Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs. Google Pixel Fold: A comprehensive comparison

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  Contents

  Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

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  The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the latest foldable flagship in the lineup. It’s equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, a powerful triple rear camera, a large 6.2-inch cover and 7.6-inch main display, and a large battery that can last all day on a single charge.

  Pros

  • Premium design and top-quality build materials
  • Impressive displays
  • Excellent performance and power efficiency with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
  • Supports stylus input

  Cons

  • Camera department slightly lags behind Pixel Fold
  • Almost the same as the Z Fold 4
  • Under-display camera on the inner display might be disappointing

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  Google Pixel Fold

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  The Pixel Fold is Google’s first foldable smartphone offering some of the finest hardware and software on the market. The device features a 5.8-inch cover display and a big 7.6-inch foldable display. It is powered by the Tensor G2 chipset and is backed by a 4,821 mAh battery.

  Pros

  • Wider cover display provides a traditional smartphone feel
  • Great camera capabilities
  • Sleek and slim premium design
  • Stock Android experience with Google AI/ML optimizations

  Cons

  • Bezels on the inner display may not appeal to everyone
  • Tensor G2 falls behind Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
  • Battery life is not that great

After a lot of speculations and rumors, Samsung finally unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold 5 at its summer Unpacked event. While it doesn’t bring significant improvements over the Galaxy Z Fold 4, if you’re in the market for a new foldable, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is one of the best devices out there. Now, you might be wondering: how does the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 stack up against the recently unveiled Google Pixel Fold?

That’s precisely what we’ll explore in this article. Here, we will provide you with an in-depth comparison of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Google Pixel Fold by closely examining their designs, specifications, and features to help you decide which device suits you best.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs. Google Pixel Fold: Specifications

• 	Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5	Google Pixel Fold
  SoC	Snapdragon 8 Gen 2	Google Tensor G2, Titan M2 co-processor
  Display	Cover: 6.2-inch, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 904 x 2316, 120Hz (48-120Hz), Main: 7.6-inch, Dynamic AMOLED, 1812 x 2176, 120Hz (1-120Hz)	Cover: 5.8-inch, FHD+, OLED, 120Hz, 1,550 nits peak brightness; Internal: 7.6-inch, 2208 x 1840-pixel resolution, OLED, 120Hz, 1,450 nits peak brightness
  RAM	12GB	12GB RAM (LPDDR5)
  Storage	256GB, 512GB, 1TB	256GB, 512GB (UFS 3.1)
  Battery	4,400 mAh	4,821 mAh
  Ports	USB Type-C	USB-C
  Operating System	One UI 5.1.1 based on Android 13	Android 13, Foldable optimizations
  Front camera	Cover: 10MP, f/2.2, 123-degree FOV, UD: 4MP, f/1.8, 80-degree FOV	Cover Display: 9.5MP, f/2.2, fixed focus; Inner display: 8MP, f/2.0, fixed focus
  Rear cameras	Primary: 50MP, f/1.8, 85-degree FOV, OIS, PDAF, Ultrawide: 12MP, f/2.2, 123-degree FOV, Telephoto: 10MP, f/2.4, 3x optical zoom	Primary: 48MP, OIS, f/1.7; Ultra-wide: 10.8MP, 121.1-degree FoV, f/2.2; Telephoto: 10.8MP, f/3.05, 5x optical zoom, digital zoom up to 20x
  Connectivity	5G, LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC	5G (mmWave and sub-6GHz), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC
  Dimensions	Folded: 154.9 x 67 x 13.5mm, Unfolded: 154.9 x 129.8 x 6.1mm	Folded: 139.7 x 79.5 x 12.1 mm; Unfolded: 139.7 x 158.7 x 5.8 mm
  Colors	Phantom Black, Cream, Icy Blue, Blue, Gray	Obsidian, Porcelain
  Weight	252 g (8.92 oz)	283 grams
  Charging	25W wired, Fast Wireless charging, Reverse wireless charging	30W fast wired charging, wireless charging
  IP Rating	IPX8	IPX8

Price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 comes with the same starting price as its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold 4, at $1,799 in the US. The foldable is already available to pre-order, and you can grab it from any online retailer, carrier shop, Samsung’s online store, or offline store. If you’re planning to grab a Z Fold 5, we recommend placing an order before the pre-order period ends on August 11, 2023.

During the pre-order period, Samsung is offering a free storage upgrade program wherein you can get the 512GB version for the price of the 256GB model ($1,799). Additionally, Samsung is providing attractive trade-in prices for your old smartphone and offering extra benefits like discounts on the Galaxy Watch 6 bundle and a 30% discount on Samsung Care+.

As for the Google Pixel Fold, it also starts at $1,799 in the US, matching the Z Fold 5’s price. However, getting the unlocked version might be a bit challenging. Even two months after its launch, the Pixel Fold is not available on online stores like Amazon or Best Buy. On the other hand, though, carriers such as Verizon and AT&T have the Pixel Fold in stock, so you can place your order directly with them.

Design

When comparing the design of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Pixel Fold, both foldables have a similar form factor: they look like traditional smartphones that unfold into tablets. However, Pixel Fold’s cover screen is noticeably wider, giving it a more appealing look (more about screens in the display section down below).

