Four Folds, One Winner: Apple's Debut Takes the Crown

Four Folds, One Winner: Apple's Debut Takes the Crown

Four flagships tested side by side

Tom's Guide published a hands-on comparison on October 29, testing the iPhone Duo against the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and Motorola Razr Fold. It is the first four-way flagship foldable test since Apple entered the category.

Passport shapes with different pitches

Apple calls the Duo its thinnest iPhone ever, at 5.2mm open and 11.3mm closed, with a titanium frame and a nano-texture inner display that hides the crease. Samsung leans on seven years of foldable experience and a similar passport-like ratio. Motorola claims the largest battery ever in a foldable, while Google pitches AI features and an extra telephoto camera.

A $100 gap at checkout

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for 256GB, rising to $2,199 for 512GB, $2,599 for 1TB, and $3,199 for 2TB. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 with 256GB, Pixel 11 Pro Fold with 256GB, and Razr Fold with 512GB each start at $1,899.99. Apple's premium is about $100 over each rival at the base tier.

Weight tells its own story

The Duo weighs about 9 ounces, or 255 grams, making it the heaviest iPhone to date. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is just 7.09 ounces, or 201 grams, more than 50 grams lighter. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is 8.4 ounces and the Razr Fold is 8.6 ounces. For screens, the Duo pairs a 5.4-inch cover with a 7.6-inch inner panel. The Z Fold 8 is closest at 5.5 and 7.6 inches. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold grows to 6.5 and 8 inches, while the Razr Fold is largest at 6.6 inches outside and nearly 8.1 inches inside.

Battery life upset despite similar cells

Apple does not disclose exact capacity, claiming up to 24 hours of mixed use, plus 31 hours of video playback unfolded or 44 hours folded. Reported capacities are 4,883 mAh for the Duo, 4,800 mAh for the Z Fold 8, 4,806 mAh for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and 6,000 mAh for the Razr Fold. In Tom's Guide custom drain test, the Duo averaged 13 hours and 20 minutes against 10 hours and 6 minutes for the Z Fold 8, a lead of more than three hours, or about 32 percent.

Charging speed favors Motorola

The Razr Fold charges at 80W, reaching 42 percent in 15 minutes and 75 percent in 30 minutes. The Duo charges at 60W, with 42 percent in 15 minutes and 66 percent in 30 minutes. The Z Fold 8 charges at 45W, with 43 percent and 70 percent at the same marks. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is slowest at 30W, with 29 percent and 56 percent. Under the hood, the Duo runs the A20 Pro, the Z Fold 8 runs Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold runs Tensor G6, and the Razr Fold runs Snapdragon 8 Gen 5.

Cameras: only Apple skips the zoom lens

The Duo uses a 48-megapixel main plus a 48-megapixel ultrawide, with 2x delivered by sensor crop and no dedicated telephoto. The Z Fold 8 uses two 50-megapixel sensors. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold uses a 48-megapixel main, a 10.5-megapixel ultrawide, and a 10.8-megapixel 5x telephoto. The Razr Fold uses three 50-megapixel sensors including a 3x telephoto. In a 10-round photo face-off, the Duo won most rounds on detail and dynamic range but lost at extreme digital zoom.

Durability and raw power split the field

The Duo and Pixel 11 Pro Fold are rated IP68, surviving dust and 6 meters of water for 30 minutes. The Z Fold 8 and Razr Fold are rated IP48. On Geekbench 7, the Duo scored 4,007 single-core and 11,363 multi-core, against 2,978 and 9,811 for the Z Fold 8. In a 3DMark stress test, stability was 67.9 percent for the Duo versus 51.4 percent for the Z Fold 8.

Who this matters for

The verdict reshapes holiday buying. iPhone owners finally get a native foldable with split-screen multitasking and Apple Pencil support. Samsung keeps the lightness and physical-SIM crowd. The Pixel suits buyers who want full waterproofing and a real 5x zoom, while the Razr Fold suits buyers who prioritize battery and megapixels and accept weaker dust protection.

What to watch next

Reviewers agree the next battle is software. Non-optimized apps look poor on the Duo's inner screen, and its 4-megapixel under-display camera is best left to video calls. Whether Apple adds a telephoto, cuts the $2,000 entry price, and how Samsung positions its pricier Z Fold 8 Ultra will decide next year's foldable race.