A lighter, slicker, gapless folder with excellent multipurpose software and a quick processor – but at an exorbitant price.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a significant upgrade over last year’s Galaxy Fold 4, offering numerous improvements. The new device features a redesigned hinge that feels smoother, virtually no gap between the two halves, slimmer than previous generations, the best software for a phablet-styled foldable on the market, ultimate performance and multitasking chops, beautifully vivid displays, built like a tank, and a less prominent crease. Before we dive into a deeper review, let’s check out some pros and cons of the new Galaxy Z Fold 5.
Pros:
– Much smoother-feeling with a redesign of the hinge
– Almost no separation between the two sections
– more compact than in prior iterations
– The current market’s top app for a foldable phablet
– Superior speed and ability to juggle multiple tasks
– displays with stunning colours
– Constructed to last, with creases that are less apparent than previously
Cons:
– Despite generally good performance, there is some unpredictability in battery life
– Low-power 25W recharging
– Very costly
– Equipped with the same camera as the Fold
Pricing and features:
Price: The price of the Z Fold 5 starts at USD 1,799 for the 256GB+12GB variant. They have 2 other variants, 12GB + 512GB at USD 1,919 and 12GB + 1024GB at USD 2,159!
Battery and Camera:
However, the Fold 5 still has some issues, such as unpredictable battery life, 25W slow charging, and being expensive. It also uses the same camera module as last year and lacks the dust protection rating. The design of the Z Fold 5 is similar to its earlier siblings, with a tall and narrow cover screen at the front and three vertically lined cameras at the back. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 retains the same camera setup as its predecessor, consisting of a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide lens, and a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom on the back. There is also a 10MP camera on the front and a 4MP camera under the main screen. These cameras are more than capable of producing great shots in various conditions. The flash is now to the right of the camera’s three lenses.
Colour: There are three shades available for the Z Fold 5: Phantom Black, cream, and icy blue.
The new Flex hinge is sleeker than the Z Fold 4, with fewer moving parts, allowing the phone to fold flat without any gap between its two parts. This reduces the chance of stuff getting stuck in there, making it easier to fold. The crease in the middle of the display doesn’t interfere with real-world experience, as it runs up and down on book-style foldables, so fingers don’t run into it often.
Dust-resistance: Samsung is working on making the foldable dust-resistant, but this is not yet available. The Z Fold 5 is certified as IPX8, meaning it can handle being underwater (up to 1.5 metres deep) for about 30 minutes. The new Flex Hinge adds a premium and luxurious feel to the phone, staying open at different angles, making it ideal for watching videos.
Display: the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 offers several improvements over last year’s Galaxy Fold 4, making it a solid choice for those looking for a phablet-styled foldable smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a smartphone that has been released on the market since its predecessor, the Z Fold 4. It features a 6.2-inch OLED panel on the front and a larger 7.6-inch screen on the inside. The internal screen now boasts a rated brightness of 1,750 nits, a 30% increase over the Z Fold 4. Both screens have a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, use a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel, and have unique resolutions of 1812 x 2176 pixels for the main display and 904 x 2316 pixels for the cover display.
Processor: The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a flagship device that boasts the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor as its predecessors, the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23 Ultra. It has 12GB of RAM and can be upgraded to 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of internal storage. The processor is known for its impressive speed and efficiency, with no issues with overheating or battery drain due to a new vapour chamber used by Samsung.
Now let’s dive into the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 in depth Review:
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Review: Foldable Display
The foldable screen’s resolution might seem underwhelming at times, but it significantly enhances the experience for various activities such as taking notes, watching videos, surfing the web, juggling multiple apps, or gaming. However, it is important to handle the foldable display with care, as it is protected by a layer of ultra-thin glass that doesn’t provide extensive safeguarding. The cover screen doesn’t come with an applied protector, but thanks to Gorilla Glass Victus 2, it can be confident that it won’t easily succumb to scratches.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Review: Camera
Despite its limitations, the camera experience has seen some improvements over the Galaxy Z Fold 4. The Z Fold 5’s photos are full of life and vibrant colours, and it is unlikely to disappoint. The camera on the Z Fold 5 delivers sufficient detail, captures skin tones in a realistic manner, and the portrait effect is pretty accurate. However, it would have been better if Samsung had skipped the UDC on this one and spent that money elsewhere, perhaps on a better, higher resolution main camera as the headline of the camera array. In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a smartphone that offers a wide range of camera options, including the 10MP front camera on the cover screen, the 4MP Under Display Camera (UDC) on the inner screen, and the main cameras with the cover screen serving as the viewfinder.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Review: Battery Life and Charging Time
However, the Z Fold 5 only comes with a 4,400 mAh battery, which is impressive due to the Snapdragon’s more efficient SoC. The battery life is not impressive, as it requires 25W supercharging, which takes around 30 minutes to charge to 50% and 80 minutes to charge to 100%.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Review: User Interface
The Z Fold 5 runs on Android 13 and One UI 5.1.1, offering numerous software features that make the most of its foldable design. The main screen can hold up to three apps at once, and users can also have a floating window. The taskbar now allows up to four recent apps to be displayed, making it easier to drag apps onto the main screen. Samsung’s Flex features are also available when the device is opened at a certain angle, making it an ideal choice for multitaskers who want a lightweight and portable device.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Review: Performance And Software Experience
The Z Fold 5 excels in gaming and synthetic benchmarks, scoring in the top 1% of most flagship devices. It handles most games with ease, including BGMI, CoD Mobile, and Genshin Impact. Samsung hasn’t made many changes to the Galaxy Z Fold 5, except for the SoC and hinge. However, the incremental changes do add up to a much better experience. The Z Fold 5 is Samsung’s true flagship, capable of handling the latest games with ease and enjoying them on a screen almost like a tablet. The device folds up neatly to fit in your pocket, making it a cool and futuristic option. In terms of power, the Z Fold 5 is right up there with the Galaxy S23 Ultra, running on the same software. The Z Fold 5 doesn’t hold back in terms of hardware and software. If you’re a hardcore multitasker who enjoys using multiple apps at once, the Z Fold 5 is the one to get.
Should you buy it?
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a great choice if you’re looking for a folding phone, especially in the US, where your options are still pretty limited. It does pretty much everything you’d want it to do, and even though there are plenty of things to criticise, most of them are done out of love. I like using this phone, and the few changes Samsung did make this year only made it better. And if you’re coming from an older Galaxy S phone or another normal slab-shaped device, I think you’ll love the Z Fold 5.
