Foldable and flip phones are better than ever, and these top 10 picks prove it

Samsung may have been the first company to really go all-in on the book-style foldable concept, but we’d argue that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 represents the first time the manufacturer has been able to truly deliver on the idea of having a large, tablet-like device that can fit in your pocket. As great as previous Galaxy Z Folds have been, the Fold 7 is just so slim that it’s almost on a whole other level.

When opened up, the Z Fold 7 is only 4.2mm thick, but it’s the fact that it’s 8.9mm thick when folded that makes all the difference. We are finally at that point where keeping a foldable phone on your person doesn’t feel all that different to having a traditional candy-bar style smartphone in your pocket, and that’s a huge win.

Even with the slimmer frame, Samsung has made sure to invest just as much time with the durability of the whole thing, moving the Z Fold 7 over to the more robust Advanced Armor Aluminium for the chassis, and Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2 for the display. Given that you’re getting seven years of updates with the phone, it’s nice to know that it can go the distance.

Cameras have been a bit hit-and-miss on previous Fold phones but there’s more good news to be found here too. There are still three rear-facing sensors but now they’re led by the massively upgraded 200Mp main camera (the same one from the S25 Ultra) and it’s able to capture jaw-dropping shots with plenty of colour.

Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7?

Those who want the perfect combination of style, software, cameras and support in one foldable phone.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Further considerations

It’s still one of the priciest phones out there, and there’s no shortage of cheaper alternatives either.

Just like with its Z Fold series, there was a moment in time when Samsung had given up quite a bit of ground to the competition, leaving us all wondering whether or not the tech giant could ever catch up again. Thankfully, those concerns are a thing of the past, cemented by the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7.

The most obvious leap forward you’ll spot, particularly against the Z Flip 6, is the total revamp of the cover screen. Now with a proper end-to-end 4.1-inch panel, the exterior display can be used without it feeling like a compromised experience, so you can respond to messages, check for directions and more, all without ever touching the interior display.

Speaking of which, the internal screen has been given a slight size increase, bumping to 6.9-inches. Having such a tall display readily available in a compact form also makes the Z Flip 7 great for catching up on the latest movies or TV shows on the go.

It would be nice to see Samsung bump up not just the battery life but also the charging speeds in a successor, but it’s a minor gripe against what is overall an outstanding flip phone that’s bolstered by Samsung’s highly refined software and long-term promise of updates.

Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7?

Anyone who wants to have their phone for the long-haul, with tons of promised software updates.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7: Further considerations

The battery life is instantly better by Motorola’s flip phones, and you can buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE for less.

While the competition is closer than ever thanks to the significant leaps made by the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, the Moto Razr 60 Ultra is still one of the best flip phones you can buy right now, with an experience that’ll leave you wanting for very little.

You’ve probably already spotted as much from the included picture but the Razr 60 Ultra is one stylish handset. While there are a few colourways available, the ‘Mountain Trail’ option that features a wood finish is just too good to pass on. It’s the type of aesthetic that’ll have your friends bubbling with envy as they wonder why their own phone doesn’t look quite so slick.

Turn on the phone and the experience just gets even better as you’re greeted with a bright and colourful 4-inch AMOLED display. While Samsung may have adopted the same end-to-end style, it still looks great on Motorola’s device and its usability saves you from having to constantly open the phone when you want to quickly dive into an app.

Having a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset under the hood is a huge boon as everything loads up quickly and the experience of scrolling through menus and settings feels buttery smooth. It is a shame that you don’t get quite as long an update cycle as you do with Samsung, but the trade-off can be worth it to those who prefer having a longer battery life.

Who should buy the Motorola Razr 60 Ultra?

Heavy users who need a great battery life to get them through the day.

Motorola Razr 60 Ultra: Further considerations

With only four years of updates promised, the longevity pales in comparison to what Samsung provides.

Read our full
Motorola Razr 60 Ultra review

Building upon the already excellent foundations set by the Honor Magic V3 (which is still worth checking out at a discount), the newer Magic V5 is an absolute marvel of foldable design. With a chassis that measures only 4.1mm when unfolded, the phone barely feels all that thicker than a standard candybar-style phone when it’s stowed away in your pocket.

