Samsung didn’t change much with the new Galaxy Z Fold 5, and that’s not a bad thing

When you think “foldable phone,” there is a good chance that Samsung’s Galaxy Fold comes to mind. It’s the traditional smartphone that folds into a tablet and is now in its 5th generation with a kitchen sink-like strategy of features, with a high price to match.

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The Galaxy Z Fold 5, like the Z Fold 4 before it, is a productivity powerhouse that delights and lets you breeze through tasks from anywhere. It’s not cheap at $1,799, though, more than Samsung’s most powerful Galaxy Tab S9 and even an M1 MacBook Air.

With the Z Fold 5, though, Samsung still beats the drum and makes key refinements that users didn’t necessarily jive with; namely, when folded, there is no longer a gap. I’ve spent several weeks with the Galaxy Z Fold 5, both in the United States and South Korea, but even with more competition in the space, Samsung is still the champ in this category.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 is shipping now, and you can still score an instant upgrade to 512GB of storage for the same price as the entry-level 256GB model. You can also lower the $1,799 price by trading in an eligible device and savings up to $1,000 off the price.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 pros and cons

Thinner, lighter, and folds flat

Like the Z Fold 4 before it, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 folds open like a book. It first presents itself as a thick—about two typical smartphones stacked together—candybar smartphone with a screen that is not as wide as a Galaxy S23 or iPhone 14.

It's a bit more cramped for banging out a text or email, but the increased height makes it a delight for browsing the web or scrolling through a feed like Instagram or TikTok. Like any Samsung phone display, it's super vibrant with punchy color next to stark, dark contrast points: specifically, it's a 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display set in a 23.1:9 aspect ratio.

Make no mistake about it; the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a substantial device, but also one that feels very solid in the hand. Samsung uses a proprietary "Armor Aluminum" material, super-strong Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and stainless steel as the main components.

Generation over generation, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is thinner at 13.4 millimeters and lighter at just 253 grams. It's not a giant leap on paper, but it is more comfortable to hold and a bit easier to travel in real life. The slimmer build makes it easier to slide in the front pockets of jeans and into a bag.

Arguably more important is the upgrade Flex Hinge that lets the Galaxy Z Fold 5 fold flat and eliminates the gap. This way, it's less likely that debris from your pocket and dust or other particles could get in and mess with the internal display.

The hinge is the most crucial part of any folding phone, and three Flex Hinges are inside the Z Fold 5. You can still position the Z Fold 5 open at almost any angle. You can prop up the front display for a mini-movie theater-like experience or use it like a mini laptop. I didn't notice any issues or abruptions with the smoothness of the Z Fold 5 opening or closing. Over five generations in with the mechanism, Samsung's got it down.

Opening up the Z Fold 5 presents you with one of the nicest and most pocketable displays. It's still a massive 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex display made from "ultra-thin-glass" (aka a mixture of plastic and bits of glass for added durability that allows the display to fold). It's easily the most immersive display and the best one to watch content on, be it a YouTube video or an entire feature-length film.

It won't disappoint, and for gaming or scrolling through a spreadsheet with thousands of rows, it's buttery smooth thanks to an adaptive refresh rate that spans up to 120Hz. As far as the crease goes, it's still there, and you can feel it with your finger or the S-Pen. It won't impact your everyday phone use like the notch on an iPhone or a pinhole notch on a Galaxy. It's also not a reason not to get foldable.

And just like the Z Fold 4 before, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is IP68 water-resistant. This means it can survive some light rain and even dips in water, but I wouldn't put this to the test on purpose. Additionally, since it's not an "X" resistance rating, there is still no protection against dust.

@jakekrol

Let’s #unbox the GalaxyZFold5, aka Samsung’s flagship foldable. #android #tablet #phone #foldingphone #folding #CapCut ♬ Pink - Lizzo

Tremendous power and the best multitasking experience on a phone

One of the main appeals of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is that when a task you're working through requires a bigger screen, you can open it right up. For instance, if you're reading an email on the external display, you can flip the phone open and reply to it with a large keyboard that is easy to type. It doesn't stop there, though.

You can then split the screen in half or with two apps on the left and one on the right. You can open another application using the side or bottom taskbar, like messages that hover above that layer, or start playback on a video in picture-in-picture. It's a true desktop-like multitasking experience in the palm of your hand on an expansive 6.7-inch display.

It's also a better multitasking experience over the main competing foldable, Google's Pixel Fold. With that, you can only split the screen in half, which is limiting. Samsung lets you customize and make the most out of the experience here. This many generations into a foldable, Samsung's also delivered a fluid experience without many hang-ups or slow-downs. It all felt very prompt in my testing—the Z Fold 5 quickly opens apps and triggers proper functions, instantly recognizing the optional S-Pen.

