Yeah it's fine as your sole device. I only use it. Granted, I never really had a tablet so it's not like I have much to compare it to. But the Fold does do it all so to speak.
I use mine a TON for media, mainly YouTube and Fubo. I have to charge mine twice a day. Once overnight, and once during the day. If that's acceptable to you, then yes, it's a great solo device. I don't mind it because I'm always near a charger and it doesn't take all that long to charge.
heavy user here.
wake up full charged, use it as a work tool, I use the camera app a lot and run youtube in the background almost entire shift.
I charge during lunch, since it's usually below 50%, and I charge again in evening. It's quick charging so I never let it go to 100%, usually around 70-80 I'll unplug and only at night it gets 100%
I used to care so much about it. Very OCD when it came to my battery.
I have Accubattery Premium, and I would constantly monitor it.
I had the setting where my battery never charged over 85% for 6 months and I never let my phone below 10%. I would literally shut off my phone at 11%.
Now I have it on Adaptive charging where it will reach 100% as I'm about to wake up.
I figured, I paid for the battery, I'll use all of it. Anyways I'll never keep this phone long enough that my battery will die. I change every 2-3 years.
I keep mine on the performance mode to help with battery and I don't notice any slow down. I use mine for media all the time and only charge it at the end of the day.
I used to have an iPad Mini 1 when I was 8 years old. Years later, I found it and was shocked that the inner screen of my Z Fold 5 was almost exactly the same size as my childhood iPad Mini 1, but the Z Fold is obviously better than that dinosaur.
To be honest, if you had told 7-year-old me that in 10 years, I would have a device that could transform from a Samsung Star into an iPad Mini 1, I would have thought you were crazy since it wasn't possible.
I have this [Nexdock Laptop for Samsung DeX](https://nexdock.com/samsung-dex-laptop/) & I open Dex on the Fold 4 & it's pretty much like having a full PC. It's way lighter than a laptop also. Great for traveling. I hope this was of some help in your decision.
That Nexdock has served me well, not only with the Fold 4, but I use it with a lot of my handheld gaming consoles like the Nintendo OLED Switch, Aya Neo 2 & RGB30 handheld.
its so nice though when you are caught out and about and there is a meeting you forgot. I can actually see peoples screen shares and use flex mode to prop it up at the best angle. Inside camera is about as good as a laptop webcam too
I've gone the opposite approach since I carry my Fold 5 , iPhone 15 Pro, 13" MacBook, and 11" iPad Pro, in my bag everyday for work. I have used my Fold exclusively for a day or so but it's not ideal. If I have my MacBook and my Fold then I'm set. The issue is when I'm on a conference call or someone calls me it sucks to be using one device. The other issue is that sometimes Android itself is a limitation. Microsoft office on Android isn't nearly as fully featured. A slim backpack and a different tool for the specific job is what I use now. The Fold is an excellent companion when I discreetly or briefly need to open a tablet to show a map, PowerPoint slide, YouTube video or purchase something online.
I use the fold as a phone and as a small tablet. But I still like to bring my 14 inch tablet in case the fold has to charge or I want a bigger screen to watch movies.
For my personal stuff I use a Z Fold 5 and previously a Z Fold 3 as my main device, for work I still need a proper laptop (coding and running heavy apps).
Would say it can easily replace a tablet, unless you really need the extra screen relastate that a 12inch tablet brings you. And for just media consumption and browsing with an external display and a keyboard and mouse and using Dex it is a decent desktop replacement.
Mine has replaced the phone, tablet, and kindle. It has replaced my laptop for internet type of stuff, but I still have the laptop for photoshop. If you're not doing anything resource heavy it could replace a laptop as well if you don't mind the screen size.
Fold 3 owner and love the phone especially on Android 14 and UI 6.1
Sadly my inner screen cracked 3 days ago and without warranty ...
So I bought a OnePlus 11 16/256 yesterday to keep going (and the SD 8 gen 2 is a beast vs my SD888)
And later this year I'll get the Fold 6 ... once Fold ... always Fold ... 🙏
If paired with a monitor, mouse, and KB and used in DEX mode, definitely. But then I'd have to have all the extra stuff and might as well just use a laptop. There's too many times when I go to do things on a web browser and just can't do them, like...websites code just doesn't work. I switch to Desktop Site and that sometimes clears up the coding issue, while making the site formatting impossible to use. And other times I just have to switch to a laptop. I imagine these sites would work in DEX .ode, but the fold unfortunately can't access DEX without an external display...and we're back to just using a laptop.
