Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 2023 – It is an open-and-shut case (smartphone review)

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 joins its Flip5 brother in offering alternatives to the traditional glass slab. While they essentially share common internals, their use cases are entirely different. While the Flip is seen as a fashion item, this is for productivity.

And as you would expect, it has everything, including things the Flip5 missed out on.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 vs Fold4

• The ever-important DeX (Samsung Desktop Experience) via cable or Wi-Fi to TVs, monitors and PCs. If you have never used DeX, you won’t understand the thrill of walking into a boardroom and casting an Excel spreadsheet to a TV or Projector. When I travel, I take the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra instead of a bulky laptop.
• The S-Pen for Fold (option $109/169 pen-only/with case). Lose the pen and paper, take notes on the screen, use it as a camera remote, sketch, and more. It is a special version for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 that reduces the chance of harm to the soft internal screen.
• A 50MP primary camera (12)
• Better sound
• Ultra-wideband
• 1TB storage option and 12GB RAM
• Far better heat management to reduce throttling.
• Slightly larger 4400mA battery (3700) and 15W Qi (10)

Fold 5 special features

• A Telephoto camera with 3X optical and 30X Digital Hybrid zoom is important when you need one of the better and more flexible smartphone camera systems.
• Two selfie cameras – a 4MP hidden under glass internal and 10MP cover camera.
• A usable 6.2”, 23.1:9 ratio front screen that does everything the internal screen can – except the real estate. You can also select which Apps will run on the cover screen.
• A massive 7.6” 6:5 folding screen that gives you enough real estate to split screen, open spreadsheets (and edit/read them), multi-task and more. Accountants will love this.
• That screen works in portrait (6:5 is close to square) or landscape (roughly equivalent to 21.6:8), where you can play 16:9 movies full width with minimal top and bottom black bars. Most common Apps will expand to fill the screen.
• A taskbar (like Windows) with six most common apps and a slide-out, right-side edge screen for 8 Apps.
• A split screen (landscape) where two simultaneous Apps can open.

I am sure there are many other aspects. They share the same processor, Android OS/Upgrade policy and warranty, and IPX8. The Catch-22 is that the Flip base (8/256) unit is $1649, which is $2599 (12/256GB). Still, it comes down to use cases. While Joe and Jane Average may buy the Flip for fashion, Fold buyers are productivity-focused.

Should you upgrade?

Readers have asked if the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 is enough to justify a Fold4 grade.

• New fold-flat hinge for no gap (gap)
• Similar camera setup, but the AI in the new SoC is more powerful, offering warmer colours, higher contrast, wider dynamic range, and improved sharpening. Both are very good!
• SD8 Gen 2 vs SD8 Gen 1
• Similar screen
• Android 13 and four upgrades (Android 12/same)
• Same battery, but SD8 Gen 2 is slightly more energy efficient.

It is a massive leap over the Fold and Fold3 – not so much the Fold4. Open your wallets and get a trade-in if the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 is for you.

Samsung Incentives – could save you a dollar or three

Samsung offers trade-in, but the reality is that it is best for premium flagship iPhone or Galaxy phones.

It also has a Care+ program. It is a two-year device swap $229 subscription program, and you just pay the swap fee ($299) for each swap request. There is a 50% discount incentive at present.

You can also get interest-free pay-by-the-month over 36 months. Or you can get a subscription over 18 months and then resubscribe to a new phone.

Other programs include Galaxy Ecosystem bundles (10-20% off), Samsung rewards and a fixed-price screen replacement.

Australian Review: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 2023 Model SM-F946B/DS

Website	Product Page and hardware Manual (US version)
Price	12/256 $2,599 12/512 $2799 12/1TB $3149 Optional 25W charger with 1M USB-C-USB-C 3W cable $50 Accessories and cases from $79 to $169 (strongly recommended)
Colours	Standard colours: Icy Blue, Phantom Black, and Cream Samsung Online Exclusive colours: Grey and Blue
From*	Samsung online, Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, The Good Guys, Amazon, Officeworks, Bing Lee, Woolworths, David Jones, Myer, Costco, BIG W, Target, Radio Rentals, RT Edwards, Retravision, Betta and Australia Post.
Warranty	24-months ACL
More	CyberShack Samsung News and Reviews

* Grey market – no Australian warranty, and 5G may not work here

We strongly advise you to buy a genuine model with Australian firmware. Regrettably, it is not easy as the Settings, About Phone, Regulatory Labels and Australian RCM C-tick mark is missing. This may be due to the review phone. But you should insist on a screen grab if you buy anywhere else.

Australian certified phones use unique Australian 5G sub-6Ghz and 5G low-band frequencies, requiring local activation first. Read Don’t buy a grey market smartphone.

Deep-Dive review format

It is in two parts – a summary (first) and a separate 300+ line database-driven spec, including over 70 tests to back up the findings. It also helps us compare different phones and features.

