Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Review: The Future Is Unfolding
If you can get past the outrageous price tag, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the toughest phone to fit in your pocket (mostly).
The original Samsung Galaxy Fold was introduced in 2019, and for several years no one doubted Samsung's dominance in the world of expensive foldables. Now the competition is heating up with products like the Google Pixel Fold and other foldable Android phones. With five generations of foldable phones, Samsung hasn't taken too many risks with the Z Fold 5. It's still a real phone, but the new flat hinge is commendable, and no other phone in the world packs so much functionality. But even the best foldable devices cost around two grand? Let's explain more in our Galaxy Z Fold 5 review.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Review: Brief Overview
- What is it? The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is Samsung's flagship foldable in 2023 and replaces the Z Fold 4.
- How much will it cost? The Z Fold 5 continues the tradition of expensive foldables with prices starting at $1,799.99 (£1,749 in the UK, €1,899 in the rest of Europe and CAD 2,399 in Canada).
- Where can we buy? You can buy the Galaxy Z Fold 5 (unlocked or from a carrier) directly from Samsung, but you can also find it in stores on all major US carriers. Unlocked phones are also available on Amazon.
- How do we test it? I've been testing the Z Fold 5 for a week now. The tester is provided by Samsung.
- Is it worth it? If you're looking for the most powerful foldable mobile device that fits in your pocket, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 fits the bill as long as you can afford the price.
What I like about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
Ryan Whitwam/Android Authority
Anyone unfamiliar with Samsung's foldable devices likely won't be aware of the Z Fold 5's major hardware changes compared to the Z Fold 4. For those of us who have struggled with heavy foldable devices for generations, you can jump right in. knowing that Z Folds are very flat 5 times when closed. Previous Galaxy Z Fold devices were thicker towards the hinge, but the new "flexible hinge" seamlessly joins the two halves together. There is still a small gap between the two halves to prevent dust and particles from damaging the screen. The difference is only a few millimeters, but the thinner Galaxy Z Fold 5 is more comfortable when closed.
The flexible hinge itself also feels sturdy. Samsung has been redesigning the Z Fold's hinge for five generations, and it's finally nailed it. It's sturdy, has ample resistance, and when unfolded, the Z Fold 5 feels more like a small tablet than a semi-foldable phone. Compare that to the Google Pixel Fold, which doesn't open 180 degrees.
Samsung has been redesigning the Z Fold's hinge for five generations, and it's finally nailed it.
The Z Fold 5 has two OLED displays, thin bezels on the front and a foldable OLED display inside. The cover screen measures 6.2" at 2316 x 904 resolution, and the inner display measures 7.6" at 2176 x 1812 resolution. Both support 120Hz dynamic refresh rate (only 1Hz and 48Hz on the internal and external displays, respectively) and brightness tall. No matter what screen you use, it's great for reading, even in bright sunlight. The indoor display can reach an impressive 1750 nits outdoors, which is 30% brighter than the Z Fold 4.
Ryan Whitwam/Android Authority
Above: Galaxy Z Fold 5, Below: Galaxy Z Fold 4
Samsung's innovation policies continue to set benchmarks for Android phones. The device ships with Android 13 and receives four years of Android OS updates (in theory up to Android 17). In addition, security updates are guaranteed for another year. Not even Google can promise that kind of support.
Google has the best version of Android... unless it's running on a foldable device. Samsung's multi-generational foldable tablet does this well. The Android 13 version of One UI gives you more control over split-screen apps compared to Google. You can have up to three apps on the screen at once, and you can easily restart groups of your favorite apps by saving them as shortcuts (something the Pixel Fold doesn't offer). You also have the option of using separate home screen designs for the cover and home screen, or linking the two to get a single design for both. Samsung has a penchant for adding everything, but the kitchen sink does a great job here.
Ryan Whitwam / Android Authority
It's not right for three apps to not work properly at the same time, and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 has a lot going for it. I've tried pushing this phone to its limits, but it's still agile when it comes to multitasking (although it does slow down a bit when playing demanding games - more on that later). Even if you launch three of them from the shortcut at the same time, the program starts quickly. And the 12GB quota really helps keep applications in memory all day long. This is real power in your pocket.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a pocket electric car.
The default screen also supports the Samsung S Pen. We tested the Fold Edition with the standard S Pen instead of the slim stylus in a redesigned S Pen body. The S Pen is pressure sensitive and doesn't need to be charged. Thanks to Samsung's high refresh rate, the stylus works in real time.
Ryan Whitwam/Android Authority
Yes, there is.
