The next Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event is scheduled for July 9, and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 are likely to be the spotlight products. One of the biggest concerns fans are experiencing ahead of the event is yet another price increase on the already pricey foldables.

On Tuesday, Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 pricing appeared early on an Italian electronics website, showing price increases of roughly €100-€200 on the phones.

However, on Wednesday, a potential reprieve emerged from a new price leak spotted by German tech site WinFuture.de, indicating that the prices for the new phones will remain the same as last year.

So, which rumor is to be believed?

The case for a price hike

Given the price increases that we've seen across laptops and other consumer tech over the last few months, it wouldn't come as a shock if Samsung saw fit to bump the prices on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 or Galaxy Z Flip 7 by $50-$100.

Samsung has never really managed to bring down the cost of the Galaxy Z Fold line, while the Galaxy Z Flip line got a substantial cut of almost $400 to bring it to a starting price of $999 with the release of the Galaxy Z Flip 3, but that was almost four years ago now.

On top of the general increase in manufacturing costs, there are multiple rumors suggesting potentially pricey upgrades to the phones.

For the Galaxy Z Fold 7, this includes a much thinner design, a larger and nearly creaseless display, a more durable design, and a massive camera improvement to match the Galaxy S25 Ultra's 200MP main sensor.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is similarly rumored to be thinner, lighter, and more durable, but with a slightly larger 6.85-inch internal display and a 4-inch cover display, up from 6.7 inches and 3.4 inches, respectively. No other major changes for the Z Flip 7, so at a minimum, the expectation would be a smaller price bump.

The case for a price hold

Last year, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 both saw a $100 price increase over their predecessors, moving to $1,899 and $1,099, respectively. Samsung is already at or near the top of the market with both of these phones, so increasing prices two years in a row would not be seen favorably.

While Samsung offers an abundance of deals on its phones for Unpacked, the Z Fold line in particular remains in a price category almost by itself, with other large foldables, such as the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold and OnePlus Open, starting at $100 to $200 less.

I just ran down the list of upgrades anticipated for the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but they are also potentially removing the digitizer from the display, which is a cost-saving move for them. And while it may match many of the Galaxy S25 Ultra features, it's doing so 6 months later, so component costs should be at least slightly reduced.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 faces considerable price pressure from Motorola's foldables, with the Razr line starting at just $699. And while there are a few design changes for the Flip 7, none of these are particularly expensive, and rumors of an Exynos processor and no changes to the cameras would make a price increase a tough sell.

What's the verdict?

Based on what I've seen so far, I'll be surprised if Samsung raises the prices on either phone. My one hedge to that bet would be if they announce a new high-end Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultra or Galaxy Z Flip 7 Ultra, but that would likely mean a slight price drop for the base models as again Samsung is already at the ceiling of what the market will bear with the prices on its foldables.

I love Samsung's foldables, but pricing remains the biggest factor holding them back from mainstream success. Particularly the Galaxy Z Fold, where rumors of a more affordable version have been circulating for as long as the line has existed, but Samsung has never managed to crack the $1,799 price point. This doesn't seem to be the year for it either, but at least we can hope for the prices to stay the same.

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After weeks of rumors, leaks, and speculation, on Monday, Samsung finally locked in the official date for its next Galaxy Unpacked: July 9, 2025, at 10 a.m. Eastern in Brooklyn, New York. Just as rumors speculated, the in-person event will indeed take place in Brooklyn, New York.

Similar to every other Unpacked event, you’ll be able to livestream the event on Samsung’s official website or its YouTube channel.

The Korea-based giant launched its flagship S25 series during the January Unpacked and followed up with the S25 Edge (which it considers a flagship as well) during a May Unpacked event. And though the company hasn’t explicitly name-dropped the products it plans to announce during the event, all signs point toward new foldables and possibly updates to the Galaxy Watch line.

Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Z Fold 7 are expected, but there might be more

Traditionally, Samsung announces its new Flip and Fold models during the summer Unpacked event, and this year is expected to follow suit. So, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 are almost certain to take the spotlight.

Samsung shared three separate teasers in June, all hinting at a new era of foldables. Leaks and teasers both suggest that 2025’s Z Fold series will sport thinner designs than ever. What stands out is this bit from a press release Samsung posted on June 9: “This year, that journey reaches a new milestone. The newest Galaxy Z series is the thinnest, lightest, and most advanced foldable yet – meticulously crafted and built to last.”

Thinner phones are no surprise in 2025, though. We’ve seen Samsung’s own S25 Edge, and the iPhone 17 Air is expected to launch this fall. Here’s the exciting bit: there may be more than just two foldables on deck.

The first teaser, posted on June 3 on Samsung’s Newsroom, was titled “Meet the Next Chapter of Ultra,” and focused on how an “Ultra experience” in a “smaller and more portable form factor” is what people have been demanding. The tech giant hinted that that’s exactly what it's working toward and ended it with: “The Ultra experience is ready to unfold.”

Traditionally, Samsung has used the Ultra branding for its most feature-packed and premium flagships, like the Galaxy S25 Ultra. So, if the teasers are anything to go by, the upcoming Unpacked could mark the debut of Samsung’s first-ever Ultra-branded foldable, signaling a more premium and powerful take on the Z Fold lineup. The fifteen-second Galaxy Unpacked teaser seems to support that theory, too, and ends with the bold statement: “Ultra Unfolds.”

Speaking of the Unpacked teaser, it begins with a profile view of a device that sports a noticeably thin frame. The foldable aspect then sneaks in, with a beam of light slicing through the middle. Two halves (presumably of a phone) split apart, reunite at the corners, and the bottom half then unfolds like a book, likely hinting at the Z Fold 7 or possibly the rumored Ultra foldable.

At the same time, it’s entirely possible that the Z Fold 7 and the so-called Ultra foldable are the same device, and that Samsung is simply adjusting its naming convention to better reflect the device’s premium positioning.

What else to expect at Galaxy Unpacked 2025

Other than foldables, leaks also speculate that Samsung will announce an updated smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch 8, which is expected to sport a redesigned display. Samsung might also shed more light on Project Moohan, the codename for its upcoming headset powered by Android XR.

We’ll surely also hear about Galaxy AI, which was mentioned in the official Unpacked July announcement. If you have even the slightest thought of purchasing one of the devices Samsung is expected to announce, the tech giant is offering a $50 credit simply for providing your name and email address ahead of the launch event.

Though you won’t be able to use the credit toward purchasing a pre-order device, you can put it toward additional eligible products (select Buds, Watches, Tablets, or Galaxy Ring).

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China’s Honor Smartphone officially announced its next-generation foldable, the Honor Magic V5, during a flashy event at MWC Shanghai on Wednesday. The event confirmed a July 2 launch in Shenzhen, China.

The company hails the Magic V5 as the thinnest and lightest book-style foldable ever made. It is positioned as a direct challenger to the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, which will debut a week later at Galaxy Unpacked.

Armed with a massive 6,100 mAh silicon-carbon battery, cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Elite silicon, and a camera setup that includes a 200MP periscope telephoto, Honor’s latest foldable aims not just to steal headlines but users, too, with a spec sheet that reads like a power user’s wishlist.

But if you want one, you’ll need more than just deep pockets.

The foldable fight escalates

With Samsung’s next Galaxy Fold due on or around July 9 at the upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event, Honor is getting the jump, at least in its home market. The Magic V5 event kicks off Tuesday at 7 p.m. CST (that’s 7 a.m. Eastern), and if Honor’s claims hold up, the device could walk away with more than just early bragging rights.

Let’s talk numbers, because Honor’s not holding back. When folded, the Magic V5 measures just 8.93 mm, and when unfolded, it’s an almost impossibly thin ~4.2 mm, which is slimmer than many smartphones, let alone foldables.

It tips the scales at a featherlight ~219 grams, despite housing a massive 6,100 mAh silicon-carbon battery. That’s the largest we’ve ever seen in a book-style foldable.

Charging is handled by 66W wired fast charging, though some rumors suggest an even faster 80W variant may be in the works. Inside, the phone is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Leading Version, clocked higher than the base model, with 16GB of RAM and Android 15 running the show.

It sports a sharp 6.45-inch LTPO OLED cover screen and opens up to an immersive 8-inch 2K+ LTPO inner display, both running at 120Hz.

And then there’s the camera: A bold 200MP periscope telephoto, flanked by a 50MP main sensor with OIS and what’s expected to be a versatile ultrawide. Water resistance is covered, with an IPX8 rating likely at launch.

Where Samsung is refining, Honor is going for more: More battery, more memory, bigger sensors, and a full-stack AI engine aimed at delivering true “PC-level productivity”, all in a device thinner than your laptop’s power brick.

Honor’s ‘Alpha AI’: Gemini killer or pipe dream?

Unlike Samsung’s reliance on Google Gemini and cloud AI, Honor is betting the house on its in-house Alpha AI Plan. This strategy hinges on local, multi-agent intelligence, meaning the phone does more without depending on a signal or server farm.

It’s an aggressive pitch: Real-time productivity, full-stack knowledge bases, and a foldable that could potentially double as a mobile workstation. The company says MagicOS 9 (based on Android 15) will support cross-device interoperability, which is a big shift from the brand’s more insular roots.

The catch? You’ll need a passport to buy it

Here’s the twist: Even if you’re sold on the Magic V5, buying one won’t be as simple as hitting “Add to cart.”

The device is launching exclusively in China, with no confirmed global release until at least September, likely timed for IFA Berlin. That means international fans face a familiar headache made even worse by Trump’s tariffs — importing the device.

But the bigger issue is China’s real-name registration system. To buy and activate the phone on a Chinese network, you’ll need:

• A valid Chinese citizen ID card or passport.
• A local SIM card.
• A residence permit or visa stamp if you’re not a citizen.

No local ID? No phone. Even resellers face hurdles registering and shipping unboxed, unactivated units abroad.

If you're in the U.S. or Europe, your only real option is waiting… or recruiting a well-connected friend with a Chinese ID and a working carrier plan, but that’s not recommended.

A foldable fantasy… just out of reach

Honor’s Magic V5 might be the most technically advanced foldable ever made. It’s thinner, lighter, and tougher than anything that Samsung, Oppo, or Huawei have on shelves. The only problem? It’s not actually on your shelf. Not unless you’re in the right place, at the right time, with the proper papers.

It may well be the case that Samsung’s upcoming Fold 7 looks somewhat conservative next to the V5. That may be intentional; Samsung seems to be playing the long game to achieve a polished device with global distribution while Honor is still making a name for itself in the West.

And as it turns out, you may literally need to name yourself at customs to get one of these in your pocket.

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There’s nothing quite like using a foldable — and while they aren't for everyone, once you've used a large foldable like the Galaxy Z Fold, it’s hard to go back. As someone who regularly cycles through phones, I always find myself reaching for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 during the chaos of trade shows. That massive internal screen feels like having a tablet in my pocket, and when I’m juggling Slack threads, emails, and capturing photos and videos on a show floor, nothing else comes close.

This is the kind of futuristic convenience I dreamed of 15 years ago while lugging around a Motorola Droid and an HP TC1100 2-in-1. Foldables like the Z Fold finally deliver on that vision, but they’re still facing an uphill battle.

Fragility was a massive concern early on, and while it's largely eliminated now, the perception lingers. And the price? That’s the biggest obstacle by far. It’s tough to justify spending nearly $2,000 on a phone when excellent traditional flagships go for nearly half that.

Unfortunately, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 isn’t expected to reverse that trend. If anything, we may see the price climb even higher in the U.S. due to new tariffs, as we reported earlier this week.

So what can Samsung do to make the sticker shock more palatable? Load up the preorder freebies and discounts. Based on rumors, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 may include a 6-month subscription to Google AI Pro — Google’s $20/month AI suite — as one of its launch perks.

But is a $120 AI freebie and a trade-in credit enough to sway new buyers to a foldable? Let’s tally up what Samsung might offer and whether that’s finally enough to bring foldables into the mainstream.

What's half a year of Google AI Pro worth to you?

The latest rumor, uncovered in an APK teardown by Android Authority, suggests that Samsung may include a free six-month subscription to Google AI Pro (formerly Google Gemini Advanced), valued at $120.

If you've avoided or only dipped your toe into the AI realm so far, Google’s AI Pro is more than a simple chatbot. Beyond access to Gemini 2.5 Pro and Deep Research for complex AI tasks, it offers image creation, video creation through Veo 3, and even AI filmmaking tools through Flow.

It's a robust AI offering that should pair well with power users who may gravitate to the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Trade-ins and discounts

Samsung hasn't announced its next Unpacked event yet, but I expect that when it does, we'll see the typical $50 incentive if you provide your email, stacked with enhanced trade-in offers, possibly instant credits, and finally, free double storage.

The free AI offer is a nice appetizer, but these are the main course. The $50 is easy for anyone to get and carries no obligation; just make sure to register your interest when the offer pops up.

The trade-in offers are obviously dependent on what phone you have now, but Samsung always bumps up the values at launch. For the Galaxy S25 Ultra launch in January, the top trade-in offer was $900, while it was an astounding $1,200 for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 last year. If you are making the move from another recent flagship, that could take a lot of the sting out of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 price.

The instant credits are more of a wildcard. Sometimes these are only available to those not trading in a phone and can be up to $350. Other times, there are credits towards other Samsung devices.

For example, you may be able to get free Galaxy Buds 3 Pro or discounted offers on a Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Tab. It's not direct money in your pocket (unless you sell them, of course), but it can be a nice way to save if you've been considering any of those other devices.

The last incentive is the double storage offer, which, assuming Samsung keeps the same pricing for storage upgrades, is another $120 value.

So, if we total all of those theoretical offers, that's a potential $1,840 in value. Heavy asterisks are in order, as this includes a maximum trade-in value and assumes that Samsung offers instant credit to everyone, which isn't always the case. However, it does provide a picture of the maximum possible offer.

Even dropping to a more common $800 enhanced trade-in and removing the instant credit entirely, the total incentives would still be $1,090, which feels a lot better than staring down that $2,000 price tag.

Not cheap, but a better value.

Let’s not overstate it — Google AI Pro isn’t going to suddenly make the Z Fold 7 affordable. But when you stack it up with all of the other discounts, a free six-month subscription to a $120 AI service is more than just a nice throw-in. It’s a subtle shift in how the value proposition is framed.

Samsung wants you to think of this phone not just as a luxury gadget, but as a legitimate productivity powerhouse. That messaging becomes a lot more convincing when it comes bundled with serious software to boost an already powerful smartphone.

That's on top of some more significant upgrades than we saw last year. Leaks suggest a redesigned hinge and slimmer profile, which would help address one of the Fold’s lingering issues: bulk. I consider it a fair trade for the versatility, but no one is going to argue against a thinner and lighter Galaxy Z Fold 7.

We’re also hearing buzz about camera upgrades, potentially rocketing to the 200MP sensor previously reserved for the Ultra lineup, a significant bump from the current 50MP sensor. While the Fold cameras have been solid for the last few generations, they’ve never reached flagship-tier, which is hard to stomach at its price.

Combine that with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, faster storage, better multitasking, and tighter AI integration, and the Z Fold 7 starts to feel at least like a better value, even if it isn't cheap.

Is it enough?

I’ve always believed foldables could offer something truly different, and the Z Fold series has come closest to delivering that vision. But even I’ll admit: the price is a tough sell.

If the Galaxy Z Fold 7 comes with thoughtful hardware refinements, flagship-grade cameras, new software perks like Google AI Pro, stacked on top of other solid discounts and freebies, it will be easier than ever to justify the investment, especially if you’re someone who values productivity and multitasking on the go.

This might not be the foldable that changes everyone’s mind, but it could be the one that finally makes longtime skeptics reconsider. For those of us already onboard, it’s shaping up to be the best Fold yet.

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Samsung’s next foldable phone might be its sleekest and smartest yet. But seven generations in, the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s biggest innovation may need to be ideological rather than industrial.

Over the weekend, fresh leaks offered the clearest look yet at the Galaxy Z Fold 7 — and, on paper, it’s a stunner that ticks all the right boxes. A thinner hinge, larger camera bump, and a 200MP sensor borrowed from the Ultra all make for a great device. So do the new “glow” lock screen transitions and Android 16 with One UI 8.

It’s everything we’ve come to expect from Samsung’s iterative annual polish.

And yet, the Fold 7 risks folding in on itself. Because even as Samsung engineers a more beautiful device, it’s drifting further from the mass-market success that foldables were supposed to achieve.

A design triumph in a vacuum

Let’s start with the good: The Fold 7 is reportedly slimmer than ever, coming in at around 4.5mm unfolded. It has titanium hinge components, refined crease control, and the same Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset powering Samsung’s best. It’s not a “lite” model by any stretch. This is Samsung flexing (or, rather, folding…).

The Z Fold 7’s camera also leaps in the right direction. Samsung seems poised to drop the same 200MP sensor seen in the Galaxy S25 Ultra into the Fold 7’s frame, alongside AI-enhanced image processing. If that translates to S-line image quality in foldable form, it’s meaningful.

Add to that One UI 8’s smoother animations, upgraded multitasking UI, and glow-up flair. And yes, it’s a flagship; arguably the best foldable that Samsung has ever made.

But the bigger question remains: Who is this actually for?

Foldable, yes, but accessible?

Despite maturing hardware, foldables remain frozen in the early adopter phase. According to recent studies, foldables account for just 1% of smartphones in key markets. This is a shockingly small share for a product in its seventh generation. And it all comes down to pricing.

The numbers show just how off-trajectory Samsung’s foldable pricing has become. The original Galaxy Fold debuted at $1,980 in 2019. Analysts expected subsequent models to drop in price as yields improved and rivals emerged. But that curve reversed.

• The Z Fold 3 dipped slightly to $1,799
• The Z Fold 4 and Fold 5 held steady at around the same price.
• The Z Fold 6 jumped to $1,899.
• Now, the Z Fold 7 may top $2,000 (or even hit $2,500 in the U.S. due to tariffs!)

This goes well beyond the realms of sticker shock. Consumer tech lives or dies by the adoption curve, and Samsung seems to have taken a detour straight into luxury territory.

The Z Fold needs better pricing, not polishing

Here’s the kicker: Even users who do buy foldables often don’t stick with them. According to data referenced in the same report, over 50% of foldable owners switched back to traditional phones during their next upgrade cycle. These weren’t budget-minded downgrades either. They went to the S23 Ultra, Pixel 7 Pro, or iPhone 14 Pro Max.

This tells us the issue isn’t just cost but value. If the tech doesn’t feel worth it after prolonged use, even premium buyers walk away. So while the Fold 7 is technically superior, its core premise (or gimmick?) — “look what this hinge can do!” — may no longer be enough.

Samsung needs more than just another foldable flagship. It needs a foldable strategy. To regain momentum, the company must rethink accessibility.

That could mean revisiting the rumored Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE (Fan Edition), a more affordable foldable meant to introduce new users to the form factor without the financial barrier.

If that phone exists and lands under $1,000, it might be a defining release for the foldable space.

Sure, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 looks incredible. But unless Samsung tackles the price-to-value gap plaguing the foldable category, it risks building a better product for a shrinking market.

After seven years, maybe it’s time to stop chasing thinness and focus on improving relevance.

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The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 made a splash when it came out mid-summer, but its eye-watering $1,899 price may have given you pause. Now, with this limited-time Samsung deal, you can get $600 off the Z Fold 6, taking it down to $1,299. 

That translates to 31% off without any trade-ins or service commitments. While still not cheap, that price makes the Z Fold 6 a more manageable upgrade over buying a traditional flagship phone like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra — which also retails for $1,299.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 remains the most versatile foldable in the U.S. market. Its sizable 7.6-inch internal display supports using Samsung's S Pen stylus. Its ability to write and sketch on that roomy display makes the Z Fold stand out from the crowd (note: the S Pen is sold separately, either as the S Pen Fold Edition or the S Pen Pro). The Z Fold 6 packs Samsung's Galaxy AI, with features including Circle to Search, photo AI, and Interpreter with Galaxy AI.

The Z Fold 6 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, a 50MP rear camera, a 12MP front camera, and IP48 dust and water resistance. The deepest discount is only available on the online exclusive Crafted Black or White colorways; all others are discounted by $400.

Our sister publication, Tom's Guide, gave the Z Fold 6 4 out of 5 stars in its review. The reviewer noted its improved design and displays and excellent performance.  

If you've considered taking the leap to a foldable phone, act fast to grab this limited-time Samsung deal on the Galaxy Z Fold 6. And if it's not the right phone for you, check our best phone deals for other outstanding alternatives.

Best Galaxy Z Fold 6 deal

You still have time to preorder the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6  and snag huge savings via Samsung's generous preorder deals. These offers end Tuesday, July 23, so you'll want to make haste!

Pricing for the unlocked Galaxy Z Fold 6 starts from $1,899 whereas an unlocked Galaxy Z Flip 6 costs $1,099 to start. Luckily, Galaxy Z Series preorder deals help you save big on Samsung's new Galaxy AI foldables. Swing over to Samsung.com, to get double the storage for free (valued at $120). Plus, save up to $1,200 on your new Galaxy Z series device via Samsung's enhanced trade-in offers. 

Additionally, Samsung is throwing in a free year of Samsung Care+ with carrier purchases (valued at $156).

Want to complement your Galaxy Z Series phone with a smartwatch and headphones? Save 25% when you bundle your Galaxy Z Fold 6 or Z Flip 6 preorder with the Galaxy Watch 7 (or Galaxy Watch Ultra) and Galaxy Buds 3 (or Buds 3 Pro). Alternatively, save 20% when you bundle your new Galaxy Z Series phone with either a new Galaxy Watch or Buds 3.

Just in time for back-to-school season, students reap all the preorder benefits I detailed, plus up to an extra 15% off via Samsung's Education Offer Program. To register, you'll need a valid edu email address for ID.ME verification. 

If you're due for an upgrade and want to invest in a new powerful, foldable AI phone,  the Galaxy Z series may be right for you.  

Preorder Galaxy Z Fold 6, Galaxy Z Fold — Quick links

• Preorder Galaxy Z Fold 6: from $1,899 @ Samsung| Amazon| Best Buy
• Preorder Galaxy Z Flip 6: from $1,099 @ Samsung| Amazon | Best Buy·       

Preorder Galaxy Z Fold 6

Preorder Galaxy Z Flip 6

While Wednesday marks the official showcase and livestream of Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked Summer 2024 event in Paris, on Tuesday night Laptop Mag had a chance to get hands-on with some of Samsung's newest hardware and software up close and in the flesh.

As one of those lucky enough to attend Tuesday's event, I can say that there's one thing far more impressive than the latest Galaxy hardware — how it all works seamlessly together.

While I love a shiny (or matte) new gadget or two, Samsung's entire portfolio working in concert is a far bigger story than any one device. Samsung immediately calls out the "connected Galaxy ecosystem" in its press release for its new foldables, which were revealed alongside a half dozen devices in total.

"It's the ecosystem" is a common refrain among Apple fans and commentators when asked why the company demands such rabid loyalty and lock-in with users who unswervingly turn to Apple for their laptops, phones, tablets, watches, and headphones. If Samsung wanted to duplicate Apple's success in any one area, beyond any product, design, or feature, it would be this—and they may finally have done so.

The whole is greater than the sum of the parts, and while you could quibble over which company offers the best product in this or that category, no one else is in the discussion when it comes to their entire portfolio (sorry, Google).

If you've considered converting to an all-Samsung gadget diet before, now may be the moment to take the plunge; here's a closer look at some of what Samsung offers its most dedicated users in its new and existing devices.

Samsung Galaxy Ring

While the ecosystem is naturally about all of Samsung's devices, the Galaxy Ring is one of the most intriguing new pieces of the puzzle as Samsung is first past the post among the major smartphone and smartwatch makers to deliver a smart ring.

Is it single-handedly going to convince anyone to convert to Samsung for all their devices? If it does, there won't be many, but it could undoubtedly claim the loyalty of fitness-focused fanatics. With no immediate competitor able to offer the same level of integration (at least until rumors of Apple accelerating the development of its own smart ring pay off), Samsung has time to press this advantage.

This includes the Galaxy Ring working in tandem with the Galaxy Watch, which serves in a complimentary role. Samsung Health can determine which of the devices provides a better reading for heart rate or other metrics on the fly and will only log the result from one or the other.

While the Ring can't track your triathlon (cycling wouldn't be registered), it is a far superior overall health tracker than a watch as there are limited situations requiring its removal while boasting an up-time of roughly seven days on a single charge.

The Watch isn't its only companion; your Galaxy smartphone can also get in on the action. At launch, the Ring can trigger a photo or start and stop capturing a video in the camera app. It can also snooze your annoying alarm clock in the morning. This is done by simply tapping your fingers together, and it worked reliably in the hands-on demo.

It's a useful little trick for taking that photo of family, friends, or even a selfie without needing to set a timer and dash into the frame or incur the embarrassment of yelling at your phone to take your picture. That's it for now, but I'd be surprised if we don't see Samsung bring more gesture integrations in the future.

Samsung Galaxy Buds

The Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro were announced today. With their new "Blade" design, they will be compared to the AirPods, but some ecosystem features will leave Apple headphone owners envious. 

The most impressive example is integrating with Interpreter on your Galaxy phone. In Listener mode, the app will let you hear the translation happening in the app without broadcasting it to the world. This could allow you to unobtrusively listen to a lecture or a guided tour in another language.

Clever though it may be, not everyone will use that function, but one feature everyone can appreciate is the ability to start and stop your music with a voice command rather than getting out your phone or tapping on the earbud. Sure, I won't do it everywhere, but I've never loved the feeling of tapping on my earbud to pause my music, so another option is more than welcome.

Auto Switch is yet another handy audio integration between your Galaxy devices. This will instantly connect you to your Galaxy Buds to your phone for a call regardless of which Galaxy device they are currently paired to and immediately revert to the original device once you hang up. 

Samsung Second Screen

Not surprisingly, we care how Samsung's other devices will work with our laptops here at Laptop Mag. Second Screen is a great way to get extra utility from your Samsung Galaxy Tab by turning it into an external monitor for your Windows laptop.

