Samsung Galaxy Fold versus Galaxy Z Fold 2: Should you upgrade?

It doesn't feel like it'due south been that long since the original Galaxy Fold was introduced but enough time has passed to warrant a direct sequel, and Samsung delivered. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 was officially launched today, September 1, every bit the 2nd model in the serial and the company's third foldable mobile device.

The original Galaxy Fold was already a highly ambitious smartphone-tablet hybrid so the question that's on anybody'due south heed is how did the Galaxy Z Fold ii meliorate the formula? In several ways, information technology turns out, from software to hardware and design. Allow'south have a wait at what one year of development meant for Samsung's foldable serial.

Galaxy Fold versus Galaxy Z Fold two: Blueprint improvements

The most obvious design improvement introduced by the Galaxy Z Fold ii lies in the enlarged encompass display. It used to measure 4.6 inches when the Galaxy Fold came out, only at present it clocks in at vi.two inches. The console has an Infinity-O camera cutout and its bezels are much thinner. Overall, information technology's a lot more than usable than before and it addresses one of the original model'south biggest shortcomings.

Similarly, the foldable display now measures seven.half-dozen inches instead of 7.3 and it has an Infinity-O cutout instead of a protruding notch. Samsung claims that the bezels surrounding the 7.six-inch foldable brandish are now 27% thinner compared to the original Galaxy Fold.

The hinge was also improved in several ways. The gap between the ii folding halves is now smaller and the swivel supports Flex Mode. Furthermore, the Galaxy Z Fold 2'due south hinge employs new sweeper technology to prevent particles from entering the device through the gap between the display and the hinge. Sweeper applied science was commencement introduced with the Galaxy Z Flip and therefore information technology's missing entirely from the original Galaxy Fold. More so, Samsung claims that the Z Fold 2's sweeper is even better than the Galaxy Z Flip'due south.

Finally, with the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 2, Samsung was able to make ane of its earlier visions a reality.You might exist able to remember that the original Milky way Fold was supposed to exist offered forth with diverse color combinations for the hinge and the two folding halves. That didn't come to laissez passer simply Galaxy Z Fold two owners can selection a colour for the swivel, from metallic argent, red, blue, and aureate.

Milky way Fold versus Galaxy Z Fold 2: Software improvements

The Galaxy Fold shipped with One UI ii.1 while the Galaxy Z Fold 2 arrives with One UI 2.5 out-of-the-box. Aside from the newer UI version being better, Samsung continued to fine-tune certain Fold-specific software features such as App Continuity. It now supports three modes – folded, half-folded, and unfolded – similar to Flex Manner. And yes, the phone does support Flex Style similar to the Galaxy Z Flip.

In addition, Multi Active Window at present lets users run multiple windows of the same app simultaneously. It doesn't work with every app and support is express at launch, but it volition continue to improve. In that location's as well Carve up Screen Capture, a new feature that lets users capture a screenshot of one of the apps opened in Multi Active Window, then paste, resize, and edit it in another. Combined with Multi Active Window, the new Split Screen Capture style pushes the thought of multitasking and mobile productivity to a whole new level even when compared to the original Galaxy Fold, permit alone a standard 'candy bar' smartphone.

Milky way Fold versus Galaxy Z Fold 2: Hardware specs

An improved design and better software go a long way, but a sequel is meant to improve upon the hardware also. The Galaxy Z Fold ii did exactly that, merely not on every single front. The well-nigh important hardware changes prevarication in the encompass display and the foldable screen. Equally mentioned earlier, they're larger, better, and as far equally the foldable screen goes, it now has a 120Hz adaptive refresh charge per unit like the Galaxy Notation 20 Ultra instead of being limited to 60Hz like the Galaxy Fold.

This means that the screen can run at a refresh rate as low every bit 11Hz or as high as 120Hz. A low refresh rate is automatically practical when viewing static images or when reading ebooks, and this can lead to significant bombardment life improvements.

The Galaxy Z Fold 2 sports a newer chipset, namely the Snapdragon 865+ SoC every bit opposed to the Snapdragon 855 used by the original Galaxy Fold. The SoC comes with a more powerful Adreno 650 graphics chip, up from the Adreno 640.

Every bit for the cameras, the newer Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a full of five sensors as opposed to six, only both selfie cameras are now embedded in the screens. The primary setup comprises a 12MP wide sensor, a 12MP telephoto lens, and a 12MP ultra-broad shooter instead of a 16MP i. The newer model has a single 10MP selfie photographic camera on the within and an identical encompass photographic camera.

It's worth noting that although the original Milky way Fold had 512GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 comes with 256GB and 512GB of built-in memory, and the aforementioned corporeality of RAM. But where the Galaxy Fold has UFS iii.0 storage, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 employs UFS 3.1.

Finally, the Galaxy Z Fold two measures 159.2 ten 68.0 x 16.8mm when folded and 159.two x 128.2 x 6.9mm when unfolded while the original Galaxy Fold measures 160.ix 10 62.9 x 15.5mm and 160.9 x 117.9 x half-dozen.9 when folded and unfolded, respectively.

Plenty of reasons to upgrade

In decision, the Galaxy Z Fold ii seemingly offers plenty of reasons for an upgrade from the original model, as long as you lot can beget it. Most internal specs have improved and the larger cover display is a game changer. The add-on of Flex Mode is a pretty big deal and the software has been refined further.

The flexible display has dropped the intrusive notch and it now supports 120Hz. The sequel even offers more colour customization options in select markets. It no longer ships with a free pair of wireless earbuds but if you bought a Milky way Fold, you already own 1. Storage took a striking but 256GB at minimum should be enough for the majority of users.

Are you a Galaxy Fold owner? Practise you lot retrieve Samsung has done enough to brand the Galaxy Z Fold 2 a worthy sequel, and volition y'all exist upgrading to the new model? Or perhaps you lot're considering joining the foldable scene for the first time? Bring together us in the annotate section below and allow us know.

General Data

Model Proper name

Galaxy Fold

Galaxy Z Fold 2
Model type

Foldable

Foldable
Colors

Silver (Silver)Black (Black)

Bronze (Bronze)Black (Black)Thom Browne Edition (Thom Browne Edition)
Appear

2019, April

2020, August
Released

2019, September

2020, September

Physical specifications

Dimensions

Folded: 160.nine x 62.8 x 17.1 mmUnfolded: 160.nine ten 117.9 10 half dozen.9 mm

Folded: 159.two ten 68.0 x 16.viii mmUnfolded: 159.2 x 128.two 10 6.9 mm
Weights

276g

282g