Why Foldable Smartphones Have Finally Become Practical Daily Drivers

You can stop calling foldables a gimmick. Wirecutter, the buying arm of The New York Times, just crossed the line it held for years and now actively recommends them, according to a recent review roundup. The change is real: durability complaints are receding, software is catching up, and the price floor on the best hardware is finally bending.

What actually moved in 2026

The flagship call is Google's Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Per Wirecutter, it carries the highest durability rating of any foldable currently on shelves (IP68), pairs that with bright displays and long battery life, and inherits the Pixel 10's AI feature set. Translation: this is no longer a fragile halo product. It is a daily driver that happens to fold. Importantly, Wirecutter notes the device is now cheaper than its launch price, so the depreciation curve has already done some of the work for you. If you are buying on the standard three-year upgrade window, your effective cost-per-year has dropped without a single coupon involved.

The clamshell lane is where Motorola is squeezing margin. The Razr Ultra (2026) gets a 50MP main camera, a 4-inch cover display with full third-party app support, and a 7-inch interior panel. Specs are flagship-class. The catch, and Barlow flags this loudly, is that Motorola raised the price over last year's model. You are paying an artificial markup for the "new" label, not for genuine engineering gains. Buyers who care about value, not status, should wait one quarter for the first wave of price drops.

The honest math on the Razr Fold

Wirecutter also endorses Motorola's Razr Fold, the stylus-equipped phablet. It is thin, light, and ships with seven years of security and software updates — matching Google's support window. The trade: an IP48 rating, which means grit and dust are a real risk. If you live near beaches, construction sites, or pockets full of sand, factor a case into the budget. MSRP is firmly in premium territory, so do not mistake this for a deal just because the spec sheet looks generous. The standard Razr at $800 is the value play in this lineup: solid camera, strong battery, cover display that runs your real apps. Skip it only if you need the stylus or the larger main panel.

When to click buy

Pull the trigger on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold now. It is the durability benchmark, the support is locked in for seven years, and the launch premium has already evaporated. Treat the Razr Ultra as a "wait for the first markdown" pick — Motorola's own price history tells you it will come down. The Razr Fold only makes sense if stylus support is non-negotiable and you can keep it clean. The $800 Razr is the rational entry point if you just want the form factor without the flagship tax.