The fifth year Samsung offers the Z Fold series to the Malaysian market. The previous four versions offered significant changes in terms of screen design, bezel thickness, software features, camera performance and battery life. What about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5?
Regrettably, although the changes made this year are interesting, they are not enough to make the Z Fold5 the largest foldable screen device on the market. Why do we say that? Read this review for the answer.
Specifications
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
External Screen – 6.2″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz
Inside – 7.6″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz, HDR10+
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Processor For Galaxy (4nm)
1 X 3.36 GHz Cortex X2 chip
3 X 2.75 GHz Cortex A710
4 X 1.8 GHz Cortex 510
Adreno 730 Graphics Chip
RAM 12GB LPDDR5X
Internal Storage 256/512/1000 GB UFS 3.1
Primary Camera 50MP, f/1.8 Wide Angle, OIS
10MP, f/2,2 Telephoto, 3X Optical, OIS
12MP, f/2.4 Ultra Wide Angle
External Selfie Camera – 10MP f/2.2
Inside – 4MP f/1.8 UDC
4400 mAh battery
25W wired charging
15W wireless charging
4.5W reverse charging
SIM/Nano Telephony/5G
NFC Yes
No Audio Jack
IPX8 Waterproof
Scan System Side fingerprint scanner
Sale Price RM 6799 (12/256GB)
RM 7299 (12/512GB)
RM 8299 (12/1000GB)
Screen
This screen is still as big as 6.2″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X with a resolution of 904 x 2316 pixels, a ratio of 23.1:9, supporting a refresh rate of 120Hz and HDR10. The outdoor screen is bright and can be used well in bright sunlight. No need to rub your eyes because there are no typos here because the screen size, resolution and specifications are the same as last year's Z Fold4.
The internal screen is still 7.6″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X with a resolution of 1812 x 2176 pixels, 120Hz and supports HDR10. The crease effect is still visible even though the "water drop" crease technique was used this year. The 4MP UDC under-screen selfie camera is also retained with it being viewable from certain angles. Samsung's UTG glass coating still feels like polyamide under the fingers but they say it is still more scratch resistant than other coatings on the market.
Although the crease effect is still noticeable, we no longer feel it is intrusive when using the device. It is only noticeable when using a light colored background such as when browsing the web.
Perhaps after five years of using the entire Z Fold series, our eyes no longer care about the fold effect. Just like iPhone users who no longer complain about the giant notch on the screen. Based on our experience as well, all Fold-type foldable screen devices have a noticeable folding effect after a week of use. Still unavoidable by all manufacturers so far.
The internal screen is not as bright as the external screen. When the device is placed on the phone holder in the car, it is often difficult to see what is on the screen when there is bright sun. Even on high settings this issue cannot be resolved. The device passes the HDR10+ standard and has no issues playing Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Prime Video and YouTube content in HDR mode.
S PEN
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 supports S Pen but only on the inner screen. There is no built-in storage on the Z Fold5 as previously rumored. The new S Pen for Fold and S Pen Pro will launch this year with a higher level of tilt detection sensitivity.
There's a new frame that offers an S Pen that's 48% thinner than the regular S Pen for Fold. When stored it doesn't produce a big bump like last year's frame. Although thin and flat this S Pen does not have bluetooth support like the S Pen on the S23 Ultra. So camera and remote control features are not supported.
If Z Fold5 owners want to control the camera and some other applications remotely they need to buy the S Pen Pro which has bluetooth support. It has to be purchased separately. It should be noted that the S Pen from the Note and S Ultra series cannot be used on the Fold series to avoid damage to the foldable screen.
DESIGN
The body of the device is more boxy, similar to the design also found on the Z Flip5. This year is the year of the "box" for Samsung. We personally prefer the boxy design as it makes the Apprentice feel more solid in the hand. The Z Fold5 frame is still made of Armor Alumimium material which is durable and bend resistant.
On the right side there is an audio rocker, a power button and a fingerprint scanner. It's the fifth generation and Samsung still doesn't offer a built-in fingerprint scanner under the screen. A little disappointing because the Vivo X Fold2 that we reviewed a few months ago can offer it on the outer screen and the inner screen.
Magic Vs, Z Fold2, Z Fold4 and Z Fold5 size difference
The device is now not only over 2mm thinner with this new design but also feels lighter weighing just 253 grams compared to 263 grams on the Z Fold4 and 234 grams on the Galaxy S23 Ultra. This will somewhat satisfy those who feel that a foldable screen device is too heavy for it to be a practical daily use device.
