Samsung with their Galaxy S21 series has sort of won the flagship market in the first quarter of 2021. There is the launch of the Xiaomi Mi 11 that was very recently launched too, which was touted to be better than the South Korean flagship in every way, on paper. They also sell the device with a charger, a bonus.
Xiaomi is not the only one vying for the top spot in the premium flagship space though. There is also OPPO. To attempt to dethrone Samsung, they are launching the OPPO Find X3 series in 2021.
There is not much information at this time regarding the OPPO Find X3 series. The only thing we know for certain is that OPPO is launching their OPPO Find X3 Pro on the 11th March 2021. It is also most likely going to be launched with Android 11.
The OPPO Find X2 series really pushed Samsung in terms of specification. They proved that a high-resolution display with high refresh rates is possible. They also proved that high refresh rates does not mean a terrible battery life with the 2020 flagship.
The replacement, the OPPO Find X3 Pro continues on that recipe with a supposed high-resolution 1440p display with up to 120Hz. That is technically not a huge upgrade over the 2020 flagship that it replaces. We are also expecting it to come with up to 12GB of RAM, again something that we have seen before in the OPPO Find X2 Pro.
What is new with the OPPO Find X3 Pro though is supposedly its heart. When we say heart, we are mostly referring to powerhouse that is the SoC. We are expecting the OPPO Find X3 Pro to come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 flagship class SoC of course.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC is first seen in Malaysia on the Xiaomi Mi 11 flagship smartphone. While you have seen the Xiaomi Mi 11 perform, it does not mean that the OPPO Find X3’s inclusion of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC is any less significant. The OPPO Find X3 Pro could really benefit from the new powerful SoC.
For one, we really like OPPO’s camera application and optimization. We find that they really are among the best in the industry when it comes to camera technology and innovation. We are saying that they really know how to make smartphone cameras work.
With the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC, the OPPO Find X3 Pro might just be one of the best camera smartphones in the Android space. Even with the Xiaomi Mi 11 series, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC has boasted better sensitivity for low-light conditions. OPPO’s Find X2 series was one of the best low-light shooters we have tested in 2020. That also means that added sensor sensitivity in low-light will just make the OPPO Find X3 Pro an even better low-light shooter than before.
With the Snapdragon 888 in the OPPO flagship as well, the camera AI should benefit from Qualcomm’s Hexagon 780 dedicated AI engine embedded within the chipset. That could also mean better colours, better temperature adjustment, cleverer angle detection and recommendation, and an overall improvement in scene detection. It could also mean better depth in your photos. In that sense, what could you have asked for more?
Of course, we loved the OPPO Find X2 series for their gaming capabilities. We have used it as an alternative display in completing most of Death Stranding. We also played other games with it of course. Games like PUBG Mobile, and even Mobile Legends really benefit from a fast display.
The OPPO Find X3 Pro should deliver even more gaming performance with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888. Qualcomm’s latest processor is supposedly able to cut down your reaction times in games like Mobile Legends and even PUBG Mobile by 20%. The display is supposed to react to your touch inputs faster than before thanks to the new ultra-fast processor. Of course, even better performance and faster clocks on the SoC does not hurt gaming. They even tout desktop PC level of performances on the SoC.
Of course, all these are still yet to be confirmed. We can only confirm all of the information when the product launches on the 11th of March 2021. Are we excited though? For a smartphone that could give Samsung a run for their money, heck yes.
Xiaomi is no stranger to the smartphone scene. In recent years, the company has clawed its way to become one of the top 3 smartphone brands in the world. The same rings true in Malaysia and Singapore where the company has become one of the top 2 fastest growing smart devices companies. They have attributed their success to their highly innovative R&D process amazing products and what they call “honest prices.” That said, Xiaomi’s biggest boon is the support of their Mi Fans Community. Today, the company announced their latest flagship – the Xiaomi Mi 11, the first device in both Singapore and Malaysia to come with MIUI 12.5 and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor with support for 5G.
Source: Xiaomi
The Mi 11 is being touted by Xiaomi as a ‘Movie Magic’ device as it allows users to enjoy shooting like a director and edit like a pro. The Mi 11 comes with a triple camera sensor setup and a single selfie camera. Its main sensor is a 108-megapixels sensor. The is complemented with a 13-megapixel ultrawide sensor with 123° field of view and the first M series Tele-macro lens. The front 20-megapixel, selfie camera is nestled in a punch hole up front.
The camera setup comes with improved software including an improved night mode which is now available on the ultra-wide and front camera, giving users to the flexibility of shooting at night with different lenses. It is also equipped with AI features such as Magic Zoom, Parallel world, Freeze Frame, and Night Time-lapse, which brings even more variety to the shots that users can take with the smartphone. Apart from that, users can also take advantage of 8 cinematic video filters. The Mi 11 supports recording video in 8K resolution and supports HDR10+. It also has a 30% improvement in capture compared to previous devices.
Source: Xiaomi
Even with all those features, the Mi 11 is thinner and lighter than before. It has a quad-curved edge design on the front and back of the device which make it more ergonomic. This device comes with a WQHD+ resolution AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 120hz and 480Hz touch sampling.
The Mi 11 has a dual speaker setup calibrated by Harman Kardon for a more premium audio experience. Keeping the device flagship worthy, the Mi 11 comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor complemented by the Adreno 660 GPU promising an immersive, responsive experience. The new flagship is also the first device with MIUI 12.5, Xiaomi’s latest operating system which runs atop Android 11. To make sure that you have enough power to last, the Mi 11is supported by a 4600mAh battery fully equipped with 55W fast charging and 50W wireless charging. It also supports 10W reverse charging. The cherry on the package with the Mi11 in Malaysia and Singapore is the inclusion of a 55W GaN (Gallium Nitride) charger in the box.
