I've been using the Samsung Galaxy Fold for almost a week, and my favorite thing about it isn't the folding screen

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I've been using the Samsung Galaxy Fold for almost a week, and my favorite thing about it isn't the folding screen

Samsung Galaxy Fold

Hollis Johnson/Business Insider

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  • The trademark feature on Samsung's Galaxy Fold is its foldable display, which enables it to function as both a smartphone and a tablet.
  • But it was the device's long battery life that impressed me most.
  • I was able to use the Galaxy Fold for two full days without plugging it in.

There's nothing typical about the way Samsung's Galaxy Fold looks or how it works.

The Fold, which starts at $1,980 and hits stores on April 26, is the company's first foldable phone. It opens like a book to reveal a large, flexible screen on the inside that enables it to serve as both a smartphone and a tablet, with its front and back panels connected by a custom-designed hinge.

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But after spending nearly one week with the device, it's not the Fold's unconventional design that stood out to me the most. Rather, it's the Galaxy Fold's extensive battery life - which lasted for two full days on a single charge - that left me impressed.

I charged the device overnight on a Tuesday and unplugged it around 7:45 a.m. on Wednesday when I left home to commute to work. It lasted all day Wednesday and the following day before it finally died overnight on Thursday going into Friday morning.

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The Galaxy Fold has a 4,380 mAh dual battery, which means the phone actually has two batteries - one on each side of the device. But Samsung says it's built custom technology to combine the energy from two batteries into one power source.

Many large-screened smartphones offer lengthy battery life, but they don't seem to last quite as long as the Galaxy Fold. Reviews of the Galaxy S10+, for instance, indicated that the phone persisted for an entire day with some battery life to spare, while iPhone XS Max reviews suggested the phone lasts for about a whole day.

That's about on par with my usual experience with modern phones like the S10+ and iPhone XS Max. I can typically get through an entire day with some power left over at night. If I choose not to plug in my phone before going to sleep, I could probably get through about half of my work day the following day. But certainly not an entire additional day.

Of course, battery life will always vary depending on how you use your smartphone. During my time with the Fold, I typically used it for sending messages, perusing Facebook and Instagram, watching Netflix, playing games like "Asphalt 9," and browsing the web. But you'll likely experience slightly different results, and could see a dip in battery life if you do things like crank up the brightness to the highest setting and often run power-hungry apps.

Have you preordered the Galaxy Fold? We want to hear from you. Contact this reporter at leadicicco@businessinsider.com

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