A folding phone has absolutely changed how I perceive and use smartphones on a daily basis. While I can think of many benefits, thanks to everything my Galaxy Z Fold 5 has to offer, these are the ones that top the list.
1Excellent for Reading, Writing, and Typing
If there’s one single aspect that makes owning a book-style foldable so worthwhile, it’s this. Having a larger, book-shaped interior screen is perfect for reading ebooks. It beats carrying around a Kindle since it fits so nicely in your pocket.
It’s not just books; I also love reading comics and magazines on my Galaxy Z Fold 5. As much as I’m occasionally tempted by other attractive phones like the Pixel 9 or the Razr+ (2024), having to give up the ability to read my digital library holds me back.
Another reason I love using a folding phone like the Z Fold 5 is its desktop mode—I ditched my PC in favor of Samsung DeX.
I also enjoy taking notes on my Z Fold 5 far more than the last phone I owned with a stylus, the Moto G Stylus 5G. Why? Sure, I love Samsung Notes and many of the S Pen apps, but the extra screen space really makes the difference. It’s like using a moleskin versus a notepad. Both are convenient, but one allows for so much more.
I even prefer typing on my phone’s interior screen more than any slab-style smartphone. The larger size feels less cramped, but it’s not so large that you need to rest it on your lap like a tablet.
2Superior Multitasking
I do all of my professional work from my phone. I regularly switch between Samsung Notes, Slack, a web browser, a Pomodoro timer, and my music app. This used to be way more than I’d ever want to do at once on a phone, but that changed once I encountered all the various ways I can multitask on a book-style foldable, particularly one from Samsung.
Most large foldables have a taskbar or dock. Most also support split-screen views, allowing you to view two or more apps side by side. This is great for copying and pasting or taking notes while viewing a web page. Samsung goes further by adding the ability to shrink any app into a floating window like you would on a laptop.
I can tuck windows away along the edge of the screen or shrink them down into floating app icons (a feature most common with chat apps). Phones and tablets don’t have to be one-app-visible-at-a-time experiences, and book-style foldables really expand on what the form factor can do.
3Built-In Stand
I love phone stands. Having something to prop up a phone sure beats trying to hold a phone in front of your eyes for the entire length of a video. With a foldable, you don’t need to buy a separate stand. Your phone is its own stand.
I use this functionality all the time. I often place my phone half-bent on a surface so that I can watch video on the cover screen. I sometimes do this while gaming as well, though my particular phone’s outer display is a bit cramped for most of the games I play.
This built-in stand is handy for taking photos. It allows you to grab shots that would otherwise need a tripod. You can set the phone on a side table, start recording, and get footage of yourself playing cars with your kid. We often think of folding phones as either folded or unfolded, but that in-between state is so valuable on its own.
4Amazing Selfies
My phone’s under-display camera only packs four megapixels, and the camera on the cover display is 10MP. But I don’t use them for selfies or video calls because I can simply unfold my phone and take advantage of the beefy camera on the back while using the cover screen as my viewfinder.
The usefulness of this cannot be understated, especially for those of us who work remotely. Getting a high-quality image of myself for Slack only took a few moments. Even when I have my hands on high-end phones that take great selfies, like the Pixel 9 Pro I reviewed, I still prefer the quality I get from being able to flip a foldable around to use the rear camera.
Like I said earlier, I can go on and on. I love how easy it is to work with office documents on my Z Fold 5, whose internal screen is shaped much more like a Word document than any laptop I’ve owned. Despite the larger interior screen, I like that my phone is shorter and narrower than my prior smartphones, making it feel smaller in both my pocket and my hand. I love how great some games are on the larger display, like Slay the Spire and Midnight Girl.
All of these factors keep me from going back to a slab phone. I find foldables more than worth the added cost. Don’t let the sticker shock scare you. You don’t necessarily have to pay close to two grand for a folding phone; the second-hand market is your friend. I bought my Z Fold 5 (open box) for under a grand.