What’s probably most impressive is that despite making the build slimmer than ever and having less space to work with as a result, Honor has still managed to give the V5 upgrades across the board. The phone now packs a larger 5820mAh hour battery which, from our testing, can actually go the distance and provide you with two-days of use at a time.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset also allows for top-tier performance, whether that be in having two apps open side by side for a bit of work on the go, or playing triple-A games like Genshin Impact. The brightness of the interior display has been given a leg-up too, reaching 5000 nits, the same as the outer display, to bring greater parity between the two panels.

It is a shame that MagicOS holds the overall experience back somewhat due to its clunky design, and Honor AI could use some more work before it becomes a must-use feature, but it’s easy to look past this when everything works as well as it does. For a super-powerful slim foldable, the Magic V5 is a great alternative to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Who should buy the Honor Magic V5?

Anyone who’s been put off by larger folding phones.

Honor Magic V5: Further considerations

MagicOS just isn’t as smooth as the experience provided by Samsung’s OneUI or a Google Pixel.

Google had a tough time with its first-generation foldable but managed to steady the ship with the rather excellent Pixel 9 Pro Fold, which is still worth considering as you can no doubt find it for less now that the Pixel 10 Pro Fold has hit the scene. If you do prefer having the latest tech, however then there’s lots to like about Google’s newest foldable, not least its massive jump forward in durability.

Long-term durability has always been a concern for adopters of any foldable tech, and Google has made sure to assuage those fears by beefing up the 10 Pro Fold with an official IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. In fact, Google’s device is the first foldable of its kind to have this rating, with the dust proofing being the important way it now beats rivals.

Across the board, there have been some great quality of life upgrades, including a larger 5015mAh battery and a higher peak brightness of 3000 nits on both displays. It’s not quite the 5000 nits reached by the Honor Magic V5, but it makes a big difference. Even more appreciated is the new Pixelsnap feature which allows the phone to use MagSafe-style accessories, including most of the ones originally designed for iPhones.

As we’ve come to expect from Pixel phones nowadays, the new Tensor G5 chipset, while solid in its own right, just can’t quite match the performance of competing processors like the Snapdragon 8 Elite. It’s less of an issue during everyday use but it can seriously hamper gaming, so if you are the type of person who likes to get in a few rounds of Call of Duty Mobile in their lunch hour, then you’re better off with one of Honor or Samsung’s foldables.

Who should buy the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold?

Fans of stock Android and Google’s AI features, durability, as well as magnetic wireless charging and accessories.

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold: Further considerations

The Tensor G5 can’t keep up with foldable phones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite.

Even though Samsung and Motorola lead the charge where flip phones are concerned, the Xiaomi Mix Flip still represents a solid alternative for anyone who’s most interested in having a solid camera setup and decent battery life to back it up.

In scenarios with good lighting, the Mix Flip is able to deliver the same great photos that Xiaomi is known for. Portrait shots do an outstanding job of naturally elevating a subject from the background, whilst buildings and areas with lots of greenery can pop with colour.

You’ve also got a decent photo editor baked into the phone with very impressive AI-backed tools. For instance, Xiaomi’s AI eraser doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to taking unwanted photo-bombers out of a shot.

The 4780mAh cell inside the phone can easily eke out a day and a half of use from a single charge, so it’s very unlikely that you’ll have any battery anxiety before reaching the end of a day. There’s also 67W fast charging for getting the battery topped up again at speed.

Who should buy the Xiaomi Mix Flip?

Buyers who value great battery life and solid daytime cameras in a single package.

Xiaomi Mix Flip: Further considerations

The Mix Flip is still more expensive than the better flip phones on this list.

While not the massive overhaul that some Razr 50 fans might have been hoping for, the Motorola Razr 60 is still a fantastic foldable phone and one that is crucially a great deal more affordable than its closest Samsung rival. Even though Samsung has plenty of trade-in offers, the £1,049 starting price of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is huge compared to the £799 tag put forth by Motorola.

The Razr 60 isn’t just a reskinned Razr 50, however, as there are two key upgrades this time that are sure to appeal to flip phone users in search of a new device: a larger battery and better durability. Going from 4200mAh to 4500mAh, the Razr 60’s battery is now able to get through a fairly heavy day of use and still have a decent amount of juice left in the tank.