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

First Impression – I could use this – Pass+

I was not enamoured with Fold and Fold3 – screen durability issues mainly. Fold4 was good, but there is no imperative to upgrade from that.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 is about use cases. At $2599 to $3149 (plus S-Pen/Case/Charger), you need to buy this for work and get a tax write-off. It is not the phone to fling to the kiddies to keep them amused (the screen won’t handle it). Buy a small, durable tablet for that. No, this is a very personal device – my precious.

It now has a fold-flat hinge, which removes another objection. It is a little slimmer and offers slightly more dust resistance. It is large (154.9 x 67.1 x 13.4mm) and heavy in pocket (253g plus case – and you need it). After my week of use, it was a relief to revert to a <200g and 8.8mm thick device in my pocket.

The larger screen takes a little user adjustment, too. It is a two-handed device; guaranteed, you will see nearly $3K crashing to the floor otherwise. And while I like the taskbar, I keep getting false hits, especially when using the camera or holding it by the bottom side. Clue: Use the external screen as a viewfinder instead – all minor issues for Fold users.

Once the novelty of the big screen wears off, you can use the external screen 90% of the time. Avoid the temptation to open it up.

Summary: If you want a big screen, there is nothing like this in Australia – nothing.

Internal Screen: 2176 x 1812, 373 ppi, 21.6:18, up to 120Hz, Dynamic AMOLED 2X – Pass+

This is a bright, infinite contrast AMOLED screen. Colours are over-saturated in Natural (sRGB mode). In Vivid mode, they are nearly 100% of 16.7M of the DCI-P3 movie gamut (about 60% of 10-bit/1.07 billion colours). My only comment is that more premium phones now use 10-bit/1.07 billion colour AMOLED screens, essential to creators, photographers, and videographers. Read 8-bit versus 10-bit screen colours. What is the big deal?

Samsung does not disclose the Typical, HBM, and Peak brightness with or without the Automatic Light sensor. We understand that it is XXX/XXX/1750 nits respectively.

We don’t doubt the claims, but peak brightness is a less-than-relevant marketing term for brightness to display HDR10+ content in 2% of the screen – not the whole screen. It will play Netflix, Prime, and YouTube 1080p HDR content.

It (not the cover screen) has settings for ALS (Adaptive Light Sensor) and HBM (High Brightness mode).

Tests show it is typically around 470/780/1670 nits with ALS Off/ALS On HBM/Peak. Delta E Vivid DCI-P3 is 3.7 (<4 is good).

PWM may be an issue for some. At low brightness (< 50%), this is at a constant 120 Hz. When increased, it is constant at 240 Hz.

The caveat is that the screen has a Mohs hardness level of 2 and can be marked easily with a fingernail (2.5). It supports a special S-Pen. Despite the powerhouse processor, we cannot recommend it for games and Apps using heavy finger presses.

The crease is still there

The crease is noticeable in a left/right swipe but not so much in an up/down swipe. It is quite a channel to cross. We expect it is because of the IPX8 rating. X means it is not dust resistant, and 8 means 1.5M fresh, still water for 30 minutes. The Hinge is exposed to dust and water.

Summary: The screen is eminently daylight readable and perfect for multitasking or just big, easy-to-see letters!

Cover screen

On the outside, you get a 6.2”m 23.1:9, HDR10+, 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED. It has no S-Pen support.

Test: 450/735/1143nits – Typical/HBM/HDR10+ content in 2% window. Delta E is 3.2 (<4 is good). It is daylight-readable, has an Edge screen for eight Apps, and you can enable an Always On Display.

Summary: A most useful cover screen as it can run Apps in full screen and not just Widgets like the Flip5.

Processor – Qualcomm SD8 Geb 2 Galaxy edition – Pass+

The Galaxy Edition clocks the prime core at 3.36GHz (standard is 3.2GHz), and the 719GHz Adreno 740 GPU now has Ray Tracing. Finally, the new X70 5G modem is the first to support DSDA (dual sim, dual active). It is a terrific engine.

It is married to 12GB of LPDDR5X (fastest RAM) and 256GB (207GB free) UFS 4.0 (fastest storage). There is no microSD (not expected). The USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 port only supports OTG cut and paste to an external flash drive or SSD. That rules this device out for creators, Vloggers and professional users that need fast mountable storage for live video, etc.

Interestingly, the GPU runs considerably faster than the Flip5 and has CPU Throttling reasonably under control (larger space to dissipate heat).

• Maximum billion instructions per second (GIPS) 362,558
• Average GIPS: 311,799
• Minimum GIPS: 259,591
• Throttle:22% (reasonable thermal control)

One thing became obvious – this is a hot phone. The rear and front’s top half typically reached 45-47°C (113-116°). It won’t burn but can be pretty hot against your face in use.

Summary: Excellent processor but lack of external mountable flash or SSD storage is a major issue for creators and power users.

