Why I didn’t buy the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but the Z Fold 5 in 2024،
It's 2024 and the Galaxy S24 Ultra has just been released. A new year, a new Samsung flagship – those are two reasons to consider refreshing things…
Life is weird like that – you have to keep it interesting and try new things. At least I feel that way all the time.
I just bought my iPhone 15 three months ago and I've already changed phones, but this isn't the new one Galaxy S24 Ultraeven though that was the original plan.
So here is…
I'm finally moving away from the iPhone…
…And I definitely needed a bigger reason than the S24 Ultra to make the switch, since I've been choosing mostly fruit phones for the past three years. With that in mind, the return to Android was never going to be a smooth transition, in part because of Apple's legendary walled garden.
Jump off my iPhone15 At Galaxy S24 Ultra That just doesn't seem like enough, because in the end it's basically me moving from one flagship panel to another, while losing many Apple-only apps and features that I use daily.
THE iPhone15 And Galaxy S24 Ultra aren't that different, if you think about it – just predictable, safe annual upgrades from two major companies aimed at the general public. Nothing wrong with that, but nothing too exciting either.
But the Galaxy Z Fold 5… here's a phone that can convert any tech fan into an Android user, no matter how much they love their iPhone.
Unlike its predecessors, the Z fold 5 is ready to bring people to Google's side with no regrets, because it's finally an absolutely refined foldable phone, after four generations of trial and error.
It feels premium, about as heavy as an average flagship, folds flat, unfolds without creaking, with a large, flexible screen that still manages to be quite hard to the touch, and so looks like it should last.
Choosing a modern Z Fold no longer feels like child's play, now that you can definitely say that this thing is built to last. Will it start to tear? Will it be okay kaput after the first time I inevitably drop it? According to Samsung, and everyone who has publicly tested its durability – it seems – no, it should be good for a long time.
So I chose the Z fold 5 above Galaxy S24 Ultra. But it wasn't just my need for justification that made me ignore the S24 Ultra.
Believe it or not, where I live the Z Fold 5 is actually a few dollars cheaper than the Galaxy S24 Ultra
As I mentioned earlier, I was initially looking at the Galaxy S24 Ultra When it came out, I was planning to buy this slab powerhouse instead. But luckily, I first checked the prices of all Samsung flagships a bit, and lo and behold, here in Europe I can actually get the Z fold 5 for less than what an S24 Ultra costs at launch. Mad!
Here, the S24 Ultra starts at around $1,462, while the Z fold 5 starts at around $1,451. So yes, 11 dollars cheaper! I'm not sure if I'm supposed to blame import taxes or local markups.
Anyway, are you kidding me? Of course, I'd rather have the cool foldable phone! So yes, price played a role in my choice, and I'm actually quite grateful for it, because I feel like I would have regretted an S24 Ultra purchase pretty quickly, considering I just buy one iPhone15 only 3 months ago, when a Z fold 5 This actually feels like a big step forward that I can get behind.
For reference for our US-based readers, in the US the S24 Ultra starts at a much cheaper $1,299, while the Z fold 5 costs $1,799 unless you take advantage of a deal or discount.
The iPhone is a great phone, as is the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but I'm greedy, I want more than that: a phone, a tablet and a PC
This revelation won't shock anyone, but I'm not your average phone user. I'm what you'd call a power user because I enjoy pushing every device I own to its absolute limits, testing its capabilities, and doing way more with it than most people will ever attempt. For what? Because it’s fun for me – why not?
The fact is that the iPhone is just a phone. A great one, but that's it. It's definitely not about going beyond that, because Apple wants you to buy an iPad if you want more, and preferably also a MacBook if you want even more.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, on the other hand, says, “I'm the only device you'll ever need, my friend.” »
It's a great phone, but also a solid tablet, and even a PC replacement if you want, thanks to its DeX desktop mode functionality.
But I'm going to be realistic – power user or not, ultimately my big problem with phones is not being able to watch YouTube videos on such a small screen.
My iPhone or Galaxy S24 Ultra, which I also tried, both don't do it for me, so I don't know how some of you even watch full movies on it. The screens are just too small for my eyesight.
THE Z fold 5The 7.6-inch foldable screen is something else, however. Of course, to be honest, unless you pinch to zoom on your videos, you get black bars at the top and bottom of the screen, and not a much greater viewing experience than usual, but I can live by cropping part of the image to fill it. this big screen.
And if you watch shows from the '90s, which were traditionally filmed in 4:3, as much as I do, you'll be happy to know that these fill the screen almost ideally, unlike modern 16:9 content.
THE Z fold 5The screen is also great for multitasking, but do I actually use it for that? To be honest, not as much as I expected. I rarely feel the need to use two apps at once, much less more, and even if I do, just switching between them in the traditional way works pretty well.
But it's nice to know that you can split the screen between three apps and add even more if you're feeling adventurous, something the good old iPhone refuses to do even in 2024.
Its Android competitor – the Galaxy S24 Ultra can do it, but given its traditional “small” 6.8-inch screen, split-screen apps aren't really worth it unless you feel like reading 4 lines of text at a time. times or view half of an Instagram post.
No joke: the Z Fold 5 feels thinner than the S24 Ultra and isn't much heavier than it or the iPhone 15 Pro Max
I didn't completely agree with the Z fold 5Large candy bar shape when closed, but it grew on me. It's perfect for one-handed use; easy to hold, easy to reach the sides of the screen. Typing is a bit of a hassle due to the cramped exterior screen, but hey, when it's time for a long chat or immersive entertainment, just unfold the phone.
Unfolded on Z fold 5 it looks like the thinnest, nicest tablet ever. It is indeed incredibly thin and light, a feat of Samsung engineering, a work of art in terms of design.
For reference, the iPad mini 6 weighs almost 300 grams and is 6.3mm thick. Meanwhile the Z fold 5 weighs only 253 grams and, when unfolded, is only 6.1 mm thick. It's barely heavier than an iPhone 15 Pro Max or a Galaxy S24 Ultramind you, so for someone who is used to these flagship products – the Z fold 5 doesn't feel heavier or thicker, although that's understandable, especially when closed.
I remember trying the Z Fold 4 a while ago, but it just wasn't as nice. Probably because its hinge design didn't allow it to close flat, or maybe its extra 10 grams, but whatever – I really appreciate the seemingly small, but not really, design improvements that Samsung has managed to give to Z fold 5.
iPhone: “You can't do that.” ; Z Fold 5: “Of course you can, go for it, champ!!!”
How is my switch to Android going? Stay tuned to find out, because in the coming days I'm about to reveal some top reasons why iPhone users avoid having to switch to Android, based on this experience. Spoiler alert: it's not just about the walled apple garden.
For now, I'll just mention that having a phone that lets me do absolutely anything I want is very refreshing. That's not to say that Apple hasn't tried to give the iPhone more and more customization features, but it's still nothing compared to what Android allows users to do, and all the features that Samsung adds on top.
And congratulations to Samsung for its software too! Its OneUI operating system made my transition to Android easy, because it has all the features of the iPhone I'm used to using and they work eerily similar. From screen recording, to Bixby setting my basic timers, to cropping a screenshot, it all looks very familiar to an iPhone user, and that's a good thing.
But I will end here for today and ask you: would you rather buy the new Galaxy S24 Ultraor would you go with one Galaxy Z fold 5, or Z Flip 5, or maybe a Google Pixel Fold; just something more extravagant than a panel phone? What phone will you carry in 2024 and why?