Pricing & Availability
Xiaomi Mi11 will be available in three colors: Cloud White, Horizon Blue, and Midnight Gray. It will be priced starting at MYR2,799 (SGD999/USD$) for the 8GB version with 128GB internal storage. Full pricing is listed in the table below.
Storage & Memory
Sale Date
Pricing
128GB + 8GB RAM
TBA
MYR 2,999 (SGD$1099/742.53USD$)
256GB + 8GB RAM
March 13, 2021
MYR 2,799 (SGD$999/693.04USD$)
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Pre-orders are now open in Malaysia and Singapore. It will be running from 25 February to 10 March 2021 at Authorized Mi Stores and on Lazada, and Shopee. In Singapore, the Mi 11 is also available for pre-order with M1, Singtel, and StarHub.
Pre-orders are will be up for several freebies. The first 100 pre-orders made will stand a chance to win Mi AloT Premium Pack worth up to MYR1,356 (SGD$ 461.90). The subsequent 600 pre-orders in Singapore and 1,500 in Malaysia will be in the running to win a Mi Air Purifier 3C worth MYR 569 (SGD$ 179). To be eligible, customers will need to register their pre-orders at the official Mi11 pre-order website.
First sales will kick off on March 13, 2021 in Malaysia and 20 March 2021 in Singapore.
A month after the introduction of their new flagship series: the Galaxy S21, Samsung is adding new options to their lineup. The Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra are getting an additional 128GB version on top of the 256GB and 512GB version already in the market. The new variants also come with lower prices starting at MYR3,499 (USD$865.67) for the Galaxy S21.
The new variants lower the barrier of ownership for the series. Bringing the S21 to a palatable price. However, keep in mind that the new S21 series doesn’t come with a microSD card slot; this means you’ll be stuck with only 128GB of memory. However, it’s very unlikely that you’ll be needing more. The new variants keep the RAM spec of the base models. The S21 and the S21+ will have 8GB of RAM while the S21 Ultra will have 12GB of RAM.
Purchases of the Galaxy S21 series will come with a few freebies including the Galaxy SmartTag, the Galaxy Fit2, and the Wireless Charger Trio during the introductory period. These freebies come with the purchase of any S21 series variant.
The introduction of the new variants comes after Samsung revised the pricing for their Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy S20 FE smartphones. The smartphones get a pretty significant repricing with the Galaxy Z Flip getting over MYR1,000 in reduction. It is now available at MYR3,999 (USD$989.28) from the original MYR5,888 (USD$1456.58). The Galaxy S20 FE gets an MYR400 reduction for both the 5G and 4G LTE variants. Their prices are now reduced to MYR2,999 and MYR2,299 respectively.
Pricing & Availability
The smartphones are currently available in the market.
Let’s be frank, Samsung’s track record when it comes to device support hasn’t been the best. However, in recent years, the company has shown a vested interest in demonstrating its commitment to providing more secure devices. One of the ways in which they have done this is by decreasing their rollout times for updates across the board.
However, it seems like they are looking to up the ante with new policies. Just recently, in August, the company announced that it would provide three major updates to all its Android-powered devices at the launch of the Note20 series. Today, Samsung announced that, in addition to the three major updates, they would be providing four years of security patches. This promise extends to devices released since 2019 – i.e the Galaxy S10 series onward. The commitment doesn’t only cover flagships though, Samsung is committing to support all their major line ups including the Galaxy S, Galaxy A, Galaxy Note, Galaxy XCover, and Galaxy Tab line ups.
In its announcement, Samsung listed the complete list of Galaxy Devices eligible for this new commitment.
Tab Active Pro, Tab Active3, Tab A 8 (2019), Tab A with S Pen, Tab A 8.4 (2020), Tab A7, Tab S5e, Tab S6, Tab S6 5G, Tab S6 Lite, Tab S7, Tab S7+
That said, Samsung also highlights in the footnotes that the availability of security patches and updates is subject to market and device. This could mean that lower priority regions may still be stuck getting lagging updates if any at all. So far, Samsung has kept to its word in Malaysia and countries like the U.S. and U.K.
Samsung’s move to provide these updates go above the minimum requirement that Google has set for its Andoird OEMs. Let’s be honest, it doesn’t seem like the company has been enforcing the requirement. However, Samsung’s move to champion the updates under their security umbrella brings a little bit more reliability and longevity to the Android Ecosystem.
WhatsApp was in the middle of a media firestorm in early January thanks to the announcement of a controversial change to their Data Sharing Policy. The company, which was acquired by Facebook back in 2014, is requiring users to accept the new terms to continue using the application. The app will now be sharing a slew of data including your phone contact lists, app logs, diagnostic data, and status messages with its parent company. WhatsApp did send a prompt to users to accept the changes to continue using the app, however, it seems like there is a vocal portion of their users who have opted to look at its competitors: Signal and Telegram.
With the deadline for users to accept the new agreement looming, the company has published a new FAQ regarding the issue. The effective date of the new agreement has been extended to May 15, 2021, from the initial February 8, 2021. They have also indicated what would happen if users are still reluctant to accept their new terms – and to be frank, they seem to be coercing users into the new terms.
If you still don’t accept the new policy, you’ll essentially lose access to your messages and data in the app. The new FAQ states that WhatsApp will not delete your account. Instead, it will limit the capabilities of the application. In fact, you’ll be relegated to calls and notifications “for a short time”. The company hasn’t clarified what it means by “a short time” but during this period, users will not be able to access any of their messages.
