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Mae An NG chevron_right
(Cover image source: YouTube)
In the ever-evolving world of foldable smartphones, size has suddenly become a hot topic — but not in the way you might expect. This month, a strange measuring contest has erupted between fans of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 and the Honor Magic V5, and it’s all about a few fractions of a millimetre. Yes, really.
What started as casual comparisons on social media quickly spiraled into an all-out online debate. Both foldables claim to be the thinnest book-style foldable smartphone ever made, with Samsung stating the Z Fold7 is 8.9mm thick when folded, while Honor boasts an even slimmer 8.8mm profile for its Magic V5. But just how accurate are these claims?
To settle the score, the Korean Consumer-centered Enterprise Association (KCEA) stepped in — callipers in hand. The organization manually measured several recent foldable phones, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7, Honor Magic V5, and Vivo X Fold5, to see how the real-world numbers stack up against the spec sheets.
And here’s where things get interesting.
According to the KCEA's findings, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold7 is actually thinner than advertised — measuring at 8.82mm, not 8.9mm. On the other hand, Honor's Magic V5 didn’t live up to its sleek marketing. The Ivory White version, which is supposed to be the slimmest, came in at 9.34mm, over half a millimetre thicker than the claimed 8.8mm. Meanwhile, Vivo’s X Fold5 also missed the mark, with a real-world thickness of 9.77mm versus the advertised 9.2mm.
So what gives?
Smartphone makers typically state that their measurements are taken from internal lab tests, which may not always reflect everyday conditions or even all colour variants. Still, the discrepancies have sparked an online frenzy, especially among tech fans who treat millimetre measurements like gospel.
While the differences may seem minor and probably imperceptible to most users, the debate highlights just how competitive and image-conscious the foldable phone market has become. In a world where foldables are no longer just about performance and durability, every curve and corner counts.
The real winner may not be the thinnest foldable, but the one that delivers in everyday use — regardless of what the ruler says.
Source: KCEA via Business Korea, ChosunBiz, HardwareZone.com