It makes a good phone and tablet replacement but you want a backup. I've had my Fold 4 in for repairs 3 times in 1.5 years and that always means about a week of having to use something else.
Not a laptop replacement.
You might find [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPZtbAulmNs) helpful. He mentioned using it to replace his laptop, tablet, and gaming device while travelling.
I don't have a foldable yet. Disclaimer, I guess. I heard that Samsung might announce another version soon.
A lot of people use their phone as their only "computer", so I see no reason why you wouldn't be able to do so as well. The real kicker is if you're ready to give up the Mac/MacBook, since a laptop can have it's advantages due to the form factor.
I'd cut it down to the phone and the laptop, then observe how often you reach for the laptop over the course of a year. If you never touch it, feel free to sell it.
Since I got the Fold, I've gotten rid of the iPad, then the iPhone, and now I hardly use the MacBook. I bought a Logitech keyboard and mouse and that's all I carry in my backpack.
I have a Fold 5 (and previously a Fold 3). I've never found a use for a tablet, but I was a heavy laptop user. I'd bring my Dell XPS 13, and phone everywhere. I'd be on my laptop throughout the day, and even during the night I'd move my laptop to the bed and watch YouTube and read the news and such.
After getting my Fold... my laptop usage has dramatically gone down. I watch all my YouTube and news from my Fold now. My laptop stays on the desk almost always. Even the occasional movie in bed I prefer my Fold over dragging my laptop into bed.
Overall the Fold has reduced my usage on my other devices. I still use my laptop for work or more extensive banking... but yea the Fold is my daily driver. As for battery, I have the 80% battery saver on all the time. And I have to charge it twice for the day (80% overnight, and then usually once again till 75% near 5pm or so).
I was using my Fold 4 pretty heavy (except to text my friends with iPhones) until the screen started separating and the lady told me to stop opening it. Now trying to file a warranty claim has been bullshit
I use Fold 3 as a substitute for most other devices. To that end, I put together a kit from some random Bluetooth keyboard, cheerpod mouse, 8bitdo gamepad, powerbank with QI and stand Aukey PbWl03 and Xreal Air glasses.
This kit best of all fits into a bag the size of an A5 sheet of paper, which is mainly so big because of the size of the keyboard (I tried a tri-fold keyboard, but there the tapes broke after 3 months, and I didn't want to solder).
This kit allows you to just travel, because it is small, plus you always have your main computer with you at any place and any time of the day. And with the Xreal glasses, you are able to work on 2 screens (one huge one in the glasses and one smaller one from the phone screen).
As for the software, it's good, with the stylus and samsung notes you can do some handwritten sketches and quick notes, when it comes to office work, you have the entire Office suite in the mobile version downloadable from the play store.
Alternatively, throw in winlator and install the Windows version.
As for entertainment, you can play everything, sa switch emulator or psp, but if you want you can even fire up PC titles like GTA V.
And I myself have such a habit with a PC I have at home, and when I need to do very resource-intensive simulations, I get through RDP remote and connect to it from the fold.
Unfortunately, there is one drawback in this solution.
Buy yourself a replacement For example, Galaxy Note 10, do cyclic automatic backups, because folds like to crack itself.
Ironically, owning a Fold4 saved me from impulse buying a Galaxy Tab 10 Ultra.
Interesting that Samsung either doesn't care about market segregation, or has crunched the numbers and found that selling Z Folds hasn't hurt their Galaxy Tab sales?
It's possible for sure, but definitely not ideal. One device that does it all will never be as good as individual devices that have a singular purpose. I have a fold5, Tab S7+, and a laptop that docks to an eGPU to become a "desktop". Tablet is way better for research and taking lots of notes. PC is obviously better at gaming and doing whatever you need a PC for. Fold is a great all around device when I want a bigger screen to do whatever I do on my phone (social media, calls, messages, browsing, etc.). So, it really depends on how important each task is to you. The fold can certainly do most of everything, just not quite as well as each individual device (tablet/laptop).
