Support Ukraine’s Army
Youtube
Facebook
Why classic flagship phones still beat foldables in 2025
Folding smartphones are popular again. Slim flip phones and book-style models promise futuristic transformations and scenarios similar to those of tablets. However, for most users, reliability is more important, and this is where regular slab-style flagships excel.
Gizmochina writes why regular flagships prove to be the safer, smarter, and more dependable option in 2025.
Why regular flagships are in the lead
Manufacturers, including Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Honor, are promoting foldable phones. However, not everyone is eager to experiment with this technology: most people want a clear, durable, hassle-free device.
Book-style foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Honor Magic V5, or Xiaomi Mix Fold 4 require delicate handling: they are thicker, more vulnerable, and can suffer from hinge wear over time. Even with ultra-thin glass, the internal screens remain sensitive to pressure, dust, and temperature changes. In the event of an accidental fall, the chances of an iPhone 16 Pro or Pixel 10 Pro XL "surviving" with a case are higher, while with a book-style model luck is less predictable. Their cases are also not without compromises: the fold does not disappear, wear and tear on the mechanism is a fact, water protection has improved, but dust is still a risk. And most importantly, constant anxiety about a $1500 gadget is exhausting.
The compromises continue to manifest themselves. Due to the lack of space, book-style models often have less autonomy and weaker cameras than regular models. While the Fold series has improved picture quality, the stability and level still fall short of the Galaxy S25 Ultra or iPhone 16 Pro Max. The Xiaomi Mix Fold 4 has powerful hardware but lags behind the Xiaomi 15 Ultra in image processing. Years of promises have not made most Android applications perfectly adapted to canvas changes. Classic flagship phones don't need to be redesigned to work properly.
Simplicity is also an advantage. The iPhone 16, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Galaxy S25 line, and Xiaomi 15 Ultra are the result of years of refinement: predictable performance, strong cameras, long battery life, and uncluttered interfaces. They fit easily into your pocket, you can easily find cases and accessories for them, and you don't need to think about how many flips the screen can withstand.
The novelty effect wears off quickly. For the first few weeks, it's nice to flip a flip or open a book, but then the fold starts to glare, the body feels bulky, and most interactions go back to the external display. Then the question arises: what, in fact, was overpaid for, if the previous phone performed no worse in 95% of scenarios?
This is not a sentence for foldables. They are getting thinner, stronger, and better optimized. However, if you don't want to live on the edge of innovation with inevitable compromises, it's wiser to stay on the side of premium tiled flagships. In a world where smartphones are critical every day, stability is not a boring feature, but an underrated value. And regular flagships provide it in full.
Read more:
