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UPDATE (June 18, 2024): A new update is rolling out to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. The company has started pushing out the June 2024 Android security update to the device. You can read more about it at the very end of the article.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the latest book-style foldable smartphone the company announced. It launched alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 5, a clamshell foldable, and several other products during Samsung’s second Unpacked event in July 2023. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 does bring a spec bump compared to its predecessor, while it also folds flat unlike the Fold 4. The two phones are quite similar, though, in many ways. If you’d like to know more about the phone, read on.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 specs
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is fueled by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. The device includes 12GB of RAM in all of its variants, and up to 1TB of storage. Samsung used the latest LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage here, by the way. The main, foldable display on the phone measures 7.6 inches, while the cover display measures 6.2 inches. Both panels are 120Hz displays, though the cover display has an HD+ resolution only.
A 4,400mAh battery is also included in the package, and the phone supports 25W wired charging. 15W wireless charging is also supported. Do note that the charger is not included in the box, though. A 50-megapixel main camera sits on the back, while a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit is also included. The third camera on the back is a 10-megapixel telephoto unit (3x zoom). Under the main display, there is a 4-megapixel camera, while the cover display has a 10-megapixel selfie camera (hole punch).
Android 13 is also a part of the package, along with Samsung’s One UI 5.1.1 skin. The phone is IPX8 certified for water resistance, and it has two nano SIM card slots. It also supports eSIM, by the way. A side-facing fingerprint scanner is also included.
How much does the Galaxy Z Fold 5 cost?
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5’s price remains unchanged compared to last year’s model. The base model of the device is still priced at $1,799 in the US. We’re talking about a 12GB RAM model with 256GB of internal storage here.
Where can I buy the Galaxy Z Fold 5?
You’ll be able to buy the Galaxy Z Fold 5 at all of the usual places. That goes for both the carriers and the retailers.
– Samsung
– Amazon
– Best Buy
– Verizon
– AT&T
– T-Mobile
Do note that this list will likely increase soon, though. We’ll add more links as they become available.
What carriers does it work on?
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 will work on all US carriers. That includes AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and all MVNOs that run on their networks. So, it’ll work on Visible, US Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile, Cricket, and more.
What colors does the Galaxy Z Fold 5 come in?
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 will be available in five color options. The thing is, two of those will be exclusive to Samsung.com. The ones that you’ll be able to get over at your carrier and the retailers are Cream, Icy Blue, and Phantom Black.
The two color options that will be exclusive to Samsung.com are Blue and Gray. Another thing to note is that color availability may vary. Not all carriers and retailers may have all possible color options on offer.
What new upgrades does the Galaxy Z Fold 5 have over the Galaxy Z Fold 4?
So what’s new on the Fold 5? Well, the phone is actually quite similar to its predecessor, but there are some upgrades you should know of.
It finally folds flat
Not a single Galaxy Z Fold handset, up until now, folded flat. The competition has been making foldable phones that fold flat for years, and yet Samsung opted to ignore that trend. The company finally changed that philosophy with the Galaxy Fold 5. This handset folds completely flat, as you’d expect. So the inner display is actually well-protected when folded.
Thinner & lighter
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is both thinner and lighter than its predecessor. Samsung attributes this to a new hinge it’s using this time around. It is noticeably thinner when folded, while the difference is not exactly noticeable when the device is unfolded. Still, this is a far cry from the thinnest foldables out there, like the HONOR Magic V2, Xiaomi MIX Fold 2, and the Huawei Mate X3. All three of those are a lot thinner when folded. The Fold 5 does weigh 10 grams less than its predecessor, though.
Better multitasking
Samsung has enhanced the Galaxy Z Fold 5’s taskbar, and thus improved overall multitasking on the device. You’ll now see up to four recently used apps there, and the two-handed drag and drop has also been enhanced.
Brighter display
The Fold 5 also brings a brighter display to the table, it now rivals the Galaxy S23 Ultra. It’s considerably brighter than what the Galaxy Z Fold 4 had to offer, as it can reach 1,750 nits at its peak. Do note that we’re talking about the main display too here.
