Samsung has revealed its book-style foldable for 2023, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. Though it looks like its predecessor, there are key changes on offer that might tempt prospective buyers.
The biggest improvement is the new teardrop hinge that finally lets the Z Fold 5 close completely flat – one of the most prominent issues since its inception – but that’s not all. It’s also impressively powerful with a custom Snapdragon chipset, and the display is more durable than ever.
The question is, amidst increased competition from other manufacturers, does the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 do enough to tempt consumers? Here’s everything you need to know about the latest book-style foldable.
When will the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 be released?
As confirmed by Samsung, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 will be released on 11 August 2023, though keen fans can pre-order the device from Samsung before launch.
How much will the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 cost?
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 was already a comfortably premium device that started at £1,649, but that hasn’t stopped the price of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 from increasing as rumours suggested it would.
That said, the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 starts at an increased £1,749 for the entry-level 256GB model bringing it in line with Google’s competing Pixel Fold. That’s an increase of £100 compared to its predecessor, and given the minimal changes on offer, that might be a bit of a hard sell.
That said, Samsung is trying to sweeten the deal during the pre-order period, with fans able to get the 512GB model for the same price as the 256GB model.
What’s new with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5?
Let’s just get this out of the way now: the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 looks and feels a lot like its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4. There are changes on offer, but they’re relatively minor compared to previous years which have seen considerable advancements in the foldable tech.
The biggest change is a new teardrop hinge mechanism that finally allows the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 to close completely without an awkward triangular gap, as is the case with previous models. It instantly makes the design feel much cleaner and more premium, especially compared to other foldables available in 2023, though there’s no real improvement to the crease on its inner display.
It’s also a little lighter and thinner compared to its predecessor, measuring 13.4mm thick and 253g – a reduction of 2.4mm and 10g respectively. It’s still a big foldi boi, but it’s slightly more compact this time around.
Other notable upgrades on offer include Qualcomm’s custom version of its flagship chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy. That’s paired with 12GB of RAM and either 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage depending on the variant you opt for.
Compared to other flagships, Samsung’s custom chip boasts boosted CPU clock speeds and an additional GPU core to really push performance to the limit. That should give the Z Fold 5 the advantage over practically every other foldable, regardless of whether they’re using the standard 8 Gen 2.
The inner display, though remaining unchanged with a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with 2K resolution and 120Hz variable refresh rate, is now capable of much higher peak brightness at 1,750nits. That’s in line with the top-end Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, which should be a real boon for outdoor use and HDR10+ viewing.
That all-and-narrow 6.2-inch cover display remains largely unchanged, however, with no notable improvements this time around. It’s still tall, it’s still thin and it’s still just as high-quality as ever.
Rather disappointingly in a year where foldable cameras have gone from strength to strength with the likes of the Google Pixel Fold, the Z Fold 5’s camera setup remains identical to that of its predecessor. That includes a combination of a 50MP main, 10MP telephoto and 12MP ultrawide on the rear, a 10MP cover camera and a 4MP under-display camera within the foldable display.
It’s a similar story in the battery life department, with an identical 4,400mAh cell and 25W charging as its predecessor.
Considering just how similar the Z Fold 5 is to its predecessor, that price hike is going to be a hard pill to swallow.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 specs
See how the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 compares to its predecessor in our spec breakdown.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