The app allows you to extend your workspace onto the tablet, and if you don't have touchscreen or pen support on your laptop, you just got it with the S Pen on your Galaxy Tab. 

Even if you don't use the touchscreen functionality, the AMOLED panels that Samsung uses for its tablets put the average external monitor to shame and the multipurpose potential of the Galaxy Tab will also save you from picking up yet another costly peripheral.

Auto Hotspot

Didn't opt for a cellular connection on your Galaxy Tab? No worries, Auto Hotspot will automatically connect your tablet to your Galaxy phone whenever it needs internet access.

The devices just need to be on the same Samsung account, otherwise, this is a completely seamless experience that saves you money on the tablet and on yet another monthly subscription.

Multi control

Multi control allows you to turn your Galaxy smartphone and Galaxy Tab into a seamlessly connected multitasking mobile workstation. You can navigate both devices with the same Bluetooth mouse and keyboard while also transferring data and images back and forth between the devices.

Pair a Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra with a Galaxy Z Fold 6 and you've suddenly got a massive canvas to work on.

Samsung Flow

If you're a Galaxy Book owner feeling left out of the discussion of multi control, don't worry, there's something even better in store for you. Enter Samsung Flow. This app allows you to navigate and share between your Galaxy Book, Galaxy Tab, and Galaxy smartphone.

Even if you don't need to navigate between them, you'll appreciate the simplicity of sharing files between all three devices without having to use a separate cloud service or find your USB-C cable.

Honorable mention along with Samsung Flow is Link to Windows, which isn't a Samsung-only app, but it does offer superior integration with Samsung devices allowing you to screen mirror from your Galaxy smartphone to your Windows laptop and use your phone's apps. 

Samsung SmartThings Find

Your Galaxy devices are such good friends that they will even help find one another. SmartThings Find leverages your device network (or a friend's device, if you grant them permission) to find a missing Galaxy Tab, Galaxy Watch, Galaxy smartphone, Galaxy Book, Galaxy Buds, or Samsung SmartTag.

If you enable Offline finding, you can even track devices if they are turned off or not online.

Outlook

While Samsung needs to continue producing premium devices to win over new buyers, the evolution of the company's ecosystem is arguably more important than significant year-over-year improvements to gadgets across the board.

Samsung and Apple are both occasionally accused of incremental hardware upgrades to one area or another in their lineups, but if the ecosystem is strong, they are unlikely to lose customers to one weak launch.

We saw Samsung finally match Apple for the top spot in the American Customer Satisfaction Index last year for personal computers and phones after Apple held the position by itself for 20 years in personal computers.

This isn't just great devices but an incredible ecosystem that yields these results. Ease of use and interoperability are vital to making users happy and returning yearly.

Samsung has made massive strides with its ecosystem, but it needs to keep pushing if it wants to keep up with Apple. However, it is at a disadvantage, needing to rely on platforms like Android and Windows that aren't under its control.

Samsung needs to continue to work with its partners to deliver seamless operation between its devices and flex any advantage it has over Apple, which is a willingness to take a risk on more unique devices like the Galaxy Ring, Galaxy Z Fold, and Galaxy Z Flip.

More from Laptop Mag

• Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Summer 2024: Galaxy Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6, Galaxy Ring and more
• Report: Samsung Galaxy Ring will track an embarrassing but important health metric
• Samsung may eliminate this major foldable flaw with Galaxy Z Flip 6, Fold 6

Released Wednesday, the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked July 2024 invitation video hints at the next generation of foldable phones. The teaser trailer is accompanied by a generous discount offer for early adopters. 

For a limited time, you can reserve a $50 instant Samsung Credit and save up to a whopping $1,500 on your next Galaxy device when you preorder. What’s more, you’ll automatically be entered into the Samsung Product Reservation Sweepstakes for a chance to win the grand prize — a $5,000 Samsung.com digital gift card. 

With the reserve inviting you to “Unfold your story with Galaxy AI”, it’s safe to say, that Samsung’s 6th generation Galaxy Z series will soon be unveiled.

The next Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event takes place in Paris, France this summer. Just like last year’s event, it will stream live at Samsung US Newsroom, Samsung.com, Samsung TV Plus, and Samsung’s YouTube channel beginning at 9 a.m. ET on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.

The rumored Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6 are expected to bring a host of upgrades to Samsung's foldable phone series. Samsung's premium foldable phones typically land on the higher end of the price spectrum. Luckily, Samsung's generous offer takes a little off the top, but you'll have to move on it quickly.

Here's how to get your hands on Samsung's anticipated foldables first and get a chance to win $5K in digital Samsung cash. 

To get first dibs on Samsung's new Galaxy Z devices, swing over to Samsung's reserve page. Next, enter your first and last name and a valid email address and phone number (optional) and select "Reserve now". This exclusive credit offer is redeemable when you preorder the new Galaxy device from Samsung.com.

With the next generation of AI-driven Galaxy Z foldables on the way, previous-gen devices are expected to get deep discounts. Currently, Samsung offers up to $800 in instant trade-in credit when you buy the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and up to $500 off the Galaxy Z Flip 5 with trade-in. 

Pricing and availability for the 6th generation Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold are expected to be announced at the upcoming Galaxy Unpacked July event. Join the wave early and reserve your $50 credit, up to $1,500 off your next Galaxy phone preorder, and a chance to win $5K from Samsung. 

Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip is the one foldable phone that I am always tempted to buy. As a dedicated iPhone user for over a decade now, the switch to Android isn't what stops me, but rather the general wear and tear on foldable phone screens. For all the advances in display technology, no foldable phone has yet managed to avoid the dreaded crease.

But that may not be the case with the upcoming Z Flip 6. A new report by The Elec indicates that Samsung is adding a thicker glass panel and waterdrop style hinge to the Z Flip 6 which should help de-crease and de-wrinkle the foldable display.

Thicker glass means less creasing

The Elec reports that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 will have a thicker glass display panel than previous models. "As the UTG becomes thicker, surface hardness (hardness) can be increased and wrinkles in the center of the foldable panel can be made less visible," Elec reporter Lee Jong-jong explains. 

The Z Flip 6 – and presumably the Z Fold 6 – will have an ultra-thin glass (UTG) display thickness of 50 micrometers (μm). Last year's models had 30μm thick UTG panels.

Samsung's waterdrop style hinge added to the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 improved on the previous iterations of the Fold and Flip phones. The hinge allows both screens to join tightly when unfolded, which decreases wrinkling. The Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 had thinner glass, which still led to creasing and clouding. With the thicker glass and waterdrop style hinge on the Z Fold 6, Samsung may finally have a crease-free foldable.

Crease-free displays could make foldables more attractive than ever

I've always found the Z Flip to be a more enticing foldable than the Z Fold. Having rather small hands, I've never wanted my smartphone to become wider. I'd always rather have a dedicated tablet over a hybrid phone/tablet. But the retro flip-phone design of the Z Flip speaks to my nostalgia. 

I used a Motorola Razr V2 for years because it was one of the only phones at the time that easily fit into the tiny pockets of women's jeans. I also long for the days of ending a phone call by flipping my phone shut, because it's the closest cell phones have ever gotten to the joy of slamming a handset back into a receiver in the heyday of landline phones.

Regardless of your opinion on the flip or fold debate, the biggest issue with foldable smartphones is the creasing and clouding of the display glass where the phone hinges. After about a year or so, even the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 both suffer from clouding and a visible crease that makes the display unattractive and eventually unusable.

So if Samsung manages a more crease-resistant display, foldable phones could finally take over from the traditional slab-design smartphones.

We're excited to get hands-on time with the device when it arrives, which will likely be in August. For more news, rumors, and updates on everything related to the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge and all things tech, follow Laptop Mag on X, Facebook, and Flipboard for the latest news as it arrives.

Dismiss them as a fad at your behest, but foldable phones are on the receiving end of some major backing from big-name manufacturers, and they aren’t likely to go away any time soon. The envelope is being pushed as these brands seek to replace your phone with these folding phablets, and Honor’s Magic V2 might be on the precipice of convincing you that it’s not a bad idea. Not a bad idea at all.

We’ve all heard the nightmare tales surrounding foldable devices, $1,799 Google Pixel Fold dies after four days, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold screen breaks after just one day, and dear God, Microsoft might be making a Surface Duo 3. The horror, the horror. These stories are enough to ward away even the most caring of smartphone owners, myself included. That’s why I’ve been hesitant to hop aboard the hype train for foldables, I was convinced my investment would soon turn into little more than a bendy paperweight.

However, clearly impressionable and easily influenced, it only took one YouTube video to change my mind (though, in my defense, it was a week-long) —- The Great Folding Test Vol. II by MrKeybrd. In this test, I saw both the Motorola Razr Plus and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 put through the wringer, facing so many forms of tech torture that even the animatronic puppet of Jigsaw would tumble from its tricycle in terror. While both phones would eventually flip their final fold, the levels of punishment that both stood up to stayed with me, I was suddenly a foldable follower.

Still, when Honor shipped the Magic V2, the world’s thinnest foldable phone, to my door, it was immediately apparent that the ghosts of long-fallen foldables still had their hooks in me. Just look at this thing, it’s so thin I wanted to feed it a hearty meal after unboxing it. I may have been more open to the feasibility of the foldable phone form, but I certainly still had one foot left on shore. Would the Honor Magic V2 be the phone that gets me fully onboard? Let’s find out.

Honor Magic V2: Price and availability

The Honor Magic V2 is available in one configuration offering 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage in either Phantom Purple or Midnight Black. It’s now available in the UK for £1,699, giving it a healthy advantage over the currently £1,869 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5.

Like most foldables, the Magic V2’s price is potentially its greatest weakness. Costing £1.7K, you expect the latest and greatest tech to be sat in your pocket. Running off a modified version of Android 13 with the last generation’s top chipset isn’t exactly what many would see as cutting-edge.

Then again, there’s an argument still to be made, and the list of pros earned by the Honor V2 begins to outshine the cons the more time you spend with it.

Honor Magic V2: Design

Honor claims that the Magic V2 is the world’s thinnest foldable phone, and they’re not telling tall tales. At just 4.7mm in depth while open, and only 9.9mm thick while closed, the Magic V2 just surpasses Microsoft’s dual-screen offering of the similarly trim Surface Duo (4.8mm and 9.8mm) and the Huawei Mate X3’s true foldable form of 5.3 mm.

Even if the Magic V2 was a little chunkier, there’d still be plenty to praise when it comes to its design. From the bullnose-beveled frame, trim bezels, subtle branding, ergonomic button placements, and an easy-to-reach power button that doubles as a fingerprint reader, to the textured PU leather that encases its rear, the V2 exudes so much class that it would make a communist’s fist shake with rage. But did I mention that it’s scarily thin?

Every slight sensation of (what may or may not have been) a creak coming from its slender frame as I grimaced my way through opening or shutting it scared the ever-loving piss out of me —- and the soft clunk of the frame’s two magnetic edges colliding was enough to rocket my arterial pressure to heights that left my white blood cells popping like kernels of corn.

However, in a testament to how blasé we’ve all become about technology, and much to my surprise, by day two my clammy palms had vanished and I would catch myself ordering golf clubs on Amazon after I wondered how many of my household knickknacks I could “putt” through the Magic V2 while in tent mode.

I do not doubt that the Magic V2’s slender frame is more prone to damage than your traditional Gorilla Glass-encased monolithic mobile phone. But I do feel like we may have reached a stage of foldable engineering where overall fragility plays a much smaller part in failures than user error. Because, while only about as thick as three or four stacked credit cards, Honor’s Magic V2 is one sturdy boi.

It didn’t take long for the phone’s 8.1 ounces of heft and titanium hinge to put my mind at ease — if you don’t count a full day of precarious folding and unfolding at arm's length like it was as explosive as the rocket it shares a name with as ‘long,’ that is. But once settled, I was free to bask in that glorious expanded phablet form as I pried it open to reveal its 156.7 x 145.4 x 4.7-millimeter interior canvas.

Honor Magic V2: Display

While the Honor Magic V2’s 7.92-inch interior screen does bring with it a shallow crease that’s noticeable to the touch, it’s barely perceptible to the eye when in use and nothing to scoff at when it comes to enjoying all of that expanded on-screen real estate. It’s a porthole to possibility thanks to an almost 1:1 square of vibrant, foldable OLED panel that offers up a 2344 x 2156-pixel playground to enjoy more spacious screen time on the go.

Colors pop and leap from the panel in front of you, aided by a peak brightness Honor claims to reach 1,600 nits. It’s not just bright and colorful, it’s also pretty sharp and impressively smooth, with Honor’s measurements also touting a 402 Pixels Per Inch (PPI) density and a 120Hz refresh rate.

Compared to my Pixel 7a daily driver, the Magic V2’s scrolling and animations are decidedly smoother to the naked eye, outpacing Google’s 90Hz refresh rate and making touches feel more fluid and responsive. The interior panel is also brighter than the Pixel 7a’s 1,024 nits peak, but that’s only half the story. Fold the Magic V2 shut and you’re left with another impressive panel to gawp at on the phone’s cover.

If the interior display outshines the main panel of the Pixel 7a, then the cover screen practically glows like phosphor. Honor measures its peak brightness at 2,500 nits, much more in line with current flagship offerings from the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S24 (2,500 nits) and Pixel 8 Pro (2,400 nits). It practically dazzles through its Nanocrystal glass 2.0 protective lens.

The 6.43-inch external display is no slouch when it comes to screen space or smoothness either, featuring the same HDR10+ contrasts, 120Hz refresh rate, and 402 PPI sharpness as the internal panel while showcasing a 2376 x 1060-pixel resolution.

Honor Magic V2: Audio

On the audio front, the Magic V2 gains tremendously from the positioning of its stereo speakers. Whether open or closed, if you’re playing media with the phone in a horizontal orientation, you get left and right-firing IMAX Enhanced audio that delivers decent soundscapes and some impressive clarity across ranges —- albeit a little lacking in the mids.

The V2’s speakers capture the quieter moments with the same clarity as more pronounced sounds. However, at higher volumes, this range suffers from artifacts and there's a definite presence of clipping, especially in busy music tracks. It’s not a deal breaker by any stretch, as those higher levels are quite loud, and trimming down the volume will still cut back on the artifacts while delivering a solid wall of sound.

Connect a pair of the best headphones to the V2 and you can make use of DTS:X Ultra for more vibrant soundscapes ideal for spatial content like games or XR media.

Honor Magic V2: Performance

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform SoC within the Magic V2 might not be the latest chipset on the block, but that doesn’t mean it’s suddenly lost all value when it comes to performance — especially when backed by a whopping 16GB of RAM. This is, after all, still the very same chip found in OnePlus’ Open, and the dreams of Motorola Razr (2023) owners the world over.

In my time with Honor’s foldable, I can’t say that performance was ever an issue. Smartphones are generally overpowered for what they need to do, so being a generation from the latest cutting edge isn’t all that much of an issue —- especially as developers tend to target the widest base possible with software releases.

It shows too, because even in demanding titles like “Call of Duty: Mobile,” “XCOM 2: Collection,” or “Player Unknown’s Battle Grounds” the Magic V2 remains completely unphased, even while making use of higher graphical settings and HD assets. That’s without even enabling the performance mode boost in the device’s battery settings, too.

Look, here it is playing “EA Sports FC Mobile” flawlessly, a game about a sport that correctly delineates itself by name alone. Unlike the American version of football, which has less to do with the foot and more to do with human growth hormones and seeing how many traumatic brain injuries you can lay the foundations for while going human seal clubbing with your entire body as the cudgel of choice.

Not only do these demanding titles run flawlessly, but they also look incredible when engaged with the V2’s sizable internal display. The 7.92-inch screen allows games and apps more room the breathe and makes everything feel more comfortable. It also works great for the Play Store’s reintroduction of older titles through porting as “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic” looked particularly cool and faithful in this near 1:1 aspect ratio.

After noticing a familiar chord progression in Sidewalks and Skeletons’ electronic bop “GOTH,” I could effortlessly use MixPad’s audio mixing and editing features to clip, chop, and arrange the vocals of Bloodhound Gang’s “Bad Touch” into proceedings.

That extra real estate helped me greatly in creating the audio mashup that no living soul ever asked for, and that no healthy mind would ever think up in the first place. It was a great win for tablet functionality in a smaller form factor, but potentially a great moment of shame for music as a whole.

Honor Magic V2: Battery life and charging

The Honor Magic V2 hasn’t gone through the Laptop Mag battery test, but I have been putting it to work over the last short while and seeing how well its battery life fares. Its combined 5,000mAh capacity is spread across two batteries housed in each half of the phone and provides some surprising longevity, even while making use of the larger inner display.

I don’t have exact figures to draw from here, but I have attempted to run the V2 down to complete depletion on several occasions to see how quickly it can work its way back up to a full charge again. In those cases, it almost became frustrating to get the V2 to flatline, as that final 5% of juice simply refused to give up the ghost at times.

My typical day-to-day with the Magic V2 would consist of browsing, gaming, and playing back music and podcasts while I work. Even at the end of longer days, the V2 had a considerable amount of charge left over, though if you make more liberal use of the phone’s internal display you may need to check in with your charging cable a little earlier than I had to.

Thankfully, with its 66W SuperCharge capabilities, you won’t be tethered to a power cable for too long. Charging from zero, the Magic V2 can restock its sizable battery in around 45-50 minutes — if you use Honor’s 66W SuperCharge Power Adapter. However, other adapters will vary depending on wattage.

Honor Magic V2: Cameras

The Honor Magic V2 has six cameras in total, comprising of a rear-facing camera array of a 50MP ultra-wide (f/2.0), 50MP wide (f/1.9, with optical image stabilization), and a 20MP telephoto lens (f/2.4, with optical image stabilization), and two 16MP wide angle, punch hole selfie cameras housed in either display. If you’re a bit of a shutterbug, there’s plenty to whet your appetite here, and there are some decent results to be had from each lens.

Ultra-wide shots look bright and vibrant and capture a decent amount of detail with accurate colors. Objects in the shade aren’t washed out, and there’s a nice level of contrast here that looks impressive both indoors and out.

Wide-angle shots once again offer crisp details and interesting contrasts, though the peaks of the whites are less intense. Colors pop nicely and retain the same lushness as the ultra-wide offering, making it another excellent choice for pictures.

The telephoto lens is a little more hit-and-miss, with its colors seeming ever-so-slightly less vibrant than the other lenses. Making use of the 2.5x optical zoom brings back those bold whites and deeper contrasts while maintaining a keen level of detail. It’s also fantastic for the phone’s super macro photography mode that lets you catch up-close details very nicely.

However, the 10x digital zoom can wildly vary in results from “Not bad at all” to “all bad.” Colors seem more washed out at this zoom, and the contrast can suffer greatly. There’s a 40x digital zoom here too but I’ve yet to find a good reason why as nothing I’ve snapped with it has been worth saving from my trash can.

10x zoom is somewhat saved by the camera app’s Pro Mode, which gives DSLR levels of control over each lens. The images below show the difference it can make when switching from the app’s basic photo mode.

The V2’s impressive ability to capture action shots is also worth a mention, with the one below caught accidentally as a flock of pigeons quickly flew past. Note the clarity of the wings with barely a motion blur in sight, while the camera app has a dedicated action shot mode, it wasn’t even engaged. Instead, the AI camera assistant noticed something fast-moving and adjusted the shot before I was even able to hit the shutter button — none of which sacrificed the overall quality of the image I originally intended to capture.

Honor Magic V2: Software

Running on MagicOS 7.2, the Honor Magic V2 exists in some sort of strange twilight zone between iOS and Android. While based on Android 13, and decidedly Android in feel, there’s an Apple-like uncanny valley quality to its menus, which adopt similar iconography and presentation to the iPhone — even down to the frosted glass backdrop effect of its drop-down notification bar.

While a little jarring to wrap your noggin around, the experience as a whole is as intuitive as any other OS you’ll come across, with a range of further interactions and shortcuts well signposted. In fact, the Magic V2 goes out of its way to tutorialize the experience in full, offering rundowns and walkthroughs of features with plenty of information at hand to familiarize newcomers and veterans alike with the foldable and MagicOS’ features both old and new.

Bottom line

If the durability of Samsung’s foldable opened my eyes to foldables, then the Honor Magic V2 won me over entirely. Not only is the phone stunning, but its looks align with equally impressive performance, a battery life that exceeded my expectations, and a build quality and durability that put to bed many of my foldable fears.

It’s not perfect, not many things are in life, but it is certainly one of the best smartphone experiences I’ve ever had. If you never once cracked open the Honor Magic V2 and enjoyed the roomy panel inside, you’d still be on the receiving end of a pretty great phone, which eliminates the case for its foldable form being a gimmick. It’s an addition. A solid feature that improves functionality, enhances software and games, elevates the user experience, and expands on this impressive device’s overall potential.

Inescapably, the V2’s price comes back to haunt it at this point. Yes, it has good performance, cameras, sound, and displays. But is any amount of that worth $1,800+ when it comes to a smartphone? That’s going to be a personal decision for you to make. But always keep in mind that no matter how sturdy or durable the V2 is, foldable phones do have a life expectancy.

This one, in particular, is claimed to be 400,000 folds or roughly 10 years if you open and close it around 100 times per day. However, as was the case with Motorola’s Razr+ in The Great Folding Test Vol. II I mentioned earlier, nothing is guaranteed.

Would I recommend picking up the Honor Magic V2? Yes, I would. If you take good care of your devices, they’ll typically take good care of you in return. I’ve gotten over my foldable fears, and maybe it's time more of us did the same.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve a moat to dig and a stick to sharpen to fend off Honor when they come to take it back from me.

Motorola's Razr was the flip-phone icon of the early-2000s, and it's become an instant classic in the foldable era. Earlier this year, we saw Motorola release the Razr Plus, a premium foldable phone with a dazzling 3.6-inch cover display. However, Motorola aren't done yet, with a new mainline Razr on its way.

The Motorola Razr (2023) is a game changer for foldables. Not only is it a quality smartphone, it's also the cheapest foldable on the US market. But has the flattering price of the Motorola Razr (2023) come at a cost to the overall experience? Let's find out.

Motorola Razr (2023) Vs Motorola Razr Plus: Specifications

Motorola Razr (2023) Vs Motorola Razr Plus: Price

The Motorola Razr (2023) is priced at $699. However, pre-ordering the foldable before its launch on Oct. 19, 2023 will see you snag one for as little as $599! That's almost half the price of the Motorola Razr Plus and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 ($999), and a much welcomed price for those eager to hop on the foldable bandwagon.

Winner: Motorola Razr (2023)

Motorola Razr (2023) Vs Motorola Razr Plus: Design and displays

Both the Razr and Razr Plus are roughly the same dimensions, with the newest model ever so slightly bulkier in form. There’s also only a fraction of difference between the two in weight with, once again, the Razr (2023) coming in the denser.

There’s not much to differentiate the two in their overall layout or design, with similar button and port placements, the same vegan leather back cover, and the same “tear-drop” hinge design handling folding duties.

Both even feature the same 6.9-inch, 2640 x 1080-pixel, pOLED display — though the Razr Plus does lead the way on refresh rate (165Hz to 144Hz). However, the most apparent difference between the two comes down to their respective external cover displays.

The Razr Plus features a gorgeous, class-leading, 3.6-inch, pOLED display that stretches edge-to-edge across the top of the phone. The AMOLED panel is bright and vibrant, offering a resolution of 1066 x 1056 pixels with a decent 413 ppi (Pixels per inch) for crisp and clear visuals. It also makes use of a 144Hz refresh rate, allowing for ultra-smooth animations and interactions. It’s a genuinely eye-catching feature that allows full functionality of the phone while shut.

In contrast, the Razr (2023) has a much more standard cover display offering. The 1.5-inch OLED display runs with a resolution of just 194 x 368 pixels and a lower ppi of 282. However, while its refresh rate isn’t as high as the Razr Plus’, it is still a spritely 120Hz. The Razr (2023)’s smaller cover screen doesn’t stand a chance against its premium counterpart, being serviceable for notifications or a clock and little much else.

Winner: Motorola Razr Plus

Motorola Razr (2023) Vs Motorola Razr Plus: Performance

Judging performance between these two devices is likely to be night and day due to their chosen chipsets. The Motorola Razr Plus is outfitted with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor with 8GB of RAM — it’s not the most powerful of chipsets to be found in a smartphone, but it’s still capable of a considerable amount of performance.

The Motorola Razr (2023) feels the sting of its consumer-friendly price tag in this category, finding itself outfitted with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor and 8GB of RAM. Leaked Geekbench results had previously pointed to the Motorola Razr (2023) being outfitted with 12GB of RAM which could have given the foldable some bragging rights here.

However, with a parity drawn between the two on memory offering, it’s not going to be a shock that the Razr Plus is the more powerful of the two. While the Razr (2023) won’t be outfitted with 12GB of RAM, even if it was the leaked Geekbench score indicates that the Razr Plus would still pull away in terms of performance by some margin.

One area in which performance does fall in the favor of the Razr (2023) is battery life. With its smaller screen, lower refresh rates, and a larger battery capacity (4,200 mAh to 3,800 mAh) the Razr (2023) should feature plenty more uptime than its more powerful counterpart. However, we’d need to put the phone through its paces in our vigorous Laptop Mag battery test to know for certain. 

Winner: Motorola Razr Plus

Motorola Razr (2023) Vs Motorola Razr Plus: Protection

Foldables are seen as notoriously fragile devices, capable of smashing to smithereens should you place so much as a grain of sand between their closing displays. However, I’m beginning to think much of our foldable concerns are bordering on mass hysteria.

I became a foldable follower after the Z Flip 5 finessed me with over 400k folds and, during the same test, Motorola’s Razr Plus managed an impressive 126.3k folds before giving up the ghost — which equates to a solid 2.5 years of intensive use.

Both phones make use of the same hinge (and also feature Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection), so we can expect similar levels of durability between the two, but only the Razr Plus has an IP52 protection rating, meaning it’s far better protected than the Razr (2023)’s unrated, water-repellant design — especially against dust and other particulates.

