Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

Samsung introduced its new foldable smartphones not long ago, and one of them is the Galaxy Z Fold 5. That is the company’s new book-style foldable. In this article, we’ll compare it to one of its predecessors, the Galaxy Z Fold 3. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 launched back in mid-2021, so it will be interesting to see what changed over two years. So, we’re looking at a comparison between the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 here.

You may be surprised how similar these two smartphones look, actually. We’ll talk more about that in the design section of the comparison. Having said that, we’ll first list their specifications, and will then move to compare them across a number of other sections. We’ll check out their designs, displays, performance, battery life, cameras, and audio performance. Having said that, let’s get started, shall we?

Specs

Galaxy Z Fold 5 & Galaxy Z Fold 3, respectively

– Screen size (main):
7.6-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (120Hz, HDR10+, 1,750 nits
7.6-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X display (120Hz, HDR10+, 1,200 nits)
– Screen Size (cover):
6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (120Hz)
6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (120Hz)
– Display resolution (main):
1812 x 2176
1768 x 2208
– Display resolution (cover):
2316 x 904
2268 x 832
– SoC:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888
– RAM:
12GB (LPDDR5X)
12GB (LPDDR5)
– Storage:
256GB/512GB/1TB (UFS 4.0)
256GB/512GB (UFS 3.1)
– Rear cameras:
50MP (wide, f/1.8 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, 123-degree FoV), 10MP (telephoto, 3x optical zoom)
12MP (wide, f/1.8 aperture, OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF), 12MP (ultrawide, 123-degree FoV), 12MP (telephoto, 2x optical zoom)
– Front cameras:
4MP (under display, main display, f/1.8 aperture), 10MP (cover display, f/2.2 aperture)
4MP (under display, main display, f/1.8 aperture), 10MP (cover display, f/2.2 aperture)
– Battery:
4,400mAh
4,400mAh
– Dimensions (unfolded):
154.9 x 129.9 x 6.1mm
158.2 x 128.1 x 6.4mm
– Dimensions (folded):
154.9 x 67.1 x 13.4mm
158.2 x 67.1 x 14.4-16mm
– Weight:
253 grams
271 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.2
– Security:
Side-facing fingerprint scanner
– OS:
Android 13 with One UI
– Price:
$1,799
No longer available
– Buy:
Samsung
No longer available

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3: Design

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 actually look very similar, down to their camera islands on the back. Both smartphones are made out of metal and glass, and have similar curvatures around their body. You’ll notice a centered display camera hole on their cover displays. There is also a display camera hole on the Fold 3’s main display, while Samsung hid it under the display on the Galaxy Z Fold 5.

Both smartphones have three vertically-aligned cameras on the back. Those cameras are placed in the top-left corner, and each setup has its dedicated camera island of sorts. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a bit taller than its predecessor, while they’re equally wide. The Fold 5 is also a bit thinner when folded, mainly due to the fact it folds flat. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 does not, it leaves a gap in between two displays. That’s one of the main differences between the two phones, design-wise.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is also heavier than the Galaxy Z Fold 3. It weighs 271 grams, compared to 253 grams of the Fold 3. Both smartphones do offer an IPX8 certification for water resistance. They both feel good in the hand, though the Fold 5 is considerably heavier. They’re both slippery too.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3: Display

Both smartphones include 7.6-inch and 6.2-inch displays, but they’re not the same. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 has a 7.6-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 1812 x 2176 pixels. That display supports a 120hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ content. This display has a peak brightness of 1,750 nits. The cover display on the phone measures 6.2 inches, and has a resolution of 2316 x 904 pixels. The aspect ratio here is 23.1:9, and that is a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. That cover display is protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

The Galaxy Z Fold 3, on the flip side, has a 7.6-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X main display too, but a different one. That panel does support a 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ content. This panel goes up to 1,200 nits of brightness at its peak, so it’s dimmer than the Fold 5’s panel. It has a resolution of 1768 x 2208. The cover display measures 6.2 inches, and has a resolution of 2268 x 832. That is a Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s protected by the Gorilla Glass Victus, and has an aspect ratio of 25:9.

All of these displays are good, but the Galaxy Z Fold 5’s does have an advantage, especially the main one. It does get noticeably brighter, which is something you’ll especially notice outdoors. On top of that, it feels sturdier than the Fold 3’s during use. It’s difficult to explain, you have to try it yourself. It feels less plasticky. The cover display offers better protection on the Fold 5, but the difference is not that big between them. All displays offer good viewing angles, and vivid colors, on top of those deep blacks that we’re used to with OLED panels.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3: Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy SoC fuels the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Samsung also included 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM here, along with UFS 4.0 flash storage. The Galaxy Z Fold 3, on the other hand, is fueled by the Snapdragon 888 SoC. It is also equipped with 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage. Needless to say, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 does have an edge spec-wise, across the board.

Is that a difference you’ll notice during actual usage? Well, yes, kind of. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 does feel a bit snappier. That comes for launching apps, multitasking, and while gaming too. The difference is not that big, though, as the Fold 3 still offers good performance, that’s for sure. If you’d like the best of the best, however, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the way to go. It’s simply a newer product with better hardware.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3: Battery

There is a 4,400mAh battery included inside both of these smartphones. If battery life is important to you, however, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is the way to go. Despite the fact they have the same battery capacity, the Fold 5 offers considerably better battery life. It’s probably a mix of a more power-efficient SoC, combined with other components that bring power efficiency, like newer storage, for example.

With the Galaxy Z Fold 3, we always lingered around 6 hours of screen-on time. Sometimes a bit more, sometimes a bit less. With the Galaxy Z Fold 5, getting to 7 and a half hours of screen-on-time is not a problem at all. Do note that this is based on our usage, though, and your mileage may vary. There are a lot of variables to consider here, ranging from using different apps, on different signal strengths, to different display preferences. You may use the main display more than us, and so on. Overall, though, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 does have better battery life than the Fold 3. Its battery life is not bad at all. Another thing to note is that you should expect worse battery life if you plan on playing games on the two devices. We did that just for testing purposes.

When it comes to charging, they both offer 25W wired charging. The Fold 5 also offers 15W wireless and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 supports 11W wireless, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. Neither phone includes a charger in the box, though.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3: Cameras

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 includes a 50-megapixel main camera, alongside a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit (123-degree FoV), and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera (3x optical zoom). The Galaxy Z Fold 3, on the other hand, has a 12-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera (123-degree FoV), and a 12-megapixel telephoto unit (2x optical zoom).

Now, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is still a decent camera smartphone, but it cannot measure up to the Galaxy Z Fold 5. The Fold 5 provides sharper images that offer better colors at the same time. Oversharpening is no longer an issue. Both phones do a good job in low light, but that’s also an area where the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is better.

Their ultrawide cameras provide somewhat similar results, while telephoto shots are better from the Galaxy Z Fold 5. That is not surprising considering that it has more zoom prowess. For low light shots, however, it would be best if you used the main camera on both phones. Neither of these two devices is a pinnacle of smartphone photography, but both do the job well.

Audio

You will find a set of stereo speakers on both of these phones. Both sets are tuned by AKG, and both provide good, clear sound. There’s also no noticeable distortion in sight, not to mention they’re loud enough. There’s no notable difference between them.

There is no audio jack on either of these two smartphones. They both do include Type-C ports, so you can use that to connect your wired headphones. If you’d prefer to go wireless, do note that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 offers Bluetooth 5.3, while the Galaxy Z Fold 3 comes with Bluetooth 5.2 support.