Which is the best folding phone? Galaxy Fold vs. Huawei Mate X

By Mark Myerson on Mar 8, 2019, 6:21 pm EST under Daily Digest

In the torrent of new folding smartphones, two names stand out: the Galaxy Fold and the Huawei Mate X. Here’s a comparison of the two, and a look at the rest of this flourishing niche.

Which is the best folding phone? Galaxy Fold vs. Huawei Mate X

What is the cheapest folding smartphone? Ignoring traditional clamshell designs, the ZTE Atom M ($724.99) is probably the most affordable folding phone right now.
What are the advantages of a folding smartphone? It allows you to transform your smartphone into a tablet-sized device. This is particularly useful for multi-tasking on the go.
Will there be a folding iPhone? While they haven’t announced any plans officially, Apple, their patents, and their partnerships are giving plenty of hints and rumors that one will be in the works.

https://youtu.be/7r_UgNcJtzQ

Folding smartphones have been a long time coming. It was several years ago that we first saw Samsung’s flexible displays. Now that the technology has been effectively miniaturized, everyone suddenly wants a piece of the action. Apart from Apple, every major phone maker looks set to release a folding smartphone this year.

At present, the two outstanding new releases are the Samsung Galaxy Fold and the Huawei Mate X. Which is worth your money? We decided to take a closer look.

Samsung Galaxy Fold vs. Huawei Mate X

folding smartphones - Which is the best folding phone? Galaxy Fold vs. Huawei Mate X

Is the Samsung Galaxy Fold the best folding smartphone?

This clash of the titans is a little lopsided at the moment, given that some of the Galaxy Fold’s vital statistics are still under wraps. That said, we still have enough information to make a good comparison.

How does the Mate X match up to the Galxy Fold? (Credit: CNET)

First, there are the similarities. Both phones offer…

512 GB of internal storage
Three rear cameras
4K video at 30 fps
Android 9.0 running on octo-core processors
802.11ac Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity
A display resolution of 414 dpi

Both phones have three cameras

The major differences

Elsewhere, Samsung and Huawei have chosen different paths. For starters, the Mate X is over $600 more expensive than the Galaxy Fold. Here is a side-by-side comparison:

The Samsung Galaxy Fold is cheaper ($1,980 vs. $2,600)
The Mate X has the larger unfolded screen (8 inches vs. 7.3 inches)
The Galaxy Fold has significantly more RAM (12GB vs 8GB)
The Galaxy Fold is powered by a slightly faster processor (Snapdragon 2.84GHz vs. Huawei 2.6GHz)

The Mate X has a dual SIM support and a memory card slot

There are a few other notable differences, as well. In favor of the Mate X, Huawei has chosen superior AMOLED display technology — Samsung has gone with OLED. In addition, the Mate X can accept external storage.

In contrast, the Galaxy Fold has a front-facing camera and a cover camera. The Mate X has neither. The Samsung also supports wireless charging, whereas the Huawei does not.

Some details about the Galxy Fold are yet to be released

The only comparisons we can’t make are related to weight and size, as Samsung is yet to release these details. For the time being, these two phones are neck and neck.

The verdict

Determining the best of the two depends on a few factors. If you’re on a tighter budget, the Galaxy Fold is the better option. But, if you’re willing to spend a bit more, we think the Mate X takes the cake. It offers a superior folding method, a larger tablet display, and a more streamlined design.

Which is the best folding phone?

Technically speaking, the only folding smartphone currently available to purchase is the Royale FlexPai. It’s a solid device, but we would recommend waiting for Samsung and Huawei to release their thoroughbreds.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that many more folding phones are expected to drop in the remainder of 2019.

Look out for the Nubia Alpha, TCL Foldable Concept Phone, and the LG V50 ThinQ 5G. Samsung may even release another folding phone this year.

Are you impressed by folding phones? If not why not? Join the discussion in the comments!

Mark Myerson

Mark is best known for writing about apps, but he also loves the tactile, hardware side of technology. Being a professional photographer, he's pretty handy with a camera, and he's a self-confessed tweetaholic.

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