Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Review: No New Tricks

Worth When Reviewed

$1,799.99

Finest Costs Right this moment: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5

$1,799.99

The brand new Samsung telephone folds in half, once more. We’ve been right here earlier than.

I’m spoiled as I’ve entry to quite a lot of new telephones (it’s my job), however the Z Fold 5 is the fifth book-style folding telephone from Samsung since 2019 – and issues are feeling relatively acquainted.

It is a machine that appears and feels just like the Z Fold 4 and even the Z Fold 3, nevertheless it stays one of the best book-style folding telephone you will get regardless of the elevated competitors from the likes of the Google Pixel Fold, Huawei Mate X3, and Vivo X Fold 2.

Samsung’s software program is the important thing. It’s one of the best in the marketplace due to app formatting, helpful flexibility, and S-Pen enter compatibility.

It is best to nonetheless ask your self if you really want a foldable like this although, because the Z Fold 5 stays eye-wateringly costly. However if you wish to be on the reducing fringe of cell tech and likewise need a genuinely wonderful telephone, that is the one to purchase.

Design & construct

• First Z Fold to close flat
• Sturdy hinge mechanism
• Matt glass again

The Z Fold 5 is a refined tackle the Z Fold 3 from 2021, as 2022’s Z Fold 4 barely modified something. The most recent design modifications listed below are the actual fact the Z Fold 5 shuts fully flat, a feat achieved by Samsung’s rivals just lately and so one it needed to match. It meant that much less mud collected within the crease when it was in my pocket.

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It’s the thinnest Fold but at 13.4mm when shut however nonetheless a paperweight at 253g, dense and formed like a bar of gold bullion.

My enticing ‘Icy Blue’ evaluate machine appears nice with a matt glass again that hides all fingerprints that the aluminium sides sadly don’t. You can too get it in black or cream, or a lesser-spotted blue and gray should you purchase from Samsung’s web site.

The hinge feels extremely stable too, in a position to keep open at any angle. This solidity provides to the very premium really feel of the telephone, which – extremely – is IPX8 waterproof so might take a dunk within the pool and live on.

Due to the tall-and-thin design that takes in a thin outer show, this can be a foldable that even I with my small palms can comfortably use and kind on one-handed. I can’t sort on most common smartphones with one hand, and undoubtedly not on wider folding telephones such because the Pixel Fold.

A right-side-mounted fingerprint sensor means I can unlock the telephone simply when closed with a thumb in a single hand. This telephone is, weirdly, simpler to make use of in a single mitt than any Galaxy S23 or iPhone 14!

The haptics are additionally prime notch – punchy and clipped after they must be with the keyboard, and robust sufficient to really feel in a bag or pocket. No low cost buzzing sounds right here, simply high quality.

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Display & audio system

• 7.6in LTPO 120Hz inside AMOLED display
• 6.2in 120Hz outer AMOLED display
• Twin stereo audio system

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is all about its inside folding show. Fortunately it’s a superb panel that I loved regardless of the noticeable crease proper down the centre.

Different foldable producers resembling Motorola and Huawei have managed to clean out this crease on their units, however Samsung’s remains to be very evident. It’s bang in the midst of a 7.6in AMOLED panel that in any other case appears nice. Samsung additionally has a show enterprise, in any case, and it seemingly saves its greatest for its personal merchandise.

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The 2176 x 1812 display has LTPO tech that lets it dynamically refresh between 1- and 120Hz relying on the app or what you’re doing, primarily to avoid wasting battery life. Apps appears daring and vivid on a show the place colors pop in an virtually cartoonish style in ‘Vivid’ mode out the field. You may change this to ‘Pure’, and fiddle with each to get the texture you need.

Samsung’s ‘Eye consolation defend’ setting makes the display look far worse in its try to steadiness blue gentle relying on the ambient gentle. It’s nowhere close to nearly as good as Apple’s True Tone tech that does a lot better on iPhones.

Due to its 21.6:18 side ratio, the Z Fold 5’s inside display is nice for full-screen apps, or taking a look at two apps facet by facet. It’s much less pleasurable for full-screen video, as you get black bar letterboxing whether or not you maintain it portrait or panorama. Apps like YouTube or Twitch are higher as there’s room for the video window and all of the remark or chat packing containers.

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S-Pen

The inside display can also be suitable with Samsung’s S-Pen styluses, which I used to be in a position to take a look at with the brand new Slim S-Pen Case accent. It’s a case for the telephone that clips on and holds a newly flat and skinny S-Pen Fold Version within the again so you possibly can carry it extra simply with you. It’s much better than the dangerous, chunky circumstances for earlier Folds that had a full measurement S-Pen in them.