While this is a less than ideal way of handling their faux pax, the company seems adamant to lose its user base and continue on with its plans to adopt the new changes. We even had Acronis’ Chief Information Security Officer, Kevin Reed weigh in on the issue in our Tech & Tonic Podcast. In the immediate fallout from the abrupt and poorly managed announcement, users have been flocking to other competitors with Telegram and Signal in the forefront.
Samsung’s wearables have been one of the company’s many boons when it comes to software and functionality. If you’ve been following the wearables market, Samsung’s Tizen OS has quickly become one of the more functionally stable operating systems in the market. However, there’s always been a looming cloud over Tizen as Samsung’s own Galaxy devices come equipped with Google’s Android OS.
Twitter user and prolific leaker, @UniverseIce tweeted on Friday that Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Watch would be replacing its well thought out Tizen OS with Google’s Wear OS. If true, the switch would seem to benefit Google’s floundering Wear OS more than Samsung’s Galaxy Wearables lineup. It would also make Samsung one of the biggest names behind the OS aside from FOSSIL, Casio, and Skagen.
Samsung's new watch will use Android to replace Tizen.
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch series has seen much success in previous years thanks to its design and impressively thought-out software. This change seems to be rather uncharacteristic for Samsung given the popularity of the devices and also the company’s recent thrust for its SmartThings platform. That said, Samsung’s move to embrace Google’s services isn’t anything new. We’ve seen it in recent years with Bixby slowly taking a backseat to Google Assistant in the company’s OneUI.
That said, Samsung could very well be looking at offering a whole new series of smartwatches built for Wear OS. The other possibility is the company introducing a Wear OS version of the upcoming Galaxy Watch. This would bolster the number of the devices in Samsung’s Galaxy Ecosystem and create a new offering for those who have shied away from Samsung’s wearables for so long.
While highly unlikely, this could be an indication that Wear OS has finally reached a point where Samsung is comfortable putting it on their devices. There have been many limitations when it came to both Tizen and Wear OS. However, the former has consistently been able to keep up with new features and better customizability.
If there’s been one feature that Apple has had that gives it an edge over Android and Windows users – it would be the seamless connectivity between its mobile and computing ecosystems. However, it looks like that is about to change – at least for Samsung Galaxy users. Samsung has been working with Microsoft to bring its Quick Share feature to Windows 10.
Samsung originally introduced Quick Share with its flagship Galaxy S20 line up last year. The feature created a more unified experience between the Galaxy Tab S7 series and the smartphone allowing users to seamlessly transfer files between the two devices. It does this using a peer-to-peer WiFi network which allows quick transfers even for large files.
Quick Share is apparently making its way to Windows 10 devices and soon. Screencaps of the app have already surfaced online. However, there is no indication when the app will be ready for prime time.
Microsoft and Samsung have been making strides in better integrating their devices for a more seamless user experience since. Just recently, the two titans introduced new features to the Link to Windows feature which allows users to use Android apps natively on their Windows PCs if they have a compatible device.
The inclusion of the feature comes as the latest integration of Samsung’s Galaxy ecosystem into Microsoft’s fold. Galaxy devices have been launching with “Link to Windows” which integrates the smartphone to the laptop via Microsoft’s “Your Phone” app since the introduction of the Galaxy S10 series.
This news also comes on the heels of Samsung’s latest flagship – the Galaxy S21 series getting support for Wireless DeX on Windows devices. Samsung’s Desktop Experience (DeX) gives users access to their smartphone’s content in a more familiar desktop environment. Wireless DeX removes the required USB connection to the laptop. The feature has been available for Samsung displays for a while now.
Towards the end of the Trump administration, Xiaomi was added to a Department of Defense blacklist similar to fellow Chinese company, Huawei. The Chinese technology company finds itself on the blacklist due to claimed ties and dealings with the Chinese Military. The company has since denied the allegations. In a statement to Android Authority, Xiaomi stressed that “The company has been in compliance with law and operating in compliance with the relevant laws and regulations of jurisdictions where it conducts its businesses. The company reiterates that it provides products and services for civilian and commercial use. The company confirms that it is not owned, controlled, or affiliated with the Chinese military“.
In the weeks since the announcement, we’ve also been able to clarify what has actually happened. Unlike Huawei, Xiaomi is on a different blacklist – one that doesn’t bar it from doing business with U.S. companies like Google. However, U.S. based companies and entities are barred from investing in Xiaomi. To that end, companies who have invested in the technology manufacturer are required to divest that interest by 11 November 2021. This could affect the company’s stock value and liquidity when it comes into full effect. Since the initial report, Xiaomi has initiated legal proceedings against the U.S. Government citing the blacklisting is unconstitutional and can cause “imminent, severe, and irreparable harm” to the company.
Even more recently, rumours have begun surfacing that Xiaomi may be facing the same fate as Huawei when it comes to Google’s Mobile Services. The rumour started in Xiaomi’s Community interaction channels and has since garnered more attention. Xiaomi has since taken to Weibo to refute and clarify the claims.
Original weibo posting by Xiaomi. Source: SoyaCincau
In its statement, it clarified that domestic models in China will still support GMS. However, like many other companies in China, they also has models which do not run GMS. Xiaomi is no longer allowing users to sideload or self install GMS on these models. That said, they will be releasing GMS models in China to fulfill customer demand.
When it comes to international models, Xiaomi stresses that they will remain unaffected by the change. They will continue to launch with the Google Mobile Services pre-installed. So, rest assured, if you’re planning to pick up a phone from Xiaomi, POCO or Redmi, they will come with a complete version of Android with GMS. This includes the recently announced Mi 11.