Winner: Motorola Razr Plus

Motorola Razr (2023) Vs Motorola Razr Plus: Cameras

Interestingly, even with the Razr Plus’ focus on its camera capabilities at launch, it’s the Razr (2023) that pulls ahead in this category. The two phones feature an almost identical camera array including a 32MP front/selfie camera and a 13MP ultra-wide lens. However, the Razr Plus’ 12MP main shooter has been upgraded to a 64MP sensor in the new Razr (2023). 

Winner: Motorola Razr (2023)

Outlook

Overall, if you want a clear and decisive winner between these two devices, the Motorola Razr Plus is a top-notch offering with plenty to brag about — one of which is its incredible cover display. It’s also the better phone in terms of performance and protection, though, the Razr (2023) isn’t without its benefits.

With an improved battery capacity, an upgraded main camera, and a much lower price tag, the Razr (2023) is a fantastic mid-range option for those looking to pick up a foldable phone without breaking the bank.

Both phones score some victories here, but Motorola’s impressive Razr Plus takes home the trophy.

Motorola is no stranger to phones that fold, having taken the world by storm with its iconic Razr V3 19 years ago. Today’s foldable phones are the reincarnation of these devices, and the Razr is finding second wind as one of the best foldable phones on the market — and today it can all itself the most affordable one too.

Having launched the impressive Motorola Razr Plus (Razr+) earlier this year, the Lenovo-owned brand is back with its most affordable foldable to date — the Motorola Razr 2023.

Motorola Razr (2023): Finally, an affordable foldable 

Motorola opens up preorders today for its latest foldable, the Motorola Razr (2023), for just $699. However. for a short time the foldable will be available at a jaw-dropping $599.99 — nearly half the price of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 ($999)!

So, what’s the catch? Well, if you’re a fan of the Razr Plus’ 3.6-inch edge-to-edge cover screen then you’re all out of luck when it comes to the Razr (2023). The new Razr foldable dials things back for its cover screen, featuring a 1.5-inch OLED panel as an always-on display and notification screen.

While foldable fans may miss the functionality of the Razr Plus’ larger display, it’s good news on the battery front — not only will this draw less power, but the Razr features a larger 4,200 mAh battery capacity too!

Motorola’s newest foldable cuts the costs a little further by adopting a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset, a noticeable step down from the Razr Plus’ Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 offering, but still a fair amount of power and performance for your pocket.

Outlook

Motorola has showcased a real desire to reclaim its flip-phone crown in the foldable era in recent years with the successful revival of the Razr product line. This new budget-friendly option breaks impressive ground as many manufacturers in the US market are still sticking to a ~$1,000 price point for their foldable devices.

Samsung’s dominance in the smartphone and foldable market has stagnated recently with its latest Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 devices failing to wow users with any dramatic improvements. Could Motorola’s affordable foldable flip the tables on the South Korean tech giants?

The competition for the foldable crown is only getting hotter, and Motorola is making its intentions plainly obvious. With buyers tightening their purse strings, the Razr’s pro-consumer pricing could make all the difference.

Among today's Discover Samsung Fall Event deals is a massive discount on the brand's latest flip phone. Today only, you can get the Galaxy Z Flip 5 for as low as $399 with eligible trade-in. Plus, get a free Galaxy Z Flip 5 FlipSuit case (valued at $60). 

Samsung will give you the highest trade-in value for the following phones in good condition: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip 3, Galaxy Z Fold 3, Galaxy S23 Ultra, Galaxy S23, Galaxy S22 Ultra, Apple iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max. Have a cracked screen? No problem. Samsung will still give you up to $500 for it.

If you're looking for savings on your next daily driver, this is one of the phone deals for the money.

Today's best Galaxy Z Flip 5 deal

Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 5 provides the best hands-free selfie experience and makes it easy to capture images and videos on the fly. It's the ultimate device for self expression and showing off your personality. 

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 packs 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz 1,750-nit foldable display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU with 8GB of RAM. When closed, you can access your favorite apps via a 3.4 Super AMOLED 60Hz 1600-nit display. It's the largest cover screen on a Z Flip yet!

Perfect for creators, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 rocks a 12MP Wide, 12MP Ultra Wide and 10X Digital Zoom camera, complemented by a 10MP front camera. When you're taking pics, it automatically switches to wide-angle so no is left out in the frame. Functions like zoom, night capture, and stable video for shake-free recording all make for fool-proof picture taking and recording.

Now up to $600 off, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a wise choice if you're thinking about switching to foldable. 

As we're speeding towards the iPhone 15 launch, I am already looking past it to the soon-to-arrive OnePlus Open. Samsung has dominated the foldables market for the past few years, but that reign will soon end. 

A report from Android Authority quotes a Tweet from leaker Max Jambor, stating that the upcoming OnePlus Open is rigorously tested, being put through 400,000 simulated folds. If this is true, that is double the amount of test folds for which the celebrated Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is rated.

Durability always wins

Don't get me wrong; I have seen what Samsung puts its foldables through. At Samsung Unpacked, we saw a demonstration of how they test fold durability, and it was fascinating.

I can't imagine being folded over 200,000 times and not having a few kinks to complain about. Let's be honest: if I fold over to touch my toes, I may need assistance getting back up. 

However, OnePlus pushing the limits of the Open by test folding it 400,000 times is the kind of limit testing that excites consumers. It's going the extra mile, or in this case, the additional 200,000 folds, to prove the Open is durable.

In human testing conducted by YouTuber Mrkeybrd, Samsung's other foldable, the Galaxy Z Flip 5, not only survived 400,000 folds, but surpassed Motorola's Razr + during the durability testing. We're not saying Samsung foldables are not burdensome, but we've all heard of the occasional lemon that has only survived a few hundred folds before not functioning. 

The other massively important thing to consider is that OnePlus is not only looking to deliver a durable foldable with the Open, but more than likely, they will do so at a price point that is more affordable if the company's history of delivering flagship specs holds. 

Also, the OnePlus Open is made by Oppo, which makes the Oppo Find N3 Flip rated at 400,000 folds and has been a hot seller in non-U.S. markets. If you do the math, 400,000 folds are 100 a day for the next ten years, but who owns a phone for ten years these days? Also, who isn't checking emails and social media at least 50 times daily? So if the average phone is good for five years, that's 200 folds over the phone's lifetime, which is more than enough for most. 

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 could be righting the wrongs of the Galaxy Z Fold5 — that being its very dated design, and the company is looking to the S24 Ultra for inspiration.

What do I mean by this? Well, according to a leaked prototype of the next-gen foldable from Ice Universe on X, the super tall front display and build is gone. In its place is a far wider form factor that’s going to make this a lot nicer to use, while giving it the refresh it desperately needs.

Going Ultra

This starts with a rumor about the Galaxy S24 Ultra going “ultra-wide” with the display. No, I don’t mean a 21:9 aspect ratio like the Sony Xperia 1, but rather a wider display on the horizontal like the Google Pixel Fold. It’s an idea that has been met with some skepticism, given how big the Ultra is already (even in my hands, it’s pretty monstrous), but it would make working on that front display a lot easier than the super tall option on the Fold5.

And it seems like Samsung likes this idea so much that it's going to the Galaxy Z Fold6, along with a fresh redesign that channels the aesthetic of the Ultra too. The concept device folds flat into a candy bar slab that looks virtually identical to the uber premium S24 Ultra. 

Another upgrade that seems to be coming is an under display selfie camera up front (take that with a pinch of salt, as it could just be a prototype thing), but don’t expect any updates to that integrated S Pen holder.

Outlook

One thing we all have an issue with following the launch of the Z Fold5 is how little things have actually changed. Sure, there’s a new hinge, but beyond that, most of you would be hard pushed to find anything different.

If this prototype is to be believed, we’re finally seeing something new come to this category from the company that is seemingly dominating it. Samsung rested on its laurels a little in 2023. 2024 could be a very different, more progressive year for the team over there.

Samsung just gave iPhone users a taste of what it would be like to have a foldable iPhone device. No, this isn't Samsung dipping into any hardware wizardry, it just created an app that lets you simulate the foldable experience across two iPhones and then it dug into the junk drawer to tape them together.

As reported by 9to5Mac, the Samsung Try application is just a web app that is easy to install and use on a pair of iPhones if you want to feel what it would be like to use a foldable. 

Sure, it's a marketing gimmick, and Samsung seems to have mastered gently mocking Apple's iPhone either during or near a launch event. Maybe I'm being unfair to Samsung, perhaps they really just wanted to share the joys of having a foldable device with iPhone users. 

How to get Samsung Try

If you wish to enjoy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 experience, you can head over to the Try Galaxy website and install it by scanning the QR code and saving it to your home screen. Once that's done, you can sample the One UI5.1 Samsung skin of Android, play around with it, and get a feel for what it would be like to own a foldable. 

For this experiment, you will need two iPhones; you should lay them side by side to get the full effect. I, however, do not recommend using duct tape to bind them to each other. You can, but duct tape could damage your iPhone or leave a sticky residue. However, if you want the hinge effect, duct tape away like our friends at Macworld choose to do. 

Once you have the Try app running on the two phones, tap the Fold experience button to have them act as one single foldable. It's a demo, so don't expect an accurate virtual device. It's more look and see what we did; we stretched the UI across two iPhones. You can, however, drag and drop items between both screens, which is rather striking. 

I don't think this hilarious app will convince many iPhone users to convert to a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, primarily because if you own an iPhone, you probably own an Apple Watch, a MacBook, an iPad, and possibly an iToilet. You're hooked into Apple's easy-to-use ecosystem and don't want to start changing your whole tech life, I get it. 

I will give Samsung a massive LOL for always finding cute, non-disrespectful ways to poke fun at Apple while still trying to snag a few of its devoted users. I love an excellent tongue-in-cheek, techie game of the dozens. 

According to a recent report at NoteBookCheck, the upcoming OnePlus Open, may arrive with the highest resolution displays seen to date on a foldable phone. Rumors suggested it would feature 120Hz displays, but the resolution remained uncertain.

We've been told to look for the Open to launch sometime this fall, probably sometime after the Apple September event where we anticipate the announcement of the iPhone 15. While the iPhone 15 is sure to be a massive hit, I'm more excited for the OnePlus Open as a new entrant in the foldable space than what looks to be a fairly iterative update to the iPhone.

OnePlus tends to deliver high-quality specs at more affordable prices and the while the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google Pixel Fold are both excellent devices, "affordable" is not a term that anyone would apply to the $1,799 phones.

OnePlus Open possible hi-res displays

According to the report, based on the Oppo Find N3, the OnePlus Open may boast a 6.31-inch 2484x1116 with an unconventional 20:9 aspect ratio. The reasoning for this belief is that OnePlus is a sub-brand for Oppo which often results in both using identical supply chain resources.

The other highlight spec we could see in the OnePlus Open found in the N3 is 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM, making it one of the most potent phones, let alone foldables, on the market. Of course, we expect the base model to come in at 16GB of RAM and either 256 or 512GB of storage with a potential upgrade to 24GB of RAM with 1TB of storage. 

While originally expected on August 29, reports in early August suggest the foldable will be delayed until slightly later in the year. With Apple, Microsoft, and Google events running the table on September through early October, OnePlus may take aim at late October or early November in order to still launch in time for the holiday season. If the rumor of a higher resolution than the Z Fold 5 is true, OnePlus could be trying to take a significant leap forward as a brand, and I am here for that. 

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the best flip-foldable in the game – at least for now. It may also be the device that gives the greatest reassurance to those sitting on the foldable fence about the durability of these often castigated clamshells for their supposed fragility.

If one thing is for certain, the release of any foldable device will be quickly followed up by a slew of horror stories about day one disasters that render cutting edge tech into an expensive wreck.

That being said, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 might have just won the hearts and minds of Samsung skeptics after an incredible display during a recent YouTube live stream where it went head to head with Motorola’s Razr Plus in a to-the-death trial of sand, dust, heat, water, ice, and… Cake mix?

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Vs. Motorola Razr Plus: Which flip will flop? 

The livestream, dubbed “The Great Folding Test” and hosted by YouTuber Mrkeybrd, saw the pair of foldables go flip-for-flip to see which dominates when it comes to device durability.

To set the scene on what we would have expected before this test, Motorola has previously claimed that the Razr Plus can surpass 400,000 folds. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 has been rated for a lifespan of 200,000 folds in normal conditions by the Bureau Veritas certification company.

However, Mrkeybrd had far more than “normal conditions” in mind when putting the smartphones to scrutiny.

The Great Folding Test

Over the course of the next week, both the Motorola Razr Plus and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 were subjected to constant folding and unfolding to stress test their hinges and displays.

It wasn’t long before Motorola’s durability claims became somewhat dubious. After ~44K folds, the Razr Plus developed a minor issue with its hinge – though it soldiered on regardless, with no issues to the display or functionality.

After 100K folds, the MrKeybrd team decided to encase each phone in a bag of dust and give everything a shake around for good measure. It’s here that the Motorola Razr Plus may have met its match, as its IP52 protection rating seemingly caved under the particulate pressure. Roughly 20K folds later, the Razr Plus’ screen would finally give up the ghost at 126.3K folds.

However, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, even with its untested particulate rating of IPX8, remained completely unphased. 

A victory lap for the Z Flip 5 

Having proven itself to be the more durable foldable, Samsung’s victory lap would escalate into proving just how much more stress it can possibly handle. And oh boy, can it handle stress.

After making it through a trial of dust, the Z Flip 5 celebrated 200K folds by being submerged under water and folded for 30 minutes. After this, Samsung’s foldable developed its first issue at 223K folds, with the hinge clearly weakened by its previous scuba session. However, the Z Flip 5 remained otherwise perfectly functional and marched ahead. Flipping and folding without any indication of damage to its screen or operation.

And so it would continue, even while bathed in heats of 164.8 degrees Fahrenheit (74.5 degrees celsius), treated to an ice bath, and even buried and folded in sand. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 was an unstoppable force, at least until eggs, flour, sugar, and water were thrown at it. At which point, I’m going to assume it was felled by a gluten intolerance.

A thousand folds after being cleaned up from its cake batter bath, the Z Flip 5’s screen failed. Tallying 401,136 folds in total – over 200K folds more than its official rating, while no doubt being put through much harsher testing conditions.

The results

Mrkeybrd claims that regular users are likely to open their phone roughly 60 times per day. However, a recent survey conducted by reviews.org sees that number climb to a whopping 144 times per day for the average American user.

So, in real world numbers (according to the surveyed data) the Motorola Razr Plus’s hinge issues would become apparent after less than a year of use – and the Razr Plus’ 126.3K fold lifespan is the equivalent to just ~2.5 years of use.

In contrast, the Z Flip 5’s hinge issues come into effect after over 4 years of use – eventually kicking the bucket after a respectable service of over 7 and a half years.

Outlook

I don’t know about you, but I tend not to bathe my phone in dust, use it while snorkeling, or make it the key ingredient of a Victoria Sponge Cake. Which only further bolsters my confidence in the product Samsung has developed.

Foldables may be the future, but if you want to enjoy the world of tomorrow today there seems to be only one option to go with if you don’t want to end up getting burnt for your buck – Samsung. More specifically, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.

I’m a convert! After buying into the fragile foldable hype, I’ve had my doubts about the longevity of these devices for some time. But this bizarrely captivating and fascinating live stream by Mrkeybrd may have put my foldable fears to rest.

Want to know more content about Samsung's mighty Z Flip 5 foldable smartphone? Be sure to check out the following coverage:

• How to preorder the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5: Save up to $1000
• I've spent 72 hours with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and it's a bigger upgrade than you realize
• Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs. Moto Razr Plus 2023 camera test: It's no contest
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Vs. Motorola Razr+: It’s closer than ever
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4: What's changed?

For news, rumors, and updates on all things Samsung and tech, follow Laptop Mag on Twitter, Facebook, and Flipboard for the latest word as it arrives. 

Samsung has had the foldables market cornered for a while, with minor challenges from Google and Motorola, not snagging much from the company's dominance. However, according to a report in AndroidAuthority, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun announced that the company's MIX Fold 3 will launch on August 14. 

With the Pixel Fold suffering issues at launch, and the rumored delay of the OnePlus foldable device, Samsung's foldable dominance has gone unchallenged until now. From the images shared by Jun via Twitter (I refuse to call it X), we can see that the MIX 3 looks to have a stunning design, aided by the folks at Leica. 

Xiaomi MIX Fold 3

The initial photos show that the MIX Fold 3 is like its predecessor, the MIX Fold 2. Its squared-off camera island is bold and features Leica branding, but you will immediately notice a fourth camera has been added to the MIX. 

The camera nodule looks sleek, and there is a flash within it. However, the camera lens protrudes a bit out of the nodule. The quad system will feature a periscope camera for better long-range shooting thanks to enhanced zoom capabilities. The MIX Fold 3 looks very thin, with just enough thickness to accommodate the USB-C charging port, making it slimmer than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. 

The new MIx Fold 3 will supposedly feature the same faux leather textured finish we find the Xiaomi's 13 ultras, but a smooth surface option will be available. As far as specs, it is rumored that Xiaomi intends to not only make the MIX Fold 3 thinner and lighter but also will pack it with powerful specs to not only compete with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 Xiaomi hopes to surpass it. 

As its launch date approaches, we will update you on the Xiaomi MIX Fold 3. The foldable market will be expanding rapidly in the next year, and it will be interesting to see which makers can compete with Samsung's foldable devices, especially since it's rumored that Samsung will also be bringing more affordable versions of its foldable devices to market sooner than later. 

The choice of Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs. Moto Razr+ could be challenging for foldable fans with both manufacturers making a leap with their respective designs this year.

While we are still weighing the question of which phone offers the better total package, we wanted to do a camera face-off to see which flip-style foldable delivers a superior experience for mobile photographers. 

Now as always with camera face-offs, there is a subjective aspect to some of the interpretations of the images, so while I'll give you my opinion on which is coming out ahead in each case, you can peruse the images and determine which you prefer.

Without further ado, here's a look at the Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs. Motorola Razr Plus 2023 cameras.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Vs. Motorola Razr Plus 2023: Camera specs

Both phones feature the same basic camera layout with a primary and ultrawide camera on the back and a centered hole-punch front-facing camera. 

However, the details differ with Samsung opting for a 12MP with an f/1.8 aperture and larger 1.8μm pixels for its primary compared to an f/1.5 aperture and smaller 1.4μm pixels on the Razr. It's hard to land on a clear winner there with Samsung's larger sensor balancing out Motorola's superior aperture.

The ultrawide is basically a wash as well with both featuring an f/2.2 aperture and 1.12μm pixels. The only difference is that Samsung's is 12MP and Motorola's is 13MP, which is negligible. 

The front-facing camera is the one relatively clear win with Motorola going over the top with a 32MP sensor with an f/2.4 aperture and 0.7μm pixels. Samsung comes up well short in the megapixel race with 10MP but does fight back with a superior f/2.2 aperture and 1.22μm pixels.

From a hardware standpoint, neither of these phones is really managing to stand out as a winner and both fall short of a flagship phone camera experience in 2023, however, that's not to say they can't produce excellent photos.

Let's take a look at actual samples and see what these sensors can do.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Vs. Motorola Razr Plus 2023: Primary camera

Note: I'm including samples here from the primary camera at 1x all the way out to the maximum digital zoom for each phone's primary camera: 10x for Galaxy Z Flip 5 and 8x for Motorola Razr Plus 2023. Neither of these phones actually offers a telephoto lens, there are still times where punching in a little bit can be the difference between getting a shot or not so it's good to know what's possible.

Samsung's primary camera on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 impressed me after relatively weak results from the previous versions. The first shot is of a mountain lake off Beartooth Highway and shows off the strong dynamic range of the camera. The lush greenery is accurately displayed and the intense clouds that dominated the sky retain sharp detail. The results at 1x are consistently solid from the primary, delivering bright, sharp, and color-accurate results.

This all holds true at 2x allowing you to bring your subject reasonably close without sacrificing any perceptible visual fidelity. While some of the samples in the 4x to 10x range hold up pretty well to me, the first set of the mountain lake is a demonstration of what can go wrong. Something about those conditions just destroyed the sharpness of the image and give it a blurry and surreal quality. The swans and the floral scene on the other hand remained detailed and color accurate throughout, so if you are capturing something that allows for multiple attempts don't ignore the zoom capabilities of the Flip 5.

The Motorola Razr Plus 2023 primary camera has its moments, but overall I found it to be a frustrating experience as it often somewhat inexplicably missed capturing a scene properly. In the first scene, the vibrant green falls to a more muted tone, while the clouds are blown out in comparison to the Flip 5's effort at the same shot. In the second scene the Razr struggled to deal with the contrast between the land and sky with the former being too dark and the latter blowing out again. Finally, the floral scene is over-brightened consistently which is throwing off the hue of the flowers.

While the above issues remain present, I was surprised that the 2x through 4x zoom images remained mostly usable, but steer clear of 8x in almost all circumstances. The detail in the image just evaporates to a degree that won't have you saving or sharing any of these photos.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Vs. Motorola Razr Plus 2023: Ultrawide camera

Things were a little more hit-or-miss with the ultrawide on the Galaxy Z Flip 5. The first scene is excellent again with a color-accurate landscape and it did a fantastic job dealing with the contrast between the land and cloud-filled sky. The second shot is a much less flattering result from the Flip 5 with the sky mostly blown out, the trees in the foreground lost in darkness, and considerable distortion at the edges. The floral scene returns to a solid performance with the lack of distortion on the light post on the left leaving me even further confused by what happened in the second shot.

The ultrawide on the Razr does remain consistent with the primary, which is generally a good thing, but in this case it left me still feeling like it has a way to go to catch up to Samsung. The first shot again lacks some of the vibrant color that should be present in the foreground and the cloudy sky is blown out in spots and loses detail. The second shot casts the entire foreground in darkness in order to deliver an overly bright, but detailed sky. The floral shot is the most successful in the set to me with color accuracy and a lack of distortion at the edges.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Vs. Motorola Razr Plus 2023: Front-facing camera

You should basically never be using the front-facing camera on these phones. Going split-screen on a video chat app is just about the only reason I can think of. Why? One of the most obvious benefits of a flip-style foldable is the incredible ease with which you can use the much better rear cameras for selfies. As you'll see the results bear this out, neither front-facing camera comes close to the results from the primary or ultrawide.

It was a bright environment, but even so the Galaxy Z Flip 5 struggled here with the side of my face and the background largely blown out. It did a solid job with my skin tone and the rest of the colors in the image with my light orange shirt and the leaves behind me accurately depicted. However, I find the detail mushy and lacking with the leaves behind me blending into single mass in spots.

Motorola finally chalks up a win for itself here, it did a much better job of managing the bright lighting to keep the image clear while still maintaining accurate colors. What's more it offers a sharper image and cleaner separation from the background without even using the portrait mode. The only unfortunate part about this is that front-facing camera is the least important of the three by far as you should stick to using the rear cameras with cover display preview whenever possible as both the wide and ultrawide cameras there are superior.

Overall winner

While the Motorola Razr Plus 2023 scored itself a late win in the front-facing camera battle, it ultimately loses the war with the Galaxy Z Flip 5's primary and ultrawide cameras consistently outperforming it. It's not that you can't get a good image out of the Razr Plus 2023, but your hit ratio is going to be much higher with the Galaxy Z Flip 5.

What I will say for both is that the literal flexibility of these phones makes them so much fun to use for taking photos. Whether you are taking a selfie, a group photo, or even just want a steady tripod shot of something you can place your phone down and angle it to get the shot without any concern over shaky hands or needing to leave someone out of the photo. For anyone that loves mobile photography, foldables are only going to make that love blossom even more.

It does make me wish that Samsung would give us a Galaxy Z Flip Ultra that added a telephoto lens and even better sensors, maybe next year. 

Before you preorder the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 for $999, here's something you should know. U.S. wireless carrier, Verizon offers a great incentive. For a limited time, new and existing customers can get a free Galaxy Z Flip 5 or save up to $1,000 on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 (valued at $1,799). On top of that, you get a free storage upgrade from 256GB to 512GB.

We all know that nothing in life is free, so as you probably guessed, there's a catch. To get a free Galaxy Z Flip 5 from Verizon you must trade-in an eligible device in good condition. You must also activate the Galaxy Z Flip 5 phone on a qualifying Verizon Unlimited Plan. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 costs $999, so if you receive the highest trade-in value, the phone is yours for free. Your rebate shows up as credits on your monthly bill over the course of 36-months. 

And to sweeten the deal even more, Verizon is bundling this deal with NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV for free (valued at $449).

This is one of the best phone deals at Verizon, so if you're due for an upgrade, now's a great time to save. Preorder Samsung's new Galaxy Z Series foldables below. 

Samsung is literally giving away the Galaxy Z Flip 5 for free with its generous back to school education discount. So if you want to step into the new semester with Samsung's latest phone, here's how to get the Galaxy Z Flip 5 for free. 

Preorder the Galaxy Z Flip 5 at Samsung.com starting from $999 and get a free storage upgrade to the 512GB model (valued at $1,119). Students, teachers, and faculty, select Samsung's Education Offers to save $100 which drops the Galaxy Z Flip 5 to $899. Take an extra $900 when you trade in your Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy Z Fold 4 or Galaxy S23 Ultra to drop the Galaxy Z Flip 5 down to the low price of free. 

You can also get the Galaxy Z Flip 5 for free when you trade in a Google Pixel Fold or Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max. This is one of the phone deals students and teachers can get.  

Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the ultimate tool for self expression and showcases your personality. It features a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz 1,750-nit foldable display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU with 8GB of RAM. When closed, you can access your favorite apps via a 3.4 Super AMOLED 60Hz 1600 nit display.

One thing's for sure about the Galaxy Z Flip 5, it makes it easy to capture images and videos on the fly. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 provides the best hands-free selfie experience, and features an expanded cover screen to access your apps and flex your style. It's the largest cover screen on a Z Flip yet. 

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 features a 12MP Wide, 12MP Ultra Wide and 10X Digital Zoom camera, complemented by a 10MP front camera. Great for creators, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 automatically switches to wide-angle when you're capturing images to include everyone in the frame. Notable Galaxy Z Flip 5 camera features include zoom, night capture, and stable video for shake free recording. Meanwhile, built-in AI reduces noise and enhances image and video quality. 

Introduced four years ago, Samsung's Galaxy Z Series of phones have revolutionized creativity, productivity and lifestyle. 

