Like the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra released last month, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is also using Adaptive Refresh Rate, on that 120Hz display.
This is to help conserve battery, and to make the experience a bit better, all around.
Similar to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is going to change the refresh rate from 11Hz to 120Hz, when needed. So when you are reading a book on Kindle, it will be at 11Hz, as you don’t need the full 120Hz when the image on the screen is static. But when you are playing a game that supports 120Hz, it will ramp up to the full 120Hz then. Users will likely not notice a difference, as we noticed no difference in using the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra for the past few weeks.
120Hz is limited to full HD+ resolution
According to Samsung, the 120Hz Adaptive mode is going to be limited to FHD+ resolution. Now considering the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has a pretty weird display inside. With it being a 7.6-inch 22.5:18 aspect ratio with a resolution of 2208×1768, that probably means that it will support the highest resolution at 120Hz. As that isn’t quite QHD+, but it also is a little more than FHD+.
We’ll have to see for ourselves when our review unit arrives.
But this is the same as with the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and even the Galaxy S20 series. Where the phone defaults to FHD+ and 60Hz, but you can change it to 120Hz, however you are stuck at FHD+.
The adaptive refresh rate on the Galaxy Z Fold 2 likely won’t be enabled by default. Similar to the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra and S20 series smartphones.
Galaxy Z Fold 2 is the king of weird resolutions
Not only is the internal display a weird resolution of 22.5:18, but the Cover Display is also quite odd. It’s a 25:9 aspect ratio with 2260×816 as the screen resolution. Which is very odd, and very tall. Part of this is due to the fact that the Galaxy Z Fold 2 is going to be folded in half. So Samsung couldn’t go with a 18:9 display on the front, without huge bezels – like the first Galaxy Fold. But even than the internal display would be more of a square than a rectangle.
It’s a pretty new device, with new technology, which Samsung is working on perfecting as we speak. So things are evolving, and foldables are still fairly new and changing quite quickly. This is why Samsung has released four foldables in less than a year.