Share This Article
Learn more
Was the Galaxy Z Fold 5 a phoney from Samsung’s perspective? This folding phone and the preceding Galaxy Z Fold 4 don’t really differ all that much, after all. The Google Pixel Fold, which boasts excellent cameras and a bigger front display, is a serious rival to this smartphone. Still, let’s step back a bit. Owners of the Z Fold 4 weren’t intended for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. The majority of users are those who have never used a foldable and are curious in having a phone and small tablet in one gadget. To delve further and determine the real impact of Samsung’s advancements, a comprehensive analysis of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the goal.
Following my use of the Z Fold 5, I can report that there are a few positive updates, such as a new Flex hinge that makes it possible for the gadget to fold completely flat. A quicker and more efficient new CPU, some multitasking improvements, a lighter and slimmer design, and brighter main display are all features of the Z Fold 5. My testing has shown that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is worthy of the top rank on our list of the best foldable phones. I wish Samsung had added the S Pen and extended the front display, but the expensive price is still a barrier.
Key Takeaways
- Extremely versatile
- Exceptional productivity software
- Gorgeous screens
- Slimmer, lighter design than the previous version
SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 5 OVERVIEW
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, which is currently on its fifth iteration, appears to be a true advancement for Samsung’s folding phone/tablet combination, whereas many of the earlier generations merely concentrated on smoothing out the kinks in the initial design.
As a consequence, you get a gadget that still has the original phone’s foldable brilliance but is really useful for extended periods of time without making your hands tired.
Description
With its more powerful, lighter design than earlier iterations, seamless transition between its two screens, and general usefulness, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a folding phone done correctly.Positives
- Better battery life
- New hinge
- Brighter screen
Negatives
- S Pen doesn't work on cover screen
- Cameras are still just OK
I can honestly state that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is among the best phones I’ve ever used after using it as my primary smartphone for two weeks, but it won’t be suitable for everyone. The main reason for this is the prominent crease that splits the device in half when it is opened.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS
Related Posts
| Inner Display | 7.6-inch QXGA+ (2176 x 1812) Dynamic AMOLED, 21.6:18 aspect ratio |
| Outer Display | 6.2-inch HD+ (2316 x 904) Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 23.1:9 aspect ratio |
| Refresh rate | Up to 120Hz (Inner), 120Hz (Outer) |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB/1TB |
| Rear cameras | 50MP main wide-angle, f/1.8,85 ̊ FOV + 12MP ultra-wide F2.2, 123 ̊ FOV + 10MP telephoto f/2.4, 36 ̊ FOV, 3X optical zoom |
| Selfie camera | 10MP f/2.2 85 ̊ FOV (outer) 4MP f/1.8 80 ̊ FOV (inner) |
| Battery | 4,400 mAh |
| Size | 6.1 x 2.64 x .53-inches (folded) and 6.1 x 5.11 x .24-inches (unfolded) / 67.1 x 154.9 x 13.4mm (folded) and 129.9 x 154.9 x6.1mm (unfolded) |
| Weight | 8.92oz (253 grams) |
| Colors | Icy Blue, Phantom Black, Cream, Gray, Blue |
You’ll have to deal with that if you want to sport this thing in your pocket every day, that’s not something that bothers me, but it’s something I still notice when I glance at the phone. However, as a means of obtaining a compact tablet with a foldable design that would fit neatly in my purse? To be honest, it’s made traveling a lot more enjoyable.
DESIGN AND COLORS
Regarding the Z Fold 5’s design, I have wonderful news to share. Having it in my front pocket seems lighter. This device weighs almost the same as the iPhone 14 Pro Max, despite being less of a brick.
Thanks to a redesigned Flex hinge with a streamlined design and fewer moving parts, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is unquestionably more streamlined than the Z Fold 4. As a result, the design folds completely flat, leaving no space between the two parts. And that’s advantageous since it reduces the possibility of junk becoming lodged there.
Another benefit is that, at 8.9 ounces compared to 9.2 ounces, the Z Fold 5 weighs less and is thinner than the Z Fold 4. Compared to the previous model, which measured 0.62 and 0.25 inches when folded, the Z Fold 5 measures 0.53 inches thick and 0.24 inches when unfurled.
- GALAXY AI IS HERE: Search like never before¹, get real-time interpretation on a call², format...
- THE FUTURE OF DOING MORE: With Dual-App Viewing, you can do more with more screen on Galaxy Z...
- IMPRESSIVE PRECISION. MORE PRODUCTIVITY: Precision meets portability with S Pen⁵ capability...
Last update on 2024-12-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.