Improved cameras
Samsung not only improved the cameras across the board, mostly by software, but it is also now offering the Nighttime Hyperlapse feature with the Galaxy Z Fold 5. That’s not something we expected, but it’s here.
What cases are available for the Galaxy Z Fold 5?
When it comes to cases, you’ll be right at home if you’ve used them on the Galaxy Z Fold 4. Samsung is offering the following cases: Slim S Pen Case ($99.99), Clear Gadget Case ($54.99), Eco-Leather Case ($79.99), and the Standing Case with Strap ($84.99).
Should I buy the Galaxy Z Fold 5?
Truth be said, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is not that much different than the Fold 4. The main difference, design-wise, is that it folds flat now. It is slightly lighter and slightly thinner. It does, however, bring newer specs, and it’s improved in a number of other ways. Chances are that the Fold 6 will bring a more notable change, however, so if you’re still happy with your Galaxy Z Fold 4, it could be wise to wait for the next-gen model. If you feel like these changes are enough to upgrade, well then, by all means… go for it. In any case, we’ll have far more info once we properly review the device.
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Updated on February 14, 2024:
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is now getting the Android security update for February 2024. Do note that the update is rolling out to both carrier-locked and unlocked models of the phone… in the US. The build numbers we’re looking at here are F946USQS2BXAD and F946U1UES2BXAD. International models will follow suit. What’s new in this month’s update? Well, not much. This update does bring patches for 69 vulnerabilities for Galaxy smartphones, but nothing besides that, it seems. It’s strictly a security update.
Updated on March 12, 2024:
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is now getting another Android security update. This time around, we’re talking about the March update, and it’s rolling out to the Galaxy Z Fold 5 units in the US. Carrier-locked models are getting the ‘F946USQS2BXBE’ build number, while unlocked variants are getting an update with an F946U1UES2BXBE firmware build number. Samsung did confirm that this update brings three dozen Android OS fixes and nine Galaxy security fixes. It’s a relatively small updates, but it apparently contains a ton of patches for your device.
Updated on April 5, 2024:
Samsung has started rolling out One UI 6.1 update to the Galaxy Z Fold 5, amongst some other phones. The rollout started in the US, and Verizon units were first in line. The update probably spread to other models by the time you see this, however. Many of you are probably wondering what’s new, so let’s see.
This update brings the Circle to Search feature to the Galaxy Z Fold 5. That is Google’s feature, of course. It allows you to quickly circle whatever you want to search, it’s seamless. On top of that, the camera app can now scan and translate text. The Samsung Internet browser, Samsung’s very own browser, now offers the capability of creating summaries of websites. It also keeps them properly formatted while doing that.
The keyboard got some AI capabilities too, like AI translate. Different chat styles are also available from within the keyboard, while the Galaxy AI is available in the gallery. It can do some heavy lifting when editing is concerned. Those are only some major new additions, though you’ll find more of them once you install the update.
Updated on April 12, 2024:
April 2024 security update has started rolling out to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. That is true for both international and US models of the phone. The rollout started with carrier-locked devices in the US, but chances are it will expand to more units by the time you’re reading this. This update is all about security patches, which is not surprising considering that the recent One UI 6.1 update brought plenty of new features. This update includes over 40 security fixes. 30 of them are Android OS patches, while the remaining 10 are Galaxy-specific.
Updated on May 17, 2024:
Following the One UI 6.1 update that started rolling out last month, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is now also getting an Android security update for May 2024. The rollout has started in both the US and some other markets, and it’s spreading constantly. Do note that the rollout first started for carrier-locked variants in the US. This update comes with 50 vulnerability patches, at least three of them are critical fixes. The patch for the battery drain issue doesn’t seem to be included, though.
Updated on June 18, 2024:
The June 2024 Android security update has started rolling out to the Galaxy Z Fold 6. This update is rolling out globally at this point, including the US. With the update, Samsung is patching up 60 vulnerabilities, including one critical flaw that was found. There’s not much else to talk about here, though. This update is all about security fixes, there are no new features included, or anything of the sort. One UI 6.1.1 is on the horizon, as it will launch next month, so get read for that. That update will put new features to the table.