Both devices are sleek and slim. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 measures 6.1mm when unfolded, while the Pixel Fold (impressively) goes even thinner at just 5.8mm. In the folded state, the Z Fold 5 is about one millimeter thicker, but it is also lighter of the two, weighing only 253 grams compared to Pixel Fold’s 283 grams. It is also worth noting that both phones close seamlessly without any gaps.

In terms of build materials, both phones are made out of premium materials and provide a top-notch feel in hand. The Z Fold 5, however, uses the newer Gorilla Glass Victus 2, while Pixel Fold relies on the previous generation Gorilla Glass Victus. It is worth noting, though, that both phones feature a tough aluminum frame and an IPX8 water resistance rating.

Finally, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 offers a wider range of colors with a total of five options — Icy Blue, Phantom Black, Cream and two Samsung.com exclusive Gray and Blue colors. On the other hand, the Google Pixel Fold offers only two color options: Porcelain and Obsidian.

Display

Moving on to the most fascinating aspect of the foldables — the displays. The Google Pixel Fold comes with a slightly small 5.8-inch OLED cover display with support for a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. On the other hand, the Fold 5 offers a slightly larger 6.2-inch AMOLED screen also with a 120Hz refresh rate. The key difference here is that the Pixel Fold’s cover screen is much wider, providing a more traditional (and a better) overall display experience.

Upon unfolding both phones, you’ll find a 7.6-inch OLED display capable of HDR10+ playback and supporting a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. The Pixel Fold’s wider cover screen results in a more rectangular panel when opened compared to Samsung’s more square-like design.

One of the key differences between the displays of the Fold 5 and the Pixel Fold is that the Samsung foldable supports stylus input. If you value productivity, the Fold 5 is undoubtedly a better choice, even though you’ll need to buy an S-Pen separately. Many cases are available to make carrying it easier. In contrast, the Pixel Fold lacks support for stylus input entirely.

Another noticeable difference is that the Pixel Fold has slightly thicker bezels surrounding the inner display. These bezels house the phone’s selfie camera and parts of the hinge. On the other hand, the Fold 5’s inner display boasts very slim bezels, but it features a 4MP under-display camera, leading to a somewhat sub-par selfie experience when using the inner foldable screen.

Performance & Software

When it comes to power, the Fold 5 is equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, 12GB of RAM, and storage options of 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB. On the other hand, the Pixel Fold relies on Google’s custom Tensor G2 chipset, the same one used in the Pixel 7 series, along with 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is one of the top-performing chipsets available, giving the Z Fold 5 an edge in performance. It offers unmatched power and efficiency compared to the Pixel Fold’s Tensor G2. While Tensor G2 is good enough for daily use, it falls short in delivering graphics-intensive games, multitasking, and other demanding tasks when compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

Both foldables run on Android 13 out of the box, but the Pixel Fold will be among the first devices to receive fast Android updates. Additionally, the Pixel Fold includes several Pixel-exclusive features that enhance the overall Google phone experience, such as Magic Editor, offline voice typing, clear calling, and faster night sight. On the other hand, Samsung offers DeX mode on the Galaxy Z Fold 5, transforming the foldable into a full-fledged computing machine.

Camera

Moving on to the cameras, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 maintains the same rear triple-camera setup as its predecessor. This includes a 50MP f/1.8 primary camera with OIS and Dual Pixel AF, a 12MP ultra-wide with f/2.2 and 123-degree FOV, and a 10MP telephoto with f/2.4, offering 3x optical zoom and 30x digital zoom. For selfies, the cover screen features a 10MP f/2.2 sensor, while the inner foldable display uses an under-display 4MP camera.

On the other hand, the Pixel Fold features a triple-camera setup with a 48MP main sensor, a 10.8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 10.8MP telephoto shooter with 5x optical zoom capabilities. Selfies on the Pixel Fold are handled by a 9.5MP camera on the cover display and an 8MP selfie camera on the top bezel of the inner display.

Although we are yet to fully test the camera performance of the Z Fold 5, Samsung claims it benefits from improved ISP and software optimizations, leading to better night photography and low-light performance. On the other hand, the Pixel Fold offers the best camera experience on a foldable smartphone hands-down. Like other Pixel smartphones, its camera capabilities are outstanding, making it the ideal choice for those seeking an exceptional camera experience.

We will, however, delve deeper into the camera comparison once our review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is complete.

Battery

Now, let’s talk about the batteries. The Pixel Fold comes with a big 4,821 mAh battery that supports 30W USB-C fast charging and wireless charging. However, despite its size, some users have criticized the Pixel Fold for not delivering a full-day battery life under medium to heavy usage.

On the other hand, the Z Fold 5 has a smaller 4,400 mAh battery, which is the same as the Z Fold 4. However, thanks to the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, we can expect improved battery life compared to the previous generation, though we’re still in the process of fully testing it. The Z Fold 5 supports 25W USB-C charging and wireless charging as well.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 or Google Pixel Fold: Which one should you buy?

If productivity is your top priority, the Z Fold 5 is the ideal foldable for you. It offers stylus input and a range of software features to enhance your work on the foldable screen. With one of the best chipsets on the market and great displays, it’s a compelling choice, especially with the current deals available.

On the other hand, if you prefer the stock Google Android experience and excellent cameras, the Pixel Fold is the one to go for. It’s lightweight and slim, making it easy to carry every day, and comes with many built-in AI/ML functions to improve your daily usage. Additionally, its cover screen resembles that of a traditional smartphone, adding to its appeal.