Galaxy Z Flip 5 preorders ship to arrive by the phone's Aug. 11 release date.

If you’ve read anything I’ve written over the course of the years, you know a few things about me. I don’t believe in either tablets or Chromebooks, I love a big phone and I’m a huge fan of the now defunct Samsung Galaxy Note line of smartphones. TTo me, the Note was damn- near perfect –– a huge screen, always rocking the most premium specs, and then of course, there was the S Pen. A simple stylus that over time, Samsung developed into a font of functionality over time. In its current iteration, it can remotely snap photos on your phone, launch apps, control your music and more –– all without touching your phone. And when it comes to writing and taking notes, it’s as natural as putting pen to paper.

Thanks to recency bias, I assumed that the MacBook Air’s battery life was always this great. That and the fact that it’s only been a recent occurrence that I’m reviewing Macs –– Air or otherwise and you can understand my assumption. But as I began reading some of those past reviews, the wow, Apple has really come a long way with the Air. With the 2013 MacBook Air lasting 11:40 and the first Air coming in with a time of only [TK]. 

It’s a true testament to the power and efficiency Apple developed with the M2 chips. So now, take a walk with me down memory lane as we explore the MacBook Airs of old to see how we got to where we are today. 

But in the world of tech, there’s always something new around the corner. And the latest new kid on the block is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. Starting at $1,799, the Z Fold 5 is a beautiful foldable that ticks off a lot of my boxes that I recently demoed. And while I do feel that the phone is only an incremental jump in progress, there’s no denying that the Z Fold 5 is awfully tempting. It’s got the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor as my S23 Ultra, essentially making it one of the most powerful foldables on the market. It’s got loads of cameras that I’d love to try out. And it’s got multitasking potential galore. And those screens! When unfolded, the Z Fold 5’s main display measures 7.8-inches while the Cover Display gives you 6.2 inches of prime real estate. 

And while I’m ever- so- tempted to trade in my beloved S23 Ultra and become the latest initiate to the foldable school of thought,. tThere are a couple things stopping me. First, there’s the price. In the interest of having a comfortable amount of storage I’d either go with the 512GB model which costs $1,799 or just go full big spender and shell out $2,009 for the 1TB version. It’s a lot of money either way. 

But the main reason I’m sticking with the S23 Ultra is the S Pen, or lack thereof, on the Z Fold 5. Although Samsung is pushing the Fold line in the same productivity vein as my beloved Note, it’s just selling wolf tickets without the S Pen. I mean how am I supposed to take notes or take hands-free pics without Samsung’s specialized stylus? I think not. 

And it’s not that Samsung doesn’t offer the S Pen for the Z Fold 5, it does. The company just wants you to pay for the privilege to the tune of $59.99 for just the pen or $99.99 for the Slim S Pen Case, which has an indentation created for your precious stylus. So let me get this straight. You want me to pay another $100 on top of the $1,800 - $2,000 (not including various sales and service tax) for something that is included, nay housed, inside my S23 Ultra? That’s a kick in the teeth and wallet. The rent is too damn high and so is the S Pen’s price.

And while I’m loathe to even acknowledge the existence of tablets, Samsung has sense enough to bundle the S Pen with every model of the new Galaxy Tab S9 tablets, so why make the S Pen an expensive afterthought on the Galaxy Z Fold 5. If Samsung wants me to make the switch over to foldable land, they need to find a way to add silo housing for the S Pen for the Z Fold line. And I know I’m coming off as a little demanding, but this is Samsung:, the company who made foldables a thing. If they have the engineering and design gumption to create a foldable in the first place, I have no doubt that they can fix this oversight as well. 

I was at Galaxy Unpacked July 2023 this week in Seoul to witness the launch of a slew of new Samsung phones, tablets, and wearables. While the Galaxy Z Flip 5 did feature an attention-grabbing update to its cover display, many were underwhelmed with the update.

I get it, cover display (excuse me, "Flex Window") aside the specs do sound an awful lot like the Z Flip 4. However, after spending 72 hours with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and running it through the gamut of some of our lab tests, I can confidently say that it's a much bigger upgrade than it looks on paper.

Here's a rundown of some of the most impactful differences over the Galaxy Z Flip 4 which may convince you to upgrade or make the Galaxy Z Flip 5 your first foldable.

1. Flex Window

Ok, I promise this isn't a bait and switch, I have other reasons, but I don't want this one to get lost in the shuffle just because it's a visible change. I still think people are ignoring how significantly it transforms your entire usage of the phone.

Samsung had been inching forward with the cover display on the Flip line, but it still felt like a tiny viewport into your content rather than an actual usable display. The jump from 1.9 to 3.4 inches completely changes the game. Now it is more limited than the free-for-all that Motorola is allowing on the Razr+, but that's not all bad as you are getting more curated experiences on this display and given Samsung's share of the foldable market I expect to see developer support grow. 

Selfies are the most obvious use case. While I do not condone slapping the phone out of someone's hand if you see them using the hole-punch front-facing camera on the Flip 5, please kindly and rationally explain the error of their ways, because you have dead-simple access to high-quality cameras for all your selfie needs.

Responding to messages no longer requires popping open your Flip either. Just tap on the notification and you'll be able to type away on a full-size keyboard and return your phone to your pocket. The widget-like modules on the Flip 5 Flex Window can feel a bit like smartwatch apps, but this is the major differentiator as I am not here for anyone telling me they enjoy or find it easy to type on a smartwatch keyboard.

Beyond Samsung's dozen cover screen widgets, you can go to Settings > Advanced Features > Labs to enable "Apps allowed on cover screen." This adds some handy additional apps like Maps, Messages, Netflix, WhatsApp, YouTube, and more.

Again, this is the major visible upgrade to the Z Flip 5 so maybe you weren't ignoring it, but I can't stress how often I find I don't even need to flip open the phone to get some quick task done, which is something I could only say of the Fold previously.

2. Battery life

The battery size on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 remains precisely the same 3,700mAh that Samsung used on the Galaxy Z Flip 4, how much better could the battery life really be? While I felt like I wasn't experiencing much battery anxiety the first couple of days with the Z Flip 5, something I would never have said of previous Flips, I was eager to see whether our lab test would back up my anecdotal experiences.

It did not disappoint with the Z Flip 5 lasting 9 hours and 53 minutes in our Laptop Mag Battery Test which involves the phone browsing the web on 5G with the display set at 150 nits of brightness. That's an hour and 20 minutes longer than the Z Flip 4 survived on that same test. It does come up just shy of the Razr+ (10:09), but that's a negligible advantage and pushes the Z Flip 5 into what I consider to be don't worry about it battery territory.

So how did Samsung pull this off? The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 inside. While we've seen solid performance gains from Qualcomm's latest, the efficiency has been its most significant win of this generation, consistently delivering at least 1-2 hours of added battery life to Android flagships across the board.

3. Storage boost

While the pricing didn't move on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, it starts at the same $999, Samsung doubled your storage for that price. I'd imagine at least 98% of smartphone users can get by with 256GB, so while I would still tell you to take Samsung up on the free upgrade to 512GB if you pre-order the Flip 5, if you're reading this after it elapsed, don't worry you will still be fine.

In a year where the threat of iPhone price hike rumors just won't stop, it's good to see Samsung not only hold the line on pricing but actually give you more for your money.

Outlook

While the first 72 hours have been a solid start, I'm not ready to weigh in with a final review just yet. Stay tuned for that this week after I've spent a little more time with the phone and can stack its photos up against rivals like the Moto Razr+. Early impressions there are good as well though, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 also boasted some photo-enhancing features that may be benefiting the unchanged camera setup on the Z Flip 5.

Samsung may not have completely transformed the Z Flip 5 inside and out, but I think this is a more worthwhile upgrade than meets the eye. If you've been considering the jump into foldables or are waffling on one of the upgrade offers that makes it free or nearly free to go from the Z Flip 4, make the leap, you won't regret it.

Samsung’s foldables are expensive — that much is obvious when looking at the Galaxy Z Fold 5. But the company has heard your concerns, as it plans to add a more affordable option to its portfolio.

As Bloomberg (via Yahoo Finance) reports, ™ Roh, chief of Samsung’s mobile business, has talked about making “a leap in our price positioning,” which would surely sell a lot better than the current pricey options. 

Folding down the cost

This all comes with the backdrop of the smartphone market taking a broader downturn over the past year. But there are some disagreements amongst forecasters, as IDC expects 50 million foldables shipped in 2027, and Counterpoint Research predicts double that at 100 million.

Why? Well, it could be one of the bigger reasons why Samsung is looking to drive the cost down sooner rather than later. Counterpoint is making an assumption that we will all be buying foldable iPhones in 2025.

With that looming specter, it’s logical that Samsung wants to move fast here, and look to hit that $799 price tag that most users are comfortable paying for a flagship smartphone.

Outlook

Offering a cheaper foldable to actually compete at the more acceptable mainstream flagship prices is a smart move on Samsung’s part. While the company has worked hard to really push foldables as luxury devices, that’s only going to attract so many people.

And as this form factor gradually grows into becoming the mainstream, and the threat of an Apple foldable taking over the whole industry is on the horizon, now is the time for Samsung to act and give us maybe a Galaxy A Fold (or whatever the team wishes to name it).

According to a report in 9to5Mac, we could see an Apple foldable iPhone in 2025. Although there were previous rumors that one would be launched in 2023, that just doesn't fit Apple's sit-and-wait for the market to develop, style of doing things. 

Apple has a noted history of allowing other tech makers, such as Samsung, to launch devices that feature new tech and then watch how consumers react to it. They also collect not only marketing data but see what production errors were made and then set out to create a similar device that is designed better. 

It seems that Apple's ideology is second or third to market isn't as important as creating a device that will own the market. Unlike Rickey Bobby, who thinks if you ain't first, you're last. Apple's approach is, if you're last, you can be first because you've learned from everyone else's mistakes and now build the best product possible. 

Should we be excited about a Foldable iPhone

Yes and no, Apple has sat back and learned from the mistakes of Samsung, which the Flips and Fold started terribly, as reviewers pointed out durability issues. Now that we've reached the fifth iteration of Fold and Flip, Samsung has worked hard to improve the durability and every aspect of the devices. However, they're far from perfect, and that is where Apple happily slides into consumers' DM's. 

Since Samsung accepts its Foldable design struggles and keeps moving forward, Apple holds a watchful eye, plotting in the background like the villain in a Disney movie; the idea of  Tim Cook laughing sinisterly behind Cupertino's circled castled walls makes me smile a bit. However, other makers like Google are moving into the foldable market.

The Google Pixel Fold and its ridiculous $1,799 price tag are not doing well, and durability issues have been damaging sales. It appears Google leaped into the pool too soon without perfecting its design, and now they're dealing with the Foldable curse firsthand. 

OnePlus is also looking to enter the Foldable market soon. Although I am excited to see what they launch and know it will be more affordable than the Samsung and Google Foldables, I'm still concerned about the durability issues plaguing the design. 

Apple will then have multiple foldables it has studied, to try and figure out how to design a super durable foldable. When you add iPhone's excellent but bland aesthetic to iOS, Apple could dominate the foldables market. 

Counterpoint Research and market intelligence company believe that 2025 will be the year Apple will launch its foldable, and the company estimates that Apple's entry into the market will boost sales of foldables to over $100 million. That is the power of the Apple ecosystem and consumers' brand loyalty. They also predict that initially, Samsung will still dominate the foldable market, but Apple's cut of sales will rapidly increase. 

Don't buy a foldable unless you like to burn money

Lastly, I'm not excited about a foldable iPhone after seeing Apple's attempt at an AR/VR headset. The main reason is Apple likes to pretend it's inventing a new standard of technology from what already exists (Apple Pencil, anyone), which is annoying. Also, price point, Apple will undoubtedly charge near what the Pixel Fold is selling for, if not more, and who wants to spend $2,000 on a foldable when durability is questionable? 

Ultimately, until the durability issues are addressed with foldable phones, they're just a luxury purchase for selfie-obsessed narcists, so I will probably own two by the end of the year. In the meantime, resists burning your money on a foldable. 

As a solo traveler, people look at me like I have five heads when I carry around a selfie stick and a tripod. It's easy to ignore the "Pfft, what a loser" stares, but as someone who enjoys blending in, the clunky gear often attracts curious strangers. I prefer to take in the beautiful sites alone, hence the words solo traveler, but selfie sticks and tripod are people magnets.

Cue the Galaxy Z Flip 5, the new-and-improved foldable flip phone Samsung unveiled at Unpacked 2023.

Admittedly, its updates are mainly iterative, but the enlarged cover display and enhanced camera software make it the best phone for travelers, particularly those who prefer to trot the globe by themselves.

Flex Mode is elite for solo travel

I reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, and the one thing I gushed about the most is Flex Mode. This posture lets you transform the phone into a chair-like position, allowing you to place it on any surface to take hands-free photos. 

Take a look at this picture I took during a trip to San Francisco. With the Galaxy Z Flip 4's Flex Mode. I just placed that bad boy on a surface and I could capture a good chunk of my body without bugging strangers with "Can you take a picture of me?"

Compared to my Galaxy S22 Ultra and the iPhone 14 Plus, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 appeared to capture so much more of myself in selfies. With the Galaxy Z Flip 5's debut, Samsung highlighted some of its best new Flex Mode features:

• Thanks to auto framing, you can set the phone down in Flex Mode and the camera can shift from wide to ultrawide to capture more subjects in the shot.
• You can use your Galaxy Watch to control the Galaxy Z Flip 5's camera remotely while placing it down in Flex Mode. In other words, you can snap photos, record videos, and zoom in — all from your wrist. 

Even when I'm traveling with a friend, asking for strangers to take photos of us can be a nuisance. As such, the new autoframing feature appears to be a lifesaver because it can detect when another subject is in the shot. And as a result, it will switch to the ultrawide shooter.

On top of that, controlling my Galaxy Z Flip 5's camera with my Galaxy Watch (without needing to walk up to it, press a button, and step back again) is another feature that will benefit solo travelers.

The cover display gives you easy access to your plane tickets (and more)

The Galaxy Z Flip 5's cover display jumped from a measly 1.9-inch panel to a 3.4-inch display that adds more convenience for solo travelers. Here are some of the cool things you can do on the new-and-improved, 720 x 748-pixel Super AMOLED panel:

• You can select the aspect ratio you want for your pictures directly on the cover display. For example, if you want to take a 1:1 photo for your Instagram feed, but a 9:16 video for TikTok, you can make that happen.
• The enlarged cover display lets you zoom in or out for portraits.
• The cover display features an adaptive brightness feature, so while you're outdoors, the panel should be brighter, but when you're indoors, it'll be dimmer.
• You can use it to quickly access your boarding pass.

I dig that Samsung lets users access camera settings via the new cover display. No need to unfold the phone and waste time — it's all right there in front of you. On top of that, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 appears to let you have all of your documents within reach on the cover display, whether it's a boarding pass, excursion ticket, coupon, ID, or a QR code.

The camera software is a showstopper

Samsung only made minor upgrades to the Galaxy Z Flip 5's triple-camera array (e.g.,  the selfie camera has a wider aperture for better nightography), but it's the enhanced camera software that caught my eye for solo travel. Thanks to a boost from AI for the rear cameras, Samsung claims that Galaxy Z Flip 5 photos are now less noisier, crisper, and sharper compared to its predecessor.

Bokeh effects are better than ever, too, thanks to the AI Stereo Depth Map feature. Your social media followers will surely gush over your solo travel pictures if you take the Galaxy Z Flip 5 with you as your companion.

Bottom line

I'm not convinced the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will be of great use for homebodies and travel-averse users, but if you're a solo globetrotter, I can't think of a better phone to get than the fifth-generation Galaxy Z Flip phone.

You can ditch the tripods and selfie sticks and use Flex Mode. I prefer to travel light, and unfortunately, all that gear can add unnecessary weight to my shoulders, which is why I appreciate the Galaxy Z Flip 5 in all of its travel-friendly glory. Plus, it's super pocketable and can fit comfortably into your jeans' pocket (something I bet you can't do with whatever phone you currently own).

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked July 2023 has arrived, and we have just got a full reveal of the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Flip 5, Galaxy Watch 6, and Galaxy Tab S9.

It seems like a lot of the rumors were true — from the improved hinges on the foldables and the expanded display on Flip 5, to the return of the rotateable bezel on the Watch 6.

Join us here for all the post-event live coverage including face-offs and links to where to pre-order. Plus, we have a playlist just below of video hands-on reviews with all the brand new devices.

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: $999 @ Samsung with free storage upgrade to 512GB
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: $1,799 @ Samsung with free storage upgrade to 512GB
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S9: from $799 @ Samsung with free storage upgrade
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 6: from $299 @ Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Hands-on video reviews

Good morning from sunny Seoul, South Korea. This is Sean Riley, Assistant Managing Editor for Laptop Mag, and I'll be with you for the next several hours in the run-up to Galaxy Unpacked July 2023, taking a look at all of the rumors surrounding Samsung's latest devices that we expect to see and giving you a glimpse at some of what Samsung has shown us so far during our trip to the company's Digital City.

Stay with us through Galaxy Unpacked, which kicks off at 7 a.m. ET on July 26, for our commentary on all of the announcements as they happen.

We aren't expecting any laptop announcements at Galaxy Unpacked July 2023, but we're Laptop Mag, so we couldn't resist a photo op with the first Korean laptop from 1987 that we spotted at Samsung's Innovation Museum.

Galaxy Z Fold 5 hinge rumors
Leaping back to the present, one of the bigger rumors regarding Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a completely revamped hinge design that may reduce or eliminate the crease on the display. Having used many foldables now I will attest that you simply do not notice the crease after even a brief time with the phones, but I can't argue that it would be better if it didn't exist at all.

Beyond its impact on the crease, this new design, apparently known as the dumbbell, allegedly would allow for a fold-flat design with a gentler curve that would put less stress on the folding display. While Samsung has done a lot to eliminate the concerns over the fragility of its foldables, there's no denying it's still a worry. So anything that is going to bolster the lives of these expensive phones is going to be welcome.

Reliable tipster @UniverseIce on Twitter has once again shot down the notion that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will add dust resistance to its existing water resistance despite the alleged new hinge design.

Galaxy Z Flip 5 cover display upgrade

While the rumored hinge change could have a significant impact on Samsung's foldables, by far the biggest visual update would be the larger cover display on the Galaxy Z Flip 5. There are countless leaks including what appear to be official Samsung marketing materials regarding this change, which would bring the Z Flip 5 in line with its hot new competition from the Motorola Razr+.

The big question is what will you be able to do with that newfound screen real estate? A recent leak showed 7 potential use cases for the Z Flip 5 cover display that seem limited to specific widgets as opposed to the wild west of the Razr+ cover display which will let you put whatever you want on it, for good and for bad.

Matrix Phone

Dipping back into to my visit to Samsung's Innovation Museum, I was among a number of journalists that were tempted to plan an Ocean's 11 style heist to get our hands on the Matrix Phone (a.k.a. Samsung SPH-N270). 20 years later there is still something just ridiculously compelling about this phone. I could picture Neo wielding a Z Flip these days, at least you still have that satisfying feeling of snapping it shut when you're done with a call.

Samsung Galaxy Ring

Filed under tantalizing rumors that we aren't sure will come to pass is the Samsung Galaxy Ring or Samsung Galaxy Pulse. A report on July 17 suggested that Samsung is ready to put a ring on its wearable fans sometime soon with this finger-based fitness wearable in "advanced development" according to Korean news site The Elec.

However, most of the report centered on patents and trademarks, rather than even prototype hardware, so it's a stretch to imagine Samsung will have it ready in time for Galaxy Unpacked today. Assuming it doesn't appear at Unpacked, we'll be keeping our ears to the ground for more on this brand-new wearable from Samsung as it could be ready by the time the Galaxy S24 rolls around next year.

Galaxy Watch 6 may get its bezel back

It's rare that you see anyone celebrating something other than the elimination of the bezel from a piece of tech, but in the case of the Galaxy Watch 6 rumors suggest could bring back the rotating bezel, which fans were sad to see go on the Galaxy Watch 5.

Count me among them, the tactile feel of navigating through menus with that rotating physical bezel is fantastic. I even loved the sound of it. While Samsung gave you a touch bezel to simulate the experience without having to touch the actual display, it just isn't the same. So here's hoping this leak is accurate.

Part of our tour of Samsung's Digital City included a model smart home with a robust collection of SmartThings-enabled products. They could do everything from helping you to wake up in the morning to walking you step-by-step through cooking a meal including portioning water for your ramen for you. However, it was the PC gaming room that captured my attention with the massive Samsung Odyssey Ark display looming large and making the typically desk-defining 49-inch ultrawide display alongside it look positively petite by comparison.

Galaxy Z Flip 5 cover display versus Motorola Razr+

Tipster @UniverseIce has been on a tear with Samsung leaks and rumors heading into the launch and earlier today highlighted the potential resolution difference between what they claim will be a 3.4-inch 720x732 (320 ppi) cover display on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 versus the 3.6-inch 1066x1056 (417 ppi) cover display of the Motorola Razr+.

We've already taken a look at the rumored feature differences between these cover displays, but this would be quite the hardware deficit as well.

Galaxy Tab S9 — AMOLED 2x for all

The Galaxy Tab S9 didn't want to be left out on the leaked marketing material fun with the above seeming to confirm that the base model Galaxy Tab S9 will pick up the same AMOLED 2X display as its larger siblings. Keep in mind that if accurate this could also suggest that the rumored price bump is happening as the two were intertwined in the past.

Official Galaxy Watch 6 marketing materials?

A series of what appear to be legitimate marketing materials for the Galaxy Watch 6 are doing the rounds ahead of Galaxy Unpacked highlighting a thinner bezel and larger display, more advanced sleep tracking, and perhaps easier swapping of bands.

Could Samsung fit the S Pen in the Galaxy Z Fold 5?

Another feature that we would love to see, but are doubtful about is a built-in silo for the S Pen in the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Korean site The Elec covered a report saying that Samsung did view this as a goal, but it seems unlikely that Samsung can find a way to make it all fit.

Qualcomm couldn't resist getting in on the fun with a "Join the flip side" profile image on its Twitter account in case anyone wasn't certain that Samsung's new foldables would be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon chips.

As part of a series of tweets or xeets about Samsung Unpacked products, the oft-reliable @evleaks showed off this claim that the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will deliver 57 hours of audio playback or 20 hours of video playback and that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 inside offers up to a 25% boost to GPU and 17% to CPU performance.

Where to catch up on all the latest flipping (and folding) big rumors

We will of course be covering the whole Galaxy Unpacked event live right here, but there is a lot more coming down the line today.

So what about in the build-up to the announcement in a few hours? We've been busy collecting all the rumors and leaks about everything that is set to be announced. Just click the device name just below to see everything you need to know before the show begins.

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S9
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

Here's where to watch the Galaxy Unpacked event livestream

Looking to watchalong with all the latest breaking news from the Galaxy Unpacked event? Samsung has just setup the livestream link over on YouTube. Just click that Notify bell to be alerted when it goes live!

Are we easing into an era of affordable foldables?

A recent price leak in India for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, spotted by Paras Guglani, could add credit to tipster @Revegnus' claims that Samsung's Z Fold 5 will "see a slight reduction in price compared to its predecessor."

The leaked Indian pricing saw a drop of roughly $140 dollars for the Galaxy Z Fold 5, which would be the first step in the right direction for making foldables accessible to more people. Is this drop in price the sign of what's to come for the foldable market? We can only hope, as high price points are one of the main barriers to entry for many.

What are you most looking forward to seeing at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked?

We have a potentially stacked card in store when Samsung Galaxy Unpacked kicks off in just under 2 hours time! Foldables, wearables, and tablets are likely to be the primary focus, but which of these are you most looking forward to checking out?

If you want to catch up on the latest and breaking news or rumors across all these categories then be sure to check out our hubs covering all things Samsung:

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S9
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

We're finding out more about Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

It's looking likely that the Fold 5 and Flip 5 are set to get the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipsets, and Samsung has been busy telling people what this silicon means for the consumers.

@GadgetsBoy summarized the headline features, which includes tweaks to the chip in collaboration with Samsung, improved graphics and processing performance, and the ray tracing capabilities.

The stage is set, and we're almost ready to go

Tom's Guide's own Kate Kozuch took a video from inside the event space, which shows a circular stage in the middle with screens all around! This is going to be quite the grand event.

T-minus 25 minutes to launch

Our own Sean Riley is taking his seat, as we get ready for the event. The stream is available here if you want to watch along!

It's show time!

We've been testing the Fold 5, Flip 5 and Galaxy Tab S9

We will be reporting all the big live announcements coming out of the Galaxy Unpacked event. But our entrepid editors in Sean Riley and Sherri L. Smith have already been hands-on with three of the biggest announcements.

• The Galaxy Z Fold 5 brings a thinner, sleeker chassis to the foldable arena with a more powerful processor, but with few other changes.
• With a larger Flex Window, a gapless hinge design and a powerful new processor, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 solidifies its place in the upper echelon of foldables.
• The Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra still owns the top end of the Android tablet market, but that remains a relatively niche audience and the new higher pricing may be even tougher for buyers to swallow.

Hello, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

The first device to get a full reveal at Galaxy Unpacked is the Z Flip 5, with its far larger lid display and an upgrade to Snapdragon 8 Gen 2!

We've already gone hands-on with this device, and while some of the updates are more minor, that huge screen up front unlocks plenty of UI opportunities.

Match your screen to the case!

A new kind of foldable case has been announced, which comes with a whole range of artistically inspired back panels. Not only that, but your Z Flip 5 will intelligently identify what case design you have and match the lid screen wallpaper to match!

Bonjour, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 — Flex Hinge confirmed!

As we were seeing plenty of rumors about, the Fold 5 is coming with a new kind of hinge that looks set to work harder on eliminating that crease!

For more about the phone, check out our hands-on review and our video coverage below.

Here's everything you need to know about the Z Fold 5!

While Samsung is busy telling you everything about the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and it's new array of multitasking UI options, let's take you through all the hardware specs and price!

So, when is the Fold and Flip 5 going to launch, and at what prices?