The Xiaomi Mi 10 series was a formidable smartphone device. It showed the world that you do not need to spend a fortune to get a flagship level smartphone that will set your pants on fire. No, the Xiaomi Mi 10 does not really set your pants alight. There is a new one though from Xiaomi and surprise, surprise, they named it the Mi 11. Technically we saw this device before the end of 2020 when Xiaomi launched it in China.
The new Xiaomi Mi 11, like its predecessor is a powerful little beast that packs the most powerful System on a Chip (SoC) that Qualcomm can pack into a modern smartphone. That is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888. This is also the first smartphone of 2021 in Malaysia that packs a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC with 5nm build process. Obviously, it is 5G capable too for some futureproofing.
Source: Xiaomi
Helping the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC trundle along and handle whatever Android on MIUI 12.5 can throw at the Xiaomi Mi 11 is 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. 256GB may not sound plenty when you put it up against a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra with 512GB options. Though 256GB is a lot even for 4K video recordings.
Of course, you will not have to worry too much if you have some cloud storage to work with. For that, you will want to have fast internet packed into this device. On top of 5G then, the Xiaomi Mi 11 packs a WiFi 6 antenna to take full advantage of WiFi 6 technology for faster and more stable internet.
All of this helps deliver a smooth and snappy Android 11 experience via the large 6.81-inch AMOLED display that pushes MIUI 12.5 in WQHD+ glory at variable refresh rate at up to 120Hz. Of course, the display contains the usual in-display fingerprint technology. It also packs an in-display heart rate sensor, so you do not need your smartwatch to track your heart rate now. With better display also comes better, more natural feeling haptic feedback engine within the device. The brilliant immersive display is not complete without great audio, so Xiaomi got Harman Kardon working on the speakers to make it even better to enjoy movies or music on the device without a headphone.
Source: Xiaomi
Of course, a brilliant display also needs a brilliant camera. For that you get the very high-resolution 108-Megapixel camera that you saw on the Xiaomi Mi 10 and the Samsung Galaxy S21. Flanking the 108-Megapixel camera is a 13-Megapixel ultrawide angle camera and a 5-Megapixel macro lens. Telelens? Why do you need a telelens when you can just zoom into the 108-Megapixel camera and still get amazing photos out of it?
Of course, you need a big battery to power all these all day long. For that, you get a 4,600mAh battery packed into the Xiaomi Mi 11 smarpthone. The large battery is capable of being charged from empty to full in just 50 minutes via its USB Type-C port with a 55W charger. The 55W GaN charger will be included with the device in-the-box, which is good news. The battery can be charged wirelessly too at 50W, if you can find the right wireless charger for that kind of speeds. It is also capable of sharing its power wirelessly too at 10W if you need it to.
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
Source: Xiaomi
The Xiaomi Mi 11 will be available soon globally. There are no specific dates just yet, but we think we might see it launched in Malaysia by the end of February 2021 or early March 2021. The Xiaomi Mi 11 will start at EU€ 749 at launch (Approximately MYR 3,662). There are no mentions yet as well on the local Malaysian pricing of the device just yet. Whatever it is, we are excited about the device. Stay tuned for more updates.
Welcome to the 2004 Nokia 9110 Communicator. This device harks back to a simpler time where mobile phones did not have coloured displays. The green hued colourless displayed was more related to an 8-bit animation console of the time than the Full HD HDR displays we have today.
Fast forward to 2019, the kind of device that the communicator was never made it. Every smartphone today, while they have roots from the Nokia Communicator device, looks completely different. They all feature QWERTY keyboards but in a regular candy bar form. You do not see a foldable behemoth that is the communicator anymore. Until they introduced the Samsung Galaxy Fold in 2019 of course.
Thing is, the Samsung Galaxy Fold, in our hands at least, did not feel like a product we can consciously recommend our friends to buy. It did not feel like a complete product. It felt too much like a prototype, fragile. We do not deny its innovative approach to a keyboard-less smartphone that folds in. foldable screens, while still in its infancy, is a technology we all have been asking for.
To be fair, we like the idea of a smartphone that folds. We like the idea of a smaller smartphone display that hides a larger display behind it. We like the idea of the Samsung Galaxy Fold in 2019. We just did not feel like the Samsung Galaxy Fold was complete enough as a product that commands MYR 8,000 from your back accounts.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 replaces the Samsung Galaxy Fold as Samsung’s most expensive flagship smartphone yet at MYR 7,999. It is also supposed to be the foldable device that finally works. It was made for everyone, supposedly. Is it though? Can we safely recommend this device to anyone now? We find out.
Design
When you first pick it up from the box, the device comes unfolded. What greets you when you open the box then is an expansive and oddly proportioned 7.6-inch display. What do we think when we first opened the box? Find out on our first 24-hours with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 feature.
We said oddly proportioned because it is not the usual wide body 16:9 display ratio. Rather, it looks more square-ish than anything else we have seen so far. While the display real estate nearly matches an 8-inch tablet in size, its usable display in videos is far less than one. Then you fold it for the first time to see a smaller 6.23-inch Super AMOLED display that looks a little more normal.
It is not that normal though; the display’s ratio is an even weirder 25:9 ratio. That also means that the secondar display, or the outside display is much narrower than a regular smartphone display with a Full HD+ type display. It is not even a Full HD+ display that you get up front, just an HD+ resolution here (816 x 2260 pixels, to be exact).
Flip it to the back and a triple camera array greets you. Plenty somehow things that the camera is the exact same on as you would find on a Samsung Galaxy S20 or Galaxy Note20. We assure you that it is not. All three camera sensors top out at 12-Megapixels. At least you can still get decent stills and 4K videos out of it. We will discuss that later though.