Comms – everything you expect – Pass+

• Wi-Fi 6E AXE, HE160. It kept the maximum 2400Mbps full-duplex on the 6GHz channel to two metres, dropping to 2161 at 10m. 6E has a shorter transmission distance, and as expected, it switched to 5GHz and 864Mbps at 15m from our Netgear Orbi RBKE963 Quad-band Wi-Fi 6E AXE 11000 mesh. We had a minor issue with it staying locked onto a Mesh node about 10m away and returning variable results. Once the node was disabled, results stabilised.
• BT 5.3 BLE supports multi-point, dual audio, and fast pairing to compatible BT 5.X devices. It has SBC, AAC, aptX, LDAC and Samsung Scalable Codec (for select Samsung earphones only).
• Dual GPS accurate to 3 metres – suitable for high-speed in-car navigation
• NFC – yes
• USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 5Gbps. It supports ALT DP 1.4 (audio/video/data/Ethernet/charge streams), which means you can screen mirror to a TV or monitor over a USB-C to USB-C or HDMI Cable. Dex (Desktop experience) is enabled.
• Ultra-wideband: Yes

Summary: All that you need, including DeX and Ultra-wideband.

4 and 5G – City, suburbs and regional city use – Exceed

It has a single SIM and an eSIM, although you may find a DS (Dual SIM/eSIM variant). The Qualcomm SD8 Gen 2 and X70 5G modem is the first to support DSDA – dual SIM, dual active for 4G and 5G. Without getting technical, all older phones are DSDS – Dual SIM, dual standby are for one-at-a-time use.

DSDA means both active, so in theory, you can aggregate downloads from two different mobile numbers, make a phone call while online gaming, be on the phone with a second call on hold, etc. Many features, however, are yet to be implemented by the Telco carriers.

It finds all four test towers at outstanding signal strengths (up to 7.9pW – picoWatts – Exceed).

Phone Summary: We are happy to rate it suitable for major cities, suburbs, regional cities, and rural or remote areas. We would be surprised if Telstra did not award a Bluetick.

Battery – depends on use – Pass

It has dual 4.47V batteries in serial with a nominal capacity of

• Battery 1: 8.96Wh/2310mAh (rated 9.23Wh/2380mAh)
• Battery 2: 7.6Wh/1960mAh (rated 7.83Wh/2020mAh).
• Advertised rated capacity is 4700mAh, and tested capacity is 4270mAh – quite a difference. This disparity occurs due to different manufacturing batches, but 10% less seems slightly extreme.

The serial batteries charge at a maximum of 9V/2.77A/24.93W.

The good news is that the batteries appear reasonably easy to replace without removing the fragile inner screen.

The bad news is that Samsung does not supply a charger, joining Google and Nokia in this awful practice. It means you must buy a charger (Samsung’s 25W is $50 and includes a 3W USB-C to USB-C cable). Or you can buy any larger capacity multi-port charger (preferably a GaN Gallium Nitride) from Belkin or Alogic. Don’t forget to buy a 5W cable if you select a 60W charger or larger.

Tests (Adaptive mode screen up to 120Hz)

• 1080p Video loop, 50% brightness and volume, aeroplane mode: 12 hours and 31 minutes.
• PC Mark 3 Battery life office use: 13 hours 9 minutes.
• Accubattery mixed use: 17 hours and 38 minutes.
• GFX Bench Manhattan Game: Would not run.
• GFX Bench T-Rex Game: 343.4 minutes (5.72 hours) 6716 frames.
• Drain 100% load: 4 hours 39 minutes.
• Drain 100% load: 2650-3000mA.
• Drain idle: 250-300mA.
• Charge time 25W charger: 1 hour 26 minutes.
• Charge time 15W charger: 2 hours.
• Reverse charge 4.5W Qi for a watch: not measured.

Interestingly, no matter which charger we used (Samsung 25W, Belkin 30W, Belkin Gan 60W, Pixel 30W and Cygnet Gan 60W with 3 and 5W cables), it refused to charge at more than 9V/2A/18W.

These results are slightly below expectations, given Samsung marketing states up to 21 hours of Wi-Fi video streaming (not our lower power, on-device video test) and 18 hours of Wi-Fi internet use (more like the 12-hour Accubattery results).

The results reflect both the lower battery capacity and we suspect the higher GPU frequency that drains more power under load.

Heavy users will need to schedule a charge before the end of a workday, and typical users will charge overnight. Buy a Qi charge pad and let it top up the device as needed.

Summary: A workday at best. Carry a charger – it is a shame Samsung does not provide one.

Sound – stereo – Pass+

At last, a phone with some middle and upper bass – not heaps, but enough to make music more enjoyable.

It has an earpiece at the top that does not work when the Fold is open. It then has matched up/down-firing speakers that fire sideways for a good sound stage when open in landscape mode.

It uses 2 x CVS35L43, 6.8W, 1% THD class D amplifiers that decode Dolby Atmos content and downmix to its two speakers. Despite the apparent amp power, the maximum volume is 82dB.

Matched speakers mean a wider landscape sound stage outside the phone’s dimensions. It expands slightly with Dolby Atmos content, with minimal 3D spatial effects.

Bluetooth aptX earphones (Sennheiser True Wireless Momentum 3 BT) had excellent left-right separation, and DA settings make quite a difference with DA content. But we are less than happy with the included BT codecs – SBC, AAC, aptX, LDAC and SSC (Samsung Scalable Codec).

