to earn.
The Samsung Galaxy Fold was a first experiment with problems in the folding mechanism. The Galaxy Z Flip with a single vertically folding screen, was a radical variant. And now comes the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2.
Technically it is an evolution of the Fold, but if you look closely, it has a Z in the middle of its name. That’s because it incorporates some of the new features that were released on the Z Flip. They are aesthetically and functionally similar mobiles, but there are important changes.
How different is Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2?
Design
In terms of design both phones are very similar. Both maintain the same functionality: internal folding screen, simulating a book, and an external screen to use the mobile without having to unfold it. The materials are similar, although the Fold 2 has new colors (Bronze and Black) and a customizable spine.
Screens
The main differences begin to emerge with the two screens.
In the case of the folding panel, Samsung has managed to reduce the frames by 27%. This manages to increase the screen surface without increasing the height of the mobile. It is, however, a centimeter wider, which is able to increase the diagonal from 7.3 to 7.6 inches.
Another very important improvement of the Fold 2 is that the huge notch or eyebrow that the Fold had is removed, and it is replaced with a discreet hole in the screen. The result is much more spectacular:
There is also an improvement in brightness. While the Fold allowed three levels to be set at 420, 600, and 800 nits, the Fold 2 goes up to 450, 700, and 900 nits.
But even bigger are the differences in the external display. In the Fold it only occupied the central area of the case, with a size of 4.6 inches. In the Fold 2 it extends to occupy the entire front, reaching a spectacular 6.2 inches.
And these improvements helped reducing the thickness of the mobile a few millimeters in the Fold 2.
Finally, we must highlight the enormous evolution of screen refreshment. The new Fold 2 display works with a variable rate between 11Hz and 120Hz:
It uses 11Hz when viewing an image without movement, between 24Hz and 120Hz to watch videos, and between 48Hz and 120Hz to play video games.
A completely new hinge
The hinge on the new Galaxy Z Fold 2 is completely different. It is based on the model used in the Galaxy Z Flip, which uses real physical hinges to fold the screen and keep it fixed at a certain angle.
But the CAM structure of the Fold 2 has been reinforced by adding an additional hinge on each side, since the fold area is much larger than on the Z Flip:
Another important improvement, also taken from the Flip, is the use of a sweeper that covers the entire exterior of the hinge. Literally, a strip of fiber similar to a miniature broom, which cleans the hinge and at the same time prevents dust from entering the interior of the mobile:
The hinge of the Fold 2 is a real improvement over the previous one.
Hardware
In the specifications section, the differences are much smaller than expected. This table offers us all the data at a glance:
| specs | Galaxy Fold | Galaxy Z Fold 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Interior Screen | 7.3 “Dynamic AMOLED 4.2: 3 QXGA + format 2,152 x 1,536 pixels and 326 dpi, with HDR10 + | Dynamic 2X AMOLED display with 7.6 inches QXGA + (2,208 x 1,768 pixels) up to 900 nits |
| External display | 4.6 “Super AMOLED 21: 9 HDR format 1,680 x 720 pixels and 399pp |
6.2-inch Super AMOLED display with 2260 x 816 pixels |
| Processor | Snapdragon 855 | 7nm 64-bit 8-core processor |
| Memory | 12GB | 12GB |
| Storage | 512GB | 256GB (UFS 3.1) |
| Rear cameras | 12MP (f / 1.5 / f / 2.4) with optical stabilization (77º) 16MP f / 2.2 wide angle (123 degrees) 12MP f / 2.4 2X telephoto with optical stabilization (45º) |
12MP Ultra wide angle f / 2.2 and 1.12 micron pixel size 12MP wide angle f / 1.8, 1.8 micron pixel size, with OIS and Pixel AF 12MP telephoto f / 2.4 and 1 micron pixel size |
| Frontal camera | 10MP f / 1.9 8MP f / 2.2 auxiliary (dynamic focus) |
10MP f / 2.2 and 1.22 micron pixel size |
| Camera cover | 10MP f / 2.2 | 10MP f / 2.2 and 1.22 micron pixel size |
| Connections | 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi 5 (802.11 ac) | 4G LTE, 5G (Sub6 / mmWave), Bluetooth 5.0, WiFi 6 (802.11 ax) |
| Sound | Stereo speakers | Dynamic stereo speakers |
| Dual sim | Not facilitated | Yes (depending on the country) |
| Battery | 4380 mAh (double cell) Fast Charge Fast Charge (5V2A / 9V1,65A) |
Dual battery with 4,500 mAh and fast wireless or wired charging |
| Operating system | Android 9 | Not facilitated |
| Authentication | Fingerprint reader and facial recognition | Fingerprint reader and facial recognition |
| Unfolded dimensions | 160.9×117.9×6.9 mm | 159.2×128.2×6.9 – 6 mm |
| Folded dimensions | 160.9×62.9×15.5 – 17.7 mm | 159.2x68x16.8 – 13.8 mm |
| Weight | 276 grams | 282 grams |
| Colors | Gray | Bronze and Black, and four additional colors for the hinge |
The processor will surely be something better in the Fold 2, which although Samsung has not revealed it, it will surely be the Snapdragon 855+. But the RAM is the same, and the Fold 2 has half the storage space, 256GB.
As we can see, the surprise of the comparison is that the hardware of the Fold 2 has barely improved with respect to the Fold, and even in some aspects it is worse.
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Camera
there are some improvements such as the opening of the main sensor, the resolution of the wide-angle sensor, or the double sensor of the selfie camera.
But Samsung has included new technologies in the Z Fold 2 that add the novelties that we have seen this year in other mobiles. The most striking is the Night Mode, to take photos almost in the dark.
In addition, the Fold 2 greatly improves the camera mode with the mobile folded and supported on the table (the Flex Mode), and uses artificial intelligence to follow people in the frame, so it can automatically record videos even when you are moving.
The rest of the hardware is similar, including the battery and fast charging. Of course, the Galazy Z Fold 2 launches the 5G connection and WiFi 6, which are two very important improvements.
Many new features in the software
Another aspect that ends up deciding the balance in favor of the Fold 2 is the software. Samsung has included many improvements in the system layer, which we have already discussed in the presentation article of the Galaxy Fold 2.
The Fold 2 has greatly improved the transfer of the app from the external screen to the extended internal one, with a better interface layout. And the organization of multitasking with 2 and 3 simultaneous windows.
Flex Mode has been enhanced thanks to the new hinge, and is now used by many more apps, in a more intelligent and automatic way, changing the layout of the interface according to double and position the mobile:
It’s a smoother, more refined, and much more practical experience. Samsung hasn’t explained how many of these enhancements will apply to the Fold though.
In summary, except in two specific aspects such as cameras and storage, the Fold 2 far exceeds its predecessor. Larger screens without the huge notch are especially important. But, above all, the hinge: a completely new technology that seems more reliable, durable, and allows better fixation of the screen at specific angles.
Addition of the Night Mode, the improved camera app and the improvements in multitasking and the system layer are pretty cool too, unless there is a very large price difference, the most logical thing is to go for the new Galaxy Fold 2, and say goodbye to the old Fold.