The Google Pixel Fold, in contrast, weighs a substantial 10 ounces while being even thinner. It weighs 8.47 ounces for the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Because of its IPX8 water resistance, the Z Fold 5 can withstand 1.5 meters of freshwater for a maximum of thirty minutes. It isn’t dust resistant, though.
Since the flash is now located to the right of the three lenses, the camera bulge on the Z Fold 5 is a little less noticeable, which I appreciate. Still, it’s large enough to cause the phone to sway when resting on a table. The Z Fold 5 is available in three colors: cream, phantom black, and my personal favorite, icy blue. The black model that I tested is duller since it is more formal.
Although the S Pen is thinner and the casing is narrower this time around, the Z Fold 5 still lacks a location for the S Pen. All I want is for it to no longer be an optional item.
DISPLAYS
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 has a 7.6-inch internal screen and a 6.2-inch OLED panel on the front, both of which are identical to the Z Fold 4. However, the inside display now has a brightness rating of 1,750 nits, which is thirty percent more than the Z Fold 4’s.
With its vibrant colors and wide viewing angles, the Barbie clip looked amazing on the larger screen. Yes, there is still a noticeable crease, however it’s more noticeable outside than it is within.
Though it is rather narrow in comparison to the bigger cover display of the Pixel Fold, the front display is clear and supports the same seamless 120Hz refresh rate as the inner panel.
Display Test results: Main display
| Brightness | DCI-P3 (color gamut) | Delta-E (accuracy) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Z Fold 5 | 1,346 | 140.6% | 0.09 |
| Galaxy Z Fold 4 | 1,131 nits | 158.7% | 0.34 |
| Google Pixel Fold | 900 | 88.4% | 0.05 |
In our lab tests, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 outperformed the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Google Pixel Fold, with a maximum nit count of 1,346 when showing HDR video. It’s also important to note that when we placed both phones in direct sunlight, the Samsung Z Fold 5 display outperformed the Pixel Fold. The screen on the Pixel Fold darkened far more quickly, even with adaptive brightness enabled.
The 6.2-inch cover display on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 isn’t to my taste. It works well for using Chrome and TikTok apps, but because of its unusual 23.1:9 aspect ratio, typing seems a little confined. It’s not as spacious as the 5.8-inch front panel on the Pixel Fold, which is smaller but wider.
Display Test results: Front display
| Brightness | DCI-P3 (color gamut) | Delta-E (accuracy) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Z Fold 5 | 703 nits | 128% | 0.1 |
| Galaxy Z Fold 4 | 870 nits | 146.7% | 0.33 |
| Google Pixel Fold | 1,172 nits | 124.8% | 0.06 |
In our brightness testing, the Galaxy Z Fold 5’s cover display strangely yielded lower results than the Z Fold 4 and Pixel Fold, and the panel was also less colorful than its predecessor. To make sure, we’ll test again. Out of the three, the Pixel Fold’s front screen had the best brightness and accuracy.
MULTITASKING AND FLEX MODE
Running numerous apps at once is one of the main benefits of purchasing the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Unlike the Pixel Fold, which can only run two apps at a time, you can run up to three apps at once.
Additionally, Samsung is introducing new motions to facilitate multitasking. Even so, you can still drag apps onto the screen from the taskbar. To launch a second app, swipe in from the left side of the display with two fingers or up from the bottom at any moment. An additional benefit is that the taskbar now displays your top four programs up from two favorites along with the apps you’ve recently used.
Other new multitasking tips include the ability to swipe diagonally down from the top right corner of the main screen to create a floating window from any program. This was useful to me for Spotify and YouTube.
Even two-handed drag and drops are possible. For instance, you may choose an object in a picture, press and hold it with one hand, then use the other hand to open the messaging app and simply attach the picture.
Flex mode which allows you to use the phone’s hinge to position it like a tiny laptop remains one of the nicest features of the Galaxy Z Fold 5. The controls and menu items are displayed on the bottom of this mode, with the main content visible at the top. Making a Google Meet call was made easier with this. It was possible to share my screen or tap on emoticons to see reactions.
- GALAXY AI IS HERE: Search like never before¹, get real-time interpretation on a call², format...
- THE FUTURE OF DOING MORE: With Dual-App Viewing, you can do more with more screen on Galaxy Z...
- IMPRESSIVE PRECISION. MORE PRODUCTIVITY: Precision meets portability with S Pen⁵ capability...
Last update on 2024-12-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.
You may activate DeX mode on the Z Fold 5 and connect it to a display to use it as a full-fledged desktop computer. Apps can now be used in full screen mode thanks to this. See it as a miniature Chromebook.
