Samsung already announced the Galaxy Z Flip 5 but, as we’ve expected since the invites for the July 26 Unpacked event went out, the technology giant wasn’t going to leave fans of the Fold hanging. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is official, and like its more affordable and smaller counterpart, it boasts a new hinge that enables a gapless folded look.
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The new Galaxy Z Fold 5 also comes with a faster processor, software improvements, and a more compact S-Pen. Luckily, it keeps the price for Samsung’s flagship foldable at a modest $1,799. I’ve spent some brief time with the new device and am sharing my first impressions, a rundown of the specs, and a guide to preordering ahead.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 Release Date and How to Preorder Now
If you’re already sold, Samsung is taking preorders for the Z Fold 5 and will begin shipping them to arrive on August 11, the official release date. The 2-in-1 phone and tablet come in Icy Blue, Phantom Black, and Cream on Amazon. Additionally, Samsung.com will offer the device in two exclusive shades: Gray and Blue.
For the first time, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 can be configured with 1TB of storage as well as 256GB or 512GB. If you preorder the 256GB model, you’ll get an automatic upgrade to 512GB of internal storage. However, by trading in another eligible device—IE: a phone, tablet, or smartwatch—you can save up to $1,000 off the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and score one for as low as $799. You can even pair that with additional offers, like 30% off an extended warranty or up to $450 off if you get a Galaxy Watch 6 or Tab S9 as well.
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 with 256GB of Storage, $1,799 at Samsung
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 with 512GB of Storage, $1,919 at Samsung
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 with 1TB of Storage, $2,159 at Samsung
Galaxy Z Fold 5: First Impressions
While the Galaxy Z Flip 5 sports a new Cover Screen that makes it immediately distinguishable from the Z Flip 4, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 doesn’t change much regarding looks from the front. It’s still a standard smartphone that folds open into the size of a tablet. This way, you can have the ultimate productivity device as a 2-in-1 with a great internal display that immerses you in content.
It’s thinner and lighter than the Z Fold 4 at just 13.44 millimeters when folded and weighing 253 grams. Three new “waterdrop” designed hinges inside enable a crisp, comfortable opening and closing experience and, more significantly, eliminate the gap when closed. The Z Fold 5 now sits flat when closed, making it easier to slide into a pocket and diminishing fears about debris getting near the internal main display. Closing the Z Fold 5 also makes a ridiculously good-sounding click.
Samsung still keeps the rest of the device durable with Corning Gorilla Glass on the outer Cover Screen, and the rear of the Z Fold 5 is a frosted matte glass. Armor Aluminum coats the sides for a strong, somewhat scratch resistant (but fingerprint-showing) look. The whole folding smartphone is IPX8 rated for water resistance as well.
The same mighty fast processor that premiered with the S23 Ultra, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, is inside the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and is paired with a massive 12GB of RAM. Once again, it makes the Z Fold a beast for any thinkable task and lets you accomplish it on either screen. You can easily take calls, browse the web, play a game, or use the camera from the cover display and fold it open whenever for a larger experience.
On the main internal display, you can split the screen in various ways and more than just the two-apps-at-once approach you get with the competing Pixel Fold. Like the previous mode, a toolbar on the bottom lets you easily pair applications and access more by simply dragging them to the main screen and selecting a position. You could open your Outlook or Gmail inbox with Slack below it on the left and a Word document or web browser on the right. The Z Fold 5 comes with 256GB, 512GB, or (new with this generation) 1TB of storage space internally, too.
The device also houses a more efficient chip for graphically intensive tasks like gaming or editing and AI-driven ones. Paired with a larger Vampor Cooling Chamber inside the Z Fold 5, it can run through intense functions without heating up or causing an extreme drop in battery life. I tried a range of things on the Z Fold 5, and Asphalt 5 Racing was a true highlight. It was very smooth and reacted to commands within seconds, providing a visually immersive experience.
That is thanks to the main 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display that scales up to 120Hz. It delivers vibrant pops of color alongside crisp blacks and still features an “under display camera” as well. The latter is a neat trick and blends in with whatever content is on top. Still, the internal display here is probably the best on any mobile device.
On the outside, the cover display is still a slim 7.6-inch Dynamic Amoled 2X section in a 21.6:18 ratio. It’s good enough to easily crank out a text, browse the web, or even split the screen as on a regular smartphone. It even features a selfie camera, specifically a 10-megapixel lens, centered at the top in a notch. Over on the rear, there is still a triple array of cameras: 50-megapixel wide and two 12-megapixel ultra-wide cameras, which work together as wide as a 0.5-shot and as close as 3x optical or 30x space zoom shot. It should be a stellar camera; we’re excited to see how it lives up to our expectations
Samsung is sticking with a 4,400mAh dual battery inside, which should afford all-day battery life. However, when it comes time to recharge, you can place it on a Qi-enabled wireless charger or plug it in via USB-C.
As a whole, Samsung’s all about refining the Galaxy Z Fold this year with its fifth generation of a phone that turns into a tablet. It’s still plenty powerful with a more modern chip packed with more efficiencies and improvements to make it a swift experience. The major improvements and redesign of the hinge should increase durability, and the gapless nature that it enables makes it an even more portable device.
Read More of TheStreet's Coverage of Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked in Seoul
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic Might Be the Best Smartwatches for Android Yet
- We Tried Samsung’s Three New Galaxy Tablets, and There's One Surprising Feature
- Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 Gives Us a Bigger Cover Screen for Less Than $1,000
Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.
