Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 First Impressions: A Safe & Boring Update

Yes, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 remains the premier foldable phone in India, and arguably, the world - although the latter is a topic of much debate. However, in essence, the Z Fold5 is a safe, if somewhat uninspiring, update. Samsung has refined its offering and made minimal changes, creating an iteration that closely mirrors the Fold 3, with few alterations from the previous generation.

The changes are subtle, the standout new feature being the "flex hinge" which ensures a seamless fold without any wedge-shaped gap. This promises greater protection from dust ingress, which can damage the polymer-based foldable screen by infiltrating the hinge mechanism.

Samsung has indeed made improvements, yet DJ Koh, the mobile business head of the South Korean tech giant, has urged customers to wait a little longer for an actual dust resistance rating. Consequently, much like its predecessors, the Galaxy Z Fold5 only carries an IPX8 water resistance rating.

This is a disappointment. Samsung has been at the forefront of foldable technology for quite some time, and the Z Fold5 represents its 5th generation product. Considering it's the world's priciest Android phone, one would expect basic features such as dust resistance - something even the modestly priced Rs 11,999 Redmi 12 5G offers - to be included in a device that costs ten times as much.

Further compounding the issue is the fact that the design has seen little alteration beyond the new hinge. Samsung's approach to foldable phones has resulted in an internal screen with a square shape that causes significant letterboxing on 16:9 content, rendering the external screen more akin to a remote control. Newer folding phones like the Pixel Fold boast a wider and shorter external display, providing a more conventional smartphone screen that is handy for basic tasks, while reducing the letterboxing effect on content through a broader internal screen.

Naturally, Samsung has been striving to adapt standard Android software to its unique aspect ratios, but there has been little progress over the years. With Google's alterations to Android for tablets and foldable phones, one can envisage developers optimising their work more in line with the recommendations from Android's investor.

Nonetheless, Samsung offers the most comprehensive multitasking experience on a foldable phone, featuring an enhanced drag and drop mechanism and multi-window function, along with a refined dock reminiscent of a Mac.

Added to this, the Z Fold5 supports the S-pen, complete with a slimmer, more portable model. The displays are an impressive 7.6” and 6.2” respectively, shielded by Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Notably, the 7.6” panel not only supports 120Hz but is also the brightest foldable display available, reaching 1700 nits. It is truly a sight to behold, despite the unavoidable crease.

Performance-wise, there's little to fault, given the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, specifically designed for the Galaxy series, coupled with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage - expandable to 1TB.

The phone features a 4,400mAh battery housed in a slightly slimmer frame. Although the battery size remains the same, I have observed better battery life than its predecessor. More on this will be covered in the full review.

The cameras remain unrivalled amongst foldable phones. However, it is disappointing that Samsung has not upgraded the hardware – the 50-megapixel primary camera is paired with a 12-megapixel ultra-wide and telephoto lens, which supports 3x optical zoom. While the software has improved and a new ISP has been included, one should not anticipate any dramatic changes from the Fold4's camera. More details on this will follow in my review.

Overall, the Z Fold5 offers more of the same, now available in a new lavender colour. Its glossy armour aluminium frame is particularly striking. Retailing from Rs 154,999, this phone packs a punch, but will it maintain its appeal once OnePlus unveils its own foldable in a month's time?

Critically, as a reviewer, I sense that OnePlus may be poised to outshine Samsung with a more impressive offering. Nevertheless, I fully anticipate the Fold5 to top the sales charts. Given its sales network and the fragile nature of folding screens, for most people, it will likely be the safer choice.

It also helps that Samsung has the best software on a foldable which is also super stable with an immaculate upgrade program — these are things that no hardware edge can make up for.