Both phones will launch on August 11, and pre-orders will be available later today!

The Z Flip 5 starts at $999, and the Fold is $1,799.

Ola, Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

With a big focus being placed on tracking your sleep (including a new PPG sensor), the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic is being announced right now.

You guessed it, we've already gone hands on with these watches. Watch the video review just below!

How does the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 compare to the Apple Watch Series 8?

Of course, when it comes to wearables, Samsung is doing some great work. But the juggernaut of the industry is the Apple Watch Series 8.

How do these watches compare? Check out our face-off.

Here are 3 foldables that will make the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 sweat

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is official, but really, were there enough updates to get excited about? I’m not so sure.

While there is a new bigger display on the front, the updates seem to be incredibly minor, which has let three other phones catch up and even surpass it.

Here are 3 phones are all flip and no flop!

The Galaxy Watch 6 pricing starts at $299, with the Classic and its rotateable bezel weighing in at $100 more!

안녕하세요, Samsung Galaxy Tab S9

Samsung's moving along pretty fast here! We're onto the brand new Galaxy Tab S9, and (yep, you guessed it), we went hands on with this new tablet too.

Read the hands-on by clicking the name just above, or watch our coverage just below.

Which is better — Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra or the Apple iPad Pro?

When it comes to prosumer tablets, two competitors stand atop mountain: the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 and the iPad Pro.

Which is better? Take a look at our full face-off.

With the use of recycled materials across all of its devices, and full transparency of environmentally friendly practices across every step of your device's journey, Samsung is really flexing some good green credentials here!

And that's a wrap!

We saw a whole lot of announcements during this year's Unpacked. In short, we got:

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
• Samsung Galaxy Tab S9
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

Keep it locked on our live blog for a ton of post-event coverage!

Pre-order links are now live!

Sticking true to Samsung's word, the company has just dropped all the pre-order links on its website right now! Here are the offers.

Is the Galaxy Z Fold 5 actually worth it over the Fold 4?

We're looking hard at the comparison, and outside of a new hinge and a new processor, it's a struggle to find something different. 

To help show you the differences, check out our Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs Fold 4 face-off.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 arrives in the face of many new foldable competitors, but none perhaps as challenging as its own predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold 4. Whether you are looking to save a little money by picking up a Galaxy Z Fold 4 after the Z Fold 5 launch or you are considering whether to upgrade from the Galaxy Z Fold 4, we'll help you determine which is the right choice for you.

As you'll see in this comparison, the specs of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Galaxy Z Fold 4 are quite similar, so for those coming from the Fold 4 it will be a tall order to pay for that 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4 price

Despite some rumors to the contrary, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 arrives at the same $1,799 price point as the Z Fold 4. We keep hoping to see the high-end foldable drop in price like the Galaxy Z Flip line. Still, given the ongoing supply chain issues across the industry, Samsung probably views holding the line on pricing as a victory.

So once again the base Galaxy Z Fold 5 for $1,799 comes with 256GB of storage. Stepping up to 512GB is $1,919 and finally, the massive 1TB option is $2,159.

While this should be an easy tick in the win column for the Galaxy Z Fold 4, which can be found discounted, it's worth noting that Samsung always has enticing offers at launch. Currently, you can pre-order the Z Fold 5 and get a free storage upgrade to the next highest tier, up to $1,000 off with an eligible trade-in, up to $540 off when bundling with a Galaxy Tab S9 and Galaxy Watch 6, and 30% off Samsung Care+. 

After the pre-order period ends on August 11 the price advantage should tip back to the Galaxy Z Fold 4 while you can still find them.

Winner: Draw

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4 design

From many angles you would be forgiven for thinking that nothing had changed from the Galaxy Z Fold 4 to the Galaxy Z Fold 5, but lay them down next to one another on a table and one alteration will stand out. 

Samsung's new Flex Hinge design allows the Galaxy Z Fold 5 to fold flat when shut, eliminating that slight taco shape of the Z Fold 4 and its predecessors. Now this may also be a cause for alarm for some as we've seen slightly disastrous results for some Pixel Fold units attributed to its fold-flat design, but Samsung maintains a slight ridge around the display that it claims will prevent small debris from getting trapped between the glass and causing damage. We'll obviously have to see how this holds up in practice, but it seems reasonable in theory.

Beyond allowing the phone to fold flat, its new dual rail structure also helps reduce the effects of external impacts. We'll let someone else drop a Galaxy Z Fold 5 to test that out, but anything that goes toward enhancing the durability of a foldable will be welcome. 

Winner: Galaxy Z Fold 5

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4: Cover Screen

The lone change to the cover display for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is an upgrade to Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 from the Victus+ on the Z Fold 4. In a test of Victus 2 on the Galaxy S23 Ultra by YouTuber JerryRigEverything he observed the same scratch resistance between the two generations, but various tests have shown that it may offer improved drop protection.

The rest of the specs remain identical, and while I wish Samsung would go slightly wider with its cover display, it's otherwise hard to complain about this panel. The AMOLED 2x display offers a 2316 x 904-pixel resolution and a ppi of 402. And you can face shockingly bright environments thanks to its 870 nits in our testing of the Galaxy Z Fold 4. It's sharp, bright, and vibrant with an adaptive 120Hz display, which is ticking all of the boxes.

Winner: Draw

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4: Inner display

You'll be shocked to hear that there are no changes to the internal display on the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Again while it is hard not to see regular upgrades, I'm not sure what upgrades we would be pushing for on this panel. 

It sports a 2176 x 1812-pixel, AMOLED 2X  display, a 21.6:18 aspect ratio, and a 373 ppi. That same adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz keeps things sipping battery life or maximizing performance as needed. According to our test results, the Galaxy Z Fold 4's internal display has a peak brightness of 905 nits and it covers 159% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. We'll need to get the Z Fold 5 through our labs to verify that it still reaches those same heights, but for now, we'll assume Samsung didn't take a step back.

Viewing them side-by-side during my hands-on I thought the color accuracy and brightness of the Z Fold 5 were slightly superior, but we'll update with the official results when available.

Winner: Draw (for now)

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4: Processor

Here is the one clear-cut advantage for the Galaxy Z Fold 5, the move to Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor from the 8 Gen 1+ in the Z Fold 4. Now once again we will need to see how it fares in our lab testing, but every 8 Gen 2 device we've tested has delivered notably superior performance and power efficiency over the previous generation.

Now I will perpetually argue that flagship smartphones are more powerful than we need them to be right now, but the power efficiency side is a different matter. I will never turn down more battery life in my phone and particularly on the Z Fold with its power-hungry displays.

While we await our Galaxy Z Fold 5 testing, we can take a look at the Galaxy Z Fold 4's Geekbench 5 score of 3,831 compared to the Galaxy S23 Ultra's 5,081. Presumably, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is going to come in close to its single-screened sibling, so while I wouldn't ditch my Z Fold 4 over this, it is something that will make an impact if you hold on to the phone for 4-5 years, so it's worth considering as you weigh going with the old or the new model today.

Winner: Galaxy Z Fold 5

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4: Cameras

We will have our Galaxy Z Fold 5 review unit in our hot little hands soon and be able to weigh in on whether anything has changed from a camera performance standpoint, but when it comes to hardware there are no differences to speak of.

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 cameras were an excellent upgrade over their predecessor, but we were hoping to see the Galaxy Z Fold 5 borrow more from the Galaxy S23 Ultra. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 still arguably offers the best camera array of any foldable, but it was an advantage that Samsung could have pressed to ensure that remained true through its competitors' next upgrade.

We'll update this section with side-by-side samples from both phones soon to determine if any of the new camera optimizations in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 make a difference in the photos you get from each.

Winner: TBA

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs. Galaxy Z Fold 4: Battery life

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 retains the same 4,400 mAh battery as the Galaxy Z Fold 4. In the Laptop Mag battery test, which runs down phones at 150 nits of brightness on a major carrier network the Fold 4 made it 9 hours and 6 minutes with its main display on. That's not bad, but typically we look for phones to cross the 10-hour mark.

This is where I'm looking for the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 to deliver a larger impact than even its performance gains given that we have seen it boost battery life on phones like the Galaxy S23 Ultra and OnePlus 11 by between 1-2 hours with the same battery size.

Again this needs to await our testing for a final ruling.

Winner: TBA

Outlook

Unsurprisingly it looks like the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will be the winner, but there are certainly plenty of asterisks on that win. The changes to the overall hardware this year are marginal. I do prefer the fold-flat look of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 when closed, but if you are either squeamish about it shutting all the way or just not bothered by the gap on the Z Fold 4 then that's not going to be an upgrade for you.

A lot of the upgrades we are anticipating noticing on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 center on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which means we'll need to wait and see what happens when our lab testers get their hands on these phones. Based on previous results it's hard not to bet on both a notable performance and battery life boost, but it's not likely to be enough to warrant an upgrade for a current Galaxy Z Fold 4 owner.

If you are looking to buy your first foldable though, this is a solid entry point, if you can stomach the $1,799 starting price. With that in mind I would recommend picking it up during the pre-order timeframe as it's typically months before we see deals that match these early sales. 

We'll finalize this face-off in the coming days as our test results start to come in, but for now the Galaxy Z Fold 5 notches itself a narrow victory over the Galaxy Z Fold 4.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is is here, and while Samsung tried to seduce us with flashy pomp and circumstance at Unpacked 2023, I'm not convinced its upgrades will eclipse shinier, more alluring rivals on the market like the Motorola Razr+.

The improvements are so iterative, finding the differences between the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4 feels like you're playing "Where's Waldo?" Although there aren't many upgrades that make me want to scramble along to Samsung to snatch a variant for myself, I commend Samsung for actually listening to users' feedback regarding the Galaxy Z Flip 4.

The cover screen, for example, certainly needed an overhaul, and fortunately, Samsung made those necessary changes with the Galaxy Z Flip 5. Curious to see how else the new-gen foldable differs form its predecessor? Stick around for our face-off.

Note: This story is developing as Unpacked 2023 unfolds ...

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 4: price  

Everything seems to be going up nowadays, so it's a relief that the Galaxy Z Flip 5's price is staying put at $999 — the same launch price as the Galaxy Z Flip 4. The entry-level model comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. If you need more storage, you can upgrade to 512GB. (For a limited time, Samsung is offering a free storage upgrade at $999, but once this sale ends, you'll have to shell out an extra $200 for the 512GB variant.)

When the Galaxy Z Flip 4 launched at Unpacked 2022, it had a starting price of $999, but offered only 128GB of storage. As such, you're getting more storage for your buck with the Galaxy Z Flip 5. If you have the Galaxy Z Flip 4, you can trade it in for the Galaxy Z Flip 5, and you'll only have to shell out $99 for the new-gen foldable. If you don't have a Galaxy Z Flip 4, visit Samsung.com to see how much you can get in trade-in credit.)

With the Galaxy Z Flip 5 giving you more storage for your money, it's clear which phone offers the better value. You can pre-order the new flippy foldable here at Samsung.com.

Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 5

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 4: Specs 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 4: Design 

Both have the same clamshell, compact design that fits right in your pocket. Flipping the Galaxy Z Flip 5 open reveals an identical 6.7-inch, 2640 x 1080-pixel, Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz variable refresh rate.

However, where the difference lies is the cover screen. Samsung listened to our cries and made the Galaxy Z Flip 5's cover screen larger. Instead of sporting the Galaxy Z Flip 4's tiny, 1.9-inch, Super AMOLED 260 x 512-pixel cover screen, you get nearly double the screen real estate with a new 3.4-inch, AMOLED 720 x 748-pixel panel with a 60Hz refresh rate.

Now, let's talk about dimensions and weight.

Looking at the chart above, not much has changed from generation to generation. It appears that the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is negligibly lengthier, but slightly thinner when folded. But other than that, the new-gen flippable has similar dimensions and weight as its predecessor.

Splashing some newness to the monotony, Samsung introduced a slew of new colors with the Galaxy Z Flip 5, including Mint, Graphite, Cream and Lavender. You can also get the Flip 5 in Gray, Blue, Green and Yellow, but you can only secure these via Samsung.com. The Galaxy Z Flip 4, on the other hand, offers finishes in Graphite, Pink Gold, Blue, and Bora Purple.

Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 5

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 4: Display 

I reviewed the Galaxy Z Flip 4 last year, and one of my biggest complaints was its cover screen. While I adored its cool features (e.g. you can reply to text messages without opening your phone), it also doubles as a viewfinder for selfies, which never really made much sense to me. You can't see much of yourself on that tiny 1.9-inch screen.

That's why I'm relieved to find out that Samsung enlarged the Galaxy Z Flip 5's cover display to a 3.4-inch panel. Hallelujah! That means you have more space for viewfinding, checking notifications, sifting through emails, glancing at missed calls, and more.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 kicks this up a notch this year, so a quick swipe up gives you access to your credit cards, QR codes, IDs, concert tickets, boarding passes, and more via Samsung Wallet. You can swipe down for Settings, right for notifications, and left for all of your widgets (e.g., Weather, Samsung Health, Google Finance).

The Galaxy Z Flip 5's aforementioned inner display is exactly the same as its predecessor. It sports a  6.7-inch, Dynamic AMOLED 2x, HDR10+ display. The dearth of upgrades here lulls me to sleep, but on the plus side, this is one of those moments I must reluctantly use the ol' trite and overused "why fix something that's not broken?" cliché. When I tested the Galaxy Z Flip 4 last year, I was impressed with its sharp, rich picture, so I can't complain.

Winner: Galaxy Z Flip 5

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs. Galaxy Z Flip 4: Performance

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 packs a 4-nanometer, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 CPU, which is also featured inside the OnePlus 11 and Samsung Galaxy 23 Ultra. This is a step up from the Galaxy Z Flip 4's Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. On the Geekbench 5 test, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 delivered a multi-core score of 4,105.

We don't have the performance numbers for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 yet, but to offer you some perspective, the One Plus 11 and the Galaxy S23 Ultra hit multi-core scores of 4,962 and 5,081, respectively. These figures beat the Google Pixel Fold's measly 1,909 score, and we expect the Galaxy Z Flip 5 to do the same.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs. Z Flip 4: Battery Life  

We haven't had a chance to test the Galaxy Z Flip 5's battery runtime just yet, but there's a good chance it won't be much different from its predecessor. Like the Z Flip 4, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 sports a 3,700 mAh battery.

On the Laptop Mag battery test, which involves continuous web surfing at 150 nits of brightness on a mobile network, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 lasted 8 hours and 33 minutes. However, keep in mind that competitors like the Google Pixel Fold (10 hours and 21 minutes) and the Motorola Razr+ (10 hours and 9 minutes) offer longer runtimes.

Winner: Draw

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs. Flip 4: Cameras  

Where's my magnifying glass? The camera upgrade on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is so miniscule, you'll miss it. Let me give you a rundown of the camera specs for both the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and its predecessor — and then tell me if you can spot the difference.

It's like playing "Where's Waldo?", isn't it? Everything is the same except for the selfie camera. The front-facing camera on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a wider aperture (f/2.2 vs. f/2.4), which means that it can gather more light. It should also perform better in low-light conditions. In other words, you'll get enhanced nightography with the Galaxy Z Flip 5.

Other than that, you're still getting two 12MP wide and ultra-wide cameras and a 10MP selfie shooter. It's the software, however, that got a big boost this year. For example, the Galaxy Z Flip 5's rear cameras are enhanced with AI, which ensures that pictures have reduced noise and better quality. Samsung claims that this results is crisper, sharper photos and videos (even if you're zooming in or filming in low-light conditions).

The most salient upgrade with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 camera experience stems from the new-and-improved cover display. Doubling as a viewfinder, you can zoom in or out to snap your selfies. You can also use its UI to select different aspect ratios to capture your group selfies. Speaking of group selfies, if you decide to put the phone down to take one, the camera will automatically sift from wide to ultrawide, ensuring everyone stays in the frame.

Thanks to its Super Steady feature, capturing videos on the go should feel as if you're holding a gimbal.

If you have a Galaxy Watch, you can use it to control the Galaxy Z Flip 5's camera directly from your wrist. You can snap photos, film videos, pause, and zoom.

Overall winner: Inconclusive

I don't feel comfortable choosing a winner just yet. Without getting information on battery life, performance, and other benchmarks, it's difficult to see which phone is better. While I expect the Galaxy Z Flip 5 to outperform its predecessor, battery life is difficult to predict. There's a chance that battery life may even take a dip because of the new-gen foldable's larger cover display, but I do hope I'm wrong.

In my opinion, battery runtime will be the determining factor behind which Galaxy Z Flip is best. If the Galaxy Z Flip 5 cannot outpace its predecessor in battery life, I'll have to declare this foldable upgrade a failed one because the rest of its "improvements" are too negligible to be noteworthy. Stay tuned for updates to this page.

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked gave us our first official look at many of the latest and greatest Samsung Galaxy products coming to us in the near future, and the Galaxy Z Flip 5 was a notable part of the company’s presentation. If you’re on the fence about whether to invest in this new phone, we recommend stopping for a moment and hearing us out.

The Flip 5 is more of the same in many areas, but there are a few things that the company changed this time around. And depending on whether you already own a flip phone, or if you’re even willing to spend the money to begin with, it could be right or wrong for you. Here are three reasons to buy and skip the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.

3 reasons to buy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

1: Larger cover screen 

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip series has two screens, just like the Z Fold series, but how these utilize them is a bit different. The Flip series is a foldable phone that opens vertically, making it more compact than a regular smartphone.. But beyond just the normal main screen, there’s also a slightly smaller display on the front. With the Flip 4, it featured a relatively tiny 1.9-inch SUPER AMOLED, 260 x 512-pixel screen as its cover.

But the Flip 5 is taking things up a notch by up-sizing this to a 3.4-inch Super AMOLED 720 x 748-inch screen at 306 ppi and 60Hz refresh rate. The Flip 5 has clearly solved the problem of the Flip 4's cover screen size, if that was an issue for you.

2. A new processor 

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is launching with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. If you’re obsessed with squeezing as much juice out of every new phone launch, and are also a big fan of the Z Flip series, this is an expected but necessary jump. It is one of the few things that makes this phone new alongside its larger cover screen, otherwise it might as well just be the Flip 4 again.

When we tested the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, it yielded a Geekbench 5.4 multi-core synthetic score of 5,081. The Flip 4 was built with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+, and running it through the same test resulted in a multi-core score of 4,105. Other factors can affect performance, but we predict that the new Flip will receive around a 1,000 point increase in its synthetic benchmarks. 

3: Flip phones are pretty cool 

If you’ve never used a flip phone before, they’re great compact devices for those who want to maximize their space efficiency. And they’re also an avenue into foldable screen technology without costing quite as much as Samsung’s Z Fold series. New flip phones, not like the old ones, could capture your heart if you're unfamiliar with them.

When we reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, Editor Kimberly Gedeon claimed that it is an “engineering masterpiece.” However, she noted that its minor improvements from the previous iteration made her feel a bit mixed, which is actually a shared issue with the Flip 5.

3 reasons to skip Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

1: Same old same old 

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 offers a lot of the same, and although there are reasons you might still want it, don’t get your hopes up for a massive overhaul. Featuring the same megapixels for its cameras, 8GB of RAM, an identical 3,700mAh battery, and seemingly the same weight‌.

This could be a bad pick if you already own a Galaxy Z Flip 4, as there’s not much new here. This new flip phone is only exciting if you're really into its faster processor and bigger screen.. It’s a good choice if you don’t already have a recently launched flip phone. Otherwise, you’ll be fine skipping it.

2: Experimental cover screen style 

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5’s cover screen features a distinct style when compared to its predecessor. While the Flip 4 simply featured a thin black bar at the top of the cover screen, this latest model has it take up a majority of the space of the cover. Featuring a 3.4-inch cover screen at 748 x 720-pixels, it’s significantly larger than ever before.

This may sound like a positive, but not to everyone. We can totally see you being put off by this far larger cover screen, as it practically takes up all of its space now. This sounds a little unwieldy to me, as I like to tell where my phone begins and ends. Almost all-screen is a bold choice.

3: Samsung still hasn’t figured out IP58 for foldable devices 

Samsung has yet to include IP58 dust-resistance standard for its foldable line-up. This also applies to the Galaxy Z Fold 5, which lacks this important rating alongside the Z Flip 5. Both phones are stuck at IPX8, which means they have water resistance that allows it to be submerged in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater for up to 30 minutes.

Many were hoping that Samsung would finally catch on with this latest model series, but that does not seem to be the case. Samsung's website even goes so far as to recommend being wary around “foreign substances or dust.”

I love a big phone. That is why I’ve been inevitably drawn towards Samsung’s Z Fold line of smartphones and their screen largess. There’s just something about watching a smallish screen unfurling into what for all intents and purposes is a tablet that just gets me. But yet, due to this being a relatively new category with its fair share of hiccups, I’ve yet to take the plunge. 

But that might change with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. I recently had the opportunity to demo Samsung’s latest foldable. And I have to say, even though this is more of an incremental upgrade, it still makes a strong case. Samsung found a way to slim down the foldable’s proportions, right down to its S Pen. It also has a few new software tweaks to show off including Taskbar and two-handed drag and drop. 

But is that enough to coax me into foldable land? I’m not sure yet. But come with me as I lay out the case for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 video review

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 pricing and availability

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 will officially be available on August 11. But until then, you can pre-order the foldable right now –– but it’s gonna cost you. Each configuration of the Z Fold 5 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy processor and 12GB of RAM. 

The $1,799/£1,749 base model has 256GB of onboard storage, same as last year. The middle model has 512GB. Now if you’re like me and are an absolute content hoarder, never erasing a meme, document, video or picture, you’re going to want the 1TB version which is available exclusively on Samsung.com

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 design

Hmm. The Z Fold 5 looks mighty familiar. Probably because it’s wearing last year’s fashion à la the Z Fold 4 with a few notable moderations. It’s got the same Armor Aluminum frame as its predecessor, along with a rear panel covered in Corning Gorilla Glass Victus and housing for the trio of cameras. The Cover Screen is made from more tough Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. 

Connecting the two panels and making the whole foldable thing possible is the new integrated dual-rail Flex Hinge, which reduces that pesky interior display’s crease. And as I think back to my time with the Flex, I can say that the crease was still there, but it wasn’t as prominent as it’s been on other foldables. And speaking of the interior display, you guessed it, more of that durable Gorilla Glass. 

The Z Fold 5’s sides are made of Armor Aluminum with the power button that doubles as a fingerprint scanner. Flip the phone over, and you’ll spot the nanoSIM slot on the left, and then the USB-C charging slot along the bottom. 

Samsung hasn’t skipped on the colors — offering a variety including Icy Blue, Phantom Black and Cream. And if Cream or the other colors aren’t your cup of tea, you can go to Samsung.com for the exclusive hues of Gray and Blue.

Another key difference between the Z Fold 5 and the Z Fold 4 are the dimensions. The Fold 5 weighs 8.92 ounces and measures 6.1 x 2.64 x 0.53 inches folded and 6.1 x 5.11 x 0.24 inches unfolded, officially making it the lightest and thinnest Fold in the line. 

The Z Fold 4 weighs in at a portly 9.2 ounces and has a 6.1 x 2.6 x 0.55-0.62-inch frame when closed that changes to 6.1 x 5.1 x 0.21 inches when opened. The Google Pixel Fold comes in at a hefty 10 ounces, but is surprisingly thin with 5.5 x 3.1 x 0.5 inches when folded and 5.5 x 6.2 x 0.2 inches when splayed open. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 durability

Smartphones are already fragile pieces of tech. Throw in a hinge, improved or otherwise and you’re flirting with disaster. Samsung is hoping to keep the flirtation to a minimum by outfitting the Z Fold 5 with a measure of durability starting with the Armor Aluminum and Gorilla Glass. 

The foldable is also rated IPX8, which means the phone can withstand being submerged in up to 1.5 meters of freshwater. That means it can survive a dunk in a toilet and the subsequent panic and disgust that ensues as you decide whether or not to fish your nearly $2,000 phone from the toilet. It cannot, however, be exposed to salt water so take Z Fold 5 for a beach day at your own peril, especially since it’s also not dust resistant.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 display

I have to say, opening a foldable with as pretty a screen as the Z Fold 5 just does it for me. Seeing the pattern unfurl like a graceful Rorschach test is absolutely mesmerizing, especially with the crisp blacks and rich color. And when the spell is cast, I’m left with a stunning 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. 

The Infinity Flex panel has a 2640 x 1080-pixel resolution with a 21.6:18 aspect ratio. And you have the Adaptive Refresh Rate that automatically adjusts the refresh rate between 1-120Hz according to your recent activity. That means if you’re reading a book, the panel will refresh at a lower rate, but if you’re doing something a bit more taxing like playing a game, it’ll ramp up accordingly. 

And yes, you can fold the display transforming it into a cute facsimile of a tiny laptop for some splitscreen action, which in some cases can come in handy. But come on, where’s the fun in that?

That bountiful screen is begging me to watch the new Netflix movie “They Cloned Tyrone” on it or catch up on the latest episodes of “Lore Olympus.” And while the screen is definitely pleasing to my naked eye. I’m hoping that Samsung’s usual oversaturated razzle dazzle will grace the Z Fold (I know, I know, but I like my color seared into my eyeballs). 

If I have to go by the Fold 4’s benchmarks, I don’t have much to worry about as the foldable reproduced 158.7% of the DCI-P3 color gamut compared to 88.4% on the Pixel Fold. The Fold 5 is also pretty bright averaging 901 nits with Adaptive Brightness enabled. The Pixel Fold's Adaptive Brightness result was much dimmer at 435 nits. 

Samsung claims that it’s increased the Z Fold 5’s brightness by 30% up to 1,750 nits, making it ideal to use in direct sunlight. If this turns out to be true in benchmarking, the Fold 5 could be one of the brightest smartphones if not the brightest we’ve ever tested. Stay tuned for the full review to find out. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Cover Screen

And while the interior display is unquestionably lovely, one shouldn’t forget the Cover Screen which has its own unique appeal. When you’re on the go, or just don’t feel like going through the hassle of opening up your device, the Z Fold 5’s Cover Screen has you covered. Although not as large as the main display, the 6.2-inch panel isn’t a slouch, in fact, it can go head-to-head with many smartphones currently on the market. 