The Z Fold 5 still has impressive flexibility and looks unchanged from the Z Fold 4. This is probably my biggest gripe with foldable devices, but somehow it takes a back seat when you're using your phone. . This is more noticeable on a light background, like in the notes above. It's annoying when you only have to type with the S Pen.
What I don't like about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
Ryan Whitwam / Android Authority
Before you worry about what makes the Galaxy Z Fold 5 good, you need to sort out its price. Prices for Samsung's foldable devices have held steady at $1,800 this year. It's the same with the Google Pixel Fold, so Samsung isn't the only company charging outrageous fees for smartphones. Yes, the Z Fold 5 can do things other phones can't, but you can get three Pixel 7s for the same money.
Even if you want an ultra-premium smartphone, you don't have to go overboard with the Z Fold 5. The Galaxy S23 Ultra offers better camera options, longer battery life, and a built-in stylus for less than $600. With the Z Fold 5, you can easily get a high-quality phone and a great tablet for the same price. Of course, neither of them will fit in a pocket.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra has a better camera lineup, longer battery life, and a built-in stylus for less than $600.
Technically, you can put the Z Fold 5 in your pocket, although it's not the most convenient way. The phone is now flat, which is great, but at 13mm it's flat as a rock that fits in your pants or pocket. And it would be a shame if you dropped your $1800 phone. So anyone putting that kind of money into a phone is going to need a case. The official Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 case also adds weight to an already bulky device, and since there's no stylus dock, you'll need one of the S Pen storage cases if you want to carry your pointer anywhere.
Ryan Whitwam/Android Authority
With the Galaxy Z Fold 4, Samsung talked about making the screen a bit wider, but the Z Fold 5 hasn't changed. It's still only 904 pixels wide, which is narrow enough to confuse some apps and make them look weak. The tall aspect ratio lets this big phone in, but even if the foldable screen stretches a little more space would be ideal. Google has shown that it can work with the Pixel Fold, which has wider bezels. An image between Samsung's zoomed 23.1:9 aspect ratio and Google's 17.4:9 aspect ratio would be perfect.
While day-to-day performance is good, even with an overclocked Snapdragon chip, the Z Fold 5 doesn't last as fast during long gaming sessions. All phones vibrate while warming up, but some start earlier and do so more frequently. The Samsung lost about half of its reference speed in a 20-minute 3DMark Wild Life stress test by folding. Live 3D games can occasionally crash when the phone heats up, but we haven't noticed any major issues. It's also more powerful than the Galaxy Z Flip 5, although it lags behind the Galaxy S23 Ultra in terms of overall performance and stability.
Ryan Whitwam/Android Authority
Samsung didn't increase battery capacity at all this year, bumping up the Z Fold 5 to 4,400 mAh. The protective screen always works with a charge, but the main screen boldly eats electrons. In my testing, the Z Fold 5 usually lasted a day. If you put it at every opportunity, it can dry out before dinner. The poor battery life is exacerbated by the slow 25W maximum charging power, unchanged from the previous generation. The more expensive members of the Samsung S23 family can charge at 45W and the battery life isn't that great. At least you get wireless charging (15W on devices that support Samsung Wireless Charging Standard 2.0) and reverse wireless charging support.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 camera review
Ryan Whitwam / Android Authority
We're used to foldable phones being cheaper than the best camera phones, even if they're expensive. Samsung has improved the Fold 4's hardware slightly, but the Fold 5 still uses the same setup, which is the same as the Galaxy S23 and S23 Plus. Around the back, there's a 50MP main sensor (f/1.8) with OIS, a 3x 10MP telephoto lens (f/2.4) with OIS, and a 12MP ultra-wide-angle sensor (f/2.2). There are also two selfie cameras, one on the surface screen (10MP) and an under display camera (4MP) under the foldable OLED screen which is only good for video chats.
There's a 50MP mode for the main camera, but it takes 12MP photos by default, and you should probably leave it there. 50MP photos are dark and lack detail, which is common with modern smartphone camera sensors. If you want to edit images manually, there's an Expert RAW mode on the large internal screen.
Thanks to Samsung processing, 12 megapixel photos look bright and clear. Sometimes the colors can be a bit realistically saturated, but it looks amazing. The camera also has a good dynamic range, allowing you to capture details even when shooting in backlit conditions. Night mode also applies. As long as there's light, the Z Fold 5 can take good enough pictures to share. Don't look too closely.
Samsung tends to use slower shutter speeds, resulting in brighter but sometimes blurry photos. In our tests, the Z Fold 5 shot faster than the previous device at a slightly higher ISO. Despite average indoor lighting, shutter speeds don't often drop below 1/100, which makes it easy to photograph a trembling child or pet. And a little more grain works for me.