Samsung will not pay licensing fees to Qualcomm for the full aptX suite (only apt X is free), instead including its royalty-free SSC, which only works with select Samsung earphones. Read Bluetooth sound codecs – what you need to know as the game has changed.

Hands-free use is excellent with three top and one bottom mic. It has a HAC rating of M3/T3 for hearing enhancements.

Sound Signature – Pass+

It has some much-needed mid-and-high bass, so you get just enough to satisfy. Mid-200Hz-4kHz is flat and strong, which is suitable for clear voice. Treble 4-20kHz rapidly declines, and the sound lacks dynamism – as if you were there.

The EQ does not make any difference to the speaker’s native sound signature but can recess treble for a clearer voice.

Read How to tell if you have good music (sound signature is the key.

Summary: Samsung has made a listenable smartphone – now, please focus on better speakers in Fold6.

Build – Pass+

It is well-made, IPX8 and would have earned Exceed if not for the fragile main screen.

In the first year, Samsung will do a one-time screen protector attachment (not the screen) service free of charge at an authorised Samsung service centre.

Samsung will replace the inner screen module for a fixed price of $765. Alternatively, you can take out a Samsung Care+ subscription for $149 (1 year) or $279 (2 years). This makes ultimate sense. Prices exclude any promotional offers.

Samsung has wisely stopped advertising 400,000 hinge tests because it set unreasonable ACL warranty expectations. Independent tests saw the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 survive 401,146 folds.

S-Pen – Pass but not cheap

Samsung Note, Ultra and Flip users who have experienced the S Pen wax lyrical about its usefulness. My attitude is that it is good but not the reason to buy. Competent texters will have no issues taking notes on the larger keyboard, albeit split in two.

The Slim S-Pen Case for Fold Edition is precisely what the name suggests. A protective case that fits nicely on both of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 sides and a holster for the pen with slide-to-eject functionality. The S-Pen has a softer retractable tip to minimise screen damage.

DeX – USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 alt DP video and audio – Exceed

The USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 is 5Gbps (625MBps) and supports alt DP 1.4 audio/video streams, data, and charging. So that means DeX (Samsung Android Desktop) and USB-C to HDMI cable to a TV or monitor or Wi-Fi to cast to a TV.

Android 13 with more to come – Exceed

You can read What are the official Android OS and Security update policies? (guide). But suffice it to say it gets four OS updates and five years of security updates – excellent.

Samsung wants to establish a relationship with you, so it strongly encourages you to set up a Samsung account where you can access extra Galaxy Apps, and it can advertise to you. The phone works fine if you don’t accept its invitation.

Samsung OneUI 5.1.1 is easy to use and contains a variety of Samsung alternatives to Google Apps. We advise using Google Apps, especially if you ever change brands. It also has Samsung Smart Switch that can bring standard format data from iPhone or Android.

Missing – not much and no deal breakers

• 3.5mm jack – use a 3.5mm to USB-C DAC cable
• MicroSD storage expansion – could be an issue, so ensure you buy enough storage.
• No externally mountable SSD/HDD storage – an issue for videographers etc
• No charger inbox – it will cost you $50 to get the genuine Samsung 25W.

Rear Camera – Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5

DXO Mark has done a full camera analysis, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 came in at 43^rd place with 128 points. Tests showed less than expected performance on Noise, Artifacts, Bokeh, and Preview (what you see is not what you get). Exposure, colour, focus, and stabilisation were above average.

That is in the company of Flip4 (127), Apple iPhone 12 Pro 2020, Google Pixel 6 2020 (126) and OPPO Find X3 Pro 2020 (128). If we look at some recent flagships, the difference becomes obvious:

• OPPO Find X6 Pro 2023 – 153
• OPPO Find X6 2023 – 150
• Google Pixel 7 Pro 2022 – 147
• Apple iPhone 14 Pro and Max 2022 – 146
• Google Pixel 7 2022 – 140
• Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 2023 – 140

The question is how well the SD8 Gen 2 SoC AI can post-process the image taken by what is essentially the Fold4 2022 camera setup that scored 124 points.

Camera Comments – Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5

• 1X Day Primary sensor – the colours are excellent if over-saturated with good dynamic range. Good details in the background, shadows, and highlights, although there is noticeable noise in the background.
• Ultra-wide: Second sensor: good colour and details.
• 2X Day Primary sensor – colours are excellent with good dynamic range. The background is getting noisy.
• 4X Day Primary sensor. Excellent foreground details, but AI is over-sharpening the water.
• 10X Day: Primary sensor: Forget it
• 20X Day Primary: Ditto
• Macro: There is no macro setting, and we could not get a decent shot with the primary sensor.
• Indoor office light: There is a pinkish cast. Colours and details are excellent, and the dog’s face/ears are deep black.
• Bokeh Depth: It is a bit light on (bokeh level is adjustable) but still an excellent shot.
• Dark <40 lumens: It has great details and colour – better than night mode on most cameras.
• Night mode brings up the detail and saturates the colour – excellent.
• Selfie: The 10MP selfie has natural skin tones, details, and a range of filters to enhance any image. Best in a day and office light. The inner hidden 4MP is for video conferences.
• Video (we are not video experts): You can shoot at 8K@24/30fps (no OIS/EIS), but we think the sweet spot is still 4K@30fps or 1080p@30fps for excellent, OIS/EIS stable video and audio.

