The Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition (SE) is Samsung’s most advanced foldable smartphone yet. However, it’s limited to the South Korean and Chinese markets, with no official release planned globally. The good news? We’ve imported the Korean version of the device to the US and tested its performance on American wireless networks. Here are our key observations.
Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition works on US networks, but not flawlessly
We tested the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition on several US wireless carriers and found T-Mobile — and other providers that use T-Mobile towers, like Mint Mobile — the most compatible option for 4G/LTE networks. The new Samsung foldable supports all but one LTE band used by these providers. We received fairly reliable LTE coverage on T-Mobile with decent download and upload speeds.
AT&T and Verizon use several LTE bands that the Galaxy Z Fold SE doesn’t support, which significantly impacts connectivity. During our testing, connection on Verizon was very spotty outside of major metro areas. As for 5G, coverage was more limited across all carriers. The Special Edition Samsung foldable imported from South Korea lacks compatibility with most 5G bands used by US networks, making 5G access quite spotty. Keep in mind that your mileage may vary, as the precise bands used depend on where in the US you live.
In some areas of Phoenix, we were able to connect to T-Mobile’s 5G network with the Galaxy Z Fold SE. However, in most locations, 5G download speeds were actually slower than LTE, making the experience inconsistent at best. In short, while the Galaxy Z Fold SE offers exciting features, it isn’t fully equipped to serve as a reliable daily driver due to limited compatibility with US wireless networks.
If you plan to buy a new Samsung foldable as your daily driver, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is officially available in the US. It’s slightly thicker but offers S Pen support and costs less than the Special Edition. The latter has better cameras on paper and feels more premium, though. Stay tuned for our full Galaxy Z Fold SE review, including camera comparisons with the Fold 6 and Galaxy S24 Ultra. You can watch our unboxing and hands-on video below.
