Best Foldable Phones Ranked in 2023: Top Folding Phones from Samsung, Xiaomi, Honor & Huawei

Foldable phones in the smartphone world…a topic that has divided the entire tech community into two teams, one claiming that all foldables are useless while the other getting head over heels for this folding mechanism in smartphones. But we must admit one thing, foldable phones are not so easy to forget about and all credit goes to Samsung for establishing the market with its Samsung Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Flip series. Who would have thought that you could actually carry your large display smartphone in your pocket that can fold or a smartphone that also becomes a mini tablet? Right now, foldable smartphones are getting better and better and they may get more popular sooner or later. So, today we will talk about some of the best foldable phones from brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, Honor & Huawei. 

Yup, these Chinese brands have started making their own folding smartphones too, but they haven’t been as popular as Samsung’s Fold 4 or Flip 4, right? The reason behind this is that these brands know that their foldables are nowhere as polished as Samsung’s and thus, they plan on first improving their folding devices before selling them on a larger scale. But, you should still know which foldable mobile is the best in 2023, right? This may give you a suitable idea of what to buy right now or what to expect in the future from these brands.

We all know that not all smartphones are the best. All brands including the likes of Samsung and Apple make some of the worst phones…why do I hear iPhone 14 Plus noises? So the folding phones that Xiaomi, Samsung, Honor & Huawei have launched till now are not as perfect as you would expect them to be. But tech is never perfect, it always has room for improvement, doesn’t it? So, let’s take a look at the best foldable smartphones on the market right now with their pros and cons.

There’s no denying the fact that we have come a long way in terms of technology and the possibilities with our smartphones. Who else remembers that first time when we got to see the first phone with no buttons and we didn’t even know how to start that thing? From that time, we are now here when we have almost forgotten how to use those keypad phones.

The same applies to these folding phones that may not be at their prime now, but once these brands put enough time and effort into them, a foldable phone would even become your favorite thing in the coming years. Although there are many companies that are said to be the first ones to make folding smartphones, Samsung is and always will be the most important brand in this segment. Samsung’s Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Flip series created a way for other brands like Xiaomi and Oppo to follow and give some competition to this tech giant. But do you know who will benefit the most from this? We users!

When different brands collide and strive to make the best product for their customers, we get the best value-for-money products from them, as seen in the smartphone market. Thus, this year too, we got some of the best foldable phones from different brands.

Here is a list of the best foldable phones in 2023 ranked:

Yeah, you might think why isn’t the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 ranked at the top, that’s debatable. The Z Fold 4 is a great device, but the Z Flip 4 is a way more practical device for many reasons. I mean, just look at it…it folds and becomes small enough to feel more comfortable than many other phones. Also, this folding mechanism isn’t just for getting a smaller phone, but to also let you use the Flex Mode, made by Samsung.

What is the Flex Mode in Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4? Yup, everyone has this common question. With Samsung’s folding mobile phones like the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Fold 4, you get a dedicated Flex Mode that enhances your experience with Samsung Fold phones. When you fold the Z Flip 4 while using certain apps like the camera, YouTube, or Chrome, the Flex Mode gets enabled, giving you some extra features and options to use your phone in a much better and different manner.

Talking about the specifications, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 leaves no stone unturned with the best-in-class display, processor, and other components. It comes with the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen One processor and 8 GB of RAM, powerful enough to not break a sweat even when you play some high-end games. Also, the camera set up on the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is comparable with other flagship phones.

Here are the technical specs of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Foldable smartphone:

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 holds more value than you may think. Its performance is much better than Samsung’s own Galaxy S22 lineup, since all S22 series phones come with the Snapdragon 8 Gen One chipset while our Flip 4 has the 8 Plus Gen One. Yeah, the camera setup may not be as good as that of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, but it is comparable to that of the S22 and S22 Plus. Moreover, using Galaxy Flex, you get such usability options that any normal smartphone won’t be able to deliver.