Given that durability has long been a point of contention with foldable phones of all sizes and variations, now having an official IP48 rating ensures that the Razr 60 can do a far better job at withstanding dust particles, which, over time, can wreak havoc with a foldable crease. Again, these aren’t major upgrades but niceties to have for added peace of mind.

Just like before, you’re still getting the massive 3.4-inch external display, which offers up enough space to easily interact with apps at a moment’s notice. If you want to do something more involved, like watch a bit of Netflix, then the 6.9-inch interior display, with a 1080 x 2640 resolution, 3000 nits of peak brightness and 120Hz refresh rate can get the job done.

Who should buy the Motorola Razr 60?

Flip phone fans who want excellent value for money at the checkout.

Motorola Razr 60: Further considerations:

The Razr 50 isn’t all that different and can now be found for even less.

It took quite a while for Samsung to finally meet the competition head-on and release a more budget-friendly alternative within its Z Flip range, but the wait was most certainly worth it as the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE presents quite the value proposition. Even though it has a lower price tag of £849 (affordable within the context of flip phones), the Flip 7 FE is still a premium device.

The big allure here as to why you might buy the Flip 7 FE over a competing device from Motorola is that Samsung promises seven years of software and security updates from the time of launch, giving you the freedom to use the 7 FE well into the future. If you’re the type of person who likes to hold on to a phone for an extended period of time then this is a huge win.

You’re also getting a gorgeous 6.7-inch AMOLED internal display which boasts the same degree of colour vibrancy and brightness that Samsung’s phones are known for. Pair that with the detail rich 50Mp main camera sensor and you have plenty of space to edit your photos either manually or with a bit of help from Galaxy AI.

The only major letdown is that the 3.4-inch outer display feels far less functional than the almost end-to-end displays found on the most recent Motorola Razr phones, or even the full-fat Galaxy Z Flip 7. Still, it’s a reasonable trade-off for the lower price tag, plus Samsung provides a much cleaner version of Android than what you’ll find with the competition.

Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE?

Samsung fans on a budget who still want to hop on board the foldable bandwagon.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE: Further considerations

The outer display just isn’t up to scratch with what the latest Motorola Razr phones provide.

Motorola’s latest premium flip phone has a different name in the UK and US, but one fact remains true: this is the best foldable phone on the market right now, bar none.

The compelling experience centres on that cover screen, which is larger than before at 4-inches and can run any app without any complicated workarounds (unlike Samsung). It’s a phone that you’ll actually want to use while closed a lot of the time, with improved rear cameras doubling as excellent selfie shooters.

But the 6.9-inch internal display is just as good, while the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 and 12GB of RAM offer ample power for them both. Despite only having a 4000mAh battery, battery life is solid, while 45W charging is decent enough.

However, the cameras simply aren’t as strong as the Z Flip 6’s, while you should avoid the internal selfie lens if at all possible. It can also get noticeably hot at times.

Nonetheless, this is still a stellar flip phone that deserves its place in your pocket. Its compact nature means even small pockets should have no problem accommodating it.

Who should buy the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra?

Those who might be tempted by the Z Flip 7 or the Razr 60 Ultra, but have a limited budget to work with.

Motorola Razr 50 Ultra: Further considerations

The limited cycle of software support is even shorter now than it was at launch.

Read our full
Motorola Razr 50 Ultra review

With a starting price of just £499/$499, the Nubia Flip 5G is the flip phone many people have been waiting for. It means you no longer have to pay flagship prices for a device that folds in half.

And despite its mid-range price, the Nubia Flip 5G gets a lot right. A statement design includes unique circular cover display, while the main display is one of the best around. You also get decent battery life and solid performance.

However, compromises have inevitably been made to keep it so affordable. That’s most obvious when it comes to cameras, which tend to struggle in environments where the light isn’t good. Relatively slow 33W charging and a lack of any official water resistance are also concerns.

But the big thing that’ll stop most people buying one is the software. Nubia’s MyOS Android skin is cluttered and bloated, and there’s no specific commitment to updates from the company.

It’s still impressive value for money, but there are enough downsides for most people to look elsewhere.

Who should buy the Nubia Flip 5G?

Anyone who’s been waiting for a true budget flip phone.

Nubia Flip 5G: Further considerations

If you shop around, you can get previous-gen Samsung and Motorola phones for not that much more.