Best Foldable Phones in 2026: Samsung, Google, Motorola Tested


While phones with bendable displays may have appeared to be a gimmick in their early days, the technology has stuck around, with almost every major phone-maker now offering some kind of foldable phone. Apple was among the last to get in on the game, taking the wraps off the iPhone Duo at its recent fall event. We’re eagerly awaiting our chance to get one in hand for a full review — that’s why you won’t see it on this list yet.

Our Picks

Abrar holding the Galaxy Z Fold 8, unfolded

Bottom Line

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a refreshing spin on Samsung’s existing book-style foldable design, with a squat, passport-sized build and a 4:3 aspect…

Pros & Cons


  • Unique, versatile design

  • Minimized crease on main display

  • Longer battery life than Z Fold 7

  • Solid camera quality

  • No telephoto lens

  • No built-in magnets for Qi2 charging

  • High $1,900 starting price

  • AI capabilities can be spotty

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

Bottom Line

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra doesn’t have a wealth of upgrades over its predecessor, but the few tweaks it does have have a big impact. Most nota…

Pros & Cons


  • Refined hinge is easier to open

  • Inner display is almost crease free

  • Cameras aren’t on par with Samsung’s (cheaper) flagship S26 Ultra

  • Battery life has barely improved, despite new tech

Galaxy Z Flip 8 half folded

Best compact Samsung foldable

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8

Bottom Line

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 is among the best-looking flip phones we’ve tested. It’s thin, light and folds up neatly to slide into your pocket. The ou…

Pros & Cons


  • Thin and light design

  • Improved cover screen software

  • Most powerful flip phone so far

  • Higher price

  • Weaker battery life

  • Galaxy AI feels pushy

Motorola Razr (2026)

Bottom Line

Starting at $800, Motorola’s 2026 Razr is significantly less expensive than Samsung’s rival flip phone. And that’s despite a $100 price hike d…

Pros & Cons


  • Solid, reliable design with fun colors

  • Good cover screen for selfies

  • Fast-charging battery

  • Price hike of $100 over last year’s model

  • Specs struggle with multitasking

  • Limited 3-year Android support

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold in olive

Bottom Line

The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is Google’s sleekest foldable phone yet. Measuring 5mm thick when open and 10.1mm thick when closed, it feels remarkably…

Pros & Cons


  • Durable build

  • Thinner design over last year

  • Slimmer bezels and slightly larger cover screen

  • Plenty of handy AI and software updates

  • Cameras and battery are a step down from other Pixel 11 Pro models

  • $100 pricier than last year’s foldable

  • No anti-reflective display makes crease more prominent

Samsung has led the way much of the time, with its Z Flip and Z Fold lines now in their seventh and eighth generations, respectively. And sure, it’s experimented with slightly more outlandish designs over the years — the enormous TriFold, for example — its latest Galaxy Z Fold 8, with its more squat passport-style dimensions, may have more staying power. After all, it’s the same style that Apple is betting on and we’ve also seen echoed with Xiaomi’s recently-teased foldable.

All foldables are more expensive than their regular smartphone equivalents, making them a luxury option. But if you’re looking to turn heads when you whip out your foldable display and bend your phone in half, they’re worth looking into. Here are our picks for the best foldable phones available now.

What’s the best foldable phone?

Holding up the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra, with a clock in the background.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 (right) and Z Fold 8 Ultra are Samsung’s latest phone-to-tablet foldables.Kerry Wan/CNET

So far, Samsung’s Galaxy Z line has the lead with the most iterations of folding phones with its two main foldable designs — the book-style Galaxy Z Fold series and the clamshell-like Z Flip series — but it’s no longer the only company with skin in the game.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is the most high-performance foldable the company has launched, with great camera and processor performance. It’s slim, too, with a refined hinge that’s both easier to open and reduces the visibility of the internal crease. But Samsung’s more squat Z Fold 8 has really won our hearts, thanks to its wider proportions when unfolded, which make it better suited for watching videos. Which one is better for you really comes down to personal preference, but Samsung’s combination of high-end specs and solid hardware means it’s leading the way in the foldable game so far.