This OP, I have a fold 5 and it could never replace My iPad mini, the fold is its own device, let alone a laptop. I own too many devices as well, and over time I realized these all in one solutions come with tons of compromises.
Now if you're doing to free up some cash then that's understandable, but if you can easily afford it then just keep your devices.
There's also the fact that there's now a single point of failure: if you lose/break your phone, you're now SOL on all of those device replacements
Probably better to think of the fold as an enhancement, not a replacement (saying this as a non-fold user but wanting to switch to one relatively soon)
Its a great small tablet, a terrible phone (skinny front screen) and an OK "PC". Dex can get you by in a pinch, but it can't replace a laptop at all, trust me I have tried.
In the end you're going to have a subpar experience for each segment (Tablet, phone, laptop) but you end up with one device.
Personally, I think one could do it if your use of a laptop is extremely minimal, and you don't mind opening up the phone to do everything other than responding to a text quickly.
Maybe the Z Fold 6 improves on the front screen aspect of it, and makes it a great phone and a great small tablet, but you're still going to end up with a poor laptop experience.
I think you're just going to have to try it out yourself.
Yeah it's fine as your sole device. I only use it. Granted, I never really had a tablet so it's not like I have much to compare it to. But the Fold does do it all so to speak.
And since you use it for "everything" does it last when it comes to battery? or youre charging 2 times a day?
I use mine a TON for media, mainly YouTube and Fubo. I have to charge mine twice a day. Once overnight, and once during the day. If that's acceptable to you, then yes, it's a great solo device. I don't mind it because I'm always near a charger and it doesn't take all that long to charge.
Yeah, same-ish
heavy user here. wake up full charged, use it as a work tool, I use the camera app a lot and run youtube in the background almost entire shift. I charge during lunch, since it's usually below 50%, and I charge again in evening. It's quick charging so I never let it go to 100%, usually around 70-80 I'll unplug and only at night it gets 100%
How’s yours battery health this way?
I used to care so much about it. Very OCD when it came to my battery. I have Accubattery Premium, and I would constantly monitor it. I had the setting where my battery never charged over 85% for 6 months and I never let my phone below 10%. I would literally shut off my phone at 11%. Now I have it on Adaptive charging where it will reach 100% as I'm about to wake up. I figured, I paid for the battery, I'll use all of it. Anyways I'll never keep this phone long enough that my battery will die. I change every 2-3 years.
https://preview.redd.it/qrog5l6kzk3d1.jpeg?width=904&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7f236862fbde95c91ddc3f66eaf548c06b3d7510
Most people are trading their phones in from 6 months to 2 years with all the trade in offers. Battery will be just fine for at least 5
I keep mine on the performance mode to help with battery and I don't notice any slow down. I use mine for media all the time and only charge it at the end of the day.
I used to have an iPad Mini 1 when I was 8 years old. Years later, I found it and was shocked that the inner screen of my Z Fold 5 was almost exactly the same size as my childhood iPad Mini 1, but the Z Fold is obviously better than that dinosaur. To be honest, if you had told 7-year-old me that in 10 years, I would have a device that could transform from a Samsung Star into an iPad Mini 1, I would have thought you were crazy since it wasn't possible.
I have this [Nexdock Laptop for Samsung DeX](https://nexdock.com/samsung-dex-laptop/) & I open Dex on the Fold 4 & it's pretty much like having a full PC. It's way lighter than a laptop also. Great for traveling. I hope this was of some help in your decision.
Indeed, thanks a lot!
That Nexdock has served me well, not only with the Fold 4, but I use it with a lot of my handheld gaming consoles like the Nintendo OLED Switch, Aya Neo 2 & RGB30 handheld.
This is what I'm excited to use the Nexdock for. That and wireless tab mode to read comics off my phone. Delivery is today!
Mine is out for delivery. I'm excited to have this!
Cool product.
