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Galaxy Z Fold 5 launched: slimmer, sleeker, but no major upgrades
Samsung’s most expensive foldable phone has a new iteration.
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Today, at Samsung’s Unpacked event, the company unveiled the newest iterations of its foldable devices, including the hotly anticipated flagship Galaxy Z Fold 5 along with other members of the Galaxy family — Galaxy Z Flip 5, Galaxy Tab S9 series, and the Galaxy Watch 6 series.
After months of rumors, leaks, and speculation, Samsung’s flagship foldable is here. It has a few hardware changes, including a new hinge mechanism and software tricks.
It comes to battle against the Pixel Fold and other foldable devices slated to come in 2023. Here’s everything you need to know about the new Galaxy Z Fold 5.
Galaxy Z Fold
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is Samsung’s newest foldable. It retains many of the same design and hardware features but includes an upgraded processor and a new hinge mechanism. These updates allow for a thinner profile when closed, making it an attractive option for those willing to invest in a high-end foldable phone.
Galaxy Z Fold 5 design
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 has a sleeker design than its predecessor, with a slightly thinner profile when folded. However, the overall dimensions remain essentially unchanged.
The most significant alteration is the new teardrop-style hinge, which enables the device to fold smoothly and seamlessly without any gaps.
Despite the design modifications, the hinge can still withstand 200,000 folds, as with previous Samsung foldable models.
The recently released foldable phone carries forward the Armor Aluminum frame and upgrades the front and back with Gorilla Glass Victus 2, compared to the Victus+ from the prior device.
It carries the same IPX8 rating as the Z Fold 4, so it’s highly water resistant but has no dust resistance.
Sadly, there’s no S Pen in the box, but you can purchase one separately. Samsung says the stylus is 41% thinner, which means the official S Pen Case will also be more portable.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is available in multiple colors — Cream, Icy Blue, and Phantom Black.
Two color options are only available via Samsung.com — Gray and Blue. Sadly, the unique colors won’t be available in all countries.
Galaxy Z Fold 5 specs
| Display | Internal: 7.6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED, LTPO 120 Hz refresh rate, 2,176 x 1,812 pixels External: 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate, 2,316 x 904 pixels |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy |
| Camera | Primary camera: 50MP Wide (f/1.8), 12MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide, 12MP (f/2.4) telephoto Cover: 10MP (f/2.2) Internal: 4MP (f/1.8) |
| Battery | 4,400 mAh battery 25W Super Fast Charging 15W Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 5W Wireless PowerShare |
| Storage Variants & RAM Options | 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB, all paired with 12GB RAM |
| Operating System | Android 13-based One UI 5.1.1 |
| Rating | IPX8 |
| Weight & Dimensions | 253g Dimensions when Folded: 154.94 x 67 x 13.4mm Dimensions when Unfolded: 154.94 x 129.8 x 6mm |
| Colors | Cream, Icy Blue, Phantom Black Samsung Exclusive Colors: Gray, Blue |
| Price | Starting at $1,799 |
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 boasts many impressive features, including the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset.
This is an upgraded version of the standard chipset initially introduced with the Galaxy S23 series. As a result, the device packs a ton of power under the hood.
This SoC is powerful and comes with 12GB of memory, which should be sufficient for running demanding tasks and games. It’s available in three storage variants, with the entry-level one being 256GB and the highest going up to 1TB.
The Z Fold 5’s displays appear to be the same ones used in last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 4. That’s a 6.2-inch external display with a 23.1:9 aspect ratio and 2,316 x 904 resolution and an internal 7.6-inch folding screen with a 21.6:18 aspect ratio and 2,176 x 1,812 resolution.
It’s noteworthy that Samsung has maintained its tried-and-true size for the cover screen while other manufacturers have gone for a more conventional ratio. This could suggest that Samsung wanted to alter as few elements as possible while redesigning the hinge.
The appearance of the crease has also been reduced, likely as an effect of the new hinge.
Additionally, the screen’s maximum brightness has been boosted to 1,750 nits, which could enhance the HDR quality. However, it’s uncertain how this will affect day-to-day usage.
The screen isn’t the only thing being recycled from last year. All of the Fold 5 camera sensors appear to be reused, although there might be some software processing upgrades that will be apparent when reviews trickle out.
That means you get a 50MP primary camera with a f/1.8 aperture and OIS, a 12MP ultrawide with an f/2.2 aperture, and a 10MP telephoto lens with a 3x optical zoom, 30x digital zoom, a f/2.4 aperture, and OIS on the back of the device.
The 4MP under-display camera with an f/1.8 aperture is back on the internal screen, and a 10MP, f/2.2 selfie camera is reused on the outer screen.
| Camera Type | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Main Camera | 50MP, f/1.8 aperture, OIS |
| Ultrawide Camera | 12MP, f/2.2 aperture |
| Telephoto Lens | 10MP, 3x optical zoom, 30x digital zoom, f/2.4 aperture, OIS |
| Under-display Camera | 4MP, f/1.8 aperture |
| Selfie Camera | 10MP, f/2.2 aperture |
Again, it remains to be seen if this reuse of the camera hardware will change the image quality. We’re slightly disappointed to see Samsung not push the envelope further, but then again, the camera system is still flagship class.
The battery also appears to be the same as last year, with a 4,400mAh capacity. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is more efficient than last year’s Gen 1, so expect a longer battery life.
Charging is handled by 25W wired fast charging, 15W wireless fast charging, and the signature 5W reverse wireless charging for replenishing the battery of accessories like earbuds. Again, no changes here from last year’s Z Fold 4.
Galaxy Z Fold 5 price and availability
The starting price of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 in the United States is $1,799 for the base model with 12GB memory and 256GB of internal storage. If you want more storage, you can have it — 512GB and 1TB variants are also available; however, pricing remains unknown now.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 pre-orders are open, and Samsung offers hefty bonuses for eager fans. Retail availability starts on August 11.
Galaxy Z Fold
- Expansive, Cinematic Screen: Unfolding the Galaxy Z Fold5 reveals a whopping 7.6'' screen that's perfect for streaming on the go. No more squinting at tiny screens - this is mobile entertainment like you've never seen before.
- Next-Level Gaming: With its impressive processor and high refresh rate, the Galaxy Z Fold5 offers a gaming experience that's both powerful and portable. Play on the cover screen or unfold for an even more immersive session.
- Dual-App Viewing: Multitask like a pro with Dual-App Viewing on the Galaxy Z Fold5. Drag and drop photos into messages, shop two sites simultaneously, or stream videos while scrolling through your feed.
- S Pen Compatibility: Turn to-dos into dones with S Pen capability on the Galaxy Z Fold5 (sold separately). Write directly onto the large screen for increased precision and productivity.
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