It feels simple to jot down on the display due to its plastic layers, nevertheless it’s a far cry from paper. I wrote a good few notes for this evaluate on the big display utilizing Samsung Notes, and Samsung additionally has labored intently with fashionable iPad app GoodNotes to convey S-Pen compatibility to its upcoming Android app.

For those who write quite a lot of notes then you definitely’ll love with the ability to try this in your telephone on a display measurement that isn’t cramped – this can be a higher wager for the S-Pen than the S23 Extremely that comes with one contained in the precise telephone. It’s additionally helpful if it’s essential to often signal paperwork, however you additionally may simply wish to ship your folks daft drawings.

Henry Burrell / Foundry

On the entrance of the telephone when it’s closed is a 6.2in AMOLED display that may refresh between a extra restricted vary of 48-120Hz when in adaptive mode, however nonetheless appears nice. I occur to love the gangly 23.1:9 side ratio as I’ve small palms, so it’s a e-book type foldable I can really use one handed when closed. I can’t even sort one handed with a thumb on most common telephones as a result of they’re too extensive for me, nevertheless it’s simple to do this on the Z Fold 5’s outer show.

You probably have bigger palms you’ll wrestle with typos and the whole lot being too small.

Stereo audio system are on the highest and backside of the left half of the telephone as you maintain it unfolded. They sound full and surprisingly detailed and do nice with YouTube and video games.  

Specs & efficiency

• Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset
• 12GB RAM in all fashions
• 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage

The Z Fold 5 has the identical Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset that’s within the Galaxy S23 Extremely and the opposite S23 telephones. In benchmarking it clocked slightly below the facility of the Extremely on Geekbench, however the Galaxy Z Fold 5 has close to flawless efficiency.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 benchmarks

Apps open and cargo immediately due to 12GB throughout all fashions, and you may stand up to 1TB non-expandable storage should you actually wish to spend over $2,000/£2,000 on a telephone.

Connectivity is sorted with 5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3. There’s additionally a twin nano-SIM slot, or you possibly can run an eSIM.

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Digital camera & video

The cameras on the Z Fold 5 are dangerous for a telephone of this worth. They’re the worst factor about it.

I wouldn’t say the identical in the event that they have been on a $500/£500 telephone, however contemplating the Fold prices at the least $1,799.99/£1,749, they’re simply not acceptable. Colors are wildly oversaturated, notably greens and blues of sky and grass, leaving most images I took with a neon splash of Barbie film proportions.

The principle rear lens is a 50Mp f/1.8 sensor with optical picture stabilisation (OIS). It produced crisp, clear pictures which can be able to put up to social media, however their vivid tones are usually not often true to life.

I want the pictures from Samsung’s extra mature tuning on the Galaxy S23 Extremely, or higher nonetheless from the Google Pixel 7 Professional, which has richer distinction and higher excessive dynamic vary.

The portrait mode is a bit iffy, too.

Henry Burrell / Foundry

A 10Mp f/2.2 ultra-wide lens can also be good in a pinch for capturing landscapes or busy scenes once you’re up shut, nevertheless it’s under one of the best smartphone cameras on the market.

The 10Mp f/2.4 telephoto digicam has 3x optical zoom and OIS and is sweet for punching into scenes and sustaining acceptable image high quality. However in actuality, these cameras are not any nice enchancment over a really related arrange on 2021’s Z Fold 3. Right here’s three pictures of the identical scene by way of every rear lens:

You additionally get a tremendous 10Mp selfie digicam in a reduce out within the outer show, and because of the entrance display you possibly can open the telephone totally and use it as a viewfinder to take a selfie with the rear cameras. Right here’s one from the entrance 10Mp one although:

Henry Burrell / Foundry

Samsung’s insistence on the 4Mp beneath show digicam within the inside display remains to be barely odd. It makes use of pixels to cowl it once you’re not in use, however selfies on it are horrible, and it ought to solely be used for video calls.

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I fairly loved capturing and watching video on the Fold due to the big viewfinder, and it might probably seize 8K footage at 30fps (not that both of its screens can play it again at that decision). In normal full HD at 30fps issues nonetheless look good, stabilisation is first rate, and hues aren’t as wildly saturated as they’re with images.