Like its larger counterpart, the Fold 5’s Cover Screen is also a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz Adaptive Refresh Rate. The only difference is the range that goes from 48-120Hz instead of all the way down to 1Hz. Also, since it’s used when the phone is folded, you’ve a different resolution and aspect ratio (2316 x 904, 23.1:9). The embedded camera and rounded corners mean that you don’t get the full expanse of the screen real estate, but it’s a minor quibble at best. I’ll also point out the Cover Screen is much narrower than the Pixel Fold’s external display.

In practice, the Cover Screen was smooth with crisp detail. I could type with ease, which would definitely come in handy for texting on the fly. And scanning through notifications is a breeze. However, Samsung hasn’t really added any notable updates to enhance the functionality. I don’t know, I was expecting a bit more I guess. 

While we don’t have any benchmarks for the Fold 5 yet, its predecessor could provide a small hint as to what we can expect. The Fold 4’s Cover Screen got 146.7% on the DCI-P3 color gamut compared to the Pixel Fold’s 90.1%. We saw an average of 807 nits for the Z Fold 4’s brightness while the Pixel Fold pulled off a surprise win of 1,172 nits. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 S Pen

It seems like a crying shame that Samsung’s treating one of my favorite accessories like an afterthought. One of the main reasons I’m rocking the S23 Ultra is because it proudly keeps one of my favorite parts of the now defunct Galaxy Note series alive –– the S Pen. 

Yes, the Fold 5 does support the S Pen, but there’s nowhere on the physical phone to house it like the included silo on the S23. Instead, the S Pen Fold Edition has been relegated to an optional accessory included with a special case dubbed the Slim S Pen Case where it resides along the back ready to be popped out and used. 

The good news is that it's slimmer than last year’s S Pen, but doesn’t sacrifice comfort. I know it might be a lot to ask, but I wish Samsung could find a way to create a silo in the foldable form factor, so consumers won’t have to fork out extra dough for a case. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 performance

Samsung equipped the Galaxy Z Fold 5 with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy processor. It’s the same chip featured in the Samsung Galaxy S23 which means that when it launches, the Z Fold 5 will be one of the most powerful foldables on the market.

Taking a look at the S23 numbers, barring an upset from the rumored upcoming OnePlus Fold, the Galaxy Z fold is poised to spank most Android smartphones, foldable or not, on the market. The only thing standing in the way of total smartphone domination will be Apple. But let’s look at the numbers shall we?

On Geekbench 5.4, the S23 reached 5,081, thoroughly trouncing the Pixel Fold (1,909, Google Tensor G2 chip) and the Z Fold 4 (3,831, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 CPU)  but iPhone Pro Max 14 with its A16 Bionic chip was the winner with 5,333. When we ran the Adobe Rush Premiere video transcoding test, the S23 completed the task in 39 seconds with the Fold 4 posting 0:45 and the Pixel Fold creeping in at 1:01. The Pro Max, however, edged out the competition at 0:30. 

When we ran the Jetstream 2.0 web browser test, the S23 achieved 179.3, crushing the Z Fold 4’s 87 and the Pixel Fold’s 118.3. However, it couldn’t topple the Pro Max 14’s score of 273.7.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 battery life

I’m worried about the Z Fold 5’s battery life. It has the same 4,400mAh battery as last gen’s model, but with that Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, which has proven to focus on power rather than efficiency, we could be in dicey territory. 

Still, the Z Fold 4 managed to last 11 hours and 31 minutes on the Laptop Mag Battery Test. While the S23 with its 5,000mAH battery lasted 13:09, so I could be somewhat paranoid. But can you blame me? This thing is almost $2,000!

The Pixel Fold (4,821mAh) tapped out at 10:21 while the Pro Max (4,323mAh) lasted 13:07. Ultimately, we’ll have to wait and see when we get the review unit into the lab.

In a big “womp womp,” I was disappointed to learn that despite the price, the Z Fold 5 is stuck with 25W fast charging when the S23 is cruising along with 45W. A phone this premium needs to have every bell and whistle humanly possible. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 cameras

I can’t tell you how badly I wanted to insert the two Spider-Men pointing at each other meme here, as the cameras on the Z Fold 4 and 5 are identical. Starting with the rear cameras, you have a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera with a f/F2.2 aperture, 1.12μm and 123-degree field of view. 

Then there’s the 50MP wide camera (f/1.8,1.0μm, 85-degree FOV) and the 10MP telephoto (f/2.4,1.0μm,36-degree FOV). Since the hardware hasn’t changed, we’re going to have to look to software to bring us some novelty, hopefully. I do appreciate that Samsung’s made snapping a selfie with the camera trio a bit easier when the display is open. All you have to do is press an onscreen button and voila! A gorgeous pic. 

The 10MP shooter on the Cover Display is a last-gen hold over with f/2.2, 1.22μm and a 85-degree FOV while the 4MP under display camera brings back the f/1.8, 2.0μm and 80-degree FOV. 

While there aren’t any notable hardware updates, I’m really looking forward to the subsequent camera shoot-offs that are in our near future, particularly against the Google Pixel Fold in the low-light challenge. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 software

Ooh, something new! Samsung did manage to bring some freshness to the Z Fold 5 in the form of multitasking capabilities. As in previous generations you have Taskbar which is the keeper of your favorite apps. 

But now it can also display double the amount of your recently used apps, bringing the grand total to four. You can still run up to three apps simultaneously, but now you add the second app just by swiping it in from either the bottom or left side of the display.  

And since I tend to keep a ridiculous number of apps open at any given time, I really appreciate that I can turn any of them into a floating window for quicker access. I just dragged the chosen app down diagonally from the top right of the display.  

The company also tweaked the drag-and-drop functionality. For example, you can now drag an image from the Samsung Gallery with one finger while using another to launch the Samsung Notes app to drop the image. It’s little tweaks like that can make a big difference in quality of life for devices like these. 

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 will run Android 13 with Samsung’s One UI 5.1.1 skin. With the Z Fold 4, Samsung promised four years of OS support with five years of security updates. I’m expecting the same setup for the Z Fold 5

Bottom line

Look, I know I’ve been giving Samsung a hard time for the lack of compelling updates and hardware changes. It’s just that the company basically made foldables a thing and in the fifth iteration of the Fold and even the Flip, it seems Samsung is resting on its laurels. That’s not to say the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a bad phone. It’s not. In fact, it’s a top-tier premium phone with plenty of bells and whistles that will tantalize most of the foldable curious out there. 

Thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, it’s poised to be one of the most powerful Android smartphones out there if not the most powerful foldable. The displays hit the 3B’s: big, bold and bright, the multitasking is top notch and I’d definitely like to play with all of the phone’s cameras. And if it  can last at least 12 hours, Samsung makes a strong case. 

But damn it, I’m still holding on to my lost love, the Galaxy Note. As much as I love big screens (and I cannot lie), the S Pen has a hold on me that I just have been unable to shake. And yes, I know the Slim S Pen Case exists, but the idea of having to pay extra for that functionality doesn’t sit right with me when we’re talking about a $1,799 device. If the Z Fold line is meant to be for productivity, the S Pen needs to be included. 

But this is a very early judgment of a smartphone that has yet to be put through its paces. If the numbers are really impressive, I might have to eat my words and make the leap. Until then, stay tuned for the full review.

As the battle of the foldables continues to heat up, Samsung is poised to maintain its grip on the crown with its latest entries to the market, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Of the two new smartphones, the Flip 5 continues to act as the fun, sporty model while the Fold 5 is tailored to power users and professionals. The Z Flip 5 comes to market sporting some notable improvements, including a larger 3.4-inch cover screen and a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor in a slightly slimmer chassis. 

I had the opportunity to go hands on with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and while it’s not my phone of choice when it comes to foldables (that’d be the Galaxy Z Fold 5), I can’t deny the allure of its incredible pocketability and versatility. But I wish Samsung would have added some more bells and whistles. Read on to see what I mean.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 video hands-on

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 pricing and availability

When it launches in August, the base model of the Flip will cost $999/£1,049 and feature 8GB of RAM with 256GB of onboard storage. The top-tier model also has 8GB of RAM but bumps the storage to 512GB. Unfortunately, those hoping to score some savings with the 128GB iteration are out of luck, as that configuration of the foldable has been eliminated from the line up. And those looking for a 1TB iteration will have to set their sights on the Galaxy Z Fold 5. 

If you’re ready to make the leap, the Z Flip 5 is available for pre-order at Samsung.com as well as various carrier sites. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 design

There’s not much difference between the Z Flip 4 and the Flip 5. You’ve still got that flipability that our editor, Kimberly Gedeon, loved as it gave that old-school feeling of hanging up on someone in a huff. The two-toned color scheme on the top rear panel with a black housing for the pair of cameras also makes a return which is something she didn’t like nearly as much. But now, instead of only a portion of the top panel cover being coated in a shiny inky black material, the entire thing is blacked out with the rest of the panel taking on the main color in a matte finish. The good news is that most of this is a display. 

When it launches, the Z Flip 5 will be available in Lavender, Mint, Graphite and Cream. If you're looking for something less pastel, Samsung will offer the foldable in colors exclusive to Samsung.com, including Gray, Blue, Green and Yellow. 

The frame of the phone and the sides are made from Armor Aluminum, with the volume rocker and power button/fingerprint reader placed on the right, and the USB-C charging port sitting along the bottom. Flipping the phone open reveals a glossy display with deep, striking color. Something new to note is the Flex hinge –– a dual rail mechanism that is more deeply integrated into the phone itself, rather than sticking out like a sore thumb. The new hinge decreases the prominence of the display crease while allowing the device to close without a gap. 

When folded, the 6.6-ounce Galaxy Z Flip measures 3.4 x 2.8 x 0.59 inches compared to 6.5 x 2.8 x 0.27 inches unfurled. That’s not too far off from its predecessor (3.3 x 2.8 x 0.67 inches, folded / 6.5 x 2.8 x 0.27 inches, unfolded), which also weighs 6.6 ounces. The predecessor is a hair smaller. The Google Pixel Fold is thinner (5.5 x 3.1 x 0.5 inches, folded / 5.5 x 6.2 x 0.2 inches, unfolded) albeit heavier at 10 ounces. Plus, the Pixel Fold is plagued by hardware issues with reports of broken displays à la the original Galaxy Fold. 

However, with this being Samsung’s fifth trip to the foldable rodeo, I doubt we’ll see any issues with either the Z Flip 5 or Fold 5 (fingers crossed). 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 durability

A foldable is inherently more delicate than your regular slab of smartphone. Samsung is alleviating some of the worry by reinforcing the Flip 5 with Armor Aluminum and making the rear panel and screen out Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The phone is also IPX8 rated, meaning it can be submerged in 1.5 meters of fresh water for a limited time. In other words, freshwater lakes and toilets are fine, the beach is not, especially since the phone is not dust resistant. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 display

Like its predecessor, the Z Flip 5 has a 6.7-inch, Dynamic AMOLED 2x display. The Infinity Flex panel has a resolution of 2640 x 1080 with 22:9 aspect ratio. It’s a pretty good indicator that one of our more nitpicky complaints will make an appearance here with wider letterboxing appearing when watching video. 

As far as color, I’m rooting for Samsung on this, as during my rather brief hands-on the colors were pleasing to my eye. And I definitely liked how smooth scrolling through home pages and apps looked. The Z Flip 4 put up impressive numbers on both our brightness (772 nits) and DCI-P3 (132.2%) tests , being bested only by the Z Fold 4 (902 nits / 158.7%) during its review. The Pixel Fold delivered an impressive brightness of 1,173 nits with a rather lackluster 88.4% on the DCI-P3 scale. 

I’m really eager to see how the Flip 5’s main display holds up under benchmarking and everyday use. Speaking of use cases, the Z Flip 5 has an adaptive refresh rate that automatically adjusts the refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz depending on the activity. So if you’re gaming or watching a video, you can expect a higher frame rate while perusing a spreadsheet versus watching a film that usually needs only 24Hz.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Flex Window

New phone, bigger display. Yes, that teeny tiny cover display from last year’s model has grown into a 3.4-inch, Super AMOLED 60Hz Flex display that’s great for screening notifications. The 720 x 748-pixel screen is a bold answer to our complaint that the previous model’s screen was too small to act as a selfie viewfinder or much else. I didn’t experience any problems reading notifications or setting up a good shot on the camera.

Similar to its main display, the Z Flip 5 definitely passed the eye test with clean, distinct text and colorful hues. But the Flex display is more than a medium for errant notifications, you have widgets where you can control your music, check the weather and other useful functionality. If you need to view multiple widgets, a quick pinch will activate Multi Widget View. Somebody sends you a text message? Answer it via Quick Reply. 

And of course, that larger Flex Window is perfect for making sure you’re selfie ready (more on that later). 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 performance

With a 4-nanometer Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, the Z Flip 5 is packing. It’s on a par with the likes of the OnePlus 11 and Samsung Galaxy 23 Ultra. It’s a shame, but it can’t be helped since Qualcomm’s new chipset won’t be released until later this year. Don’t get me wrong, this processor is definitely an ass kicker, as it delivered 5,081 on Geekbench 5.4 in the Galaxy S23 Ultra while the OnePlus 11 hit 4,962. 

Is either enough to topple the likes of the iPhone Pro 14 (5,469) or iPhone Pro Max 14 (5,333) with their A16 Bionic chips? No, but it’s more than enough to spank the Pixel Fold’s (Tensor G2 CPU) abysmal 1,909. The S23 Ultra’s result also surpasses the Z Flip 4 and its Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, which produced only 4,015, proving this is a definite step up in power. 

When we ran the Adobe Premiere Rush video transcoding benchmark, the S23 Ultra finished in 39 seconds, soundly beating the Pixel’s Fold and OnePlus 11’s times of 1:01 and 1:11, respectively while the Z Flip 4 posted a time of 0:44. It couldn’t dispatch either the iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max, which had blistering times of 0:26 and 0:30, respectively.

On the Jetstream web browser test, the S23 Ultra scored 179.3. That was more than enough to stave off the Z Flip 4 (134.3), Pixel Fold (118.3), and OnePlus 11 (112.8). But once again, the iPhones laid waste to their Android counterparts with the iPhone 14 Pro reaching 285.9 and the Pro Max hitting 273.7.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 battery life

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 has a 3,700mAh battery, just like the Z Flip 4. This, barring any power efficiency tricks that Samsung and Qualcomm might pull out their hats, puts the Z Flip 5 within a stone’s throw of the 9 hour mark, as its ancestor lasted 8 hours and 57 minutes on the Laptop Mag Battery Test (continuous web surfing at 150 nits over network). 

The competition all have larger batteries, such as the Pixel Fold (4,821mAh), which scores its first potential win over the Z Flip 5 with a time of 10:21. The OnePlus 11 and Galaxy S23 clocked in with 12:48 and 13:09, respectively, with their 5,000mAh batteries. And by some feat of Apple Magic, both the iPhone 14 Pro (3,200mAh) and Pro Max (4,323mAh) managed to beat the Z Flip 4 by lasting 10:27 and 13:07, respectively.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 camera

When you look at the megapixels on the Z Flip 5, they’re singing the same old song with a pair of 12MP cameras on the rear and a 10MP front shooter. The wide (12MP, f/1.8, 1.8μm, 83-degree field of view) is virtually identical to last gen’s as is the ultra-wide shooter (12MP, f/2.2, 1.12μm, 123-degree FOV)  It’s disappointing that Samsung couldn’t find a way to up the ante, but that doesn’t mean that the company hasn’t made any changes whatsoever. 

In this case, we have to look to the front camera (10MP, f/2.2, 1.22μm, 85-degree FOV) which has a slightly smaller aperture compared to last gen’s (10MP, f/2.4,1.22μm, 80-degree FOV), but it’s negligible at best. The real change comes from the AI-powered software that brings improved Nightography mode, which means better shots in low-light environments. Using an AI-powered image signal processing (ISP) algorithm, the Z Flip 5’s cameras will automatically correct any visual noise that you’d usually find when snapping low-light images. The feature will also enhance details and color tone. Plus, you get clearer photos by way of the digital 10X zoom.Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 software

But the Flip’s main claim to fame is the Flex Window, which allows the more creative among us to take interesting photos with the unique angles that the phone can take advantage of. Speaking of unique angles, there’s Flex Camera for those look-ma-no-hands photos. With the expanded size of the Flex Window, you can get a better look at your selfie preview. If you want to take a few candids with friends, there’s Dual Preview so everyone can make sure they’re striking the appropriate pose. And you also have Flex Mode that lets you see and edit your shots into masterpieces. 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 software

The Z Flip 5 comes with Android 13 skinned with Samsung’s One UI 5.1.1, which blends the company’s proprietary widgets and features into Android for a seamless experience. And since the Z Flip 5 carries a lot of the same features as its predecessor, it’s a safe bet to guess that Samsung will provide four years of major software updates along with five years of security updates.

Bottom line

While I am a proponent of the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mantra, Samsung will have to figure out how to make the next Z Flip into something truly special because the Z Flip 5 ain’t it. That’s not to say it’s not a good phone –– without any benchmarking to back it up right now –– it is. It’s still super pocketable and versatile. You can do a hell of a lot more with the larger Flex Window and the new Flex hinge is less intrusive on the overall design. And I’m never going to say no to a more powerful processor (even if it is on the more power-hungry side), but as it stands, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is nothing more than an incremental step, just like the Z Flip 4 was. Now to where exactly Samsung is stepping to, I’m unsure, but I can say it’s getting there awfully slow. 

However, if you’re thinking of making the leap into the foldable space and don’t want to spend over $1,000 for the experience, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the way to go. But don’t take this as my final judgment, as there’s still plenty of benchmarking to do in this case and the numbers will be the final tale of the tape. 

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is official, but really, were there enough updates to get excited about? I’m not so sure.

Samsung may have fallen asleep at the wheel a little when it came to designing its latest generation of foldables. In spite of there being a new processor inside them, they sure are a chip off the old block in terms of pretty much everything else.

I’m not blown away, that’s for sure. I’d hazard a guess I’m not the only one either. If you’re a little antsy over what Samsung defines as fancy, I say we let the Galaxy Z Flip 5 fulfill its nosedive and take a look at three foldable phones with everything needed to thrive.

Forget the Galaxy Z Flip 5: Buy these 3 phones instead 

Samsung might’ve been the king of the hill when it came to foldables in recent years, but competition for the top spot is heating up all the time with more and more manufacturers looking to toss their hat into the ring and take their chances in this growing market.

Samsung might be the best at what they do right now, but if this year’s showcase has been anything to go by, they’re by no means untouchable. If you’re itching to “join the flip side,” but aren’t exactly wowed by what Samsung had to unpack, check out our selection of three foldable devices that are the flip to Samsung’s flop.

1. Motorola Razr+

Available for the exact same price as the Galaxy Z Flip 5, the Motorola Razr+ is a phenomenal alternative to Samsung’s flip-foldable that pairs all the performance of the Z Flip 4 with a design that the Z Flip 5 lacked the ambition to aim for.

A revival of the mid-2000s era flip phone that put the world into a frenzy, the Motorola Razr+ feels like a homecoming of sorts rightfully taking its place in the spotlight during the clamshell comeback. Backed by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor with 5GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, Motorola’s Razr+ is a well-equipped device with plenty of performance on hand.

Add to that a larger 6.9-inch internal OLED panel with a 165Hz refresh rate and a stunning 3.6-inch, fully-realized, 144Hz edge-to-edge cover display and you have one of the best-looking foldables on the market today.

If you already own a foldable device then this phone might not be top of your list when it comes to an upgrade. Owners of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 are more likely than most to feel this as a side-step than anything else, though in all fairness, you’ll at least gain a better display and camera array than if you upgraded to the Z Flip 5.

2. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

Sure, Samsung just announced the Galaxy Z Flip 5, but that doesn’t mean you have to pay a blind bit of attention to it. And why would you? It’s essentially just this phone but a little faster and with a different cover screen and available at full price. Just save yourself the expense and pick up the phone that puts foldables in the spotlight once again?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is going to tumble in price, which grants you a chance yet to lay your hands on a foldable device without breaking the bank. Not only will you save a decent sum of money but you’ll also be granted an impressively capable phone backed by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, 8GB of RAM, and up to 512GB of storage.

It’s a beautiful piece of engineering and it has fantastic photo capabilities — also a great battery life considering the brightness and vividness of its dual screens. You will forgo the Z Fold 5’s larger cover screen and extended functionality, but the smaller 260 x 512-pixel cover screen of the Z Fold 4 is still a small-scale widget-wonderland when it comes to snaring information at a glance.

Already own a Galaxy Z Flip 4? Stick with it. If there’s one thing we can guarantee from Samsung’s unveiling of the Z Flip 5 at this year’s Unpacked event it’s this: You’re not missing out on much.

3. Oppo Find N2 Flip

Oppo’s Find N2 Flip is the “budget-friendly” foldable flip phone that’s been turning heads with its stylish looks, vertical cover screen, and plucky photography skills almost the world over. Almost, because the device’s global launch seemingly covered everywhere except the U.S., annoyingly.

You can still bag one online, but you’d best be sure that your carrier will support it before splashing the cash, as even though it’s one of the more affordable foldables on the market, an affordable foldable is still generally quite expensive.

The Oppo Find N2 Flip is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ processor, which might not be a name you’re too familiar with outside of certain Chromebooks. However, while not as recognizable as an Apple Bionic, Tensor, Qualcomm Snapdragon, or even an Exynos chipset, the MediaTek processor is impressively capable. Backing up the CPU is 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

The Find N2 Flip features a 6.8-inch, AMOLED, FHD+ (2520 x 1080-pixel) internal display with a rapid 120Hz refresh rate and a 3.26-inch, AMOLED, 720 x 382-pixel cover display at 60Hz. That means bright and vibrant images and the perfect way to show off your Hasselblad snaps from the foldable’s 50MP main shooter, 8MP Ultra-wide camera, and 32MB front camera.

Outlook

If you’re no fan of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 offerings then worry not. While the flip-foldable market is still relatively small there are other options out there to choose from, even last year's models are still fantastic choices that shouldn’t be overlooked.

With more competition than ever, the lineup of available foldables looks set to grow and grow with more variety and potentially lower, more accessible prices. Are we witnessing the death of the static smartphone? Unlikely, but these bits of engineering wizardry are impressive bits of tech all the same — with some even finding their way into our list of best smartphones. 

It’s good to be king, and when it comes to foldables, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip has reigned supreme. But is it worthy of the crown? Or was Samsung merely running unopposed in its quest for the throne? The last year has certainly seen some contenders rise up, primarily the Motorola Razr+ — the foldable revival of the flip phone fantastic circa 2004.

With Samsung Galaxy Unpacked’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 announcement, we now know what to expect with the latest flippy foldable from Samsung, and it’s time to see how it measures up against the competition. Whether you’re looking to “join the flip side” or “flip the script,” these two foldable phones are top of their game and excellent options.

However, we’re ready to pit Samsung’s best against Motorola’s cutting edge and see which one comes out on top.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Vs. Motorola Razr+ 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Vs. Motorola Razr+ price

With both phones touting the same $999.99 price tag, two things become clear: Motorola did its homework and assumed the Galaxy Z Flip 5 would stick to its price pattern, and that the Lenovo subsidiary fully intends to challenge it for market dominance.

The Motorola Razr+ comes in only one configuration with 256GB of storage, however, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 has storage configurations of 256GB or 512GB with the latter pushing the price of Samsung’s foldable to $1,119. (Though a free limited-time free storage upgrade is currently in place.) 

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Vs. Motorola Razr+ design

Both phones share a foldable clamshell design, with each featuring a similar “teardrop” or “dumbbell” hinge to limit the amount of creasing foldable phones have become synonymous with and to produce a gapless seam when closed. It’s also better for durability. Both foldables are capable of withstanding more rigorous use and folds than ever before.

The Razr+ is the largest, measuring 3.48 x 2.9 x 0.59 inches when folded and 6.7 x 2.9 x 0.27 inches when open. This allows for a slightly bigger internal and cover display of 6.9-inch and 3.6-inch in comparison to the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s 6.7-inch internal and 3.4-inch cover screens.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 measures 3.35 x 2.83 x 0.59 inches in size when folded and 6.5 x 2.83 x 0.27 inches when open, giving it a marginally smaller footprint. However, both devices weigh roughly the same with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Motorola Razr+ weighing 187.1 grams and 187.9 grams, respectively.

Of the two, Samsung’s Z Flip 5 features superior protection. It inherits an IPX8 rating from the Z Flip 4, meaning the device will function properly after 30 minutes in freshwater of up to 1.5m in depth, but it lacks any certification against dust or particulates. By contrast, the Razr+’s IP52 rating only shields from water sprays less than 15 degrees from vertical and limited dust or particulate protection.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Vs. Motorola Razr+ displays

The differences between these devices become more apparent when we get to their displays. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 features a vastly improved cover display from the Z Fold 4 in terms of size, performance, and functionality.

The 3.4-inch AMOLED “folder” shaped display is sizable enough to handle a number of functions and widgets in a fair amount of detail bringing greater purpose to its cover screen than ever before. Its 720 x 748 resolution allows for a solid amount of detail and space for widgets and even an onscreen keyboard, and a 60Hz refresh rate keeps things relatively smooth.

However, the Motorola Razr+ blows Samsung’s new cover screen out of the water from the get-go, delivering a larger, smoother, and more functional external display that, for once, leaves Samsung on the backfoot. The 3.6-inch, edge-to-edge OLED panel has a silky-smooth refresh rate of 144Hz and a 1066 x 1056 resolution that affords much more screen real estate for apps to make use of.

