After using the Fold4 for a full year, here I am comparing it with the new Fold5. I found out that other than the chipset and the hinge change, there are a lot of things that are different between these two phones.
I’ll list out all of them here today – and you can skip to whichever part interests you the most as I have timestamped them. So, let’s begin.
Hinge
Starting with one of the most obvious changes – the hinge. We all know that it closes with zero gaps now – and like what we’ve said in our full review of the Z Fold5, it technically still does have a small gap to prevent dust and lint from getting squished and potentially damaging the screen.
However, still does prevent dust from gathering inside the screen while the phone is in my pocket. I don’t have to wipe it every time I want to use the phone – and that’s great.
I mean, just look at the Fold4. I cleaned it this morning. Because the gap is now thinner than before, the thickness around the hinge is also a lot better than before. This means that left-handed users like me will have a great time using this phone.
Chipset
As for the chipset though, I’m not gonna talk much about this. The performance increase from the 8+ Gen 1 to the 8 Gen 2 is just astronomical. I’ll refer you to watch our gaming test video instead where we detail the performance and thermals of this phone.
Of course, the day-to-day usage experience is also much better on the Fold5. Opening the camera is a lot faster, and it’s just snappier. These are the things we obviously expect from a brand new phone.
Overall, I just have to say that I’m very impressed by its performance.
Battery life
A change in the chipset also affects the battery life. Despite having the same battery capacity as before, we now have a rather significant improvement in terms of the battery life while using it folded or unfolded. We have also detailed all of these in our full review of the Fold5.
Charging time
The maximum wattage that it can take in is the same, though the charging time is surprisingly shorter than before. It took slightly less than an hour to charge from 15% to completion – and it’s faster than the Fold4. Maybe Samsung managed to control the battery temperature better thanks to the larger vapor chamber.
Battery bypass
I’m not sure if I mentioned this – so I’ll just mention it again. These two phones do have the “pause USB power delivery” option when you perform the ritual, so that’s good.
Here’s how to perform the ritual, by the way.
Cameras
Samsung is also using the image signal processor inside the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset – and that also affects the picture quality of the Fold5.
To have a look at all the picture and video comparisons, watch the video at the top of this article.
Software
The software did get a few upgrades here and there as well. The taskbar can have 4 recent apps, we can open 5 floating apps and stack them into one floating button, and also Multi Connect with the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, all of those stuff.
I won’t consider these to be “differences” because these features might be exclusive to the Fold5 for now, I do believe that they will be available on the Fold4 in a future software update.
Screen is a lot brighter
I’m also going to quickly mention that the screens on the Fold5 – both the cover display and the large unfolded display is brighter than before. The color accuracy is still as good as before – so no complaints there.
Few more differences
There are a few more things that I realized were different on the Fold5 too. The power and volume buttons are now a lot stiffer and clickier than the Fold4. I can say that this is not due to wear and tear because I rarely change the volume on the Fold4. You can probably hear the difference of those buttons.
The vibration motor seems to be different too, as the Fold5 once again feels tighter. I really don’t know how to convey this in video so I recommend you to try out those demo units in the Samsung store.
What I can show you is the speaker difference. It does sound a bit deeper in bass but overall, sounds similar to me. Again, watch the video at the top of this article to know the speaker difference.
Conclusion – those are all the upgrades?
And yeah those are all the differences that I can find between the Fold4 and the Fold5. I do agree that these upgrades seem minor but they are significant. Is it worth upgrading from the Fold4 to the Fold5 though? That’s up to you. We’re presenting you all the differences that I can find so you can make an informed decision.
I do think that it’s a good upgrade from the Fold3 and older, though.
A lot of people will question about the new hinge and its longevity and if the inner display will crack along the crease after a few months. That is something that I can’t tell since it’s still new. I will update again in a few months.
I still think that even if the world of foldable smartphones is starting to pop off these few years, Samsung’s software is still the best. One UI just makes good use of this form factor.
Let’s not forget, Samsung has IPX8 rating and also the Flex Mode – which is not available on other foldable devices right now.
So, do let me know – what do you think of the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5? Will you upgrade? Do let us know.
Where to buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5? (Affiliate links)
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