The unit we got is labelled as the Mystic Bronze variant. It only comes in either the colour we got, or Mystic Black. Both colours are finished in Matte instead of the usual glossy type finish. But we somehow prefer the Mystic Bronze colour variant over the Black.
When you open the device up to reveal the full glory of the 7.6-inch display and look at the bottom part of the device, you might notice that the display part of the device does not seem like it is laid flat. That is because the device is not flat when you open it up. Technically, the only almost truly flat and level part of the device when it is opened up is the main display. The secondary display and the device’s back are ever so slightly tapered off from each other when the device is opened.
We mentioned also in our first 24 hours feature on the device that we liked the brushed aluminium textured frames on the Galaxy Z Fold2. It adds a bit more texture to grip on for your device. While adding better grip, it also gives the device a distinctive side profile. we thought that the device had enough thickness for a 3.5mm jack. Of course, they did not include a 3.5mm jack
Still, thanks to the vast amount of space on the sides, top and bottom, one of the dual speakers do not have to share space or module with the earpiece. This also means better clarity and balance to audio when playing videos or music. But this also means a lot of wasted space on one side of the device. There is not much else to put besides the volume rockers and the fingerprint sensor cum power button though.
When you fold the device, you reveal another glossy part of the device that separates the secondary display and the matte metal backing of the Galaxy Z Fold2. This forms the left side frame of the device when its closed and we think that it looks gorgeous, somehow more so than the older Samsung Galaxy Fold. This enclosure frame side though houses the new folding mechanism that you see in the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. The look of the casing also mimics that of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip.
That bulging frame tucks away behind two separate gloss finished bars that frames the glass back and secondary display of the device though. Those two frames continue from the rest of the frame of the devices. It is quite hard to believe that there are two frames on this device when it is in its open position. Folded up though, it is more believable since it is the thickness of two smartphone devices sitting on top of each other.
Still, we think that this is a mighty handsome device. We mentioned in the 24 hours feature that this looks and feels like a proper device that is ready for the market instead of the prototype feel and look of the Samsung Galaxy Fold of 2019. The crease of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is still very much visible and it is something that we expect Samsung and other smartphone manufacturers will continue to work on in future devices. The difference between this new model and the old one is that the crease somehow feels less profound and less disruptive to the display than before.
Hardware
Powering two different displays is usually very taxing, even on a regular PC. Thankfully though the internals that lives inside the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is all but regular. It packs the best of 2020’s Qualcomm SoC, not an Exynos chip, surprisingly. It has a battery larger than most flagships as well, for good measure. Despite not having any of the super high-resolution cameras that the other Samsung Galaxy flagship devices, this still features five on-board cameras (3+1+1).
FRONT Internal: 10-Megapixel (f/2.2, 26mm wide angle) 4K video recording (30fps)
FRONT External: 10-Megapixel (f/2.2, 26mm wide angle) 4K video recording (30fps)
Sensors
Accelerometer Proximity Side Mounted Fingerprint Ambient Light Gyroscope Face Unlock Compass
User Interface – Still OneUI 3.0
One advantage of mobile optimised operating system is its adaptibility with almost any kind of display at any screen ratio. That is very apparent on the Android 10 based OneUI 3.0 on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. The oddly shaped WQHD+ display feature a display factor that you have never seen before, other than the older Samsung Galaxy Fold of 2019.
Naturally, we were a little concerned about the app and system scaling on these devices when we first pick up the devices. Of course, our concerns are not entirely baseless after using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 for a while. The fault is not entirely on Android though.
We have to say that Android does a good job in scaling itself into any display factor, resolution, and size. The implementation on OneUI 3.0 on top of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is really just a testament to that. Android even scales properly on the 4K display of the Sony Xperia 1 and its successor if you are wondering.
The same cannot be said to all the available apps though. Of course, not all the apps available will be subject to the same issue. Still, the scaling issue happens on certain apps that you might use daily.
Sure, things like Gmail, or other email apps may not look too funky. That is because these apps scale nicely and quite normally on larger displays. In fact, you get to see more on your Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 than on a Samsung Galaxy Note20, for example. Even apps like WhatsApp and Telegram looks like the normal smartphone application that they are albeit on a larger, slightly oddly rationed screen. Telegram even works nicely with horizontal typing mode; you still get to scroll through the chat even with the keyboard occupying the bottom half of the display. The same cannot be said for WhatsApp on the horizontal typing front.
Then you go to Instagram, expecting a better experience with bigger screen. Of course, you see photos bigger and everything seems peachy at first. You actually get a very regular smartphone-ish interface with two wasted space on both sides of the main interface. It still works because you are still scrolling through the feed like a normal smartphone. The wasted space is a little bit annoying since you could get contents to shine with the extra display real estate.
Then you go into Instagram Stories and realise that the app really does not play well with the larger display of the Galaxy Z Fold2. To be fair, we could be the only one facing this issue. When we launch Instagram Stories, the display greets us with options to interact with the post, instead of the usual clean post. We had to back out of Reactions by hitting the comment box and back out of it again to have normal interaction with Instagram Stories. If the account user disables comments, you cannot do anything but view the contents behind the reaction overlay. Strangely, Snapchat works fine.
So far though, this is the only app that seems to have an issue with the oddly shaped display. Other apps seem to work fine and scales nicely with the display, either showing a little bit more information than the regular smartphone app or having larger interfaces. Do not get us wrong though, they are largely still the same interfaces as a regular smartphone.
Of course, the ones that takes the most advantage of the larger display on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 are Samsung’s own developed apps. You can see the simple optimisation of the OneUI 3.0 from Samsung’s native Messaging app or even its settings menu. On the Messaging app at least, you get to view your list of conversations on the left side and get into the conversations on the left side.