The internal display of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a spacious 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a FHD+ resolution of 2640 x 1080 pixels and a spritely 120Hz refresh rate. However, once again, the Motorola outshines with a larger and faster display. Open up the Razr+ and you’ll be met with a 6.9-inch OLED, FHD+ panel with a 2640 x 1080-pixel resolution and a super-fast 165Hz refresh rate.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5’s saving grace is its use of AMOLED 2X panels for brighter and more vivid pictures than the Razr+’s OLED counterpart. Still, its faster refresh rate, larger screens, and more functional cover display may still give it the edge over Samsung’s foldable for many.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Vs. Motorola Razr+ performance

The Motorola Razr+ is outfitted with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 CPU with 8GB of RAM, affording it an impressive level of performance across the board. It’s the same chip found in both the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and One Plus 10T, solid devices with a wagonload of processing power and great Adreno 730 graphics — not to mention a considerable battery life to boot.

However, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is similarly equipped with 8GB of RAM, but also features the newer Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor which is capable of all that of its predecessor and more. It’s the same processor you’ll find inside of Samsung’s flagship S23 Ultra, which delivered impressive benchmark scores when facing off against the Tensor G2-powered Pixel 7 Pro and Apple A16 Bionic-powered iPhone 14 Pro Max.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 clearly has the edge with its more modern chip, but its Dynamic AMOLED display will also give it the leg-up, thanks to its ability to pump the brakes on its 120Hz refresh rate to make the most of its smaller 3,700 mAh battery capacity.

Of course, while better is better, both chips offer top-tier performance that many will barely scratch the surface of with typical day-to-day use. Power users and enthusiasts will gain the most from the Z Flip 5’s upgrade, but don’t feel like you’ll be missing out on too much otherwise.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Vs. Motorola Razr+ cameras

Samsung knows a thing or two when it comes to delivering quality camera sensors, which only makes it all the more surprising that they appear to have made little to no changes from the camera array found in the Z Flip 4. Both 12 megapixel wide and ultra-wide sensors return alongside a familiar 10MP selfie camera. There are one or two tweaks when it comes to pixel density or focal length, but practically nothing worth highlighting.

In contrast, the Motorola Razr+, a foldable whose entire concept revolves around reviving a mid-2000s flip phone that had a camera so bad even Bigfoot would be embarrassed to pose in front of it, startlingly pulls ahead with a 12MP (f/1.5, 1.4μm) main sensor with OIS and a 13MP ultra-wide (f/2.2, 1.12μm) lens paired with a 32MP (f/2.4, 0.7μm) and 8MP quadpixel (f/2.4, 1.4μm) set of selfie/front cameras. 

Outlook

The final part of this head-to-head exemplifies exactly where Samsung’s problems dwell. Whether it’s through stagnation or overconfidence, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 does only the bare minimum to stay relevant. The Z Flip 5 improves on its performance and cover display to impressive effect, but forgets to show any willingness for improvement elsewhere.

This gives competition like the Motorola Razr+ an excellent opportunity to play catch up, pressing ahead in all areas to get the edge over Samsung’s foldable however it can. And in a few areas, that’s exactly what it manages to do. Its edge-to-edge cover screen, improved camera array, bigger and faster panels, and similar pricing make it a very real threat to Samsung’s market share.

Unless Samsung comes out swinging with the Z Fold 6, it’s hard not to imagine companies like Motorola completely overtaking them in the foldable market. For now, the Galaxy Z Fold can keep its throne, but only by a slim margin.

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked revealed plenty of exciting products in the company’s line-up with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 being one of them. But after tons of rumors about it shaping up to be an underwhelming model, many are wondering if those leaks were true. Is the Z Fold 5 really worth buying?

The answer isn’t simple. In many ways, this phone is nowhere near as exciting of an upgrade as some of us might have hoped, but there are still reasons you might want to buy it. And if you happen to already own the Galaxy Z Fold 4, you should read more before biting the bullet. Without further ado, here are three reasons to buy and skip the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5.

3 reasons to buy Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

1: The power of Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 

There are few significant differences between the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and its predecessor, but one key of the upgrades lie with the processor. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will likely be zippier than the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. We tested the 8 Gen 2 in the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and its Geekbench 5.4 multi-core synthetic performance score was 5,081. Comparatively, the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s 8+ Gen 1 received a multi-score score of 3,831.

Many other factors can impact processor performance outside of the chip. For example, the Google Pixel Fold and the Pixel 7a share the same chip, but the Fold delivered an embarrassing multi-core score of 1,909 on the Geekbench 5 synthetic test while the Pixel 7a reached a score of 3,065. Regardless, we are expecting the Galaxy Z Fold 5 to be a far more powerful phone in processing power than its previous model. 

2: New colors offer more personality 

Akin to any big product launch, the latest models of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is coming with new available colors. The Z Fold 4 featured Phantom Black, Beige, Burgundy and of course, Graygreen, which is a color I’d previously mocked as being for those afraid of color. The Z Fold 5 is expanding its horizons a bit this time, but not by much.

Phantom Black is sticking around unsurprisingly, and of course, there’s the neutral Gray option. Beyond just that, Icy Blue, Cream and Blue are also new. Blue and Gray are exclusive to Samsung’s website, though.

3: You want a foldable phone 

We go over this more in the “reasons not to buy section,” but the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a solid choice for anyone who wants to get into foldable phones. It’s hard to ignore the steep cost, but even Google Pixel’s often more affordable line-up has failed in solidifying a more competitive edge in price with its foldable phone.

It’s also not a bad idea to purchase an older Galaxy Z Fold around the time this new model launches; previous iterations become less expensive as a result. But if you want the latest, most powerful foldable phone without going over $2,000, this is likely your best bet.

3 reasons to skip Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

1. You already own a Galaxy Z Fold 4 

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is shaping up to be a pretty impressive pick for those new to foldable phones, as it is undeniably superior to the previous model, but it;s not a big enough jump to justify purchasing one if you already own a Galaxy Z Fold 4. Rumors have suggested this for a while with employees reportedly saying it’s so boring it “can’t even be called Galaxy Z Fold4s.”

At the end of the day, both phones feature the same 7.6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex Display with 2176 x 1812-resolution at 374 pixels per inch and a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. They also share the 6.2-inch HD+ 2316 x 904-pixel 402ppi 120Hz AMOLED 2X cover display. All of the cameras have the same megapixels and the battery is still 4,400mAh. The only noteworthy differences are the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 upgrade and its reduction in weight.

2. Galaxy Z Fold 5 is not rated to the IP58 dust-resistance standard

This is no surprise if you’ve kept up with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 rumors, as it was previously stated that it would not be rated at the IP58 dust-resistance standard. This turned out to be true, which means the previous safety precaution required for the Fold 4 still applies here. If you go onto  Samsung's website for the phone’s predecessor, the company warns users to "be wary of foreign substances or dust."

If you’re not in the mood to panic about the presence of dust particles, sand, or anything grainy that could damage such an expensive product, you might not want to invest into the Galaxy Z Fold 5. However, this is an issue many foldable phones have. The Google Pixel Fold is similar, lacking a dust-resistance rating.

3. You don’t care for processing power

The Galaxy Z Fold 5’s largest upgrade comes from its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 inclusion, but this isn’t for everyone. Assistant Managing Editor Sean Riley, Laptop Mag’s resident phone expert, has long held the belief that phones are often overpowered for what a majority of users need them for. Pixel phones have often gotten this one aspect right, as the Google Tensor G2 chip is notably less powerful than what Qualcomm or Apple can accomplish.

But for everyday use, this chip is great unless you want to run the most demanding software. If you have a similar opinion on this matter, you might not find what you’re looking for with the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Considering its processor is its main selling point, it probably won’t appeal to anyone who owns a foldable phone already.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is days away from its big reveal at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 and we might have just seen confirmation of a rumor about its launch price after the foldable’s price information in India has reportedly leaked online.

Foldables are becoming more and more popular, but their high price point is a significant barrier to entry for most. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 launched with a price tag of $1,799 — a considerable amount to fork out for a decent laptop, let alone a smartphone.

However, rumors began to spring last month that Samsung was looking to bring down the cost of the upcoming Z Fold 5, making it more accessible than ever. The recent leak of the Z Fold 5’s price could give us a glimpse of how much Samsung is willing to drop the price of its foldable to grow its market share.

Galaxy Z Fold 5 price leak: affordable foldables inbound? 

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 launched in India for ₹154,999, however, according to a leaked listing for Samsung’s foldable by Paras Guglani, the Z Fold 5 will launch at a price of ₹143500 — ₹11,499 less than the previous generation’s price. Recently, tipsters like Revegnus have revealed Samsung’s desire to ship the Z Fold 5 at a cheaper price point, and these leaks appear to confirm just that.

The leaked difference in price roughly equates to $140.52, which won’t make a world of difference for most but could sway many into giving the Z Fold 5 a further look if similar price reductions occur globally.

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 launched with a price tag of $1,799 in the U.S. and similar drops could see the Galaxy Z Fold 5 become available for $1,658.50. It’s still a commanding price tag, but it is one heading in the right direction for wider foldable adoption by more consumers.

Outlook

Is the barrier to entry for foldable phones slowly being lifted? That remains to be seen. The Pixel Fold recently launched with a similar $1,799 price tag to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, and the decision by Samsung to drop the price could be to fend off competition or make up for the fact that there doesn’t appear to be much of an upgrade when it comes to the Galaxy Z Fold 5 from what we know so far.

However, this is all speculative, and for concrete numbers on how much the Galaxy Z Fold 5 will cost, be sure to catch the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event live on July 26. Can’t catch the event as it happens? Be sure to follow Laptop Mag on Twitter or… X or whatever it’s called now, Facebook, and Flipboard for breaking news as it’s announced.  

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5’s larger, folder-shaped cover screen is just one of the many leaks we’ve seen spring up ahead of Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event later this month. One of the more recent tidbits of information highlights the cover screen’s widgets — small-scale interactive apps that give quick access to the phone’s wider features.

While this was something not so easily done with the Z Flip 4 and its much smaller 1.9-inch external display, the Z Flip 5’s reported 3.4-inch cover screen design has plenty of room for Samsung to experiment with.

Widge one will you go with?

Leaked images from Roland Quandt on Twitter appear to show off a number of widgets the Z Flip 5’s cover screen will feature, giving us a better look at how Samsung intends to use all that extra screen real estate when the foldable launches later this year.

So, just what will those lucky enough to be able to pull Samsung’s foldable from their pocket find staring back at them? The leaked image apparently showcases seven ways the cover display will be put to good use.

1. Custom dashboards

One of the tiles highlighted in the leaked image seems to indicate a personalized dashboard or home screen as one of the main options you can set your cover screen to show.

The dashboard features a custom background and frame alongside the current time, battery level, and a few shortcuts to quickly access the foldable’s camera. If we had to put money on it, we’d assume that this is the cover displays default look with other tiles replacing it or accessed through it.

2. The weather widget

The weather widget is found on almost every device out there and it seems that the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will be no different. With quick access to the latest forecast for your area, you’ll be able to sidestep showers and plan your day with ease.

The screen appears to show much of what you’d expect from a weather widget, including the current forecast in detail followed by a by-the-hour run down of what to expect throughout your day. Scrolling further down would likely reveal a wider 7-10 day forecast as found in similar apps.

3. A photo gallery

The central focus of the leaked image appears to show what could be a quick-access photo gallery for browsing through your favorite shots or quickly showcasing some holiday snaps to others.

Judging by the UI on show, you’ll be able to swipe left and right to cycle through photos or presumably tap the down arrow and choose between different galleries or pictures to highlight.

4. Digital wallets

One of the more interesting widgets on display appears to be that of a digital wallet that gives quick access to saved coupons, tickets, cards, and more.

The highlighted tile shows a widget storing boarding pass information which frequent fliers will no doubt find incredibly handy, but it also seems to feature a place to stash coupons and even membership or loyalty cards for quick access or scanning while out and about.

5. Quick notifications

Another tile showcases a more traditional notifications screen listing recent calls and messages so you can quickly check your activity without opening the device.

The widget is fairly standard and a staple of modern lock screens, but the Z Flip 5’s larger display means there’s more information on show and less scrolling required to check out everything you might’ve missed while the device was pocketed.

Judging by the screenshot you’ll also be able to quickly return calls without opening the phone, much like the Z Flip 4’s ability to carry out calls while the device is closed through the loudspeaker or a hands-free device.

6. An on-screen keyboard

The Z Flip 5’s more expansive screen means you won’t even have to open the phone to write or reply to messages. Looking at another tile from the leaked image showcases an on-screen keyboard to help dive straight into replies while the phone is closed.

The tile showcases a decent-sized keyboard for the space available, with a conversation in progress so you can see and scroll through messages when not directly replying. It’s a great use of the additional screen space and it’s a feature many foldable fans have been calling for as cover displays have grown in scale.

7. Calendars and events

The final tile shows off a full-sized calendar with an events panel to the side so you can keep track of your schedule at a single glance.

For those terminally on the go and bouncing back and forth between meetings, it’s essential to know what’s on the horizon — having that information to hand in an instant will no doubt prove incredibly useful for some.

Outlook

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5’s larger cover screen opens up countless possibilities about how it can be put to use. Much of what this leak has shown us revolves around widgets, but a recent rumor suggests that a wider selection of Samsung and Google apps will be optimized to make use of the Z Flip 5’s 3.4-inch display including both Google Maps and YouTube.

We won't know for sure how Samsung plan to make use of the Z Flip 5's new screen dimensions until Samsung reveal it all themselves later this month during the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event on July 26, 2023. Until then, keep your eyes peeled to Laptop Mag for the latest news on all things Samsung and tech.

A foldable phone revolution is exploding all over the smartphone market like a newborn volcano. Google recently launched its Google Pixel Fold, although it's been a bit of a disaster. Thanks to a report from SamMobile, we're hearing that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 will launch on July 26 at the Galaxy Unpacked event in South Korea. But wait, there's more. 

The true upstart in the foldable fight club will certainly be the launch of the OnePlus Fold, and it's coming faster than you think. According to leaker Max Jambor, the OnePlus Fold will launch on August 29, adding a new pugilist to the fray. Why is this such a big deal? As I have recently reported, the upcoming OP Fold will come with flagship specs, and we know OnePlus tends to bring flagship quality at an affordable price, which could shake things up a bit.

Who will win the foldable championship belt? 

The foldable market is hotter than a vacation on Venus as every phone maker on Earth seems to be dropping them faster than water evaporates in the Venetian atmosphere. Initially, everyone was very excited about the Google Pixel Fold launch until reports of fragility started to pop up. 

For its part, Samsung has been the king of the foldable thus far, with its Z Fold 4 being a win for the company and gaining fandom along with its lineup sibling, the Galaxy Z Flip 4. However, Samsung's skin of Android is abusive and filled with bloatware, and for many, it's a major negative people choose to live. However, if not the best, OnePlus's Oxygen OS is among the best Android skins.

Meanwhile, OnePlus is known for swinging for the fences and delivering flagship quality devices at a better price point, which has started to make rivals take notice. The OnePlus 11 had our reviewer retire his iPhone. With rumors that the OnePlus 12 will level up its camera module to include a periscope camera,  the maker is again throwing left and right haymakers at its larger rivals.

This brings up back to the OP Fold; some rumors have it being launched with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, while others are saying since it is throwing right after Qualcomm is set to launch its Gen 3 chipset, it may come with this chipset instead. 

Even if it were to come with the QS8 Gen 2, it is still a super powerful chipset, and when coupled with the rumored 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage, the OP Fold will be a serious contender in this space. It will overtake and knock out the Pixel Fold unless it also suffers from a fragility issue.

In this scenario, the OnePlus Fold vs. the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 will be left, which we expect to arrive with Samsungs dedicated version of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset or the Gen. Rumors say either is possible. Still, I am betting on the Gen 3, at least 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of Storage for the Z Fold 5.

The two things that may separate the OP Fold and the Z Fold 5 are camera performance which Samsung is an industry leader, while OnePlus's Hasselblad-tuned cameras are quickly catching up. Possibly the company is hoping to surpass Samsung this time around. Lastly, the main thing that could contribute to OnePlus knocking out the Z Fold 5 is price. OnePlus tends to deliver excellent specs at a lower price point. The Current Z Fold 5 will run you nearly $1,149 (almost $1,200) before taxes. If OnePlus delivers its foldable for under $1,000 or above, it can win this battle, as the new Z Fold 5 will initially be in the $1,500 range.  

That all said, may the foldable phone Kumate begin! 

The Moto Razr+ is the newest flipping foldable on the block, so new in fact that we haven't finished our full review yet, but we've already got our lab tests in, and after a few days with the phone, I can already tell it's going to be my favorite flip-style foldable to date.

Right now you can pick up the Moto Razr+ on Amazon for $849, a cool $150 savings from its typical $999 and the cheapest we've seen the newly released phone so far. Amazon is making you do a little work for it though as you need to request an invite and the company is quick to say that quantities are limited.

If you're due for an upgrade, it's one of the best phone deals and Prime Day deals we've seen on a freshly announced device.

Motorola razr+ invite-only deal

Motorola's razr+ is its most advanced flip phone yet. It features an interactive 3.6 (1066 x 1056) pOLED external screen and opens to a vivid 6.9-inch (2640 x 1080) pOLED display. Inside the phone is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 8-core CPU, 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage. The Motorola razr+ runs on the latest Android 13 OS so it includes pre-installed Google apps like Gmail, Drive, and Maps.

One of the many highlights of the razr+ is its immersive and functional outside screen. Instantly access your music on the dedicated Spotify panel, jump into your favorite apps or respond to messages. Plus, play games and watch videos without even opening your phone. Customize your external display with any one of the many Motorola razr+ clock styles.

The razr+'s rear-facing camera setup includes a 12MP OIS and 13 MP ultra-wide + Macro lens with 0.5-8x digital zoom. The main front-camera incorporates 32MP and 8MP lenses whereas the cover front-camera has a 12MP OIS wide and 13 MP lens combo. With Flex View, you can prop the phone on a flat surface at various angles to interact, capture, and create in new ways. Take high-quality pictures and record videos hands-free and preview them right on the external display. 

At $150 off, the Motorola razr+ is a budget-friendly foldable phone that will leave your Galaxy Z Flip 4-owning friends envious. Request an invite now to make sure you don't miss out on this Prime Day deal.

The Google Pixel 7a and Google Pixel Fold are fundamentally different products with separate goals, so comparing the two might seem like a fool's errand to some. But the crux of this article rests on a single bewildering detail: Google’s most inexpensive phone is nearly 1/4th the cost yet it features an identical CPU.

This bizarre reality begs the question: Are people really willing to pay all that extra money exclusively for the foldable feature, even with Google’s typical underwhelming CPU processing performance at the helm?

Google Pixel Fold vs. Google Pixel 7a: Price 

The Pixel 7a is a champion of the budget category. With phenomenal performance at a starting cost of $499 on Google’s website, it is the ideal purchase for any smartphone user seeking a quality product without spending tons out of pocket.

This is what makes these two phones a baffling match-up, as Google phones are the industry-leading budget pick. Comparing iPhone vs. Pixel, the 7a starts at $499 while the base iPhone 14 is $799. 

This enormous leading price difference is what makes Google’s weak Tensor G2 inoffensive. It’s one of the best phones available at one of the best prices out there, so it’s no shock that it’ll boast a weaker CPU. 

But with the Pixel Fold not featuring that same budget advantage, priced similarly to other foldable devices, it seems as if Google is losing sight of its most effective selling point. Yes, the Pixel Fold is $1,799 on Google’s website, which is a competitive price, but it also has the same processor as something nearly a 1/4th the cost.

Winner: Google Pixel 7a 

Google Pixel Fold vs. Google Pixel 7a: Display 

The Pixel Fold has a 5.8-inch, 2092 x 1080-pixel OLED display at the front with a 17.4:9 aspect ratio and 120Hz refresh rate. The inner screen is a 7.6-inch, 2208 x 1840-pixel OLED display with a 6:5 aspect ratio and a 120Hz refresh rate.

The Pixel 7a isn’t a foldable phone. It's built with a single 6.1-inch, 1080 x 2400 OLED panel that can go up to 90Hz. Display technologies are what make foldable phones such an exciting purchase, so surely the 7a stands no chance against the Fold, right?

The Pixel 7a hit a peak brightness of 1,024 on its HDR setting, which is up to snuff with its more expensive competitor. The Pixel Fold’s inner display hit 1,030 nits on HDR and 1,172 nits at standard settings, which is phenomenally bright. 

Unfortunately, they didn’t do quite as well in reproducing the DCI-P3 color gamut. The Pixel 7a managed to reproduce 92% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, while the Fold’s internal display (88%) and cover display (90%) were just a little behind. 

In practice, this difference is marginal, and you probably won’t notice which one is better. However, the Pixel Fold comes out on top with its dual-screen superiority and brighter display.

Winner: Google Pixel Fold 

Google Pixel Fold vs. Google Pixel 7a: Design 

The Pixel 7a is built with a glass display, aluminum frame and plastic back panel. Not only is this the same on other Pixel phones, but it’s consistent with the Pixel Fold as well.

The Pixel Fold hasn’t quite found its more colorful side just yet, limited to two neutral hues of porcelain and obsidian. This is disappointing considering that the Pixel 7a features four available colors, with Sea and Coral hues appealing to my love of pastel, while the Charcoal and Snow options are there for those who don’t love rainbows.

The Pixel 7a comes in at 6 x 2.8 x 0.4 inches and 6.8 ounces, while the Pixel Fold measures 5.5 x 6.2 x 0.5 inches and weighs 10 ounces. These are two drastically different phones, and one is practically two phones glued together, so of course it would be larger and heavier.

Winner: Draw 

Google Pixel Fold vs. Google Pixel 7a: Performance 

The Pixel Fold is built with Google Tensor G2 processor with a Titan M2 security coprocessor, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. The Pixel 7a is packed with the Google Tensor G2 chip and features the same Titan M2 security coprocessor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

Even though the Pixel Fold costs more than four times the Pixel 7a, users cannot expect superior processing performance. In fact, in the Geekbench 5 test, its multi-core score was as low as 1,909. This is nearly a thousand points below the 7a’s multi-core score of 3,065, which is baffling. Not only can you expect the same processor in this vastly more expensive foldable phone, but its performance is inferior.

You might be wondering if this is just standard for foldable phones, but it isn’t. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, a foldable phone that also costs $1,799, attained a multi-core score of 3,831 on the Geekbench 5.5 performance test. This is a little more than double what the Pixel Fold could attain at the same price. Yikes. 

Winner: Google Pixel 7a 

Google Pixel Fold vs. Google Pixel 7a: Cameras 

Google Pixel’s attention to detail in photography is practically unmatched. We’ve found that the company crafts some of the best phone cameras in the industry, but how does it do with the new Pixel Fold?

The Pixel 7a primary camera is one of the best around, delivering a 64-megapixel wide-angle lens with its f/1.89 aperture. Meanwhile, its ultrawide and selfie-lens are both 13MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.12µm).

The Pixel Fold’s camera array is pretty drastically different from the 7a, with its wide-angle being a 1/2-inch 48MP with a f/1.7 aperture, alongside ultra-wide (f/2.2) and telephoto (f/3.05, 5x zoom) at 10.8MP. The front camera offers 9.5MP with a f/2.2 aperture, and the other 8MP camera above the display has a f/2.2 aperture.

Winner: Draw 

Google Pixel Fold vs. Google Pixel 7a: Battery life 

It would be an impressive feat if the Pixel Fold could outlast the 7a’s battery. After all, this foldable phone is working with dual screens, meaning it has that much more power to consume. Its 4,821 mAh battery lasted a total of 10 hours and 21 minutes on the Laptop Mag battery test, which involves continuous web surfing at 150 nits on cellular.

10 hours is an impressive accomplishment, especially since the Pixel 7a’s 4,385 mAh lasted 10 hours and 5 minutes when put up on the same test. So yes, the Pixel Fold does the impossible and lasts a bit longer than the 7a. So if you are excited to purchase this foldable phone, you won’t have to worry about its longevity.

Winner: Google Pixel Fold 

Bottom line 

The Pixel Fold is a good phone, but it is lacking the asset that makes the Pixel series most appealing. Regardless of its most exciting bells and whistles, Pixel is a budget phone series and that’s a huge part of what makes it so successful. Purchasing the amazing Pixel 7a for $499 is an absolute steal, yet the Pixel Fold doesn’t feature the same affordable edge.

Charging consumers $1,799 for a phone with inferior processing power when compared to the company’s own $499 phone is shocking, especially when that price point is similar in other foldable phones. So yes, the Pixel 7a wins and it’s not even close. We’re hoping that the Pixel Fold 2 will pick up the slack of its predecessor by including a better processor or turn it into the first budget foldable phone.

Winner: Google Pixel 7a 

Mark your calendars. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 look set to be unveiled on July 26 at Samsung Unpacked 2023. The South Korean manufacturer confirmed the date of its event earlier today, inviting people to “Join the flip side” later this month.

For the first time, Samsung Unpacked 2023 will be hosted in Seoul, Korea. Earmarked by Samsung as a place where traditional culture and futuristic visions collide, it’s in Seoul that Samsung hopes to dazzle the world with its latest product reveals and technological innovations.

How to watch Samsung Unpacked 2023

If you want to know how to watch Samsung Unlocked 2023 you'll be happy to hear that the event will be live-streamed across Samsung Newsroom, Samsung.com, and Samsung’s YouTube channel.

Make sure you’re there to catch the latest Samsung reveals as they happen when the event kicks off at 7 A.M. EST, 4 A.M. PST, and 12 P.M. BST on July 26, 2023.

Join the flip side

If the event’s “Join the flip side” tagline and above teaser hadn’t already clued you in on what to expect during this year’s show, then this is likely where we will see Samsung officially unveil its new Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 devices to the public for the first time.

Samsung’s foldable Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 devices are two of the best options currently on the market, highly coveted for their form, function, and formidable foldable engineering.

However, the brand’s reign over the foldable market could be in jeopardy after successful foldable launches from both Google and Motorola with their Pixel Fold and Razr+ alternatives. Both of which are fantastic devices with each setting the bar a little higher for the competition in their own ways. 

Outlook

Will the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 measure up? Well, rumors suggest that both devices could be adopting a “gapless” teardrop hinge to eliminate screen creasing, that both will feature the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor found in the powerful Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and leaked renders have also showcased the Z Flip 5’s new folder-esque cover display. 