Aiding primarily in this is made-for Galaxy, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with a hefty amount of 12 GB of RAM. That's about as top-of-the-line as you can get for any smartphone, and it ensures the Galaxy Z Fold never skips a beat. Furthermore, considering the $1,799 price point, Samsung guarantees years of software and security updates. Specifically, it is four years of Android upgrades, which equates to four generations of Android, and five years of security updates. As far as any phone goes, that's best in class.

The Galaxy Z Fold lets you scale farther than just a candy bar smartphone in day-to-day use. You have more space to breeze through tasks, but the ability to split screen in various ways on the main screen is where the lightbulb turns. You can quickly dive through emails and read the headlines in the morning while grabbing Slack messages in real-time. Separately, you could produce a social post on one side and edit the visuals on the left side. The options are endless, and thanks to a taskbar at the bottom with access to your application library, you can easily pull up any of the apps on your phone.

One oddity is that the S-Pen is still not integrated here as it is on the Galaxy S23 Ultra or the Galaxy Note series. It levels up the experience, especially for folks using the 6.7-inch screen to mark documents, take notes, or even create art. The buy-in price is a little costly, especially if you're unsold on the functionality.

You can get the S-Pen Fold Edition for just $50, but you need help finding where to store it. Truthfully the best option is the Galaxy Z Fold 5 Slim S-Pen Case, which wraps around the front and back of the foldable without blocking any use cases, and the stylus is built into the rear. You can easily pop it out, and it's a place to store it without concern. It's a nice accessory, and the price is more attainable considering the trade-in promotions.

@jakekrol

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A similar solid camera setup

I’ve been pondering over my testing period why Samsung didn’t make this the year to upgrade the physical camera hardware on the Fold. It’s the same physical hardware as the Galaxy Z Fold 4. However, the latest generation tosses in some new software processing for improved photography or videography, mainly at night or in lower-lighting conditions.

It’s still an impressive five-camera array, and you can achieve some really nice shots from the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Still, for the $1,800, I would love to see more advanced optics available on the Galaxy S23 Ultra, which costs $1,300.

The main camera array on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 consists of a 50-megapixel wide lens, a 10-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 12-megapixel telephoto. This allows you to shoot from 0.5x to 3x with optical zoom and stretch it to 30x with Space Zoom. The latter is much less of a usable option than the S23 Ultra.

Image results are generally excellent, especially if you max out at 10x digital zoom. You’ll find colors incredibly punchy with high vibrancy levels, a Samsung trend that the company will likely never buck on, and the lenses capture plenty of details. You can generally zoom in and explore other elements of the phone.

You can see some images I captured in the gallery below, and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 still can capture excellent photos; it just feels that the hardware is getting a bit stale when you compare it to other smartphones in Samsung’s line or even competing phones.

Google’s Pixel devices are known for their excellent cameras, and the Pixel Fold is stacked with a 48-megapixel wide lens, a 10-megapixel ultrawide lens, and a 10.8 dual telephoto lens that offers 5x optical zoom. As with most smartphones, it comes down to personal preferences and the features you value the most. Like the iPhone or a Google Pixel, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 can capture great images, but it’s not the most versatile or advanced.

Bottom line: Is the Galaxy Z Fold 5 worth it?

There is no doubt that Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a productivity powerhouse with enough performance chops to power through any task, and it delivers on some exceptional use cases with a robust feature set. Additionally, it boasts one of the most immersive displays you can carry in your pocket, and the upgraded hinge finally allows it to fold-closed without leaving a gap.

The $1,800 price point is higher than most smartphones, but it accounts for the 2-in-1 form factor. Plus, Samsung will still knock up to $1,000 off the cost with an eligible device trade-in. Carriers, like Verizon, as well as Amazon, also offer deals on Samsung’s latest foldable.

Additionally, if you’re currently using a Galaxy Z Fold 4, there isn’t much need to run out and get the 5. It’s nearly an identical experience in both looks and usage, asides from the improved hinge. Those with an older Z Fold will notice some speed improvements. If you’re waiting for an integrated S-Pen, you can get a great experience with the $100 Slim Case, but it’s still not exactly that.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 is available for purchase now at $1,800 in three shades: Icy Blue, Cream, or Phantom Black. Additionally, exclusive to Samsung.com is the Z Fold 5 in blue or gray. You’ll score an instant storage upgrade—the 256GB version turns into a 512GB at no additional charge—and you can save up to $1,000 by trading in an eligible device.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 specs

Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.