The back panel is made of Gorilla Glass Victus 2 with a non-glossy finish. This allows wireless charging systems to be used as well as reverse charging systems. This non-gloss finish does not trap dirt easily and is offered in Phantom Black, Icy Blue and Cream.
The three main cameras on the back consist of a 50MP OIS wide-angle lens, a 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens and a 10MP telephoto lens up to 3X optical. On the inner screen there is a 4MP selfie camera under the screen and on the outer screen there is a 10MP selfie camera in the screen hole. All of the main cameras on the back are housed in the same hump as the Z Fold4.
This is because for those who may be familiar with the specifications of the Z Fold4, the Z Fold5 recycles all the cameras from last year's Fold4. No hardware changes have been made with Samsung saying the improvements have all been made to the camera software only this year.
There are speaker holes above and below the "left door" of the Fold5, again the same as those on the Z Fold4. Side-firing stereo speakers make the audio sound balanced, aided by a Dolby Atmos audio system that can be tuned according to the media being played.
On the left door is also placed a tray for dual-SIM nano that does not support micro SD cards. Z Fold5 can also support one eSIM but if activated only one physical SIM can be activated. There is still no 3.5mm audio jack and also no infrared transmitter because they are two features that are disappearing on flagship devices.
All these components are put into a body that passes the IPX8 standard. It can be submerged in water but is not dust resistant. So be careful because it is not the same as IP68 that is often heard.
USAGE AND SOFTWARE
One UI 5.1.1 operating system based on Android 13 is used. This is the same version used on the Z Fold4. There are no exclusive new features introduced on this year's model. With a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor chip matched with 12GB LPDDR5X RAM memory and up to 1TB UFS 4.0 storage, the Z Fold5 can be felt to work more smoothly.
We noticed this speed when watching YouTube on an external screen then moving in and out again. The video plays directly without stopping even for a moment. On the Z Fold4 the video will pause for about half a second when the screen being watched is changed. Even more amazing is the change when playing the first one. In the review video above you can see us playing COD Mobile from the outer screen to the inner before returning to the outer screen. The application continues to run without stopping. This year's software is more optimized for smoother multitasking.
Launching apps also feels faster just like the experience using the S23 Ultra that we praised earlier this year. Faster use of memory and storage makes the speed of the operating system felt this year. Speaking of RAM, the RAM Plus feature can add up to 8GB of memory virtually. It can be turned off if the owner does not want part of the storage to be taken up to add RAM.
Throughout the review period we enabled this RAM feature. When turned off we could not detect any major changes in the performance of running the application. We feel 12GB of RAM is more than adequate in 90% of situations. In fact, we've tried launching COD Mobile, Twitter and Chrome simultaneously without any issues. The combination of Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and 12GB LPDDR5X RAM does not disappoint.
Since its launch last year, the Taskbar feature has been improved and this can be seen on the Z Fold5. The taskbar can be hidden more easily and applications can be dragged directly from the taskbar directly to the screen to launch the Multi Window feature. There aren't really any drastic new feature additions with only smooth operation being improved this year.
Like all of Samsung's flagship and mid-range devices, the Z Fold5 will receive four versions of Android and security patches for up to five years. The device can be used for a long period of time without having to worry about possible security vulnerabilities.
BENCH MARK
Here are the scores recorded in the Geekbench 6, Antutu 3D and 3D Mark Wildlife Extreme benchmark tests. Despite using the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip as the S23 Ultra, strangely the score recorded was lower on the Z Fold5. We compare scores with the OnePlus 11, Xiaomi 13 Ultra and Sony Xperia 1 V equipped with a regular Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip.
AnTuTu 3D
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 – 1,597,608
Xperia 1 V: 1,234,059
Xiaomi 13 Ultra – 1,527,588
OnePlus 11: 1,248,004
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – 1,503,508
Geekbench 6
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 – 1948/5373
Xperia 1 V: 1902/5244
Xiaomi 13 Ultra – 2015/5457
OnePlus 11: 1204/4366
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – 2015/5294
3DMark Wild Life Extreme
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 – 2929
Xperia 1 V: 3,599
Xiaomi 13 Ultra – cannot be tested
OnePlus 11 – 3,682
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – 3,742
Despite the lower score compared to the S23 Ultra we couldn't actually detect a difference in using various apps. Social media apps, cameras, music streaming and video streaming can all be launched at lightning speed.
Initial performance is also excellent with all the applications we tested running at the most graphic settings and high frame rates. As with the S23 Ultra, we didn't experience any heating issues even after a relatively long first session. So far the heating issue on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip has only been found on the Xperia 1 V.