Not to mention that the selfies that you can take with the Galaxy Z Flip 4 are probably the best on any smartphone right now. How is that even possible? Well, you can use the Galaxy Z Flip 4’s sub display and rear cameras together to take a phenomenal selfie, which is not an option that you get with other phones, right? Also, when this phone folds, it looks so good and compact and can be kept in your pocket effortlessly.

Moreover, the main display of this folding phone is just the same as Samsung’s flagship smartphones. It looks so good and, for its selling point, it folds too! So does that mean that the Galaxy Z Flip 4 has no cons? Umm…I wouldn’t be so sure about that.

With its 3700 mAh battery, you would hardly get a day’s battery. That’s the same battery capacity that you get with the Galaxy S22, which got so much heat for its bad battery backup. Now with a folding mechanism and the software adjustments for it, the Galaxy Z Flip 4’s battery backup would not be the best, right? And, thanks to its hinge and small gaps for folding, this phone doesn’t come with dust resistance. Yup, it has an IPX8 resistance and here, the ‘8’ stands for water resistance which is pretty good. But, having no resistance to dust makes it a bit difficult for users to trust the Samsung Flip 4 folding phone.

Thus, it’s safe to say that the Galaxy Z flip 4, just like every other smartphone, has its pros and cons that should be considered before buying it.

The costliest foldable smartphone on the market right now, with the best productive features. It won’t be wrong to say that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a combination of a tablet, laptop, and a smartphone. This wouldn’t have been possible without the new dock or taskbar that you get with the Fold 4. It takes multitasking to the next level, where you can use those two displays two their fullest. From switching between multiple apps to using all of them together as floating windows, the Fold 4 would stop at nothing. Although it feels quite thick and uncomfortable when folded, it’s still better than carrying a bigger tablet or laptop, isn’t it?

Why do you think Samsung is so good with its foldable series? The hardware used in those devices is good, probably the best in class, but other brands use that too, right? Then why is the Galaxy Z Fold 4 the best one out there? The answer lies within Samsung’s software optimization. The company has been working on this series for a decade and it has spent enough money and other resources to develop the Fold series’ software to an extent that it is now a class apart from any other mobile phone in the market. It is not even comparable to its own cousin, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 which makes more sense for general users like us. So, curious to know what makes this foldable phone special?

Here are the full specifications of the Fold 4 folding phone from Samsung:

With the top-notch Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen One chipset, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is second to no phone in terms of performance. But wouldn’t you buy the ASUS ROG Phone 6 if you just care about the performance? The Fold 4 comes with three displays, one single display, known as the cover display; while the other two displays can be used when you unfold the Fold 4. It becomes a mini tablet that offers a completely different experience than other phones in the market.

With its flexible display, this Samsung folding phone comes with a great camera setup which gives greater possibilities for you to be more creative. You can even use its rear camera setup to capture high-quality selfies. For your surprise, its inner display even comes with an under-display selfie camera which is barely visible when you use this folding mobile. Unlike other foldable smartphones, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 offers a more polished experience in terms of software and hardware and thus, people are bound to get surprised every time you take it out of your pockets.

The Fold 4 costs a lot, there is no denying that. But it has its utility for many businessmen and stock traders who generally find themselves playing with data, graphs and different charts. So the Fold 4 might be an ideal device for anyone who needs a phone that is good for presentations, multi-tasking, and data analysis.

Moreover, it would seem unfair if we don’t don’t talk about the display of this phone that got its fame from the very same component, right? The display, or rather displays on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 are, in one word, unprecedented. Be it the latest iPhone 14 Pro Max or the Samsung Galaxy S 22 Ultra, no smartphone would come close to the Fold 4 when you would watch some content on that huge Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen.

