Samsung W2018 Review: The Best Of Smartphones Into A Flip Phone

After launching the Samsung SM-G9298 aka Leadership 8 in China with dual displays, the company is back with another flip phone which is dubbed as the Samsung W2018 and this time around, the electronics giant has gone all in with whatever they had in the stable.

The year 2017 has been all about smartphone manufacturers bringing nostalgia into play as we saw the Nokia 3310 getting a revamp, Blackberry KeyOne bringing back the QWERTY keypad into the smartphone space and then the Samsung W2018 emerging with the best of flagship specs and a record-breaking camera module.

Smartphone makers have always pushed the boundary for the fastest-possible camera aperture and LG V30, with its f/1.6 lens, held the record for the same, until now. But with a f/1.5 aperture in Samsung W2018, has Korean maker has changed the game, once again.

When it comes to Samsung, the one thing that has been a constant is the fact that all its devices ooze luxury from the outside and a plethora of performance-credentials drip from every inch of whatever new the company comes up with, and Samsung W2018 is no exception.

Marking its 25th Anniversary in China, the Korean maker launched the Samsung W2018 which has got the whole world drooling over the masterpiece.

From the flagship SD 835 processor to ample of RAM, from dual displays to the widest ever aperture in a smartphone camera, the Samsung W2018 has got it all. However, just like any other handset, we took this piece-of-art on a review-ride to uncover the real deal.

Let’s Get Started

Samsung W2018 Specification

• 4.2-inch (1920 x 1080) Super AMOLED dual displays, offering 524 ppi, 58 % screen-to-body ratio (when flipped), 16:9 aspect ratio and Corning Gorilla Glass protection for both displays.

• 64-bit Octa-Core Snapdragon 835 processor coupled with Adreno 540 GPU for graphics.

• 6GB RAM and 64GB / 256GB of internal memory, expandable up to 256GB via microSD.

• Android 7.1.1 (Nougat) out of the box

• Dual SIM (nano + nano/microSD), Heart Rate sensor, IRIS scanner and Fingerprint sensor at the rear panel.

• 12MP rear camera with f/1.5 or f2.4 aperture, PDAF, LED Flash, 1.4μm pixels and Optical Image Stabilization (OIS).

• 5MP front camera with fixed focus and f/1.9 aperture.

• It is also the first non-Galaxy smartphone to come with Samsung’s voice assistant, Bixby.
• 2300mAh battery

• Dimensions: 132.2 × 63.2 × 15.95mm and Weight: 247g

• 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 4.2 LE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac (2X2 MIMO), GPS + GLONASS, USB Type-C support and NFC.

Samsung W2018 Price And Availability

Priced at a whopping CNY 15,999 (Rs. 1,56,000 approximately) for the base variant, the Samsung W2018 will be offered only in a Black color variant. However, there is a Limited Edition version which comes in gold and silver options.

As for its availability, Samsung W2018, just like its predecessor and the Leadership 8, has been launched in China and there is no word for a global debut. However, after analyzing the spec sheet, it’s safe to say that the handset can easily become a premium device to flaunt, if launched globally.

Samsung W2018 Review (First Impressions)

• There are no doubts over the performance credentials of the Snapdragon 835 SoC which comes bundled with an Adreno 540 GPU, the same combo we have tested in the OnePlus 5, however, what makes the whole package even sweeter is the 6GB RAM which is more than enough for any kind if multitasking duties.

• What sets the Samsung W2018 apart is the rear camera module, which while being a single sensor unit can easily take on its dual-camera counterparts. It comes with dual aperture hardware where the f2.4 aperture handles all your everyday play, it’s the f/1.5 aperture, which helps in capturing that perfect moment in low-lighting conditions.

• Coming to the dual-display, this is something that no leading smartphone maker has managed to execute it properly and that too with leading specs of an Android-powered smartphone. However, what we definitely miss here is the Oreo OS that should’ve come out-of-the-box, considering the price tag of Samsung W2018.

• Since it is a compact smartphone, we are not complaining about the 2300mAh battery but there is no mention of a fast-charging support which has left us funnily surprised.

Conclusion

The Samsung W2018 is more of a collector’s item than an everyday smartphone as it is almost 1.5 times costlier than the iPhone X but when it comes to playing the cards right, Samsung has indeed come up with a perfect device for a feeling called ‘Nostalgia’.