The latest foldable just landed on my desk, and within five minutes it had already started a screaming match in our group chat.
Half the office called it the future of phones.
The other half called it a two-thousand-dollar party trick that folds like a cheap paper map.
Here's the thing nobody tells you before you drop that kind of cash: the crease is real, and you will see it.
Tilt the screen under a lamp and there it is, running right down the middle like a tiny valley.
In normal use, with apps open and thumbs flying, it basically vanishes.
But if you're the type who notices every smudge and scratch, this thing will haunt your dreams.
The hinge deserves its own standing ovation.
After a week of obsessive open-and-shut testing, it still snaps with that satisfying, expensive-sounding click.
It holds half-open like a tiny laptop, which sounds gimmicky until you realize you can prop it up and watch videos hands-free while shoving nachos in your face.
That one feature alone sold two of my coworkers.
A big folding screen gulps power like a frat brother at a free bar.
Heavy users will be hunting for a charger by late afternoon.
Light scrollers will sail through the day fine.
If you game or watch a lot of video, plan accordingly, because this phone will not baby you.
You could buy a solid laptop, a decent tablet, and a nice pair of headphones for what this costs.
Are you paying for genuine innovation or just bragging rights at brunch?
Splitting two apps side by side actually works, and reading on that big inner screen is a joy.
The camera, meanwhile, is excellent but not mind-blowing.
It takes gorgeous shots in good light and holds up fine at night, but your friend's boring slab phone from last year can match it.
You're buying it because it folds, and folding is still undeniably cool.
Early adopters with cash to burn and a hunger for the newest shiny thing.
Anyone on a budget, anyone terrified of scratches, and anyone who drops their phone weekly.
The crease will shrink, the price will drop, and this whole category will finally grow up.
My honest take: I loved using it and I'm sad it's going back.
But love and logic are two different things, and your wallet deserves a clear head.
If you've got the money and the curiosity, go for it.
Final Thoughts
Everyone else can safely watch from the cheap seats.