The nubia Flip was announced in February as the world’s cheapest foldable smartphone, starting at just $499. However, it seems that its reign will be short-lived as Blackview is set to release the Hero 10 in May, priced at only €399, which is approximately $425. Prices may vary in different regions, but it’s evident that the Blackview Hero 10 will be cheaper than the nubia Flip and is also a flip-style foldable.
It appears that we are finally approaching a point where affordable foldables are no longer just a dream. Of course, at this price point, the specs may not be flagship-level. Nevertheless, they are certainly decent considering a few compromises here and there.
The Blackview Hero 10 features a 6.9-inch main flexible AMOLED screen with a 1080×2560 resolution and a 60 Hz refresh rate. Blackview specifically mentions that the refresh rate helps in keeping the price down. When unfolded, the device is 8.8mm thin and weighs 198g.
The main rear camera boasts a 108 MP resolution, in addition to an 8 MP ultra-wide lens. For selfies, a 32 MP snapper is available. The phone is powered by MediaTek’s Helio G99 SoC, which lacks 5G support, limiting it to 4G networks. The Hero 10 offers 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
Unfortunately, the device will run Android 13, which may be a drawback for many in mid-2024 since Android 14 was released last fall. However, it does feature 45W fast wired charging, although Blackview has chosen to keep the battery capacity a mystery, hinting at some suspense – suggesting it may not be a very large cell.
For a slightly higher price, the nubia Flip offers a refresh rate of 120 Hz, utilizes the more capable Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 SoC with 5G support, but features a lower-resolution main camera and half the RAM and storage. Choosing between these two will depend on which specifications you value more. Worth noting, the nubia Flip also runs on Android 13, so that is not a differentiating factor.