Camera Summary: While it is not a flagship camera, it is a decent point-and-shoot that will serve most users very well.

CyberShack’s view – Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 – the tightest open and shut case!

Of the Fold4 2022, I wrote, “I was not really comfortable with using this device as my daily drive. I love the screen real estate, but it makes the phone bulky, heavy, and prone to accidental drops. And it costs more than I am comfortable with. On the plus side, there is no denying it is unique in the Fold category and nearly as well-featured as the Galaxy S22 Ultra”.

Nothing has changed. I like the possibilities of the Fold design but lack the strong use case to get one. I think the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has more amenities and better value.

Ratings – a conundrum

When we rate a smartphone, we usually rate it in a category loosely related to price – what we expect from entry-level, mid-range, premium, etc. That way, we avoid the trap (as most reviewers fall into) of comparing everything to an uber-expensive iPhone or Galaxy S23 Ultra.

If we review it on price, there are a lot of better glass slabs with superb cameras, more power, larger storage, longer battery life, etc. Ditto. if we review it on features, there are phones from around $1000 with similar flagship processors.

The conundrum here is that this is a relatively new category. What do you expect a Fold to do?

The answer is simple. You expect a Fold to have a large screen, a reasonably premium set of features, a reasonable camera, decent battery life, and you don’t really care what is under the hood. It is all about the screen.

We must rate this as a Fold and all the benefits/compromises that entails. If you are OK with that, the Fold is the ultimate.

Ratings – 90/100

• Features: 95 – It has a balanced set of features that you expect at this price – The speakers and screen size set it apart. The rest is what you expect.
• Value: 80 – Considering that there are better performing, more fully featured glass slabs, it does not get a higher rating. Plus, the potential screen replacement cost means you need a tax-deductible purchase. One reader has replaced his Fold3 screen three times now – ouch!
• Performance: 95 – the 2023 SD8 Gen 2 is quite a step up from the 2022 SD8 Gen 1. Samsung has effective thermal management as well. The lack of mountable external storage is a problem for pro users.
• Ease of Use: 80. The Fold screen is lovely to use, but how often do you open a spreadsheet, etc., on your phones? Even in DeX mode, it is relegated to a touchpad. And it is very much a two-handed use device. Excellent 2+4+5 Warranty/OS Upgrades/Security patches and Samsung UI are easy to use. Use Google Apps if you want maximum upgradability if you leave Samsung’s ecosystem.
• Design: 95. Samsung has done well. For those who need the screen real estate, there is no better.

Final Comment

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 is a product of continuous improvement. There is little it could do to improve on this formula. It is outclassed by lower-cost glass slabs like the Galaxy S23 Ultra but in a class of its own as a Fold. Now, if it could reduce the crease…

Pro

A Fold with the right use case is near perfect with an eminently usable cover screen.

Camera verges on flagship class but needs more work.

2+4+5 warranty/OS upgrades/and security patches is hard to beat.

Excellent phone reception for city, suburbs, regional towns and rural use.

It is well-built, but the screen is fragile and still has a noticeable crease.

Con

Need to buy a charger, case, and S Pen to really get the most use

An 8-bit/16.7m colour screen is not appropriate for a premium flagship

The crease, two-handed opening and heavy in pocket may bother you

Mohs hardness 2 (out of 10) for the main screen – take extreme care

No mountable external SSD storage

An incremental update to the Fold4 that makes this an almost perfect Fold.

Jerry Rig

iFixit

CyberShack Smartphone comparison v 1.8 (E&OE)

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5

Brand	Samsung
Model	Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
Model Number	SM946BDS-
Price Base	12/256GB $2599 12/512GB $2799 12GB/1TB $3149
Price base	12/256GB
Price 2	12/512GB
Price 3	12/1TB
Warranty months	24
Tier	Fold
Website	Product page
Manual	Manual
From	Samsung Online and approved retailers
Country of Origin	Korea
Company	Samsung is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. Samsung Electronics (the world’s largest information technology company, consumer electronics maker and chipmaker.
More	Samsung publishes few meaningful specifications. Most of these come from testing and analytical software.
Test date	14-30/08/23
Ambient temp	10-20°
Release	August 2023
Other models not for Australia (Don’t buy)	Do not buy 946 models followed by U, U1, N, W or O. DS = Dual SIM; otherwise, eSIM and SIM

