Interested In A Foldable Phone? Here Are The Best On The Market – And How They Compare
Foldable phones have become the ultimate gadget in recent years. They represent innovation in action: when they first came out it was immediately impressive that manufacturers could fit high-powered hardware into two small sections that unfold into one big screen. Now, they’ve grown from experimental to accessible to everyone, and useful as a mini-TV or a small work laptop for multi-tasking.
The newest entry to the market is the Apple iPhone Duo, which will be released to the market on Friday (23 October 2026). Its arrival shows that foldables are becoming more mainstream and are capable of a quality that meets Apple’s high standards – so now, the battle of the foldable phones is on!
To help you suss out which are the best around, here’s our lowdown on how the Apple iPhone Duo, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8, Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold, Motorola Razr Fold and Honor Magic V6 compare.
Camera
The camera is often the second most useful feature on a phone, after calls and messaging, but foldables have an in-built issue here. Because they are double the thickness when shut, each half needs to be very thin to be truly portable, which makes it trickier to fit in serious camera hardware. But improving materials and great software mean they’re catching up with standard phones.
The Magic V6 leads the charge, with a 50MP main camera, a 50MP ultrawide and a 64MP periscope lens for close-up pictures. While other phones have premium hardware too – the Pixel 11 Pro Fold has a 5x optical zoom, for example – the Magic V6 captures sharp, vibrant pictures that come closer to professional camera quality than the others.
If you’re sure you want to shoot a range of pictures, avoid the iPhone Duo and the standard Galaxy Z Fold8 as neither has a telephoto lens.
Battery and charging
With a large screen and hardware space at a premium, battery is another area where the best phones can stand out. Size isn’t everything when phones are built to run efficiently – which is why the Razr Fold turns out to be the pick of the bunch, even though the Magic V6 has a larger battery at around 6,660mAh. Reviewers say the Razr Fold can easily last into a second day. Both also offer the quickest charging, with 80W wired charging, and 50-66W wireless charging.
The iPhone Duo is said to last “up to 24 hours”, though that hasn’t been tested. However, because Apple has placed a battery on each side of the phone, all eyes will be on how this method develops in the future.
Durability
Because a foldable phone’s lasting power hinges on its…well, hinges, durability has been a bit of an issue in the past. Today they’re generally well built when it comes to water and dust, with IP48 or IP68 ratings across the board. That means the phone will be fine in rain, with accidental spills, or immersed in fresh water up to 1.5 metres deep (or 6 metres for the iPhone Duo) for 30 minutes. It will also be either completely dust-proof or only let in fine grains.
Meanwhile, the physical build is changing rapidly. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold has a new gearless hinge that is (by Google’s own account) three times more durable than last year’s model. The crease on the Galaxy Z Fold8’s screen is barely noticeable, while the Motorola Razr Fold’s durability is a hit with its owners.
The iPhone Duo may well be a great first attempt, but repairing a broken screen will set you back around £1,000 – so it’s definitely one to take good care of!
Tech features
Apple claims the iPhone Duo has the fastest CPU in a smartphone, and performs 35% better than the iPhone 17 Pro, but it hasn’t been tested outside of Apple’s HQ yet. What has been proven is the Galaxy Z Fold8 can run up to four apps on its screen at once, which makes multitasking a breeze.
Other standout tech features in the line-up: Pixel 11 Pro Fold comes with Google’s Gemini AI and an auto-pacing teleprompter – useful for to-camera social media posts. The Motorola Razr Fold holds its speed thanks to liquid cooling. And the Magic V6 is compatible with Apple products, making it easy to use AirPods, transfer photos, and talk to an Apple Watch.
For software support, every phone except the iPhone Duo promises seven years of operating system and security updates. Apple hasn’t yet stated its policy for the Duo.
Value for money
Despite the differences in performance, bragging rights and functionality, all five phones sit at a similar price point. The Galaxy Z Fold8 has the lowest list price, at £1,699. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold and Motorola Razr Fold are £1,799 each, and the iPhone Duo and Honor Magic V6 come in at £1,999 – though the Magic V6 is currently discounted to £1,499.99.
Which one is best for you depends on what you need it for. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 is great value for all it offers. That said, the iPhone Duo is the most talked-about phone this year. The Magic V6 offers the best camera and can work with both Apple and Android accessories. The Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold has all the might of Google behind it, plus added durability. Meanwhile the Razr Fold is arguably the best all-round performer, and certainly has the longest-lasting battery so far.
It’s a tough choice, but all of them offer a more flexible experience than standard phones. So really, they’re all winners!
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