Samsung Unveils Foldable Handheld Console at MWC 2025 | Image Source: www.cnet.com
BARCELONA, Spain, March 7, 2025 - Samsung officially threw the curtain into an innovative concept of portable game at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025. The technology giant, already a dominant force in the folding telephony market, now shows how its flexible visualization technology could reshape the gaming industry. While many speculated that it could be a direct competitor to Nintendo Switch 2, Samsung specified that it is simply a concept intended to demonstrate the possibilities of folding screen technology for the game.
What is Samsung’s portable game concept?
The new Samsung game manual, called Flex Gaming, features a 7-inch folding OLED screen that is bent to the center, effectively cutting its size in half when closed. Unlike traditional handheld consoles such as Steam Deck or ASUS ROG Ally, this device is similar to Samsung Galaxy Z Flip phones. According to PCGamesN, Samsung designed this concept to encourage other manufacturers to explore the integration of the folding screen into the gaming hardware.
One of the most striking aspects of the device is its button and control position. To accommodate the folding mechanism, Samsung incorporated holes into the body where analog bars usually rest. This design ensures that joysticks do not affect the device’s ability to close completely. The D-pad buttons and face are curved in these holes, making an ergonomic experience unique but potentially uncomfortable.
How is it compared to Nintendo Switch 2?
With the Nintendo Switch 2 should be launched later this year, some may wonder if Samsung’s folding laptop could pose a serious challenge. However, according to T3, Samsung does not have immediate plans to enter the portable gaming market directly. Instead, this concept serves as a window on how folding display technology can be used in gaming hardware.
Nintendo’s new generation console is supposed to have an updated LCD screen, performance and enhanced features of Joy- With improved, making a more refined version of its predecessor. On the contrary, Samsung’s Flex Gaming concept is more experimental, exploring the idea of making gaming devices more compact and easy to travel. While folding gaming hardware remains a new idea, it is unlikely to interrupt the Nintendo domain in the market soon.
Does Samsung enter the portable gaming market?
Samsung is not strange in the gaming hardware space. The company has already developed game monitors, Windows laptops and high frequency screens for mobile games. However, it has not yet produced a dedicated game console or portable device that directly competes with Steam Deck’s tastes by Valve or PlayStation Portal by Sony.
According to CNET, this concept is not intended for mass production, at least not yet. Instead, Samsung aims to demonstrate its advances in OLED folding technology, encouraging other game manufacturers to adopt their billboards for future devices. If successful, we could see brands like Razer, ASUS or Lenovo experience with similar folding game manuals.
Challenges of game folding devices
Although the idea of a folding game laptop is intriguing, it comes with several challenges. The greatest concern is sustainability. Folding screens have always been more fragile than traditional screens, and gaming devices are often subject to rigorous use. In addition, Samsung’s approach to button placement, incorporating holes for analog sticks, raises questions about long-term ease of use and comfort.
Another disadvantage is the lack of ergonomic grip. According to Ars Technica, the device lacks contours commonly found in portable game PCs, making potentially long game sessions uncomfortable. Although folding designs help improve portability, they also need to prioritize user-friendliness and sustainability in order to be viable for general adoption.
Other innovations Samsung MWC 2025
Beyond the folding gaming laptop, Samsung has shown several other concept devices in MWC 2025. Among the highlights was an OLED 500Hz game monitor, designed for high performance PC games. According to Samsung Display, the screen pushes rates to new extremes, providing an ultra-soft game for competitive players.
Samsung also introduced a new case style folding tablet, with an 18.1-inch OLED display that is folded into a compact loading box. This concept is aligned with Samsung’s ongoing research in flexible viewing applications beyond smartphones, further strengthening its reputation as a leader in folding technology.
While it remains uncertain if Samsung will ever bring a folding hand to the market, its MWC 2025 window highlights the company’s continued commitment to innovation. If folding gaming hardware is removed, Samsung could be well positioned to play an important role in shaping the future of portable games.
