Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs Galaxy Z Flip 5: no right or wrong decisions, just different experiences

Updated: Oct 24, 2023, 2:22 AM

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Intro

Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip series are probably the first examples one thinks of when the topic of foldable phones comes up in a conversation. Well, the year is 2023, and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 are out, so let's compare to see just how different the two are.

Of course, both fall in the same phone category, but we are still talking about two completely different approaches here. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a book-like foldable that costs a premium while the Galaxy Z Flip 5 comes in a clamshell form and has a much more affordable price tag. In other words, as with the previous generations, the two are meant for users with different needs.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is for the power-users out there, who love to multitask and want to squeeze the most amount of productivity from their phone. That's what the larger tablet-like screen is there for. A larger screen is also much more suitable for entertainment like mobile games and watching video content in the form of YouTube videos and movies.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5, on the other hand, is meant to offer the typical phone experience, but with the benefit of making it smaller as you fold it up. With the new larger cover display, it also allows for quick access to features and apps without having to open it.

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Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs Galaxy Z Flip 5 in a nutshell:

7.6" main display on the Z Fold 5 vs 6.7" on the Z Flip 5
Z Fold 5 has a telephoto and one extra selfie camera
Higher RAM/storage options on the Z Fold 5
Z Flip 5 is lighter and more compact
Z Fold 5 has a larger battery capacity

Table of Contents:

Design and Display
Performance
Camera
Audio Quality
Battery and Charging
Specs
Summary

It's all very subjective

The most obvious difference in design between the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 is their size. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 comes in at 129.9 x 154.9 x 6.1mm when unfolded and 67.1 x 154.9 x 13.4mm when its closed, while the Z Flip 5 is 71.9 x 165.1 x 6.9mm and 71.9 x 85.1 x 15.1mm in comparison. The weight is also a significant factor, with the larger foldable weighing 253g (10g lighter than the predecessor) and the smaller one coming in at 187g.

Size and weight differences aside, both of Samsung's new foldables share the same build quality and feel sturdy in the hand. You have Gorilla Glass Victus2 protecting the main display of the Z Flip 5 and the cover and inner displays of the Z Fold 5. The frames are made from Armor Aluminum (the hinge as well on the Z Fold 5), and there is an IPX8 water resistance rating.

There is also the unmistakable difference in the amount of display real estate that separates the Z Fold 5 from its smaller brother, with the former rocking a 7.6-inch screen when opened compared to the 6.7-inch one on the Z Flip 5. The one on the Fold also comes with a higher resolution compared to the Flip: 2,176 x 1,812 vs 2,640 x 1,080 pixels.

One of the most significant upgrades with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 this year is its much larger cover display, which now measures at 3.4 inches. Thanks to the additional screen space users can now access much more functionality in the form of widgets on the Z Flip.

Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs Galaxy Z Flip 5: no right or wrong decisions, just different experiences

However, you cannot use it as a regular phone display like you can with the one on the Z Fold 5, which is probably why Samsung didn't deem it appropriate to give the Flip's cover display a variable refresh rate. Unlike the one on the Z Fold 5, which can go from 48-120Hz, the Z Flip 5's is fixated at 60Hz.

Another very distinguishing difference between the two Samsung foldables is that you can only use an S Pen with the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Not that it would make too much sense to make that possible for the Z Flip 5 though, as it is more suited for one-hand use.

Galaxy Z Fold 5 colors:

Icy Blue
Cream
Phantom Black
Blue (online exclusive)
Platinum (online exclusive)

Galaxy Z Flip 5 colors:

Mint
Lavender
Graphite
Cream
Blue (online exclusive)
Green (online exclusive)
Platinum (online exclusive)
Yellow (online exclusive)

We will let you know more about the Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5's display measurements once we put them through our independent testing, so stay tuned!

Performance and Software

The one instance size doesn't matter

Just like last generation, Samsung has equipped both its foldables with the latest flagship chipset from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that's specially tuned for Galaxy (4nm). The only difference here comes when you factor in Galaxy Z Flip 5's maximum RAM and storage option, which is 8/512GB, whereas the Z Fold 5 can go up to a 12GB/1TB combo.

Stay tuned for our performance benchmarks to see if there is any difference between the two phones or not. If history is any indication though, we should see quite an even match.

Software-wise, the Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 are expected to launch with the Android 13-based One UI 5.1 version. Given Samsung's promise for 4 years of major OS updates and 5 years of security patches, this is the expected timeline for the future of these phones:

2023: Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 launch with Android 13
Late 2023: Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 get Android 14
Late 2024: Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 get Android 15
Late 2025: Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 get Android 16
Late 2026: Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 get Android 17
Mid 2027: 4-year update promise expires. We may or may not get Android 18
Mid 2028: Final security patches, end of support

Camera

Z Flip 5 does the job, Z Fold 5 does it better

This section is an easy win for the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Not only does it have more cameras (including a telephoto) than the Z Flip 5, but some of them also offer better image quality. That's to be expected though, with the higher price and bigger body.