Screen

Screen	Internal/External cover display
Size	7.6″ (full rectangle)/6.2″
Type	Dynamic AMOLED 2X/same
Flat, Curve, 2D, 3D	Flat
Resolution	2176 x 1812/2316 x 904
PPI	373/402
Ratio	XX/23.1:9
Screen to Body %	91.1
Colours bits	8-bit/16.7m
Refresh Hz, adaptive.	Samsung claims 1-120Hz, but it is stepped from 10/24/30/48/60/90/120Hz Adaptive up to 60 or 120Hz Cover: 120Hz fixed
Response 120Hz	Not disclosed
Nits typical, test	Typical nits not disclosed. Internal: 470/780 ALS Off/On HBM External: 450/735 ALS off/On HBM
Nits max, test	Internal: 1750nits claim (Test 1670) External: 1143
Contrast	Infinite
sRGB	95% Natural
DCI-P3	98% Vivid of 16.7M colours (not 1.07B colours)
Rec.2020 or other	RGB and temperature adjustment
Delta E (<4 is excellent)	3.7/3.2
HDR Level	Internal HDR10+ External – No
SDR Upscale	No
Blue Light Control	Yes
PWM if known	Approx 120Hz, which can cause headache and eyestrain with extended use. Goes to 240Hz at full brightness.
Daylight readable	Yes
Always on Display	One control for internal and external screens
Edge display	Yes
Accessibility	Full suite of enhancements
DRM	Widevine L1 1080p HDR
Gaming	Game mode, but the screen is too soft for game use. A fingernail can scratch it.
Screen protection	Internal: Plastic and replaceable screen protector (can only be fitted by Samsung) External: Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Comment	Despite the fold-flat hinge, the internal screen still has a noticeable vertical crease made worse by the constant swiping left/right/up/down. Samsung persists in using an 8-bit/16.7M colour screen while others use 10-bit/1.07 billion colours.

Processor

Brand, Model	SD8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
nm	4
Cores	1×3.36GHz & 2×2.8GHz & 2×2.8GHz & 3×2.0GHz. Prime core 3.36Ghz instead of 3.2GHz
Modem	X70 5G supports DSDA – both active SIMS
AI TOPS	Over 30
Geekbench 6 Single-core	2000 on power 2039 on battery
Geekbench 6 multi-core	5251 on power 5391 on battery
Like	Currently, it is the most powerful SoC available. Benchmarks
GPU	Adreno 740, 719GHz
GPU Test
Open CL	9429 (on battery) 9520 (on power)
Like	Fastest available.
Vulcan	9620 (on battery) 9651 (on power)
RAM, type	12GB LPDDR5X
Storage, free, type	256/512GB and 1TB
micro-SD	N/A
CPDT internal seq. Read MBps	1200
CPDT internal seq. write MBps	860
CPDT microSD read, write MBps	N/A
CPDT external (mountable?) MBps	Won’t test – seen as external OTG storage but can’t mount as internal storage.
Comment	UFS 4.0 is the fastest storage available. However, videographers and vloggers will soon run out of space without mountable storage, seen as internal storage.
Throttle test
Max GIPS	362558
Average GIPS	311799
Minimum GIPS	259591
% Throttle	0.22
CPU Temp	50°
Comment	This is acceptable throttling for this SoC for typical users. Pro users will likely accept it as well. The rear top right panel reaches 47° near the camera.

Comms

Wi-FI Type, model	Wi-Fi 6E AXE HE160 QCA 6490 maximum 2400Mbps full-duplex
Test 2m -dBm, Mbps	26/2401
Test 5m	-42/2161
Test 10m	-57/2161 (15m -65/864 2.4GHz)
BT Type	5.3 BLE
GPS single, dual	Dual to 3M
USB type	USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 5Gbps
ALT DP, DeX, Ready For	DeX and USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 supports Alt DP 1.4 audio/video/data/charge for USB-C to USB-C or HDMI connection to a TV or monitor.
NFC	Yes
Ultra-wideband	Yes
Sensors
Accelerometer	Yes – combo with Gyro
Gyro	Yes – combo with Gyro
e-Compass	Yes
Barometer	Yes
Gravity
Pedometer
Ambient light	Yes
Hall sensor	Yes
Proximity	Yes
Comment	Wi-Fi started at 2000Mbps/6GHz near the router but dropped stubbornly to 1200Mbps/5Ghz band. We later discovered it was using a mesh node about 10m away. This can be an issue when it first connects to the mesh and won’t let go without turning Wi-Fi off/on.

LTE and 5G

SIM	Usually, a single SIM and eSIM. There may be DS (dual SIM/eSIM) models available.
Active	DSDA – Dual SIM both active.
Ring tone single, dual	Single
VoLTE	Carrier dependent
Wi-Fi calling	Carrier dependent
4G Bands	1, 2, 3,4, 5, 7, 8, 12,13, 17, 18, 19,20 25, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66
Comment	All Australian and most world bands
5G sub-6Ghz	N1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78
Comment	All sub-6Ghz and 5G low bands
mmWave	No
Test Boost Mobile, Telstra
UL, DL, ms	77/30/24ms (excellent)
Tower 1 -dBm, fW or pW	-82 to -87 2.5-7.9pW (excellent)
Tower 2	-90/2.5-3pW
Tower 3	-94/1-1.5pW
Tower 4	-99/500fW
Comment	This has 12 antennae (excellent) and finds all four towers at usable signal strengths. Its strongest signal was 7.9pW (picoWatt), which should earn it a Telstra Blue Tick. Excellent for city, suburbs, regional and remote use. Note the strongest signals are with the fold open.

