I just spent a few hours poking at the Fold 5 and Honor Magic Vs (although shouldve been V2 but obviously not available just yet).
But yeah, if we ignore the price tag and forget how much it changed from Fold 4, the Fold 5 really is an impressive phone. I havnt used a stylus on any recent Samsung's but I have to say that the S-Pen or whatever on the inner screen on Fold 5 was probably the best stylus experience I've yet had. I personally use a Surface Pro for work and while I never considered the pen feel to lack anything on that (an older Surface Pro), the Samsung experience was just on a whole other level somehow. That said, I'm sure Surface stylus have improved over the 10 years too. Sadly didnt have a chance to try the Honor with it's magic pen or whatever its called.
The software felt pretty polished for the foldable. This is probably the biggest difference to the Honor I was poking at too. It's not HUGE things, but still meaningful. Like for example the Honor Magic Vs can't do splitscreen horizontally, so the split screen will be in portrait modes whereas the Samsung Fold 5 (and 4 and 3 probably too...) can split apps horizontally too. Fold 5 felt more like "alright now im a small tablet" when opened, whereas the Honor was more like "im a big phone uwu" in the user experience. Again, not huge, but this is a refinement thing. Samsung also has more features in the half-folded mode, where you have the inner screen at a 45-90 degree kinda angle and it shows you different content in both screens (like in camera and whatnot), but from what Ive seen the Magic V2 has addressed some of this.
As for the bads, I have to say that it feels kind of a bold move to stick with the really narrow cover display. I guess there are people who prefer it or the aspect ration it causes and no shame in that, but I do have to stay it definitely encouraged using big inner screen, cos the cover display feels ridicilous. It's enough for answering the call or whatever relatively quick and simple task, but it really didnt feel like using a real smartphone due to it's size. This is a big difference with the Honor Magic Vs, as I found myself using the cover display a lot more (almost forgetting that i can open it up too!) cos it felt like a regular flagship slab phone. Could 100% pass as a regular phone in cover display mode, that cant really be said for the Samsung. But again, I think these are DIFFERENCES which is nice that people have something to choose from, but regarding this topic for me, the Honor wins easily.
Even ignoring what the V2 will bring to the table soon, even the Magic Vs still felt to me like more bang for the buck. That's not really to say that the Fold 5 was bad, it's just that it's so fucking expensive that I dont think it brings enough extra on the table. And that's comparing the Fold 5 to an older generation foldable, I'm afraid the comparison wont look pretty with V2, OnePlus Open and other chinese competitors.
But again, if money isnt an issue, the Fold 5 is surely amazing. Samsung does seem to have some lucrative deals pretty often, so maybe that will work in it's favor. And it is a higher value brand and ecosystem, but especially compared to the Fold 4... i dont think enough improved to warrant the price tag, but that's just me.
Ali2029, 12 Jun 2023I had the chance to see and try this device. It feel great in the hand and it has a great disp... moreI was checking out the Fold 5 yesterday and even as someone who has no prior experience of foldables, it wasnt really that thick. A lot of midrange slabs are rather similar thickness with a case on.
I work a lot on my phone, plus then ofc all the free time on top, I can definitely see how a foldable phone with a small tablet size inner screen is lucrative as I find myself intrigued. It's really just the price and maybe durability that I consider as weaknesses. I think people who want a pocketable tablet realize that you have to accept some extra thickness to do it. But my pocket isnt gonna run out from the extra thickness.
Hanif Fikri, 10 Jul 2023Latest flagship SoC is useless without good cooling..Same here. I feel like, then better SOCs coming out then why don't research more for Better Passive cooling the phone. Yes we can use cooper and vapor Chamber to cool better but it costs more then.
FatSteve99, 12 May 2023NOW it's SD8 Gen 2 or it WON'T SELL.....The Gen 2 is far superior in ALL areas, why ... moreLatest flagship SoC is useless without good cooling..
Ali2029, 12 Jun 2023I had the chance to see and try this device. It feel great in the hand and it has a great disp... moreEasy reason for the fold why people like to carry or buying them: Don't need to buy a Tablet because the inner screen is a Tablet size one.
I had the chance to see and try this device. It feel great in the hand and it has a great display. I still feel that foldables are too big, bulky and heavy. I don't know who wants to carry around a device with 2 displays and 2 selfie cameras. Foldables have a long way to go still.
Bcos no water resistant, I choosed honor magic 5 pro. Hopefully next honor fold phone will come with this feature.
NOW it's SD8 Gen 2 or it WON'T SELL.....The Gen 2 is far superior in ALL areas, why not wait or get a Gen 2 foldable.?!?