Bigger Videos
The biggest benefit of a larger display is always on the gaming and video front. You can either watch YouTube with the regular vertical layout and the video looks big enough already. We initially thought as well that with YouTube, you may not need to go full screen horizontally until we did.
There is about 1-inch of difference in the video size when you stream YouTube vertically and when you go on full screen horizontally. That means you get a much bigger real estate that you are looking at on YouTube. But what is interesting with YouTube on the Galaxy Z Fold2 is that the interface looks more like what you will get on tablets instead of a regular smartphone.
Of course, the bigger screen and resolution benefits Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. The bigger display in the format of the Galaxy Z Fold2 can easily be tucked away in your pockets. That also means that you can be on the train on the way to work and whip out the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 and feast on Netflix the whole way there without ever needing to squint your eyes too much to pick out details. When you are done, you simply fold it back up and put it in your pockets. No cable worries here too if you are using a pair of Bluetooth earphone.
Like the smartphone app, Netflix and Prime Video cleverly sizes down their videos a little just to avoid projecting over the camera hole that is on the display. That also means that you are not interrupted by a black hole in your screen when you enjoy your videos, unlike YouTube. While it means smaller display real estate for videos, it is still a large enough footprint for Netflix and Prime Video.
Same-Same but Different
The advantage of having two displays on a device though is having two separate home screens for different functions. The OneUI 3.0 on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 encourages this. Your main home screen, if you use Samsung’s Smart Switch, will be transferred and translated into the main home screen. Keep in mind that there will be a lot of extra space on your home screen inside too, meaning you can add even more apps and shortcuts on your home screen. If you like to keep the minimal amount of home screens on your smartphone, this could be perfect.
Out the front secondary display though is a fresh home screen that you can customise to your liking. You have to keep in mind though that the display up front is plenty smaller than the main display. That also means that your YouTube, Netflix, and Prime Videos get squished quite a lot. We keep all the apps that we need quick access to up front. We have a calendar widget up front too for a quick glance when we need to.
Of course, because this is a Super AMOLED display still, it is a great display to watch videos on still. It is a perfect display to discreetly watch your YouTube, Netflix, or Prime Video shows. You can stand it up to get it to the perfect screen angle on your desk too. Make sure you have a pair of Bluetooth earphones though, just so that you do not disturb your co-workers or alert your boss.
In that mode as well you can use the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 as a video conferencing device with half the main display. There are two front-facing cameras you can rely on as well for that matter. Unfortunately, the selfie camera out the front of the device does not support this function. Not that it will be a deal breaker.
Performance
With two screens, you will want a lot power to get this behemoth of a device going. That is where the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+ on the device comes into play. Credits where credits are due, the flagship Qualcomm System on a Chip (SoC) is the most powerful processing chip you can find on an Android device today, before they introduce a new one with 5nm build next year.
These are all just numbers though, what matters is how they perform in your hands, in your pockets, out in the real world. But big numbers do have some merits. In the case of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2, the numbers mean that the device should feel buttery smooth and ultra-snappy, together with the 120Hz display. Thankfully the 120Hz refresh rate is not resolution limited like the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra.
Call Quality and Connectivity.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is a standard 5G device. No, that does not mean you get to experience 5G now. It just means that it will be ready for that experience once it is available in Malaysia. Yes, 5G technology is not commercially viable just yet in Malaysia. We are hoping that would change soon though.
The rest of the antenna array on the device is quite the usual affair from Samsung. That also means that you are going to get about the same call quality and performance from the usual Samsung Galaxy flagship. Calls sounds crisp as long and signal is strong enough (one bar and above). You can expect some choppiness when the signal drops to one bar. Of course, do not expect calls to get through when you get no cellular signal.
Still, when calls get through, the party on the other side of the line reports that calls are as clear as day. This is thanks to the noise cancelling mic combination. We thank whichever engineers that has figured out the art of noise cancelling on calls on this.
Making calls is as simple as clicking through the Phone app too. It is the same exact layout and interface as any Samsung Galaxy device you might be familiar with. Then again, any Phone app these days look the same and function somewhat similarly. Like any other Samsung device too, you can quickly swipe right on your contact name or recent calls page to quickly make a call. Swipe left to message the person.
The only thing you might want to keep in mind when using the device to call is that you can only hold it up to your ear (as in, use the earpiece) with the device folded in and using the front display. You cannot use the earpiece with the device unfolded. You would look ridiculous too, even if you can. Remember the days where you can pick up calls on an 8-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab? Remember how stupid people look picking up calls on those devices? You look even more ridiculous using this, because its is so disproportionate.
You can use loudspeaker mode in both folded and unfolded state though. The experience on that is also quite similar to other Samsung Galaxy flagship devices. The only difference is that one side of the stereo speaker system does not share an outlet with the earpiece. That allows the speakers to fire more evenly for a better all-round experience in your conference calls.
The loudspeaker can be quite loud as well, so if you are sitting in a small discussion table with 6 people, you can use the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 to make conference calls. The only issue is that if the table is not a perfect round (oval and elongated format), some people who are further away from the device might not get picked up on the conversation. We find that anything between 1m to 1.5m from the device is the maximum you should go when using the device as a teleconferencing device.
Gaming
In theory, a bigger screen should also mean a better gaming experience. Samsung did sell this device to gamers as a gaming smartphone. We do not think that was quite wise though.
To be fair, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 does fare well in games, especially when games can take advantage of the 120Hz refresh rate. Games look extra smooth and ultimately looks amazing on the Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel. Thanks to a larger display footprint also, it feels that you are looking at a great sweet spot of a display (unfolded) for gaming. The display, in most cases, is the perfect size for plenty of games.
