Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, Galaxy Z Flip 6 Challengers: OnePlus Open, Vivo X Fold 3 Pro, More
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, Galaxy Z Flip 6 Alternatives: Oppo Find N3 Flip, Motorola Razr 50 Ultra, and more foldables to choose from.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, Galaxy Z Flip 6 Challengers: Samsung has taken the wraps off its latest foldables. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Galaxy Z Flip 6 might look very much like their predecessors, but come with several enhancements. Both are now powered by the flagship-level Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy processor and have RAM boosted up to a staggering 12GB. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 now sports a slightly larger 6.3-inch external display, while the Flip 6 gets a much-improved 50-megapixel main camera and a larger 4,000mAh battery.
Most important of all, both phones come with dollops of Galaxy AI, Samsung's high-profile artificial intelligence developed in collaboration with Google that lets you do so much more with both devices.
From innovative ways of translating text and speech (speaking to a person and letting them see the translation of what you have spoken in their own language on the external display) to special camera modes (the Flip 6's camera zooms automatically to keep you in the frame) to a whole lot of editing and creating options, Samsung's two new foldables bring a whole lot more to the productivity table than their predecessors did, backed up by seven years of assured Android and security updates.
They do come with very premium prices though - the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 starts at Rs 1,64,999 (and goes up all the way to Rs 2,00,999) while the Galaxy Z Flip 6 starts at Rs 1,09,999. And that opens the door to a number of competitors who claim to bring as much (and in some cases, more) to the foldable table at lower prices.
OnePlus Open: The Never Settler That Unsettles Other Folds
Price: Rs 1,39,999
OnePlus got into the foldable phone zone late last year and in the best OnePlus tradition, it did so in a manner that rattled many cages.
The OnePlus Open brought a large 6.31-inch FHD AMOLED external display that was as easy to use as a normal phone (the one on the Fold 6 remains unusually long and less wide, and also is only HD+), a brilliant 7.82-inch internal AMOLED display with 2K, and a triple Hasselblad-flavoured camera set up on its back comprising a 48-megapixel main sensor with OIS, a 64-megapixel telephoto with OIS, and another 48-megapixel ultrawide camera.
ALSO READ: OnePlus Open Challengers: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, Tecno Phantom V Fold, More
The OnePlus Open also comes with a 20-megapixel selfie camera on its cover display and a 32-megapixel one on its internal one.
Combine that with a large 4,805mAh battery with support for 67W wired charging that completely charges the device in about 45 minutes, a still very powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, and OnePlus' clean OxygenUI with AI features, and the OnePlus becomes a pain in the neck for each and every foldable out there.
It being relatively more affordable only increases the pain of every new foldable.
Vivo X Fold 3 Pro: Beauty & A Beast
Price: Rs 1,59,999
Vivo surprised us all when it released the Vivo X Fold3 Pro earlier this year. The phone came with a very stiff price tag but backed it up with perhaps the best design and specs we have seen on a foldable. Specs and design that give even the mighty Galaxy Z Fold 6 a run for its money. The X Fold3 Pro is a mere 11.2 mm thin and at 236 grams, lighter than some 'normal' phones, and comes with a striking dual-tone back.
It boasts the largest external and internal display combination we have seen on a foldable - a 6.53-inch external FHD+ AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate and an 8.03-inch internal display with 2K resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate.
ALSO READ: Vivo X Fold 3 Pro Review: Costlier Than Competitors, But Better Than Others Foldables
It also brings one of the best camera combinations we have seen on a fold - a 50-megapixel main sensor with OIS, a 64-megapixel periscope telephoto and a 50-megapixel ultrawide, all made in collaboration with the legendary Zeiss.
The Fold 3 Pro also boasts 32-megapixel selfie cameras on the cover display as well as the internal one. It packs in a massive 5,700mAh battery with support for 100W wired and 50W wireless charging.
The Funtouch OS running on Android 14 might seem a little crowded, and some might hem and haw about the absence of Gorilla Glass protection (the device does have IPX8 water protection) but the Vivo X Fold3 Pro remains the spec beauty and beast in the foldable world even after the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Motorola Razr 50 Ultra: Killer External Display
Price: Rs 99,999
Motorola's Razr 40 Ultra grabbed a lot of attention last year with its large external display and clean interface, and the brand has stuck to the same formula with its successor, the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra.
The phone comes with what Motorola claims is the "largest and most intelligent external display" - a 4-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with support for Google's Gemini AI assistant. Flipping open the RAZR reveals an equally impressive large 6.9-inch FHD+ AMOLED display.
That large external display, combined with Motorola's clean interface, allows consumers to use the Razr 50 Ultra even without always opening it, something even the Flip 6 cannot do out of the box. The Razr 50 Ultra also boasts dual 50-megapixel cameras (one main with OIS and one telephoto) on the cover display while the internal display houses a 32-megapixel one.
A 4,000mAh battery with support for 45W charging and support for wireless charging powers the phone. Of course, this being a Razr, you get the iconic, clean minimalistic design that made the brand legendary.
The only cloud on its spec horizon is the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip, which while flagship level, is a notch below the one on the Z Flip 6. It does come with speedy 12 GB RAM and 512 GB storage, though.
Oppo Find N3 Flip: Flip For Photography
Price: Rs 74,999
Want a lot of photography muscle in a flip form factor? We would recommend going for the Oppo Find N3 Flip, which comes with three powerful, megapixel-laden cameras (50 MP main with OIS+ 48 MP ultrawide + 32 MP telephoto), designed in collaboration with the legendary Hasselblad. Even the internal display has a 32-megapixel selfie snapper, making this perhaps the Flip to flip for when it comes to photography.
There is some seriously good hardware to go along with those cameras too - the Find N3 Flip has a 3.26-inch external AMOLED display and a 6.8-inch AMOLED internal one, and also packs in a large 4,300mAh battery with support for a brisk 44W charging, although it has no wireless charging support.
The MediaTek Dimensity 9200 chip is flagship level and gives it lots of gaming muscle, and it also has a very distinct and colourful design with IPX4 water resistance.
And while it might not have the sort of AI muscle that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 has at the time of writing, it is excellent value for money, especially if you like photography.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4: Still A Four-midable Flip
Price: Rs 69,999
Yes, it is a couple of years old, but if you want to dip your toes into high-quality foldable phone waters, the Galaxy Z Flip4 remains an excellent option. The external display is much smaller than that on the current Flip - just 1.9 inches - but it is bright and handy for reading notifications, and the internal display remains an impressive 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 120 Hz refresh rate.
The dual 12-megapixel cameras on the cover display remain very good shooters, and the 10-megapixel selfie camera can deliver some very good snaps.
The Qualcomm 8+ Gen 1 processor is still powerful enough to not just race through routine and heavy tasks but also give you a decent gaming experience.
The 3,700mAh battery can struggle to get through a day but comes with wireless charging support, and the phone has Gorilla Glass Victus Plus protection, an Armour Aluminium frame and is water resistant with an IPX8 rating. Best of all, the Galaxy Z Flip4 has been updated to Android 14 and also has several Galaxy AI features.
A still-super option if you can put up with that smaller cover display.
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