The idea of a foldable phone used to be far-reaching, but the latest in foldable phones brings the ideas of the future to the here and now. Most foldable phones are a bit clunky, but favorites like the Samsung Z Flip 3 help bring a giant screen to a body that is about half the size of a modern slab-style phone.

The beauty of the foldables market is that you don't have to have a normal shape phone that folds in half. Would you rather have a normal size phone that folds into a tablet? Maybe a book-style foldable would be better, giving you two screens instead of one. There is a great foldable in your future if you fold it either way.

Let's get to unfolding the best foldable phones

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 with Spring flowers

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

The flip phones are better than ever. All of the issues that users had were fixed by the company with the SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FLIP 3. The Flip 3 has a larger cover screen that houses a few scrollable widgets, as well as doubling as a viewfinder for the dual-camera system.

The flippy-boi is one of the first folding phones to feature an official IPX8 water resistance rating. The main display of the Flip 3 is made from a film that is almost identical to glass. The main display of the Flip 3 has a 120Hz refresh rate, which is something that has been missing since the original Z Flip was announced.

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The price tag is even more important than the changes to the display. The first foldable phone to be made available for under $1,000 is the Z Flip 3. This is an enormous drop down from the Z flip 5G, and can be considered one of the best phones on the market, especially for those who don't want an enormous screen.

Writing on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 with the S Pen for Fold

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

Another year has passed and we have been graced with the newest iteration of the GALAXY Z FOLD: the SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 3. It may not look like much of an upgrade at first glance, but there are a lot of improvements in this one. It sought to squash any concerns about the phone's ability to last a long time thanks to the new IPX8 water resistance and upgraded PET display.

This marks the most durable foldable phone that we have seen to date, with the addition of water resistance and improved display. Because of this, S Pen support was added to the Z Fold 3. If you still want S Pen support with an even larger, more tablet-shaped screen, this is a great alternative to the S22 Ultra.

Although the battery life has been reduced, the cover screen is getting a 120Hz refresh rate. The 120Hz refresh rate gets rid of any unpleasant experiences going from the outer display to the big screen. The Z Fold 3 is thinner and lighter than its predecessor. Since its launch, it has seen a price reduction, but it is still one of the most expensive phones on the market.

Moto Razr 5G charger

(Image credit: Android Central)

Many were hoping that the launch of the Motorola Razr would lead to a resurgence of the company, as it was poised to compete with theSamsung Z Flip. We saw a foldable display that lasted just a few hours before the screen began to creak. The Moto Razr 5G has been able to address that, with new features such as being able to open apps and use them on the cover display.

This iteration is much more durable than the original, being able to survive a fall onto concrete at the perfect angle.

The flip phone's internal specifications were slightly upgraded over the original, with a larger battery, 8GB of RAM, and the same processor as the original. While you won't use the Razr 5G for all of your photography needs, at least the camera will be usable on a daily basis.

That is the only thing you will find with the Razr 5G. If you're a Verizon customer, you will never see 5G speeds. While there is sub 6 GHz compatibility, Motorola ignored it. Although the design was changed to incorporate a glass back, you will not find wireless charging.

The Razr 5G is limited to two major releases. Since it was launched with Android 10, you are going to be limited to it whenever the company releases it. The update has been under testing for over a year.

TikTok on the Microsoft Surface Duo 2

(Image credit: Android Central)

When you think of a foldable phone, you might think of a small screen that folds into a larger display. What if your foldable looked more like a book with a cover on the outside and two separate displays on the inside? The Microsoft Surface Duo 2 is the sequel to Microsoft's first major phone.

You can use the dual-screened approach to be a bit more productive, as you can move apps between the two screens instead of tiling them on one large display. The inner edge of both screens curves inward, waterfall style, and create a sort ofhinge display, called the Glance Display, by Microsoft. It's great to see when you get a text, a phone call, or a missed notification.

The Surface Duo 2 feels more like a digital notebook than most other foldables because of Microsoft's added support for the Surface Slim Pen 1 or 2. The cameras on the back have been improved over the original Surface Duo, but the giant camera hump means the Duo 2 won't fold flat when you fold those displays backward. It is not a deal-breaker but it is something people might miss from the first iteration.

There are only a few foldable phones available outside of China, but the options are pretty impressive. The most logical choice for most people is the foldable version of the SAMSUNG Z FLIP 3, as it packs a giant screen into a pocket-friendly form factor.

The Z Fold 3 is an upgrade model that features a larger, tablet-like display inside and a larger screen on the outside. It is the most powerful foldable phone you can find in most regions of the world, and it has the most feature-rich foldable on the list.