Games like Mobile Legends Bang Bang scales properly to the oddly shaped display. This allows you to see more on the field and gives you a slight advantage in matchups. You tend to be able to see your opponents from further away and react accordingly. This is not the case for every game.
There is a problem, however. Games like Brawl Stars does not scale to fully fill the display. While it does make it a little fairer when it comes to games and matchups, it completely misses the whole point of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. You get two big black bars on top and bottom of the display area. In some sense, it does mean that the alerts and control panels are not obstructing your game view. In a lot of sense, the black bars are annoying and feels like a little bit of a waste.
Still, all these games look really good on 120Hz. With games like PUBG, you might be able to really enjoy and immerse yourself in the game with such a huge display. Thanks to the extra real estate too, games are appearing bigger than the usual smartphone devices. Therefore, we say that the display size, when unfolded, is quite ideal for gaming.
Multitasking and Productivity
We feel that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 feels a little incomplete without an S Pen. We feel that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 will be a more wholesome and complete device with an S Pen. The follow up to this device is rumoured to receive an S Pen treatment though, so that is something to look forward to.
Still, a big screen means you should be able to fit more windows on a single screen. We found that we can open up to 5 applications on floating windows and two split screen windows at the same time. That also means you can have 7 running apps at any give time with the internal main display. When all the apps are open at the same time, you would expect some lags there and here. Not on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. The applications still run smoothly with nearly zero hiccups.
Of course, as the device ages, you might expect some slow down and decrease in performance in that region. You are most likely not going to use up to 7 applications at any given time though. At most, you might have three applications open at any given time to work with. In that sense, the display size is quite perfect for a three-application workflow.
Battery Life
We wanted the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 to pack a large battery, because we know packing two screens on a smartphone will drain its battery quickly. Unfortunately, Samsung only manages to shoehorn a 4,500mAh battery into this behemoth of a thing. This is also because of the oddly constructed device that does not allow for a lot of wiggle room in its mostly metal and glass body.
Despite the bigger display, you could sort of get about the same battery life from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 as the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. When we say about the same, it also depends on what you do with your Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2.
On most typical days, we did get more than a whole working day. Our typical day, these days, is mostly using the smartphone to make a few calls throughout the day, messaging via WhatsApp, Telegram, and even Facebook Messenger sometimes, checking emails, one or two YouTube Videos, a 20-minute session of Mobile Legends, and an episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. on Netflix. In that type of use, we get about a full workday of battery life and a little bit more.
There are days that there is some non-typical use though. That non-typical use usually involves binging on Netflix non-stop for a few hours, or gaming for a few hours at a time, some messaging here and there, and mostly nothing else. In that use case, you might want to keep yourself near a charging point.
You can probably drain half your battery before lunch time if you start your Netflix binge at 9 in the morning. If you choose to play Mobile Legends, you probably can half your battery life in about the same time frame too, maybe a little quicker if you push your brightness up. This is on WiFi mind you. Of course, if you drain your battery while gaming, expect some heat from the device.
Display
That brings us to the thing that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is built upon; is display, or rather, displays. Unlike most smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 has two displays, one out the front, and one inside. There have been smartphones that packs two displays before from the likes of Vivo. The difference is that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 has one large foldable display.
No, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is not the first foldable smartphone, nor is it the first foldable smartphone with two displays. That is a title snagged by its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Fold. Except, the Samsung Galaxy Fold’s front secondary display was quite unusable thanks to its minute size from the 2000s.
The Main Display – Folded Away and Tucked In
That was the first time we see an adaptation of a foldable display that was showcased by Samsung and LG a few years prior to 2019. That was also the only adaptation that worked with two different displays on the device for different usage cases. Its closest competition at the time featured a single foldable display that wraps around the device when folded.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is targeted toward a completely different market segment. We have to say though, it is a niche segment that they are looking at. At least at this time, we struggle to find someone who needs a much larger display than what they already have on their own smartphone. That was what people say when the Samsung Galaxy Note launched back in the day though.
It has an oddly shaped 7.6-inch main display inside the device that is foldable. That is about the same size as the device that came before. It is a bit more expansive thanks to the modern looking Infinity-O punch hole camera solution though.
The main display is a Dynamic AMOLED 2X, the same one as the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. It is larger in footprint though at 7.6-inch. In that case, the colour reproduction, HDR quality of the display is excellent. We do not expect anything less from Samsung with the display.
It is bright enough under bright sunlight that we can use the device outside. While you might not use the main display that often outside of home, the brightness can be appreciated. The colour contrasts are of course excellent as well for Netlfix movies and such. Again, it is just a very odd display factor, so your Netflix movies or YouTube will have two huge black bars on top and bottom of the device. That is why we say that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 could use a longer body.
It is sort of a WQHD display as well. We say sort of, because it is actually a little higher in resolution than a 1440p display. It packs 2,000 pixels in height, and about 1,700 pixels across. While it is odd, it makes for a great personal movie watching experience on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2.
Protecting the Main Display
We have to talk about the raised bezels though, because they are an important design aspect on the device. There are small plastic bumps on the corners of the bezels too, which acts as shock absorbers and a spacer when the device is folded. These bezels are an essential part in making the foldable display work as intended and as protected as possible from itself, and you.
No matter how Samsung spins it, the display is still a delicate thing. The middle part especially, is not solid. You can sort of press it down with a little give. We have to give it to Samsung though, the center fold creases is not as bad as before. At certain angles, it is barely noticeable, and you can easily forgive the crease. It does not even distort any images or videos on the display, which is a big improvement in the display’s usability.
The raised bezel sort of continues as well through the fold to make it seem as seamless as possible. Here also is where the raised bezel design, though can be quite undesirable in modern smartphones, is a life saver for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. It covers all sorts of gaps between the display and the frame of the device. That also means unlike the first batch of Samsung Galaxy Fold introduced last year, there are less chances of dust particles to be trapped in the folding mechanisms to destroy your display.
The folding mechanism is also the same improved mechanism that you get on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. That also means there is 180o of articulations, and the device will hold at any folded angle. Of course, we have spoken a little bit about this earlier.
There is another thing on the main display that we suggest you do not remove when you get the device – its screen protector. This is just a PSA, do not remove the screen protector that comes with the device, you might break your expansive and expensive main display if you do.
The 6.2-inch Display Up Front
Fold the main display away and you will see the glass protected 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display come to life. This is an odd display too, at 2,280 by 816 pixels. It is not exactly HD, but it is not exactly Full HD either. Samsung labels it at HD though, since it is close to 720p than 1080p.
The front secondary display gives you a different home screen and lock screen from the main display though. This makes the Galaxy Z Fold2 feels like two different devices mashed into one. One bigger, entertainment and productivity beast inside, and one portable, little secondary device outside. Perhaps that was the point from day one anyway and we all have missed the point.
In our case, we set it up to access the simples of apps we tend to work with when we are out and about. That also means surfacing the messenger type apps, the phone app, and even a calendar for quick schedule check. The front display is our ‘quick access’ screen, sort of.
Thanks to Super AMOLED technology too, the display is brilliant and bright. Colour contrasts and saturation is excellent and very vivid. While we think that the display is a tad small, and quite odd in display factor, it is very useable for a quick video fix. Either that, or white noises. You definitely can use it as your media controller for music playback in public transportation spaces. No, you might not want to game on this display. Why do something you might not enjoy?
Camera
You would think that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 packs the same camera array as the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra. We can forgive you for that, because it features a very similar camera bump module. It does not though.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 packs three 12-Megapixel shooters. One for a regular wide-angle shot, one for ultra-wide photos, and one for longer telephoto shots. While the numbers are quite underwhelming, the results are not.
We have mentioned again and again that you never really need more than 12-Megapixels on your smartphone cameras and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is a great example of that statement. That is because the 12-Megapixel camera on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 produces quite stunning examples in any conditions. The 12-Megapixel shooter can and will produce stunning photos at any time and every time, even when light is a little scarce.
Of course, if you go into the detailing, there is noticeably less from the 12-Megapixel shooter than the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra’s 108-Megapixel. That is only because there are more pixels packed on the Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. That is about the only thing the Galaxy Note20 Ultra has in advantage compared to its foldable cousin. That, and 8K video recording which you may never use.
Colours across all the cameras on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 are excellent. Sure, they could use some saturation before you post, but that is easy to do with the device’s pre-installed photo editor anyway. That adjustment can take anywhere from 2 seconds to 1 minute depending on what you want from the photo. You can just throw a clever ‘auto’ adjust and the device can decide what looks best for you, and that should be enough.
That is probably the only complain we have from the camera though. The photos that come out of the camera can look a little flat before you edit them. Because there are only 12 million pixels on the sensor too, cropping photos can make them look a little less crisp, unless you work with the telephoto lens. Still there are three lenses you can choose from anyway, so not like you would be strapped for choice when it comes to photo taking.
A benefit of a 12-Megapixel sensor compared to a 108-Megapixel one is heat management. While boasting similar camera bump, the cameras on the Galazy Z Fold2 heats up less, if it happens at all. In that case, your device is still comfortable to work with at any given time. You still get to record 4K videos, mind you.
Of course, beauty is in the eyes of its beholder. You should see the unedited results of the photos from the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 and be your own judge. Check out the gallery below.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold – Much Wow, Much Premium
We want to say that we like it. We like the experience of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 not because it is a unique device. We like it because it feels like a proper Samsung device. We like it because it is smooth, it works well, and it is some high-quality stuff. We like it because it feels like a regular well-built, well developed Samsung device.
It is a rather unique device. The folding mechanism adds some layers of functionality over the regular smartphone. We like the direction that Samsung is heading with the folding smartphone form factor too. We think that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 is the right step forward from the older Samsung Galaxy Fold. We think that there is more to explore in the world of folding smartphones and Samsung, no doubt, will exploit that in future iterations.
Thing is, using the device does not feel unique in a lot of times. It can feel cumbersome too. From the awkwardly narrow keyboard in the front display, to the oddly factored inner display for videos, there are things that makes the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 a little less intuitive than a regular smartphone. Its heft is also a constant reminder that you are carrying a sort of thoroughbred. A fragile one at that. You have to remember to not use it in wet conditions too, since it is not IP rated.
So in the end, we think that MYR 7,999, although a reasonable price point for a unique product like the Galaxy Z Fold2, can be better spent elsewhere. Sure, if you have the extra cash and you really want to flash your wealth, this is really the device for you. It turns heads.
Thing is, that kind of money can buy you a Smartphone and a great notebook PC for extra productivity. That kind of money can buy a decent gaming notebook too. That kind of money can buy you a 4K TV and a PlayStation 5 to go along with the TV. You can probably get a few games too, with some extra money you saved.
So, do we think that you should get the device? In short; no. But it is more than that, you really can spend your MYR 7,999 on multiple things that could achieve the same things as the Galaxy Z Fold2, and even more. But again, if you have MYR 7,999 lying around somewhere just waiting to be used, we do think that your money buys more than just the device. Your money buys Samsung’s confidence to go into a territory no one dares to go into. Your money busy their research and development into future products. Your money buys affordability for this kind of technology in the future. So, you decide.
