Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review – Good foldable, but pricey

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is among the best foldable phones for those looking for a phone and tablet in one and are willing to pay a steep price.

The South Korean company released its latest iteration of the Galaxy Z Fold and there are a few changes, like the gap.

One notable improvement we found during the tech review in the Fold 5’s design is its thinner profile. Samsung achieved this by utilising the Flex Hinge, reducing the folded profile to 13.4mm and the unfolded profile to 6.1mm.

It’s easy to measure the difference between the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Z Fold 5: two millimeters. Or 2.4mm, to be exact. At its thickest point, last year’s Z Fold 4 measures 15.8mm when folded — the Z Fold 5 uses a new hinge to fold totally flat and measures 13.4mm thick.

Concerns

However, concerns have been raised about screen damage due to the reduced gap between the screens. Samsung addressed this issue by including bumpers around the edge of the device, which helps prevent direct contact between the screens.

The Z Fold 5 is also a bit lighter, the inside screen gets a bit brighter, and it includes this year’s flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Platform for Galaxy

Sadly, the crease is still there, but when you are consumed with work, it’s hardly noticeable.

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Specs

Unfolded, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 mobile phone boasts a massive 7.6-inch main display with a resolution of 2176 x 1812 pixels. The external display measures 6.2 inches and has a resolution of 2316 x 906 pixels.

Both screens offer an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz, ensuring smooth scrolling and navigation.

Under the hood, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Platform for Galaxy, which offers slight processing boosts compared to the standard 8 Gen 2.

The chip upgrade primarily enhances battery and camera performance, which are critical for a device like this.

There are three main camera sensors, usable whether the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is open or closed. The 50MP main sensor, 10MP telephoto, and 12MP ultrawide are as capable as any Samsung smartphone that features the combination.

However, the camera setup is the same as the Samsung Galaxy S23.

Other features

In addition to other features, the multiwindow functionality allows users to have up to three apps open at once, making multitasking more convenient. The ability to drag and drop images between apps adds to the device’s versatility and productivity.

The “Flex Mode Panel” is another useful feature, allocating the bottom screen when the phone is folded at a 90-degree angle and placed in landscape mode. It serves as a control panel for various features like cameras, video/music playback, and teleconferencing.

The Fold 5 is compatible with the S Pen, further expanding its productivity potential. However, there is no built-in docking slot, which could be a concern for users who rely heavily on stylus input.

The Fold 5 is equipped with a 4,400mAh battery, delivering more than enough power to last through a full day of use. This is an improvement over the previous Fold 4’s 3,700mAh battery.

Pricey

The price is probably a significant factor. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 12GB/256GB review unit I played with will set you back R42,000. If you opt for 512GB of storage, expect to pay R45,000.

But in all other respects, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a fantastic foldable phone.

However, there’s still plenty of room for improvement—zoom cameras similar to the Galaxy S Ultra smartphones and a built-in S Pen slot would be nice to see. A bigger battery would be great, even though the Z Fold 5’s battery life is more than sufficient.

Foldables have come a long way since the original Galaxy Fold went on sale back in 2019. They’re smaller, they’re tougher and while they still aren’t a great option for people on a budget, they’re now more affordable too. (Well, kind of.)

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