Battery & charging

• 4,400mAh battery
• 25W charging is ‘gradual’
• Wi-fi and reverse wi-fi charging

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is one among Qualcomm’s most balanced chips ever, with nice energy effectivity. This makes the Z Fold 5 a telephone you should utilize all day away from the mains, although it gained’t stretch to 2 full days. Truthful sufficient when there’s two honking nice screens.

Within the PC Mark battery take a look at, it scored a good 11 hours and 10 minutes, over an hour lower than the S23 Extremely. The Z Fold 5 solely squeezes in a 4,400mAh battery in comparison with that telephone’s 5,000mAh.

There’s solely a USB-C cable within the field, so that you’ll have to purchase a 25W energy brick if you wish to cost at full pace. That’s gradual by trendy requirements, and it solely charged to twenty-eight% in quarter-hour and 56% in half-hour for me.

You additionally get Qi wi-fi charging in-built, and you may wirelessly cost earbuds or different suitable units with reverse charging.

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Software program & options

• Android 13
• One UI 5.1.1
• 5 years of software program assist

The Z Fold 5’s software program is superb, one of the best on the market for a folding telephone. You get an elective however nice taskbar that shows your chosen and up to date apps for rapidly launching them or going into cut up display mode.

Two apps is concerning the max you need, although you can even open apps in pop up home windows if it’s essential to. I used the telephone to look at movies whereas texting, and likewise to have a video name whereas retaining a piece chat open.

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Helpful as this may be, it’s these occasions once I most really feel like book-style foldable telephones are discovering options to issues that solely exist due to their very own limitations.

Samsung’s One UI is sweet, and you may maintain issues as easy or as customised as you need. The Fold ships with Android 13, however will stand up to Android 17 in 2027. It is going to obtain safety patches until 2028, too, and once you’re spending this a lot, that’s good to know.

The system will put apps into ‘deep sleep’ that stops updates and notifications except you flip off this function, one thing Chinese language producers typically get slated for, however Samsung is doing it too.

Higher are issues just like the Sport Booster mode that activates mechanically when gaming to manage features and efficiency. It’s good to see Samsung recognise the Z Fold 5 can and will probably be used for greater than productiveness and work.

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Worth & availability

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 prices from $1,799.99/£1,748 with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage.

A 256GB mannequin prices $1,919.99/$1,849 and a 1TB mannequin will be received for $2,159.99/£2,049 from Samsung’s web site.

You should purchase all fashions globally direct from Samsung.

It is a supremely costly telephone. The worth is likely one of the essential causes to not purchase it – except you’ll maintain it for a while and genuinely use and luxuriate in all its options. In any other case, you will get a standard – and higher – smartphone for lots of much less.

Within the US, the one actual different to the Z Fold 5 is the Google Pixel Fold, which prices about the identical however has a wider design and fewer spectacular software program. The cameras are higher, although.

Within the UK you may go for the Pixel Fold or the Honor Magic Vs.

It’s value noting that for the worth of the most affordable Z Fold 5 you may purchase the highest spec 1TB iPhone 14 Professional Max – a greater all-round machine by far.

Verdict

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is one of the best book-style foldable nonetheless regardless of competitors from Google, Huawei, Vivo, and Xiaomi. These corporations may need bested Samsung on {hardware}, however the pleasure right here is the software program. One UI is a lot better and extra helpful than any of its rivals.

For those who can abdomen the sky excessive asking worth, you’ll be rewarded by a telephone with wonderful efficiency, all-day battery life, nice audio system, and oh yeah, an enormous folding show that’s nice to make use of.

However should you dislike the outer display’s thinness or the machine’s unavoidable bulk, take into consideration whether or not a folding telephone like that is actually for you.

Specs

• Unfolded: 129.9x 154.9 x 6.1mm
• Folded: 67.1 x 154.9 x 13.4mm
• 253g
• 6.2in 120Hz AMOLED cowl show (23.1:9)
• 7.6in 120Hz AMOLED foldable inner show (21.6:18)
• Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on entrance show and rear
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
• 12GB RAM
• 256GB/512GB/1TB of UFS 4.0 storage
• Rear cameras: 50Mp essential f.1.8, 10Mp f/2.4 3x telephoto, 12Mp f/2.2 123-degree ultra-wide
• 4Mp f/1.8 under-display digicam
• 10Mp f/2.2 cowl digicam
• As much as 8K video recording
• 4,400mAh battery with 25W charging
• Facet-mounted fingerprint scanner
• Wi-Fi 6E
• Bluetooth 5.3
• 5G
• NFC
• Obtainable in Icy Blue, Phantom Black, Cream, Gray, Blue