Galaxy Z Fold 5 camera specs:

50MP main (wide) with Dual Pixel AF, OIS, and an f/1.8 aperture
12MP ultra-wide with f/2.2 aperture
10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, OIS, and f/2.4 aperture
4MP under-display selfie camera with an f/1.8 aperture
10MP cover-display selfie camera with an f/2.2 aperture

Galaxy Z Flip 5 camera specs:

12MP main (wide) with Dual Pixel AF, OIS, and an f/1.8 aperture
12MP ultra-wide with f/2.2 aperture
10MP front-facing camera with an f/2.2 aperture

Here are some sample photos that show the Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5's camera capabilities and image quality:

Audio Quality and Haptics

With the Galaxy Z Fold 5 being the phone that is more tailored towards media consumption, it's not too big of a surprise that it has the more impressive set of speakers. Both phones support Dolby Atmos, which does some clever audio processing to make music, movies and games sound a bit wider and punchier, but the difference between the two should definitely be as noticeable as with the previous generation. It is a simple matter of size (again).

The haptics, on the other hand, should be good on both phones. Samsung's high-end phones have some of the better haptics out there in the Android world.

Battery Life and Charging

No discrimination here

Last year we saw surprisingly little difference between the Fold and Flip's battery life, so we expect similar results this time around too, despite the smaller 3,700mAh battery on the Z Flip 5 compared to the 4,400mAh on the Z Fold 5, and the difference in display size.

We will know for sure once we pit the two against each other and make them go through our independent battery testing though, so come back here to check that out.

Charging-wise, both phones come with a 25W wired charging, 10W wireless, and support Wireless PowerShare (the ability to charge other devices via wireless charging).

Specs Comparison

Check out our full Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs Galaxy Z Fold 5 specs comparison.

Specs	Galaxy Z Flip 5	Galaxy Z Fold 5
Dimensions	Unfolded: 2.8 x 6.5 x 0.27 inches Folded: 2.8 x 3.3 x 0.59 inches	Unfolded: 5.1 x 6.0 x 0.24 inches Folded: 2.64 x 6.0 x 0.52 inches
Weight	187g	253g
Screen	Main: 6.7" Cover: 3.4"	Main: 7.6" Cover: 6.2"
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
RAM, storage and price	RAM: 8GB LPDDR5X Storage: 256/512GB UFS4.0 Price: $999	RAM: 8/12GB LPDDR5X Storage: 256/512GB/1TB UFS4.0 Price: $1,799
Cameras	50MP main (wide) 12MP ultra-wide 10MP telephoto, 3x optical zoom 4MP under-display selfie 10MP cover-display selfie	12MP main (wide) 12MP ultra-wide 10MP selfie
Battery Size	3,700mAh	4,400mAh
Charging Speeds	25W wired, 10 wireless, reverse-wireless	25W wired, 10 wireless, reverse-wireless

As you can probably tell, the main difference in terms of specs between the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Fold 5 have to do with their size. Thanks to its larger body, the Fold 5 packs more cameras with a more impressive main one, as well as better displays. Battery sizes are different too, but that shouldn't mean a big difference in battery life in this case, if things remain fairly similar to last generation.

Summary and Final Verdict

So, not much has changed here when it comes to comparing Samsung's two foldable phone series. The Galaxy Z Fold continues to be the one to go for if you tend to use your phone for productivity and watching videos and movies or play a lot of games. It also has a telephoto camera, which can be important to some people. But here we are talking about a more niche demographic.

More likely than not, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will once again be the more popular of the new Samsung foldable duo. Of course, the price has a lot to do with that, but this year the new and much-improved cover display should also be an appealing reason to go with the smaller model. If you think you just want a normal phone that would take up less space in your pocket or purse, the Flip is without a doubt more suitable.

Truth be told, the Z Flip 5 seems to be the one that Samsung improved more when compared to last year's generation, so it arguably deserves a bit more praise than its bigger brother. It all boils down to what you plan on using your next phone though. The two offer very different user experiences, so as long as your priorities are clear the choice shouldn't be too hard.

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Aleksandar is a tech enthusiast with a broad range of interests, from smartphones to space exploration. His curiosity extends to hands-on DIY experiments with his gadgets, and he enjoys switching between different brands to experience the latest innovations. Prior to joining PhoneArena, Aleksandar worked on the Google Art Project, digitizing valuable artworks and gaining diverse perspectives on technology. When he's not immersed in tech, Aleksandar is an outdoorsman who enjoys mountain hikes, wildlife photography, and nature conservation. His interests also extend to martial arts, running, and snowboarding, reflecting his dynamic approach to life and technology.