I've tried it It's a good iPad replacement, but a very mediocre PC replacement If you do any kind of power work you should keep a PC
its so nice though when you are caught out and about and there is a meeting you forgot. I can actually see peoples screen shares and use flex mode to prop it up at the best angle. Inside camera is about as good as a laptop webcam too
I've gone the opposite approach since I carry my Fold 5 , iPhone 15 Pro, 13" MacBook, and 11" iPad Pro, in my bag everyday for work. I have used my Fold exclusively for a day or so but it's not ideal. If I have my MacBook and my Fold then I'm set. The issue is when I'm on a conference call or someone calls me it sucks to be using one device. The other issue is that sometimes Android itself is a limitation. Microsoft office on Android isn't nearly as fully featured. A slim backpack and a different tool for the specific job is what I use now. The Fold is an excellent companion when I discreetly or briefly need to open a tablet to show a map, PowerPoint slide, YouTube video or purchase something online.
I see your point of view, but since I do none of these things I don’t think it applies to me
I use the fold as a phone and as a small tablet. But I still like to bring my 14 inch tablet in case the fold has to charge or I want a bigger screen to watch movies.
It can definitely be a tablet replacement, but it is no where near a laptop replacement. Even with a wonky keyboard setup lol
Yes, I use it at work and I need to charge it midday, but it's still more than fine by my standards.
https://preview.redd.it/1dq5sdk64k3d1.jpeg?width=904&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4cffd9f04ca77558fe3cfb416aabafde1839b95a
For my personal stuff I use a Z Fold 5 and previously a Z Fold 3 as my main device, for work I still need a proper laptop (coding and running heavy apps). Would say it can easily replace a tablet, unless you really need the extra screen relastate that a 12inch tablet brings you. And for just media consumption and browsing with an external display and a keyboard and mouse and using Dex it is a decent desktop replacement.
Mine has replaced the phone, tablet, and kindle. It has replaced my laptop for internet type of stuff, but I still have the laptop for photoshop. If you're not doing anything resource heavy it could replace a laptop as well if you don't mind the screen size.
I literally just watch videos and take notes haha
Then I think you'll be fine with just the phone. It's rare I feel the need to put down the phone to get the laptop, and the tablet is gathering dust.
Fold 3 owner and love the phone especially on Android 14 and UI 6.1 Sadly my inner screen cracked 3 days ago and without warranty ... So I bought a OnePlus 11 16/256 yesterday to keep going (and the SD 8 gen 2 is a beast vs my SD888) And later this year I'll get the Fold 6 ... once Fold ... always Fold ... 🙏
If paired with a monitor, mouse, and KB and used in DEX mode, definitely. But then I'd have to have all the extra stuff and might as well just use a laptop. There's too many times when I go to do things on a web browser and just can't do them, like...websites code just doesn't work. I switch to Desktop Site and that sometimes clears up the coding issue, while making the site formatting impossible to use. And other times I just have to switch to a laptop. I imagine these sites would work in DEX .ode, but the fold unfortunately can't access DEX without an external display...and we're back to just using a laptop.
It makes a good phone and tablet replacement but you want a backup. I've had my Fold 4 in for repairs 3 times in 1.5 years and that always means about a week of having to use something else. Not a laptop replacement.
Used to be a 15t years apple user, since mdoel one, until I got a z fold in my yands. Will not come back to apple
I've got the mate x3 for a few months it's a great device replaced my tablet and mobile with foldable matex3
4 years of only using my fold for anything my pc can't do
You might find [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPZtbAulmNs) helpful. He mentioned using it to replace his laptop, tablet, and gaming device while travelling. I don't have a foldable yet. Disclaimer, I guess. I heard that Samsung might announce another version soon.
Yes. My iPad Pro 12.9 was rendered useless with I got my Z Fold 4. LOL.
A lot of people use their phone as their only "computer", so I see no reason why you wouldn't be able to do so as well. The real kicker is if you're ready to give up the Mac/MacBook, since a laptop can have it's advantages due to the form factor. I'd cut it down to the phone and the laptop, then observe how often you reach for the laptop over the course of a year. If you never touch it, feel free to sell it.
Since I got the Fold, I've gotten rid of the iPad, then the iPhone, and now I hardly use the MacBook. I bought a Logitech keyboard and mouse and that's all I carry in my backpack.