CAMERAS
Similar in terms of camera specifications to the Z Fold 4, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 more than competes with the Pixel Fold, with the exception of low light conditions where image quality has increased.
Three cameras make up the triple back camera system: a 12 MP ultra-wide, a 10 MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 50 MP primary camera. A 10MP selfie camera is also included on the front, and the internal display has a low-res under-display camera.
This might be a really capable camera phone, even though it would be nice to see a flagship phone with the same dual telephoto zoom and 200MP camera as the Galaxy S23 Ultra.
PERFORMANCE
Since the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Galaxy S23 Ultra share the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, you should expect this foldable to be just as quick as current Android phones.
I found the Z Fold 5 to be responsive and quick in daily use, regardless of whether I was using two apps side by side or many tabs open in Chrome for online browsing. Intense games like Call of Duty Mobile and Mortal Kombat were also easily handled by this flagship. While moving my finger over the crease was a little annoying, the experience was still engaging overall. To be fair, it’s a very strong case for being a gaming phone.
Galaxy Z Fold 5 benchmarks
| Geekbench | 3DMark Unlimited | Video transcoding | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Z Fold 5 | 1,995 / 5,342 | 13,579 / 81.3 fps | 41.7 seconds |
| Google Pixel Fold | 1,390 / 3,291 | 6,755 / 40.4 fps | 1 min |
| Galaxy S23 Ultra | 2,008 / 5,000 | 14,611 / 87.5 | 39 seconds |
| iPhone 14 Pro Max | 2,636 / 6,885 | 12,366 / 74 fps | 30.25 seconds |
Similar to the Galaxy S23 scores, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 scored 1,995 on single-core and 5,342 on multi-core on Geekbench 6, an assessment of overall performance. In this test, the iPhone 14 Pro Max outperforms the Pixel Fold by a wide margin.
In terms of graphical performance, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 outperforms the iPhone 14 Pro Max, scoring 81 frames per second compared to 74 for the iPhone in the 3DMark Wild Life Unlimited test. The Pixel Fold is not close, once more.
In the final test, we used the Adobe Premiere Rush program to transcode a film. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 completed in 41 seconds, trailing the Galaxy S23 by only a few seconds. The iPhone triumphs in this case, while the Pixel Fold required an additional twenty seconds or so.
BATTERY LIFE AND CHARGING
Despite having a 4,400 mAh battery that is identical to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 was able to last more than 1.5 hours between charges. And the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip in this phone is probably more efficient for that reason.
Galaxy Z Fold 5 battery life results
| Hours:Mins | |
|---|---|
| Galaxy Z Fold 5 | 10:55 |
| Galaxy Z Fold 4 | 9:17 |
| Google Pixel Fold | 10:21 |
| Galaxy S23 Ultra | 13:09 |
| iPhone 14 Pro Max | 13:39 |
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 lasted 10 hours and 55 minutes on the Factic Battery test, which involves continuous web browsing at 150 nits of screen brightness, compared to 9 hours and 17 minutes for the Z Fold 4. Even if it isn’t as long-lasting as some of the phones on our list of the best phone batteries, that is still a notable increase in endurance.
In our testing, the Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro Max both outlasted the Google Pixel Fold by more than 13 hours, albeit the former only lasted 10:21.
Regretfully, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 continues to use a somewhat sluggish 25W charging mechanism, while the Galaxy S23 Plus and Galaxy S23 Ultra provide faster 45W charging.
SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 5 BOTTOM LINE
In general, I’m used to small annual improvements in phones, but I don’t think foldable phones should be here just yet. That’s too young for the category. Nevertheless, the Galaxy Z Fold 5, which is just an iterative improvement, is now available.
In short, there are notable advancements in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. A phone with the new hinge is more stylish, and a phone with the most recent Snapdragon CPU is quicker and has a longer battery life. Better multitasking and a brighter display are also fantastic features.
However, I had anticipated that Samsung would act more audaciously now that the rivalry is intensifying. Although it plays it safe, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 may still be the best folding phone out there.
- GALAXY AI IS HERE: Search like never before¹, get real-time interpretation on a call², format...
- THE FUTURE OF DOING MORE: With Dual-App Viewing, you can do more with more screen on Galaxy Z...
- IMPRESSIVE PRECISION. MORE PRODUCTIVITY: Precision meets portability with S Pen⁵ capability...
Last update on 2024-12-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.
Why Trust Factic
Berry Alex has been evaluating, testing, and reviewing tech, Household and travel items for several decades. He compiled all of the testers’ input, conducted extra research to assess each phone mount’s essential features and overall functioning, and reviewed professional profiles and verified customer reviews for each product.