Best foldable phones

Foldable phones specs comparison

Motorola Razr 2026Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 UltraSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 8Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8Google Pixel 11 Pro FoldiPhone Duo
Cover display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate3.6-inch AMOLED; 1,066×1,056 pixels; up to 90Hz variable refresh rate6.5-inch AMOLED; 2,520×1,080 pixels; up to 120Hz variable refresh rate5.5-inch AMOLED; 1,972×1,248 pixels; up to 120Hz variable refresh rate4.1-inch AMOLED; 1,048×948 pixels; up to 120Hz variable refresh rate6.5-inch OLED, 2,342×1,080 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate5.4-inch OLED, 2,342×1,080 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate
Internal display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate6.9-inch AMOLED; 2,640×1,080 pixels; up to 120Hz variable refresh rate8.0-inch AMOLED; 2,256×2,504 pixels; up to 120Hz variable refresh rate7.6-inch AMOLED; 2,448×1,848 pixels; up to 120Hz variable refresh rate6.9-inch AMOLED; 2,520×1,080 pixels; up to 120Hz variable refresh rate8-inch OLED, 2,076×2,152 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate7.6-inch OLED, 2,670×1,878 pixels, 120Hz refresh rate
Dimensions (millimeters)Open: 73.99 x 171.30 x 7.25mm; Closed: 73.99 x 88.08 x 15.85mmOpen: 158.4 x 143.2 x 4.1mm; Closed: 158.4 x 72.8 x 8.9mmOpen: 123.9 x 161.4 x 4.5mm; Closed: 123.9 x 81.9 x 9.7mmOpen: 166.9 x 75.4 x 6.1mm; Closed: 85.7 x 75.4 x 13.1mmOpen: 155.2 x 150.4 x 5.0mm
Closed: 155.2 x 76 x 10.1mm
Open: 117.8 x 164.6 x 5.2mm
Closed: 117.8 x 84.1 x 11.3mm
Weight (grams, ounces)188g (6.63 oz)215g (7.58 oz)201g (7.09 oz)180g (6.35 oz)239 g (8.4 oz)254 g (9 oz)
Cameras50-megapixel (wide), 50-megapixel (ultrawide)200-megapixel (wide), 50-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (telephoto), 10-megapixel (cover screen selfie)50-megapixel (wide), 50-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (cover screen selfie)50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide)48-megapixel (wide), 10.5-megapixel (ultrawide), 10.8-megapixel (telephoto)48-megapixel (wide), 48-megapixel (ultrawide)
ProcessorMediaTek Dimensity 7450XQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for GalaxyQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for GalaxyQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for GalaxyTensor G6A20 Pro
RAM/storage8GB + 128GB, 256GB12GB + 256GB; 12GB + 512GB; 16GB + 1TB12GB + 256GB; 12GB + 512GB; 16GB + 1TB12GB + 256GB; 12GB + 512GB16GB + 256GB, 512GB, 1TBRAM N/A + 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
Battery4,800 mAh5,000 mAh4,800 mAh4,300 mAh4,806 mAh“Up to 24 hours”
Special featuresIP48 rating, 30-watt wired charging, 15-watt wireless charging, 3,000 nit peak brightness on main displayIP48 rating, Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3 (cover scnree), Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (Rear), Advanced Armor Aluminum, 3,000-nit peak brightness, anti-reflective display, 45-watt wired charging, 20-watt wireless chargingIP48 rating, Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 3 (cover scnree), Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (Rear), Advanced Armor Aluminum, 3,000-nit peak brightness, anti-reflective display, 45-watt wired charging, 20-watt wireless chargingIP48 rating, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 (cover), glass fiber-reinforced polymer (rear), Advanced Armor Aluminum, 25-watt wired charging, 15-watt wireless chargingIP68 dust and water resistance, HiLight LED, 30W wired charging, 25W Qi 2.2 wireless charging, 7 years of software and security updatesIP68 dust and water resistance, Camera Control button, Dynamic Island, Apple Intelligence, 1 to 3,000 nits brightness display range, Fast charge up to 50% in 20 minutes using 60W adapter
US price starts at$800 (128GB)$2,100 (256GB); $2,300 (512GB); $2,700 (1TB)$1,900 (256GB); $2,100 (512GB); $2,500 (1TB)$1,200 (256GB); $1,400 (512GB)$1,899 (256GB)$1,999 (256GB); $2,199 (512GB); $2,599 (1TB); $3,199 (2TB)

Recent updates

We added the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Pixel 11 Pro Fold to the list in September 2026.

Factors to consider when buying a foldable phone

Look for sales: Look for sales and deals close to major shopping holidays like Presidents Day, Amazon’s Prime Day and Black Friday.

Consider last year’s models: When a new phone launches, stores and carriers might discount their older phones to clear existing stock. While the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is an unquestionably great phone, it’s not a significant step up from last year’s Z Fold 7 so it’s well worth shopping for previous generation handsets if you want to save yourself a bundle.

See the phone in person: It’s worth going to a store and trying out a potential phone. You may love or hate the way it looks and feels, especially as we have new sizes and shapes of foldables on offer.

Budget for a case: Foldable phones sold today are more durable than phones from even a few years ago, but it still might be a good idea to protect your phone with a case to keep it in tip-top shape. A screen protector for the outer screen is also well worth considering.

How we test phones

We test every phone in real-world scenarios, focusing on its features, design, performance, cameras, battery life and overall value. We document our findings in an initial review that is periodically updated when there are new software updates, or to compare it against new phones from competitors such as Apple, Samsung, Google and OnePlus.

zfold5-9.jpgJohn Kim/CNET

Photography

Photography is a major focus for most phones these days, so we take pictures and videos of various subjects in a variety of settings and lighting scenarios. We try out any new camera modes, we test in the daytime and at night and we compare the results against each phone’s rivals.

Battery life

Battery testing is conducted in various ways. We assess how long a phone lasts during a typical day of use and note how it performs during more focused sessions of video calls, media streaming and gaming. We also conduct a video playback test, as a simple, replicable measure of pure battery life, which isn’t always included in the initial review but sometimes added later in an update.

Performance measuring

We use benchmarking apps to measure each phone’s performance, alongside our own anecdotal experiences using the phone for our review. Most noteworthy is how graphics and animations look. Are they smooth? Do they lag or stutter? We also look at how quickly the phone switches between horizontal and vertical orientations, and how fast the camera app opens and is ready to take a photo.

What to look forward to in 2026

Apple announced the iPhone Duo at its September event, but the phone won’t be released until Oct. 23. We are eager to get our hands on it to test.



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