With that being said, the Fold 4 comes with its fair share of problems too. Having a 4400 mAh battery and three different, huge displays doesn’t sound that good, does it? So as you would expect, the Z Fold 4 hardly gets you through the day, which is better than its predecessor but not enough when compared to normal smartphones. Also, just like the Flip 4, Fold 4 comes with IPX8 rating, which further triggers users’ trust issues because of no resistance to dust. Moreover, the Fold 4, when folded, becomes way thicker than two smartphones kept one over the other. That’s thick, really thick, and uncomfortable in most cases.

Last but not least, this thing costs almost twice as much as the Flip 4, which makes no sense for a general user. So as long as you are super rich, a tech enthusiast, or need the Fold 4 for work, it’s better to avoid it completely.

Honor is the sub-brand of Huawei, the Chinese tech giant which was banned in the US. But trust me, the Honor Magic Vs would make you want to hold and use this phone right now. It is probably the best folding phone made by a Chinese company that, unfortunately, may not make its way to your place. The Honor Magic Vs comes with the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen One processor and a 90 Hz OLED foldable display on the inside.

Also, the triple camera setup of the Honor Magic Vs is so, so good. Moreover, a battery of 5000 mAh fit into such a small body not only makes it more beautiful but long lasting too. So all in all, the Honor Magic Vs is worth the money that you would spend on it in every sense. But, there’s one thing that may be the dealbreaker for you. 

The specifications and overall experience of the Honor Magic Vs are, in true sense, magnificent and it gives tough competition to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. It has a great camera setup, outstanding performance, beautiful displays, and a long-lasting battery too. All these factors may tempt almost everyone who plans on buying a foldable phone.

Also, the Magic UI is based on the Android OS, thus the Honor Magic Vs supports all Google services too. So shouldn’t it be the best folding smartphone? Uhh, not so quick; it still lacks the security assurance that you get with Samsung’s Z Fold 4 that comes with an IPX8 rating and Gorilla Glass Victus protection. Not just that, but the overall UI experience in the Fold 4 is way superior than on the Honor Magic Vs. Nonetheless, it is a great phone and if Honor works a bit more on its cons, it would be able to make the best foldable phone really soon.

Xiaomi is that brand that has changed the smartphone industry for good. Do you remember those times when Samsung and Apple used to sell their phones at prices higher than all other brands? That was when Xiaomi came to rescue with its affordable smartphones and gave suitable options to the general public too. Now that Samsung is ruling the foldable phone industry and Apple, well…has been planning on launching their foldable iPhone for years, the prices of these folding phones have not been low enough to attract general users. And yup, Xiaomi enters the chat with its Mix Fold 2 folding smartphone and it is, by far, the most promising foldable phone in its price range. It is a beautiful piece of technology that is one of the slimmest foldable phones out there. It looks way better than the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and is lighter too. But, the same beauty has become its enemy too. We will get to that part in a while.

Unlike Samsung, Xiaomi is really new to the folding-phones market and it will take some time for the brand to understand the game and give their best product as of now. But if you look at the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2, it doesn’t seem that off track. It comes with the top-notch Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor, 12 GB RAM, a 4500 mAh battery, and a design that makes you stare at it for hours. This isn’t something that Samsung was able to pull-off with its 2nd generation of foldable phones, right? Props to Xiaomi for coming up with the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 and therefore, it’s safe to say that if Xiaomi keeps up the good work, we may soon see better foldables at the cheapest prices.

Last but not least, the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 is launched and available in China only right now. So if you live in some other country, you may not find it there.

Here are all the specifications of the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 foldable phone:

If we talk about its physical appearance, form factor and specifications, we can describe the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 in just one word, phenomenal. You would have a hard time finding a better looking foldable phone than this folding device from Xiaomi. Also, its specifications are top-notch. So, there’s nothing wrong with this foldable smartphone from Mi and one should buy it, right? Actually, I wouldn’t be so sure about it.

Thanks to the Mix Fold 2 being so beautiful and thin, it has no space for heat dissipation. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen One chipset, this Mi foldable phone gains temperature like anything and then starts throttling even during normal usage. Though throttling is sometimes normal in many phones but with the Xiaomi Fold 2, it is way more than expected. This folding phone from Mi would start lagging even if you use its camera for some time, which is very basic work on a smartphone, right?