Battery

mAh	4400mAh (test 4270) Two batteries in serial Battery 1: 8.96Wh/2310mAh (test 9.23Wh/2380mAh) Battery 2: 7.6Wh/1960mAh (test 7.83Wh/2020mAh) Rated maximum charge 9V/2.77A/24.93W
Charger, type, supplied	Not supplied. Samsung 25W charger has 5V/3A/15W or 9V/2.77/24.93W and PPS 3-3-5.9V/3A or 3.3-11V/2.25A. Suggest any GaN PD Charger >30W and a 3W (or 5W) cable.
PD, QC level	3.0/2.0
Qi, wattage	Fast Wireless Charge 10W (you can use a 15W pad, but it does not charge faster)
Reverse Qi or cable.	Supports 4.5W reverse wireless charge
Test (60Hz or adaptive screen)	Adaptive
Charge 0-100%	1 hour 26 minutes. It tended to charge at 9V/2A/18W using a Belkin 65W GaN charger and 5W cable.
Charge Qi, W Using Belkin Boost Charge 15W fast wireless charge	3 hours 23 minutes
Charge 5V, 2A	Approx 5 hours
Video loop 50%, aeroplane	12 hours 31 minutes
PC Mark 3 battery	13 hours 9 minutes Accubattery 17 hours 38 minutes
GFX Bench Manhattan battery	Out-of-memory error
GFX Bench T-Rex	343.4 minutes (5.72 hours) 6716 frames
Drain 100-0% full load screen on	4 hours 39 minutes 4 hours 57 minutes
mA full load	2650-3000mA
mA Watt idle Screen on	250-300mA
Estimate loss at max refresh	Tested on Adaptive mode.
Estimate typical use	Typical users will charge daily. Heavy users may need a top-up at the end of a workday.
Comment	Carry a charger (shame Samsung does not provide one).

Sound

Speakers	Top earpiece external cover. Matching top and bottom up/down-firing speakers. Best sound is landscape mode.
Tuning	AKG
AMP	2 x CS35L43 6.8W THD 1% Class D 1 x CS40L26 – haptics
Dolby Atmos decode	Yes, downmix to two speakers
Hi-Res	UHQ upscaler and can accept 24-bit/96kHz audio.
3.5mm	No
BT Codecs	SBC, AAC, aptX, LDAC and Samsung Scalable Codec.
Multipoint	Yes
Dolby Atmos (DA)	Yes – auto, movie, music, voice and games mode
EQ	Normal, Pop, Classic, Jazz, Rock and Custom make more of a difference in headphones as inbuilt speakers limit what they can do. Samsung has ‘Test your hearing” to adapt the sound for various age groups.
Mics	3 – one top and two bottom
Test dB – all on EQ flat DA on
Volume max	82
Media (music)	75
Ring	78
Alarm	70
Notifications	70
Earpiece	55
Hands-free	One mic at the bottom and triple mics at the top. It works well for hands-free in portrait mode.
BT headphones	Excellent left-right separation and DA makes quite a difference with DA content. HAC rating M3/T3 for hearing enhancements.

Sound quality

Starting at 80Hz and building to300Hz	No
Middle Bass 40-100Hz	Starting at 80Hz and bulding to300Hz
High Bass 100-200Hz	Building
Low Mid 200-400Hz	Building
Mid 4000-1000Hz	Flat
High-Mid 1-2kHz	Flat
Low Treble 2-4kHz	Flat
Mid Treble 4-6kHz	Flat
High Treble 6-10kHz	Steady decline to 20kHz
Dog Whistle 10-20kHz	Decline
Sound Signature type	It has some much-needed mid-and-high bass, so you get just enough to satisfy. Mid-200-4kHz is flat and strong, which is suitable for clear voice. Treble 4-20kHz rapidly declines, and the sound lacks dynamism and air – as if you were there.
Soundstage	Perfect left /right separation to equally sized and matched speakers, each driven by an amp. But despite the potential 6.8W for each, it is not as loud as expected.
Comment	Despite the mid-centric sound signature, there is enough bass and treble to listen to most music genres. Way better than the Flip5.

Build

Size (H X W x D)	Unfolded: 154.9 x 129.9 x 6.1 mm Folded: 154.9 x 67.1 x 13.4
Weight grams	253g plus case
Front glass	None – foldable AMOLED
Rear material	Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Frame	Armor Aluminium
IP rating	IPX8 1.5m for 30 minutes
Colours	Standard colours: Icy Blue, Phantom Black, and Cream Samsung Online Exclusive colours: Grey and Blue
Pen, Stylus support	S-Pen for Fold (a special retractable tip to  minimise damage to the soft screen)
In the box
Charger	No
USB cable	2W, you need to buy a 3W cable at least for faster charging.
Buds	No
Bumper cover	No
Comment	We disapprove of not providing a charger and selling it for $50 more.

