The honeymoon phase with foldables is officially over, folks.
Samsung just dropped its latest book-style phone, and after two weeks of living with it, I've got some things to say that the company's slick marketing reel conveniently left out.
Let's start with the elephant in the room—that price tag.
We're talking nearly two grand for a device that, and I cannot stress this enough, you can still feel a faint crease running straight down the middle of the screen.
Run your finger across it and there it is, like a tiny valley of disappointment.
Samsung swears it's improved the hinge and minimized the dip, and sure, it's subtler than last year's model.
The outer display finally feels like a real phone screen instead of a cramped afterthought.
I answered texts, scrolled Instagram, and even fired off a few emails without ever flipping the thing open.
That's a genuine win, because for years these devices punished you for staying closed.
The cameras also stepped up in a big way, and low-light shots came out sharp enough to fool my friends into thinking I'd brought a dedicated point-and-shoot.
But then we get to the durability question, and this is where my enthusiasm starts sweating.
The screen still marks up if you look at it wrong.
A fingernail, a grain of sand in your pocket, a slightly aggressive swipe—all potential enemies.
Samsung will happily sell you a case and a screen protector, but shouldn't a phone that costs more than a decent laptop come armored up out of the box?
On heavy days with lots of multitasking, I was hunting for a charger by late afternoon.
The fast charging helps, but it's not the fastest in the game, and wireless charging feels sluggish compared to what rivals are pushing.
For a premium flagship, that's a frustrating trade-off.
When I'm on a flight folding it open to watch a show, or splitting the screen between a map and a restaurant review, it feels like the future.
The problem is that the future keeps asking me to accept compromises my old slab phone never demanded.
If you're a gadget obsessive with cash to burn and a deep love for being an early adopter, you'll probably enjoy the ride.
For everyone else, the math doesn't work yet.
The crease, the fragility, and the price tag are three strikes that even a gorgeous display can't fully erase.
My take: foldables are getting better fast, but "better" isn't "ready" for most people's wallets.
Final Thoughts
Wait one more generation—or at least until the crease disappears for good.