The release of the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is finally upon us! Let’s dive right into the exciting features and improvements that Samsung has in store for its latest flagship foldable device. Technology enthusiasts and consumers alike have eagerly awaited its official launch. We can now explore the device’s specifications, design, and performance. Join us as we go over everything you need to know from the Z Fold 5 and how it could redefine the smartphone landscape.
Slightly Wider Outer Screen
The outer screen of the Z Fold 5 does see an ever-so-slight increase in size. There are no exact measurements of how much bigger the screen is compared to the Z Fold 4. But from the looks of it, the increase in cover screen size is coming from the reduced bezels of the outer screen and not from Samsung increasing the screen size itself. All in all, you’ll get some more screen real estate.
Reduced Bezels
The outer screen of the Z Fold 5 sees an ever-so-slight increase in size. There are no exact measurements of how much bigger the screen is compared to the Z Fold 4. But from the looks of it, the increase in cover screen size is coming from the reduced bezels of the outer screen and not from Samsung increasing the screen size itself. All in all, you’ll get some more screen real estate.
Lighter Build
Another area of the Fold that saw a decrease is weight. With every iteration of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold, the company has been steadily reducing the weight of its Folding machine.
The New Teardrop Hinge
The biggest and probably most anticipated change since the release of the Z Fold series finally happened. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 features a unique new Teardrop hinge similar to what we’ve seen in foldable phones from companies like Oppo, Xiaomi, and Huawei. But there’s a key difference in the Teardrop hinge that Samsung uses: it has an IPX8 rating (waterproof) and still fully supports Flex mode. Both things we don’t see in other Foldables with the same hinge.
The new Teardrop/Waterdrop hinge of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 brings a lot of much-needed improvements to the Fold phone. Some of the improvements are:
Weighs Less
The new hinge weighs significantly less than the hinge used in previous versions of the Galaxy Z Fold series. There is a 10 gram difference in weights between the Z Fold 4 And Z Fold 5, with the two devices weighing 263 grams and 253 grams respectively.
With the Galaxy Z Fold 5, we’ve got a Samsung folding device that weighs similar to a normal Candybar phone. For perspective the iPhone 14 Pro Max weighs 240 grams (the upcoming 15 Pro Max is expected to weigh more), so not too far off anymore.
Thinner
The new hinge isn’t just lighter than previous Samsung Fold hinges; it’s also thinner. This combined with the weight reduction makes the Z Fold 5 a more comfortable phone to hold and carry along.
Gapless Close
The new hinge on the Fold 5 brings another much-needed improvement. That is the Gap-less close. Yes, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 will have no gap when it is fully closed. Finally, after five generations, you won’t have to worry about things like keys getting in between your Galaxy Fold and doing damage.
New Design
The new foldable has some pretty noticeable rear design changes, unlike the past two generations of Samsung’s Z Fold. The most noticeable design change is that the Camera sensors now protrude a lot more on the camera island, somewhat like what we see on the S23 series.
Snapdragon 8Gen 2 For Galaxy
After lots of previous uncertainty, the news of Samsung’s intention to incorporate the Snapdragon for the Galaxy in the Z Fold 5 is a relief. This uncertainty arose due to the higher cost of the Snapdragon For Galaxy chip, and rumors suggested that Samsung might opt for the more cost-effective Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip.
The exceptional performance of the S23 series is a clear indication of the Snapdragon For Galaxy chip’s capabilities. This Android chip has not only matched but even surpassed the Apple Bionic chip in various aspects. Notably, it outperforms the Apple A16 in GPU performance and comes close to matching it in power optimization.
What’s Not Coming to the Z Fold 5
Crease-less Screen
With the new waterdrop/teardrop hinge coming to the Z Fold 4, hopes were high that Samsung would finally give us a crease-less screen or at least reduce it significantly. But that doesn’t seem to be the case. Early reviews of the Z Fold 5 have confirmed leaks we got before the phone’s official launch. The device has only seen a 15 percent reduction in crease visibility when compared to its predecessor. Very underwhelming from Samsung.
Periscope Camera
The Z Fold 4 is currently the most expensive smartphone in Samsung’s lineup, costing a whopping $1,800, and the Z Fold 5 is expected to release at the same price.
At the price point of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, it should have a quad-camera setup with a Periscope zoom lens, but that’s not the case here. Leaks and CAD renders have already confirmed that the new Fold maintains exactly the same camera hardware as the Z Fold 4. So no Periscope Zoom on a device that’s just shy of being $2,000.
Samsung’s Not Using Their Best Sensor
Still on disappointments in the camear a department. It’s also been confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 will maintain the same 50 MP camera sensor as the Z Fold 4 used last year. So once again, a $1,800 phone lacks significantly in the camera department when the S23 Ultra, which is way cheaper, sports a higher and better 200 MP sensor. At the very least, Samsung could have used a 108 MP camera sensor.
Wider Outer Screen
Another change tech enthusiasts looked forward to with the Z Fold 5 but aren’t seeing is a wider outer screen. As said earlier in the article, the Fold 5’s outer screen is only getting a bit wider due to the bezel decrease. So a wider outer screen that’s more usable is not happening.
S-Pen Slot
Another feature that’s not shipping with the Z Fold 5 is an in-built S Pen slot. So if you want to use the Fold Edition S Pen, you’ll have to carry it separately.