When you use a phone, it gains a certain amount of heat which needs to be released from the device. But since the Mix Fold 2 is so packed, the heat that it generates is not let out. Thus, the phone’s AI lowers the processor’s performance in order to save the device from overheating and damaging itself. This, unfortunately, makes this phone almost unusable.

The Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 comes with great cameras, displays, processor, and design but do all these things even matter if the phone itself doesn’t function properly? This one con of the Mi foldable is the biggest reason why it can’t compete with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 right now.

Moreover, Samsung has spent years on leveling up its game in foldable phones and thus, it has customized its phones in the best way possible in terms of hardware and software too. Though, the same can’t be said for Xiaomi as their product is not fully polished in either the software experience or the hardware. But wait, this phone still shows how efficient Xiaomi is when it enters a competition so late and catches up with other brands so swiftly. Thus, we may expect great things from Xiaomi in the future. But right now, the Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 should be avoided for good.

If you think that foldable phones are different in their form factors and designs then trust me, the Huawei Mate Xs 2 will blow your mind. All the folding mobile phones that you would find on the market right now are those that fold inside, right? Their displays come closer and close completely for you to use their outer displays…that is how you remember a standard foldable phone. But, the Huawei Mate Xs 2 folds outside, making it the most unique foldable phone right now. Yup, it’s really difficult to understand how Huawei made this possible and for our brain’s safety, let’s not get into the details.

With this extraordinary design, the Huawei Mate Xs 2 folding phone comes with the Snapdragon 888 processor, a 120 Hz OLED folding display, and a 4600 mAh battery. Also, the brand’s speciality is its camera and the same goes with the Mate Xs 2 that comes with a triple camera setup. Another different thing about this Huawei Folding phone is that it gives you a curved display when you fold this phone, thanks to the display being curved outside.

Considering the specifications, the Huawei Mate Xs 2 might be a very well-balanced folding phone. But those who remember Huawei’s history would also know why this phone isn’t ranked any higher on the list. Let’s leave it for later and take a look at the specifications of the Huawei Mate Xs 2 folding phone.

Do check out the specs of this folding smartphone from Huawei mentioned below:

The Huawei Mate Xs 2 is one of the best-designed foldable phones out there with its out-folding displays and sleek form factor. Also, its camera setup truly justifies its price along with many other features in the phone. And let’s be honest, wouldn’t you love to flex that outfolding display in front of your friends? I’d definitely do that. But the question is, should you purchase the Huawei Mate Xs 2 folding phone?

So in a clear and short answer, nope…the Huawei Mate Xs 2 has all the reasons for you to avoid it. First, it comes with the SD 888 processor which is known to heat a lot and its bad battery management is another reason to not buy this foldable smartphone. Moreover, the Huawei Mate Xs 2 comes with no official display protection and with that outfolding display, that smartphone always has a risk of getting damaged.

Now if my phone, worth $1450 is so fragile, I’d think twice before using it confidently. Also, it doesn’t come with any IP rating, another reason for us to not trust this phone fully. Not to mention that it’s 2023 and this phone doesn’t support 5G. And even if we forget all these things, you can’t ignore the fact that the Mate Xs 2 comes with Harmony OS, which means that it doesn’t support any Google services.

So, with these few of the many reasons, it’s better to not consider buying the Huawei Mate Xs 2 right now. But hey, the concept of getting an outfolding display isn’t so bad, is it? This might not be the best folding phone in 2023, but the Mate Xs 2 has opened a door for some more interesting designs.

Yup, that is all for our list of the best foldable phones in 2023. We have tried keeping the rankings as fair as possible but if you think that the rankings should have been different, do let us know in the comments section below. Do you think we will see better foldable smartphones soon? If yes, which brand shows the most potential for it?

Also, feel free to mention more smartphones that should have been on the list and do not forget to ask your questions too about the same.