TELEPHONY And GPS
The device is supported by DNB's 5G network in Malaysia. On the Digi network we subscribe to everything works fine. Voice calls are clear and bright. VoLTE and VoWiFi connections can also be used if the cellular network is weak. WiFi performance is also excellent. If you subscribe to internet services up to 2Gbps, WiFi 6E on Z Fold5 can support it.
A little disconcerting is the inconsistent GPS performance. If we miss a junction the GPS still shows us on the wrong branch of the road. The actual position is only shown in the Waze application after about five seconds. There's something wrong with the Z Fold5's GPS system as we've never seen this happen on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 device.
CAMERA
Because the camera hasn't been changed, we weren't surprised when the camera performance was the same as the Z Fold4. This camera system is not the most advanced as there is no periscope zoom system. The camera application is also still the same. There are night, panorama, video, portrait and AR modes. The lack of new features may be disappointing but the fact is that we have now reached the peak of smartphones (peak mobile) so that year after year there are almost no new features introduced.
The pictures taken are sharp and bright. In a good lighting situation the colors look alive and have high saturation. This has already been done by Samsung a long time ago where photos will be processed after capture to look better than the actual situation. Macro mode is also satisfactory.
The night mode is very satisfying thanks to the large 50MP sensor and the OIS system. Longer exposures of up to 7 seconds can be done to get brighter night shots. The effect of noise on the image is minimal.
The 10MP selfie camera is average in picture quality. We still recommend you use this camera instead of the 4MP UDC camera inside because the resulting images are still not sharp enough
The zoom mode is good up to about 10x zoom only. Beyond this level the picture starts to look blurry. Below are sample images using 1x, 3x, 10x and 30x zoom modes. The conclusion from the test we did the camera on the Fold5 is a corporation with its status as a flagship device.
BATTERY
The bad news is that there is no change to the battery capacity which is still 4400 mAh and supports 25W wired charging, 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse charging. The good news is that the Z Fold5's battery life has improved significantly.
SOT 8-9 hours a day we can enjoy on moderate and heavy use. In moderate use the device can operate up to 18 hours. Heavy use is also down to 14 hours which could not be achieved on the Z Fold4 last year.
The durability of this battery cures the disappointment of the charging system which is still only 25W and no free charger is given. This is inexcusable as competitors like Honor Magic Vs and Huawei Mate X3 are offered with faster chargers. Recharging takes 90 minutes from 1% to 100%. No charger provided with every purchase.
AUDIO
Two side-firing stereo speakers offer balanced audio. The music and videos played can be enjoyed better because the Dolby Atmos audio system is also included. For fans of wireless audio accessories, there is AAC, SBC and LDAC codec support.
Still no room for a 3.5mm audio jack. Because of the large size of the device, the speaker can be placed on top with the hand on the side not covering the audio hole during the first session or Netflix. The audio performance of the Z Fold5 is the same as the Z Fold5.
IN THE BOX
Here's what's included in the box.
1x Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
1x USB-C to USB-C charging cable.
1x Manual.
1x SIM Pin.
CONCLUSION
When a new device is launched people expect improvements in specs, screen, camera, design, battery and software. In the case of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5, the device meets only three of these requirements. Therefore, it is a little difficult to recommend to those who want the above six things to be fulfilled.
The good thing is that performance is really good with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy. It can be felt that everything runs faster. The first can be played on high settings without heating issues. The battery performance is also very good even though the battery capacity changes directly. The design also solves the issue of having space when the screen is closed.
But the camera is still the same as the Z Fold4. The software also has no changes at all in terms of new features this year by also using the same One UI 5.1.1 on the Z Fold4. Charging is also still at the old notch of 25W which no longer deserves to be called "fast". Finally, the screen also has no improvement either in terms of size or capabilities.
That's why we feel that if you want a Fold-type foldable screen device right now, the Z Fold4 is a more reasonable choice. The price is now cheaper than starting at RM6799 for the new Z Fold5. The Z Fold5 isn't a bad device but it recycles so many components from last year that it's not really worth buying now.
Pro
A fairly high-powered specification for a first.
With more powerful specifications, use feels smoother.
Thinner design no more space between screens.
S Pen support.
Long lasting battery.
IPX8 waterproof.
Android version support of 4 versions and 5 years of security patches.
Cons
The fold line is still visible on the screen.
25W charging is slow.
There are no changes to the camera specifications.
Too much in common with the Z Fold4.