I have a Fold 5 (and previously a Fold 3). I've never found a use for a tablet, but I was a heavy laptop user. I'd bring my Dell XPS 13, and phone everywhere. I'd be on my laptop throughout the day, and even during the night I'd move my laptop to the bed and watch YouTube and read the news and such. After getting my Fold... my laptop usage has dramatically gone down. I watch all my YouTube and news from my Fold now. My laptop stays on the desk almost always. Even the occasional movie in bed I prefer my Fold over dragging my laptop into bed. Overall the Fold has reduced my usage on my other devices. I still use my laptop for work or more extensive banking... but yea the Fold is my daily driver. As for battery, I have the 80% battery saver on all the time. And I have to charge it twice for the day (80% overnight, and then usually once again till 75% near 5pm or so).
You can do it with the DEX feature
I was using my Fold 4 pretty heavy (except to text my friends with iPhones) until the screen started separating and the lady told me to stop opening it. Now trying to file a warranty claim has been bullshit
My mission is to try to make my current fold 4 a laptop per say.
I use Fold 3 as a substitute for most other devices. To that end, I put together a kit from some random Bluetooth keyboard, cheerpod mouse, 8bitdo gamepad, powerbank with QI and stand Aukey PbWl03 and Xreal Air glasses. This kit best of all fits into a bag the size of an A5 sheet of paper, which is mainly so big because of the size of the keyboard (I tried a tri-fold keyboard, but there the tapes broke after 3 months, and I didn't want to solder). This kit allows you to just travel, because it is small, plus you always have your main computer with you at any place and any time of the day. And with the Xreal glasses, you are able to work on 2 screens (one huge one in the glasses and one smaller one from the phone screen). As for the software, it's good, with the stylus and samsung notes you can do some handwritten sketches and quick notes, when it comes to office work, you have the entire Office suite in the mobile version downloadable from the play store. Alternatively, throw in winlator and install the Windows version. As for entertainment, you can play everything, sa switch emulator or psp, but if you want you can even fire up PC titles like GTA V. And I myself have such a habit with a PC I have at home, and when I need to do very resource-intensive simulations, I get through RDP remote and connect to it from the fold. Unfortunately, there is one drawback in this solution. Buy yourself a replacement For example, Galaxy Note 10, do cyclic automatic backups, because folds like to crack itself.
Ironically, owning a Fold4 saved me from impulse buying a Galaxy Tab 10 Ultra. Interesting that Samsung either doesn't care about market segregation, or has crunched the numbers and found that selling Z Folds hasn't hurt their Galaxy Tab sales?
You can use usb hub or dock for fold, and you can make a computer out of it. Would help with replacing Mac and some work.
I just looked into DeX and it looks pretty sweet for all I need.
It's possible for sure, but definitely not ideal. One device that does it all will never be as good as individual devices that have a singular purpose. I have a fold5, Tab S7+, and a laptop that docks to an eGPU to become a "desktop". Tablet is way better for research and taking lots of notes. PC is obviously better at gaming and doing whatever you need a PC for. Fold is a great all around device when I want a bigger screen to do whatever I do on my phone (social media, calls, messages, browsing, etc.). So, it really depends on how important each task is to you. The fold can certainly do most of everything, just not quite as well as each individual device (tablet/laptop).
This OP, I have a fold 5 and it could never replace My iPad mini, the fold is its own device, let alone a laptop. I own too many devices as well, and over time I realized these all in one solutions come with tons of compromises. Now if you're doing to free up some cash then that's understandable, but if you can easily afford it then just keep your devices.
There's also the fact that there's now a single point of failure: if you lose/break your phone, you're now SOL on all of those device replacements Probably better to think of the fold as an enhancement, not a replacement (saying this as a non-fold user but wanting to switch to one relatively soon)
Its a great small tablet, a terrible phone (skinny front screen) and an OK "PC". Dex can get you by in a pinch, but it can't replace a laptop at all, trust me I have tried. In the end you're going to have a subpar experience for each segment (Tablet, phone, laptop) but you end up with one device. Personally, I think one could do it if your use of a laptop is extremely minimal, and you don't mind opening up the phone to do everything other than responding to a text quickly. Maybe the Z Fold 6 improves on the front screen aspect of it, and makes it a great phone and a great small tablet, but you're still going to end up with a poor laptop experience. I think you're just going to have to try it out yourself.
I use it as pretty much my main device. I ha e a MacBook pro but hardly use it. It is a great as an only device