Galaxy Z Fold4 • Unlocked vs Galaxy Z Fold5 • Unlocked

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4, released in August 2022, and its successor, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5, launched in August 2023, are both advanced foldable smartphones running on the Android operating system. While they share the innovative book-style folding design, the Z Fold5 introduces refinements primarily in its hinge mechanism, internal display brightness, and processing capabilities, offering a more polished user experience.

When considering the long-term usability of these foldable devices, several factors contribute to their practical lifespan, including software support and physical resilience.

• Release Timeline and OS Support: The Galaxy Z Fold4 was released in August 2022, while the Galaxy Z Fold5 followed in August 2023. Both devices are part of Samsung's commitment to providing several years of Android operating system and security updates. The Z Fold5, being a year newer, is expected to receive software support for approximately one year longer than the Z Fold4, extending its functional lifespan for users who prioritize the latest software features and security patches.
• Repairability and Hinge Design: Both models feature an IPX8 water resistance rating, indicating protection against submersion in water, but neither has an official dust resistance rating. The Z Fold5 introduces a redesigned 'Flex Hinge' or 'teardrop hinge' that allows the device to fold completely flat without a gap between the two halves. This new hinge design is generally considered more durable and less prone to dust ingress compared to the Z Fold4's hinge, which leaves a slight gap when closed. This improvement in hinge design on the Z Fold5 may contribute to better long-term mechanical reliability.
• Expected Practical Lifespan: Given Samsung's update policy, both devices offer a substantial period of software support. The Z Fold5's enhanced hinge design and slightly newer components suggest a potentially longer practical lifespan, especially for users concerned about the longevity of the folding mechanism. However, both are built with robust materials, including Gorilla Glass on the cover screen and rear panel, with the Z Fold5 featuring the slightly newer Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on its rear.

The performance of the Galaxy Z Fold4 and Z Fold5 is a key differentiator, primarily driven by their internal processing units and storage technologies.

• Processor Capabilities: The Galaxy Z Fold4 is equipped with a powerful processor that handles demanding applications and multitasking smoothly. The Galaxy Z Fold5, however, features a newer generation processor specifically optimized for Galaxy devices, which provides a noticeable improvement in overall speed and efficiency. This translates to faster app loading times, more fluid navigation, and enhanced capabilities for intensive tasks like high-fidelity gaming and complex productivity workflows on the Z Fold5.
• Storage and Responsiveness: Both devices come with 12GB of RAM and offer storage options of 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. The Z Fold5 utilizes UFS 4.0 storage, which is faster than the UFS 3.1 found in the Z Fold4. This faster storage contributes to quicker data access, app installations, and file transfers, further enhancing the Z Fold5's responsiveness.
• Battery Behavior: Both the Z Fold4 and Z Fold5 house a 4400 mAh battery. While the battery capacity is identical, the Z Fold5's more efficient processor leads to slightly improved battery endurance in typical use cases. Users of the Z Fold5 may experience slightly longer usage times on a single charge, though both are generally capable of lasting a full day for average users.

The display experience is central to foldable smartphones, and both the Galaxy Z Fold4 and Z Fold5 offer impressive visual quality, with some notable enhancements in the newer model.

• Display Technology and Clarity: Both devices feature a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X main foldable display and a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED cover display. Both displays offer vibrant colors, deep blacks, and excellent contrast, providing a clear and immersive viewing experience. The resolution remains consistent across both models, with the main display at 2176 x 1812 pixels and the cover display at 904 x 2316 pixels.
• Brightness and Outdoor Visibility: A significant improvement in the Z Fold5 is its main display's peak brightness, reaching up to 1750 nits, compared to the Z Fold4's 1200 nits. This higher brightness makes the Z Fold5's internal screen more readable in bright outdoor conditions, enhancing usability under direct sunlight.
• Refresh Rate and Smoothness: Both the main and cover displays on both models support an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz, ensuring smooth scrolling, fluid animations, and responsive interactions. The main display on both can dynamically adjust its refresh rate down to 1Hz for power efficiency. The crease on the main display, while still present on both, is reported to be slightly less noticeable on the Z Fold5 due to its redesigned hinge.

The camera systems on the Galaxy Z Fold4 and Z Fold5 are largely similar in hardware, with potential differences stemming from software processing.

• Camera System Hardware: Both the Galaxy Z Fold4 and Z Fold5 feature an identical triple-camera setup on the rear: a 50-megapixel wide-angle main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. For selfies, both have a 10-megapixel camera on the cover screen and a 4-megapixel under-display camera on the main screen.
• Photography Performance: In everyday photography, both devices deliver capable results with good detail and color reproduction. The Z Fold5, with its newer and more powerful processor, may offer marginal improvements in image processing, potentially leading to slightly better low-light performance and overall photo quality, though the hardware remains the same. Users generally find the main and telephoto lenses to be strong performers, while the ultra-wide and under-display cameras are suitable for their intended purposes.
• Video Recording Quality: Both models support video recording up to 8K resolution at 24 frames per second (fps) and 4K at 60fps, offering high-quality video capture. The microphone quality for calls and recordings is generally clear on both devices. Speaker output for media consumption is robust, providing a good audio experience.