Anonymous, 30 Dec 2022No thanks, too big and cumbersome to useIt may be too big for you but for someone like me I love it. Big keyboard to type without errors . Some of us have big hands and those small phones you like is not good for us. That's why there are options. You can always find something you like but you can't condemn it because you feel it's too big for you.
Anonymous, 30 Dec 2022No thanks, too big and cumbersome to useHonestly the slickest foldable remain the Mate Xs from 2018. 5 years in and the technology only got worse, lol. I thought this tech would take off, but naaah. Miniaturization never touch this part of the industry.
No thanks, too big and cumbersome to use
Anonymous, 29 Nov 2022shame they dont bring this to Europe and UK would give Samsung a run for its money this is actually being released in europe in q1 2023
shame they dont bring this to Europe and UK would give Samsung a run for its money
(cont from 2nd comment since i accidentally clicked the submit button can you merge these comments gsmarena mods?)
a really long time? Sure, a cheaper option would be fine but then it would be more prone to breaking in the long term.
I kinda forgot my point since I can't see my older comments but aren't you deviating from the original IP rating topic? You can blame me but I provided an analogy, not a counterpoint that tries to deviate from the argument.
(this is a continuation of my other comment)
My other comment was incomplete since Firefox Nightly crashed which is kinda fitting considering the situation. This is an example of Company A (or B) making A & B products, Firefox Stable and Firefox Nightly.
Continuing the comment:
Both of your points relate to false advertising, not A making B products.
As you said IP68 is not perfect, but Samsung advertised it as "waterproof".
Apple has been doing the "technically sapphire but not really" for YEARS, and that doesn't relate to shoddy QC, it's just false adverts.
I also don't get your point. Like, really. What if you want to keep your phone for
AnonD-731363, 28 Nov 2022Man nowdays company A act as company B tons of exceptions can be said but it will take too lo... moreMate, I DIDN'T MEAN IT LITERALLY. Most companies' QC lies in between A & B, not JUST A & B. Plus, the QC varies between product, so Company A can technically make A & B's product
Welcome to the comment section. Down below you will see an argument over IP rating: a gimmick or a need it? You decide!
Anonymous, 28 Nov 2022IP ratings are basically another layer of 'quality control (QC)' in which the manufa... moreMan nowdays company A act as company B tons of exceptions can be said
but it will take too long but few of that i can point.
Example 1:
https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_australia_fined_aud_14m_over_misleading_water_resistance_ads-news-54782.php
Example 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF72hGIdrG8
Apple most expensive watch with so called real shapphire and mohs pick of 6 made scratches.
Also i dont believe they can survive unharmed as deep as 100 metres.
Garming were the best in that Jerryrigeverything test.
So conclusion or in other words. As long as cheaper phone last as long as your warranty where you plan to buy new device (for one major reason you dont want to end with great looking but old hardware device unable to run new tricks and apps) a cheaper option is always win win.
Or in other words a Company B which acts as a company A. Old Xiaomi Poco F1, New Xiaomi 12 note explorer.
Oneplus devices of the old times, Nubia red magic etc.
AnonD-731363, 27 Nov 2022man yes and no. IP rating is still gimick. You can have most IP rated phone ot the planet but ... moreIP ratings are basically another layer of 'quality control (QC)' in which the manufacturer tests their product before shipment to make sure that their product is working properly. Every (reputable) company has some sort of QC that makes sure that their SoCs are without error, phones aren't exploding *cough* *cough*, or that their cases don't disintegrate when exposed to dihydrogen monoxide. This part usually remains hidden since it's boring as paint drying but IP ratings are an exception since it provides companies more content for their adverts.
For example:
Company A creates a phone which has amazing QC but is very expensive.
Company B creates the same phone which has minimal QC and sells it for cheap.
People who bought Company A's phone are happy that their phone works perfectly but feel like they got scammed.
People who bought Company B's phone are mostly unhappy and even with replacements, have only had their phones work 1% of the time.
Ideally you'd go somewhere in between; not to high that consumers don't buy it, but not to low so that consumers have broken phones.
lol, 27 Nov 2022Nope. Only those who have too much money but not sure where to spend or iPhone/Samsung hardcor... moreIf people have enough money to buy a folding phone that costs >1000€, would you consider that those people have too much money and weigh form over function?
Many (but not all) people want the "most stylish" phone since it indicates that they're well off even if it's hot garbage. Buy a cheapo phone from 2016 and slap a knockoff Gucci case on it and BAM! You've got the hottest phone around and many hot singles nearby suddenly want to meet you!
Also, I don't get the argument. My original statement says that "a lot" of people want the form over function thing but you say that rich people (implying only a handful of people) & fanboys only want form over function but then say that 80% (which is "a lot") of the smartphone populace buy a expensive phone for the sake of being 'well off' which is another way of saying 'form over function' in your context. Are you agreeing or disagreeing with me?
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