How thin are they really? - Four foldables compared
The battle for the thinnest foldable smartphone was already declared last year by Honor with the Magic V3. This year, the Oppo Find N5 launched as the slimmest model, undercutting the V3, which Honor in turn undercut again with the Magic V5. With the Galaxy Z Fold7, Samsung is also focusing on a very slim design for the first time and is even flatter than its competitors from China.
We want to get to the bottom of this again and measure at predefined points, which we define in the following graphic:
The individual measuring points (MP) are determined using a conventional caliper gauge. In addition to the three foldables mentioned above, we are also including the Huawei Mate X6 in the test field. For the Magic V5, we have the white model at hand, which is the only one with a low height.
We take the measurement for the unfolded state on the side without a camera, in the middle of the long side. We determine the highest elevation (column ‘Camera’) in the closed state from the front glass to the camera. Any pre-installed films on the front displays were removed.
Measurement point 3 (MP 3) is difficult to measure on most foldables because the cameras are very close to the edge.
| Foldable | manufacturer's specification (open) | manufacturer's specification (closed) | MP1 | MP2 | MP3 | MP4 | Open | Camera |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Z Fold7 | 4.2 mm | 8.9 mm | 8.85 mm | 8.9 mm | 8.8 mm | 8.8 mm | 4.2 mm | 14.50 mm |
| Magic V5 | 4.1 mm | 8.8 mm | 9.05 mm | 8.95 mm | 9.40 mm | 9.20 mm | 4.45 mm | 16.25 mm |
| Find N5 | 4.2 mm | 8.9 mm | 9.15 mm | 9.05 mm | 9.40 mm | 9.10 mm | 4.45 mm | 13.80 mm |
| Mate X6 | 4.6 mm | 9.9 mm | 10.30 mm | 10.25 mm | 10.20 mm | 10.15 mm | 4.85 mm | 16.35 mm |
In our measurements, the Galaxy Z Fold7 is clearly the thinnest foldable, with only the Find N5 being slightly flatter in terms of maximum height. The world record holder, the Magic V5, only comes in second place here, but it also has one of the most protruding camera modules. The camera on the Mate X6 rises highest overall, but due to its slightly thicker design, it does not appear as prominent as on the Honor.
Ultimately, our measurements showed that the location at which we measure is very important. For example, we found that the Magic V5 is thinner than the manufacturer's specification in some places when folded (8.75 mm), and in some places we even measured the Samsung at only 8.50 mm.
The Chinese manufacturers seem to measure differently and, among other things, leave out the protective film on the foldable display – we would like to see more transparency and realistic manufacturer specifications here. Samsung, on the other hand, is closer to its own specifications.
