Samsung Fold 7 - Something Seems Wrong...

Brief Summary

Dave2D shares his experience with the Samsung Fold 7 after using it for two weeks, expressing disappointment despite initial high expectations. He discusses the trade-offs in design for versatility, particularly the compromises made to achieve a thinner form factor. He touches on the limitations of the inner screen for his personal use, preferring a wider aspect ratio found in other foldables like the Oppo Find N2.

• The Fold 7, while impressively thin, presents usability issues such as a tougher hinge and the removal of the S Pen.
• The inner screen's utility is limited for typical video consumption due to wasted screen space from black bars.
• The reviewer prefers the wider, more stout form factor of foldables like the Oppo Find N2 for better video viewing.

Intro

The content creator expresses his initial excitement about switching to a foldable phone, specifically the Samsung Fold 7, due to its weight and thickness resembling a regular phone. After two weeks of use, he admits to being less impressed than anticipated. He aims to explain his perspective by discussing the core appeal of foldable phones, which he believes lies in their versatility, offering both a phone and tablet experience in one device.

Versatility Comes at a Cost

The author explains that versatility in tech, while appealing, often involves engineering compromises. Using two-in-one tablets as an example, he notes that they offer imperfect tablet and laptop experiences. Similarly, previous foldable phones had compromises in both phone and tablet functionalities. With the Fold 7, Samsung has improved the phone experience by making it thinner and closer to a standard slab phone. However, this has negatively impacted the tablet experience.

Fold 7 Issues

Upon unboxing the Fold 7, the content creator noticed it was harder to open compared to previous generations like the Fold 6, which had a smoother hinge and more material to grip. The thinner design of the Fold 7 led to the removal of the S Pen functionality, a visible punch-hole camera, and speakers with noticeably reduced quality. Additionally, the significant camera bump on the Fold 7 necessitates a case due to severe wobble, undermining the phone's thin profile.

Big Screen Experience

The reviewer acknowledges the impressive hardware of the Fold 7, which allows it to be thin while opening into a large screen. He finds the screen suitable for viewing documents, PDFs, and reading ebooks, although he personally doesn't engage in these activities. While Samsung promotes the multitasking capabilities of split screen and floating windows, he admits that these features don't fit into his workflow.

Aspect Ratio

The main reason for his disappointment with the Fold 7 is the aspect ratio of the inner screen. He prefers the wider, more stout form factor of foldables like the Oppo Find N2, which provides less wasted space when watching videos. Rumours suggest that Apple's upcoming foldable may adopt a similar form factor. Future foldables may also feature technology to minimise the crease. The reviewer concludes by noting that despite his initial enthusiasm, the Fold 7's form factor and multitasking features don't align with his usage habits.