There's still a lot we don't know, but what we've heard on the grapevine and seen in leaks sounds promising to say the least. However, rumors are rumors, and we won’t know for sure until we hear it straight from Samsung on July 26.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the company's upcoming foldable phone expected to launch sometime this summer, potentially as soon as next month if the previous model timelines are anything to go by.

But unfortunately, less-than-great news continues to surround the phone, with popular Samsung leaker UniverseIce now claiming that a hotly anticipated feature might not make it. The rumor which suggested the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 would be rated to meet the IP58 dust-proof standard is seemingly not coming true.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 might not be rated at IP58

Previous reports regarding the Z Fold 5 claimed that it would indeed meet the IP58 dust-resistance standard from Twitter user No Name. If UniverseIce has correct information, this is not longer true. But how important is this standard to begin with?

Intrusion and moisture protection are measured through a two digit system, with the first referring to solid and dust protection, while the second refers to moisture. Many Samsung devices, like many modern Galaxy phones and Notes, boast an IP68 rating, which means that they're totally protected against dust and can last up to 30 minutes in up to 1.5-metres of water.

We hoped that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 would finally meet the IP58 dust-proof standard, as the previous models merely feature an IPX8 standard. This means they are susceptible to dust particles, even though they still boast the same level of water protection. Even on Samsung's website, the company warns users to "be wary of foreign substances or dust."

It wasn't all that long ago when Samsung employees reportedly claimed that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 was so boring that "it can't even be called the Galaxy Z Fold4s," but it seems like the dire news surrounding this hotly anticipated foldable phone is only getting worse.

Will the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 truly have enough new feature to convince users to invest into another $1,799 purchase? It's hard to say, but we're hoping this rumor isn't actually true, as it would be great if these models were protected from dust particles.

After spending over a week with the Pixel Fold now, I remain thoroughly impressed with most of the decisions Google made on its first foldable. Yes, I’ve got some qualms about it with its high price and some durability concerns topping that list, but thus far it is my favorite foldable phone for a host of reasons.

I'll freely concede, this remains an exceedingly limited market, in the U.S. the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the only horizontally folding competition, but several years into the Galaxy Z Fold line it is notable that Google has created such a worthy competitor with its fledgling effort.

There are pluses and minuses to each phone, but I wanted to take a closer look at three ways that the Google Pixel Fold beats the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and whether they are the right three things to win you over.

1. Pixel Fold is a perfect blend of screen size and portability

The Pixel Fold's size is just *chef’s kiss* and that is a decision that permeates the entire experience of using the Pixel Fold. It's pocketable despite that 7.6-inch internal display waiting in the wings when you need to get some real work (or play) done. The wider and shorter internal display also makes it a better fit video content compared to the massive black bars at the top and bottom on the Z Fold 4.

The cover display is also more natural to use than the elongated front-display on Samsung's foldable. The Z Fold 3 and 4 were a dramatic improvement over their predecessors when it came to offering a usable cover display experience, but it's still far narrower than a typical phone which will at times leave your struggling to type or navigate apps properly.

Don't get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed using the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and it is an absolute powerhouse of a phone, but you will never forget that you have a tablet-style foldable phone in your pocket. The Pixel Fold's smaller footprint and true fold flat design make it come closer to feeling like a slightly thicker standard phone than two phones sandwiched together in your pocket.

The Pixel Fold is hitting an ideal mix of the portability offered by the vertically folding phones like the Galaxy Z Flip 4 or new Moto Razr+, while still offering the larger screen experience of a horizontal or tablet-style foldable that power users are going to gravitate towards.

2. Pixel Fold offers a flagship camera experience

While it isn't an exact match for the Pixel 7 Pro cameras, the Google Pixel Fold delivers an excellent camera array, including a 5x optical zoom telephoto lens. Samsung upped its game last year with the Galaxy Z Fold 4 cameras and from a pure hardware perspective it's pretty close to a draw, but as has been the case for years now, it's Google's computational edge that helps it win the day.

Google's Real Tone gives you more realistic skin tones when snapping photos of people, the 5x optical zoom enhanced with Google's Super Res Zoom gives you usable shots out to 20x, and Google remains the gold standard across all brands for hitting that mix of pop and vibrancy without waving goodbye to reality.

Selfie shooters that don't want to deal with juggling their phone to use the rear cameras are also going to be far more satisfied with the Pixel Fold, particularly when it comes to that internal cameras. Samsung's under-display camera tech still has some work to do before it's useful for anything more than video chats.

While the Pixel Fold just delivers more consistently excellent photos, it doesn't help that the Z Fold 4 feels like it is giving you a Galaxy S23 experience rather than Galaxy S23 Ultra, hard to stomach when you are paying $1,799.

3. Pixel Fold offers longer battery life

After Google's Pixel phones have consistently disappointed on our battery life tests over the years I had little hope for the ultra-thin Fold breaking that streak, but lo and behold it did. While the 10 hours and 21 minutes the Fold reached in our Laptop Mag battery test isn't going to land it on our phones with the best battery life, it's still a solid edge on the 9 hours and 37 minutes that the Galaxy Z Fold 4 delivered.

It's also exactly the cut point where I start to feel like I don't need to worry about topping a phone up sometime throughout the day. While I'm continuing to work on more long-term testing of the Pixel Fold battery life as Google's software tends to improve battery life over time, that's all the more encouraging that things are already in a solid state.

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 falls just slightly on the other side of that equation, where I will make sure I plug it in or drop it on a wireless charger for 20-30 minutes at some point to ensure I make it through the day. That's hardly a deal breaker, I do the same for the iPhone 14 Pro, but it's nice to not have to worry about it on all but the busiest of days.

Bottom line

Both of these phones are excellent (they should be for $1,799), but the form factor and the cameras on the Pixel Fold have really won me over in a short time. The slightly superior battery life is just the icing on the daily usability cake for me. 

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 absolutely has its own advantages; Samsung's DeX gives you an almost laptop replacement experience, S Pen support can be handy, longer durability track record, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1+ is an undeniably more powerful chipset.

For me it comes down to your use case, if you are looking for a tablet replacement that also happens to be a phone, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the answer. If you are looking for a great daily usage phone that can spring into tablet duty, the Pixel Fold is the winner. Obviously, I fall into the latter camp. 

However, the Pixel Fold arrives at a challenging time, so if you are waffling on which to choose you may want to wait a month or two. We are likely less than a month away from the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the OnePlus foldable is expected to arrive perhaps a month after that. 

After years of a one-horse race, the tablet-style foldable competition (in the U.S.) is heating up, so while the Pixel Fold just became my front-runner, it may not be able to hold on to that spot for long.

You may be wondering, “Why the heck would you throw the Pixel 7a against the Galaxy Z Fold 4 in the ring?” Well, we couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if we pitted one of the costliest consumer smartphones against the greatest budget-friendly handset on the market. (We championed it as “the best phone for most people” in our review.)

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a fascinating foldable feat, urging users to spend top dollar for a foldable phone that is arguably one of the most expensive in the market now. 

Is this a strange match-up? Yes. We’re practically comparing apples and oranges, but the point is to analyze whether the Galaxy Z Fold 4 can beat the Pixel 7a in at least one category, indicating that no matter how expensive it is, it just may not be the best option for certain consumers.

Surely if you’re expected to cough up nearly four times the amount of money, Samsung can deliver a product that is wholly superior, but the truth isn’t so simple.

Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs Google Pixel 7a: Price 

It’s no secret which product is coming out on top in this category, as the Google Pixel 7a is considered to be the greatest value for a smartphone in the market right now. Even if the Z Fold 4 wasn’t in a whole different class of phone, the 7a’s combination of excellent performance at a surprisingly low starting cost of $499 on Google’s website makes it one-of-a-kind.

In contrast, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 starts at $1,799 on Samsung’s website for the 256GB model. If you’re bold enough to upgrade to the 1TB model, that would cost $2,159, which is more than four times the Google Pixel 7a. It may seem silly to compare the two phones to begin with considering this enormous price gap, but we wondered if the specs justified the cost beyond just its unique features.

Winner: Google Pixel 7a 

Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs Google Pixel 7a: Display 

The Z Fold 4 is a complicated product, so it technically has three display sizes. Its primary display is 6.8 inches, its secondary display is 6.2-inches, and it’s a total of 7.6 inches when the two come together. This full screen comes together to make a 1812 x 2176-pixel AMOLED panel, alongside the Infinity Flex glass, which is what lets it fold so effortlessly. It also features a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate.

The Google Pixel 7a is nowhere near as complex, built with a 6.1-inch, 1080 x 2400 OLED panel that can achieve up to 90Hz. But these base specs aren’t the end-all-be-all of display performance, as we must look at just how well they perform individually.

The Google Pixel 7a hit a peak brightness of 1,024 on its HDR setting, which is astounding. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 only managed to get a peak brightness of 870 nits, which is surprising considering the massive price gap.

Winner: Draw

Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs Google Pixel 7a: Design 

It’s an interesting comparison to put the design of the Pixel 7a up against the Z Fold 4, as the two are seeking to accomplish fundamentally different goals. After all, Samsung created the latter in a unique attempt to achieve a foldable design, resulting in two separate screens. The Pixel 7a obviously cannot accomplish that, but can it compete in other categories.

The Pixel 7a is built with a glass display, aluminum frame and plastic back panel. This is pretty consistent with other Pixel models, so it’s not surprising. On the other hand, the Z Fold 4 utilizes a display and back panel made of glass while the frame itself is aluminum.

The Z Fold 4 is unfortunately limited to darker, neutral colors, available in Phantom Black, Beige, Burgundy and, of course, the revolutionary “Graygreen,” perfect for people afraid of real color and prefer marginally varied flavors of gray. Google, on the other hand, isn’t afraid of entering pastel territory with the Sea and Coral hues, while those who gravitate towards neutral tones can enjoy Charcoal or Snow.

The Pixel 7a comes in at 6 x 2.8 x 0.4 inches and 6.8 ounces, while the Z Fold 4 measures 6.11 x 5.12 x 0.25 inches and weighs 9.3 ounces. It was obvious that the latter would be larger and heavier, so if you want something more portable, stick with the Pixel 7a. If you want higher quality materials and a more unique foldable design, go with the Z Fold 4.

Winner: Draw

Galaxy Z Fold4 vs Google Pixel 7a: Performance 

The Z Fold 4 is packed with a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, 12GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage space. And in the Geekbench 5 performance test, it achieved an impressive multi-core score of 3,831. This is solid, so does Google’s cheapest phone stand a chance? No, not really.

The Pixel 7a is packed with the Google Tensor G2 chip, 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. With those specs results in an unsurprising result, as it only managed a multi-core score of 3,065. We expected the former to perform better; the Pixel line has always boasted consistently weaker productivity metrics in its processor. 

It’s worth noting, however, that the iPhone 14 Pro Max, with a starting price of $1,099, has a Geekbench score of 5,333, offers far more performance for your money than the Z Fold 4. In other words, after paying $700 more, you get 40% less performance with Samsung’s foldable. Yikes!  However, the performance delta (24%) between the Pixel 7a and the Google Pixel Fold 4 isn’t that bad, especially if you consider that you’re paying $1,300 less.

Winner: Galaxy Z Fold 4 

Galaxy Z Fold 4 vs Google Pixel 7a: Cameras 

Google’s Pixel line has been a leading champion in the camera world for years now, providing some of the most impressive photography shots we’ve seen on a smartphone. But if you’re going to be paying nearly four times the amount for a Z Fold 4, surely it can compete with the latest Pixel series’ cheapest phone, right?

The Google Pixel 7a’s primary camera delivers 64-megapixel Quad PD Quad Bayer wide-angle specs with its f/1.89 aperture and 0.8µm wide pixels (1.6µm with pixel binning. Our reviewer claimed that it produced “some of the best low-light shots” they’ve seen in their testing. In comparison, the Z Fold 4’s primary 50MP (f/1.8 aperture, 1.0 µm) lens is weaker on paper. 

The Pixel 7a’s ultrawide and selfie-lens are both 13MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.12µm). The only advantage the Z Fold 4 has is that it is built with more cameras, featuring a 12 MP ultrawide (f/2.2 aperture, 1.12 µm, 123-degree field of view), telephoto at 10MP (f/2.4 aperture, 1.0 µm, 3x optical zoom), and two additional cameras on the front. One is on the front cover at 10MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.22 µm) while the other is inside the display at 4MP (f/1.8 aperture, 2.0 µm). But it doesn’t change Pixel’s quality dominance.

Winner: Google Pixel 7a 

Galaxy Z Fold4 vs Google Pixel 7a: Battery life 

The Z Fold4’s 4,400 mAh battery lasted a total of 9 hours and 4 minutes in our Laptop Mag battery test, which involves continuous surfing over a mobile network at 150 nits of brightness. This is pretty disappointing, and while the Pixel 7a’s 4,385 mAh might instill fear due to its lower number, it lasted a whole hour longer at 10 hours and 5 minutes when put up against the same test.

Winner: Google Pixel 7a

Bottom line 

The Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a product only worthwhile for those who want to get in on the foldable scene. Just because it’s nearly four times the cost of competing phones like the Google Pixel 7a doesn’t mean you should expect vastly superior performance across the board. In camera, battery life, and even certain display metrics, Google’s $500 phone absolutely crushes Samsung’s $1,799 monstrosity.

But it’s not a complete wipe, as the Z Fold 4 boasts faster performance and superior design elements, alongside better display resolution and size. This doesn’t change that the Google Pixel 7a is absolutely the phone you should buy, but if you’re looking for something more than a phone — perhaps an exciting, unique piece of technology — you can certainly get the Z Fold 4 (if you can afford it).

Winner: Google Pixel 7a

I told you so! Google’s newest funky foldable, as I prophesied in my the Pixel Fold reminds me of the Surface Duo piece, is destined for the same fate as Microsoft’s take on a multi-screen smartphone — and that’s not a good thing.

While everyone was bouncing off the walls in excitement over the Pixel Fold when it was unveiled at Google I/O, I was profoundly concerned. "It's our thinnest phone yet," Google boasted. "And the thinnest foldable on the market."

“Uh oh,” I thought. “I’ve heard that one before.”

First of all, while the Pixel Fold may, indeed, be Google’s thinnest phone, it surely isn’t the slimmest foldable available — not while the Surface Duo is still around. Unfolded like an open book, the Pixel Fold has a height of 0.22 inches. In the same posture, Surface Duo has a height of 0.18 inches, hence why Microsoft bragged about it being the world’s thinnest foldable upon its release.

Google and Microsoft’s obsession with designing the insy-winsiest foldable possible are understandable. After all, “the slimmest foldable in the entire galaxy” sounds sexy in marketing materials, but in my personal experience with bendy, flexible phones, thinness and foldability do not mix. (At least, not yet. This may change in the future when components become more advanced.)

According to The Verge, this theory appears to be backed by a growing number of reports regarding Pixel Fold’s fragility.

Some Fold owners are already complaining about poor longevity

 The Pixel Fold started shipping on June 27, and already, some Pixel Fold owners are questioning its durability.

Early this week, we reported on Ars Technica Editor Ron Amadeo’s account of his poor experience with his Pixel Fold review unit. After four days, Amadeo claimed that his Pixel Fold’s screen stopped working despite his light usage. He suspects that some debris got in between the OLED panel and the protective plastic layer. “When I closed the display, the pressure of the other display side was enough to puncture the OLED panel,” he said.

The Pixel Fold’s left panel stopped responding to his touch gestures, and shortly after, a white gradient took over the display. RIP to Amadeo’s Pixel Fold.

“OK,” you’re likely thinking. “That’s just one report.” Nope, there’s more where that came from.

In the same area where Amadeo spotted the dent in his screen, causing the display to go haywire, another Pixel Fold owner claimed his foldable device experienced the same fate.

“With the Ars Technica post coming out talking about screen damage, I just wanted to reach out with people regarding this,” Redditor cptutlor said. “I am already noticing very small dents and surface imperfections between the bezel and the screen protector.” By the way, this Pixel Fold owner only had the foldable for one day before noticing these issues, but fortunately, the screen is still functioning — for now.

You can find more Pixel Fold owners claiming that their $1,799 phone are showing signs of poor longevity, including this person claiming that their Fold’s cameras failed after just 12 hours, another poster wailing about a bright pink line invading the display, and this Redditor complaining about the screen’s scratches.

User floatingonTheForth was frustrated that his Fold's inner screen broke after one day of use.

What’s going on here?

The Pixel Fold should have learned from the Surface Duo’s mistakes

When I reviewed the first-gen Surface Duo, one thing I appreciated about Microsoft is that they were surprisingly transparent about the mind-warping engineering process that took place under the hood. Because Microsoft was dead-set on rolling out an ultra-thin foldable, the components they needed to build the Surface Duo were not available in the open market.

Consequently, Microsoft had to construct their own components, including dual hinges for the Surface Duo, which, by the way, ended up being the world’s smallest hinges. The cables that connect the two 5.6-inch, OLED displays on the foldable were custom-built, too — they’re as tiny as a human hair strand!

The Surface Duo packs a 3,577 mAh battery, but in order to fit it inside the wicked-thin foldable, Microsoft had to split the cell between both displays, forcing them to use some gnarly wiring to ensure both displays get equal power while being juiced up with a USB-C charging cable.

Admittedly, the Surface Duo is a hardware masterpiece, but unfortunately, it’s too delicate. Several tech journalists and YouTubers, including myself, reported display issues. One of the most prevalent issues is the green-screen problem (the panels would suddenly start flickering an odd green hue, often rendering the displays unresponsive and inoperable).

But hey, what did Microsoft expect? Hair-thin internal cables paired with a ridiculously slim chassis is a recipe for disaster. The Surface Duo is easily the most fragile phone I’ve ever reviewed. Microsoft’s obsession with thinness, like it’s some sort of haute couture supermodel, sabotaged the Surface Duo’s success — and the same can be said for the Google Pixel Fold.

With a thinness of just 0.22 inches, the Pixel Fold was bound to be too delicate. Instead, Google should have taken notes from the Galaxy Z Fold 4, which isn’t trying to be the thinnest, slimmest foldable on the market — it’s just trying to be a damn good phone. 

The Pixel Fold’s fate isn’t looking so hot

As mentioned, the Pixel Fold was due to roll out to buyers on June 27, but Google delayed a slew of shipments. Some aren’t getting their Pixel Fold until July — others, like Redditor zacharyt86, said they aren’t getting their foldable until September. Yikes!

Android Police suspects that Google is having “inventory issues,” but Redditor zacharyt86 claimed that they reached out to the company about the delays, and here’s what the spokesperson said:

“Due to overwhelming demand and unforeseen production issues, the initial launch date has been delayed until July 18th, and starting then it will be rolled out in small batches as inventory allows.”

This is just speculation, but I suspect that Google is well aware of the foldable’s hardware and durability issues, and before more defective units reach buyers, they’re doing what they can behind the scenes to rectify the issues.

Bottom line

Fortunately, it looks like Google isn’t leaving people high and dry. A Google spokesperson told The Verge that they are urging anyone who has an issue with their Pixel Fold to reach out to the company’s support team so that they can investigate the issue.

Like I said, I expect the Pixel Fold may suffer the same fate as the Surface Duo line (i.e., it’s doomed). Similar to Microsoft, Google may eventually heavily discount the $1,799 foldable to entice hesitant buyers to purchase the slandered handset. After the Surface Duo 2 received mixed reviews, Microsoft is reportedly ditching its design language for an entirely new concept for its next foldable. (Hopefully, it’s not unfeasibly thin like the first and second-gen Surface Duo phones.)

I foresee something similar for the Pixel Fold. Perhaps a second-generation Pixel Fold will come before Google considers pivoting to a new direction.

We reviewed the Pixel Fold, and fortunately, the phone is still intact, so let’s hope, for Google’s sake, that the aforementioned negative reports are not an accurate reflection of users’ typical experience after Google ramps up shipments again.

Earlier this year, OnePlus confirmed they were jumping into the foldable phone market, and things got very quiet. However, in the past week, several leaks have stirred excitement and speculation about the upcoming OnePlus Fold. 

Leaked renders of the OnePlus foldable first appeared on MySmartPrice by OneLeaks, which also included the possible specs of the foldable rumors say OnePlus will release it sometime in August 2023. 

OnePlus Fold possible specs

According to several leaks, the OnePlus Fold is aimed directly at the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and will bring some powerful specs. The inner foldable display is expected to be a massive 7.8-inch AMOLED with 2K resolution. The external production is expected to be a 6.3-inch AMOLED. Both will feature a 120Hz refresh rate to keep things looking silky smooth. 

All leaks and rumors point towards the OnePlus Fold arriving with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip with up to 16GB of RAM and 256GB. However, it could come with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 CPU. We don't know for sure however, if it will be as powerful as the current OnePlus 11, which is an excellent phone with plenty of power. 

The OnePlus Fold or V Fold –– we really don't know what it will be called yet, is expected to come with a large 4,800mAh battery with support for 67 to 80W fast charging, and internationally we're pretty sure you will see the 100W fast charging for this device. 

One Plus Fold cameras

OnePlus tends to put solid to spectacular camera arrays on their higher-end phones, and I expect them to go high-end with the foldable. If we go by the leaked renders we have seen, and if they're close to accurate, the OnePlus Foldable will show up with a three-camera array.

Rumor has it that we will see a 48MP primary sensor, a 48MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 64MP telephoto sensor. There may be a 32MP selfie camera and a 20MP front-facing camera on the inside display. That's a lot of cameras, but typical for a foldable device. 

The good news is the OnePlus Folds cameras, like the OnePlus 11's, will feature Hasselblad tuning and software. Also, the famous alert slider will be included on the device, along with a fingerprint sensor either on the side or behind the 6.3-inch external display. 

As more information is revealed, we will update this and keep you informed. We hope to see the new OnePlus Fold sometime in mid to late August. 

The Google Pixel Fold may be the newest foldable on the block, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe from falling victim to some long standing troubles. And sadly, the Google Pixel Fold is suffering the same fate already – on day one of its wider release.

Ars Technica’s Ron Amadeo was set to review the Google Pixel Fold, but a catastrophic failure resulted in the phone’s inner display giving up the ghost and cutting things short even though Amadeo is adamant that he put the Fold through the “lightest possible usage of a phone.”

It was good while it lasted

While everything started off pretty well for Amadeo, it took only four days for him to encounter this review-ending issue. Even though he claims never to have dropped it or even to have exposed it to a “significant amount of grit.”

That being said, there may have been enough grit to cause him an issue, as on closer inspection, Amadeo believes he may have found the exact area in which the Fold’s fate was sealed.

Tracing the gap between the screen protector’s edge and the Pixel Fold’s bezel, Amadeo would find a minuscule puncture in the device’s OLED screen – and the likely culprit of his woes. He believes this to have been caused by something getting caught into this gutter area only to be forced down upon as the phone closed thereby perforating the OLED panel.

According to Amadeo, the Fold would slowly begin to fail from the bottom up, with the screen’s pixels becoming white and unresponsive before the left half of the display ceased functioning entirely.

A design oversight

One of the Pixel Fold’s biggest selling points is its impressively slim form factor and practically gapless design when closed, but that alluring design could be a double-edged sword when it comes to the device’s longevity.

While most phones do their best to eliminate bezels altogether, foldables require these bezels in order to prevent a collision between the internal screen. As such, the Pixel Fold’s near-gapless design means these bezels are shorter and allow the edges of the phone’s internal screen to be brought closer together.

Foldables are delicate devices; they're unlikely to stand up to the same punishment as your typical Gorilla Glass-encased mainstream smartphone. Therefore, anything trapped inside the phone as it closes could apply considerable pressure on the OLED panel and cause the screen to fail, especially if that something happens to land outside of the plastic screen protector.

Outlook

Google’s first foldable is a notable device with many great features and plenty to praise, but it’s also an incredibly expensive one. As such, not many will be pleased to hear just how easily it can be rendered useless.

If you’re willing to part with $1,799 on a phone, you'd expect to get more than four days use out of it, especially considering, as the Ars Technica writer put it, “the years of normal wear and tear that phones are expected to survive.” Interestingly, we previously noted that fragility is one of the concerns we'd have regarding the Google Fold, and unfortunately, our worries appear to be manifesting into reality.

What happened to this reviewer’s Pixel Fold could well be a freak accident, but it does highlight a vital concern. However, while vital, it’s not widespread – at least not so far.

Our own review of the Google Pixel Fold went off without much of a hitch, as did many others. The fault may not be a ticking time bomb of doom, but it’s certainly worth keeping in mind the fragility of the device before you pick one up.

Our Google Pixel Fold review just went live today, and we're pretty excited about the first foldable from the big G, but some of its biggest fans are going to be waiting quite a bit longer for their phones.

A number of people on Reddit that pre-ordered the Google Pixel Fold are being notified that their orders — placed in some cases over a month ago — are now canceled as their bank or credit card wouldn't verify to Google that sufficient funds were available (via Phone Arena).

Now a $1,799 transaction isn't something to sneeze at, but this doesn't seem to have any bearing on the actual contents of the bank or credit counts, so people are understandably frustrated that they won't be one of the first to wield Google's new foldable.

What should you do if your Google Pixel Fold pre-order was canceled?

Your best bet for keeping your place in line is to reach out to Google Support. They are well aware of the issue and are at least, in some cases, indicating that orders will be restored. Reps have reportedly told affected customers to expect an email in the next day or two with an update on the situation.

Most seem accepting of the fact that it's a difficult situation as the credit card company or bank is going to flag the charge as unusual spending. Google doesn't have any current $1,800+ products, so there's not an established trend of purchases of that magnitude through Google in recent years.

The main frustration is that Pixel Fold supplies appear to be fairly limited as the early pre-orders were slated for a July arrival, but those that are forced to order again now are getting projected delivery dates of August 30 to September 8 for the Porcelain 256GB model, August 2 to 10 for the 256GB Obsidian model, and all the way back to September 13 to September 21 for the 512GB variant. 

That's a long wait that should worry Google as well since the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is likely to arrive at a Galaxy Unpacked event that Samsung has confirmed for July 26 in Seoul, South Korea. 

The Google Pixel Fold is an intriguing new entrant into the admittedly tiny tablet-style foldable market, but Google wants to strike while the iron is hot and lock in these buyers before they can be tempted by whatever Samsung has coming next.