OS

Android	13
Security patch date	August 2023
UI	One UI 5.1.1
OS upgrade policy	Up to 4 OS upgrades (Android 16)
Security patch policy	Regular security patches for five years
Bloatware	Samsung alternative to Google Suite. Microsoft Suite and OneDrive (requires subscription)
Other	Selection of Galaxy Apps. Consumer Advice: If you intend to use other Android brands in the future, use the Google Apps rather than lock into the Samsung ecosystem.
Comment	Excellent upgrade policy and One UI is easy to use
Security
Fingerprint sensor location, type	GW39B on power key
Face ID	2D
Other	Knox and Secure folder
Comment	One of the more secure Android devices

Rear Camera – Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5

Rear Primary	Wide
MP	50MP bins to 12.5MP
Sensor	Samsung S5KGN3 Supports binning to 12, 12.5 and 10MP
Focus	PDAF
f-stop	1.8
um	1 bins to 2
FOV° (stated, actual)	74.1-86.7°
Stabilisation	OIS
Zoom	8X digital
Rear 2	Ultra-wide
MP	12MP
Sensor	Sony IMX258
Focus	FF
f-stop	2.2
um	1.12
FOV (stated, actual)	123° (104.3-116.3)
Stabilisation	No
Zoom	No
Rear 3	Telephoto
MP	10MP
Sensor	Samsung S53K1
Focus	PDAF
f-stop	F/2.4
um	1
FOV (stated, actual)	36°
Stabilisation	OIS
Zoom	3X Optical and 30X Digital
Rear 4	Under Display
MP	4MP
Sensor	IMX471
Focus	FF
f-stop	f/1.8
um	1
FOV (stated, actual)	?
Stabilisation	No
Zoom	Glass clears to reveal the camera.
Video max	Primary sensor 8K@24/30fps 4K@30fps with OIS/EIS
Flash	1
Auto-HDR	Yes
	Scene Optimiser (30 modes)     Shot suggestions     Scan QR codes     Single Take     Quick Shot     Photo     Video     Pro     Panorama     Food     Night     Portrait     Portrait Video     Pro Video     Super Slow-mo     Slow motion     Hyperlapse     Director’s View
QR code reader	Yes
Night mode	Yes

Front camera Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5

MP	10MP
Sensor	Sony IMX374
Focus	FF
f-stop	2.2
um	1.22
FOV (stated, actual)	75-87.6°
Stabilisation	No
Flash	Screen Fill
Zoom	No
Video max	4K@60

Camera Comments

• 1X Day Primary sensor – the colours are excellent if over-saturated with good dynamic range. Good details in the background, shadows, and highlights, although there is noticeable noise in the background. • Ultra-wide: Second sensor: good colour and details. • 2X Day Primary sensor – colours are excellent with good dynamic range. The background is getting noisy. • 4X Day Primary sensor. Excellent foreground details, but AI is over-sharpening the water. • 10X Day: Primary sensor: Forget it • 20X Day Primary: Ditto • Macro: There is no macro setting, and we could not get a decent shot with the primary sensor. • Indoor office light: There is a pinkish cast. Colours and details are excellent, and the dog’s face/ears are deep black. • Bokeh Depth: It is a bit light on (bokeh level is adjustable) but still an excellent shot. • Dark <40 lumens: It has great details and colour – better than night mode on most cameras. • Night mode brings up the detail and saturates the colour – excellent. • Selfie: The 10MP selfie has natural skin tones, details, and a range of filters to enhance any image. Best in a day and office light. The inner hidden 4MP is for video conferences. • Video (we are not video experts): You can shoot at 8K@24/30fps (no OIS/EIS), but we think the sweet spot is still 4K@30fps or 1080p@30fps for excellent, OIS/EIS stable video and audio. Camera Summary: While it is not a flagship camera, it is a decent point-and-shoot that will serve most users very well.

Ratings Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5

Features	95
	Better camera, more useful internal (still soft Mohs 2) and external (GGV2) screens. Add an Ultra-wideband and stronger phone signal strength, which is close to perfect.
Value	80
	It does not get a higher rating because there are better-performing, more fully featured glass slabs. Plus, the potential screen replacement cost means you need a tax-deductible purchase. One reader has replaced his Fold3 screen three times now – ouch!
Performance	95
	The 2023 SD8 Gen 2 is quite a step up from the 2022 SD8 Gen 1. Samsung has effective thermal management as well. The lack of mountable external storage is a problem for pro users.
Ease of Use	85
	The Fold screen is lovely to use, but how often do you open a spreadsheet, etc., on your phones? Even in DeX mode, it is relegated to a touchpad. And it is very much a two-handed use device. Excellent 2+4+5 Warranty/OS Upgrades/Security patches and Samsung UI is easy to use. Use Google Apps if you want maximum upgradability if you leave Samsung’s ecosystem.
Design	95
	Samsung has done well. For those who need the screen real estate, there is no better.
Rating out of 10	90
Final comment	An incremental update to the Fold4 that makes this an almost perfect Fold.

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