Wide-angle and 3x telephoto lenses do a similar function, helping to better frame subjects without digital zoom. The Z Fold 5 lets you zoom in 30x to make your photos look like watercolors. A smaller digital zoom seems right, but it is. The Google Pixel camera does better with blurry digital zoom. Therefore, keep the optical zoom level for the best results.
Since this is a foldable model, you can take selfies with the rear camera, and the screen protector can be used as a viewfinder. As well as getting high-quality images, you can also switch to an ultra-wide-angle lens for group shots. It's a bit awkward to hold your phone this way, but the Fold 5's sturdy hinge makes it possible. Being able to hold it in the palm for selfies is also very effective.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 can record video at 8K and 24fps, but if you need (and probably want) image stabilization, you should stick with 4K at 60fps or less. And it's probably good for almost any use case. You probably won't have an 8K display for very long, and 4K videos will be smooth and crisp.
If you want to see our sample images in full resolution, you can find them all here.
Features of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
Screen of the | |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 | |
|---|---|
Overseas: - 6.2" Dynamic AMOLED - 120Hz refresh rate - 2316 x 904 resolution - 23.1:9 aspect ratio - Built-in Gorilla Glass Victus 2: | |
CPUs | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy |
benign | 12GB |
storage | 256GB, 512GB or 1TB |
show | Dual 4400 mAh battery |
camera | Behind: - 50MP 1.0µm wide-angle lens, OIS, Dual Pixel AF, ƒ/1.8 - 12MP ultra wide, 1.12µm, ƒ/2.2 - 10 MP telephoto, 1.0 µm, OIS, 3x zoom (30x digital), ƒ/2.4
UDC Internal: |
audio | There is no 3.5mm headphone jack |
Sim | Dual Nano SIM tray |
biometrics | Side capacitive fingerprint sensor |
Software | Android 13 |
dimensions and weight | Folded Dimensions: - 154.94 x 67 x 13.4mm Folding dimensions: Weight: |
color | Global: beige, ice blue, deep black. Samsung Exclusive: Grey, Blue |
Should you buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5?
Before you decide to take your 13.4mm phone with you, you need to agree on a price. Samsung's price has remained the same for five generations, and now Google is offering a foldable phone for the same price as the Pixel Fold ($1,799 on Amazon). But at $1,800, the Z Fold 5 is nearly three times the price of the Galaxy S23 when it can do everything you want—message, surf the web, take decent photos, and everything you need for a phone. have characteristics.
If you want to have the most powerful mobile computer on the market, you have to be a little reckless. However, you do get something for your money. Multitasking is incredible on a foldable device like the Galaxy Z Fold 5, providing a level of productivity previously only possible on tablets and computers. The S Pen support is also great for taking notes and drawing. Unfortunately there's no dock yet, using the stylus with the Fold is a game changer for this future form factor. I also appreciate Samsung adding a slimmer, foldable S Pen to its lineup of accessories.
Folds don't get cheaper, but they get better and better, and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the best... if money is no object.
Foldable devices aren't getting cheaper, they're getting better. The Z Fold 5 is still the best — slightly better than the Z Fold 4, admittedly — but don't underestimate the folding hinge. The screen cover may be flimsy, but now the phone is more tactile, easier to use than ever.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 ($999.99 from Samsung) will remain a popular choice due to its low starting price, but for so much money, there's no better option than the Galaxy Z Fold 5 Samsung Fold 5a. slightly better, but not all regions rank equally generous. If you have an entry-level phone under $1,000 in total, consider upgrading to the Z Fold 5. However, if you're unsure about a foldable device, check out our video above in which Android Authority's Damien Wilde makes the case for savings. cash and switch to a more traditional phone like the Galaxy S23 Ultra ($1,153) instead of $1,153. on Amazon) must be taken.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5's
new hingefinally folds Brighter and brighter screen Powerful multitasking The
most powerful foldable phone just got stronger
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5's upgraded folding platform includes a stronger hinge, stronger glass and an IPX8 rating, lots of storage options and a big bright screen.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Review: FAQ
No, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 case is not compatible with the Z Fold 5 as it has a different shape due to the new hinge.
Can; You should only use the S Fold Edition's folding nibs; other versions may damage the screen.
Yes, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 OLED screen has a non-removable protective film.
Yes, you can install two nano-SIMs on the Z Fold 5, and it also supports eSIM.
Yes, it can be charged wirelessly using a 15 W charger.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 has an IPX8 rating (up to 1.5m for 30 minutes), but it's not dustproof.