Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Galaxy Z Fold 5: The Fold and the Beautiful

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Galaxy Z Fold 5: The Fold and the Beautiful،

Introduction

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is just around the corner, and will likely arrive very, very early in 2024 to take on the iPhone 15 series with a revamped design, hardware improvements, and improved camera.

However, the most recent Samsung phone, the Galaxy Z fold 5is also a party that will have more to lose when the next Galaxy flagship comes out, as it will no longer be the most exciting device on Samsung’s roster.

Sure, the two will occupy different niches, but then again, both are competing for the coveted spot in your pocket or purse, and with comparable pricing and features, it’s only natural to consider which one to buy.

Galaxy S24 Ultra against Galaxy Z fold 5 expectations:

Traditional candy bar vs foldable phone
6.8-inch main screens vs. 7.6-inch / 6.2-inch external screens
2,500 nits peak brightness vs. 1,750 nits peak brightness
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy vs. Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
Built-in support for S Pen and S Pen (sold separately)
5,000 mAh versus 4,440 mAh
200MP vs. 50MP main camera
3X and 5X telephoto lenses vs. 3X telephoto lenses
12MP vs. 4MP and 10MP external selfie cameras
45W wired charging versus 25W wired charging

Contents:

Design and size

Big changes for the Galaxy S24 Ultra could have huge implications for the future of Samsung design

First of all: both Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Galaxy Z fold 5 won’t differ too much from what one might expect, at least visually.

However, things could be very different for the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Gone is the Armor Aluminum frame used on the Galaxy S23 Ultra; instead we get a titanium frame like the one on the iPhone 15 Pro Max. This will reinforce the phone’s premium status and add some ruggedness to the package, although the potential weight savings are dismal – just a one gram difference compared to the Galaxy S23 Ultra.

THE Galaxy S24 Ultra will also mark a flatter frame with minimal side curve for the screen. It’s somewhat ironic that Samsung is the company that popularized curved screens in the first place.

THE Galaxy Z fold 5on the other hand, made significant design revisions compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 4. Gone is the unsightly gap between the top and bottom panels when the Galaxy Z fold 5 is in its folded state, which finally puts Samsung’s foldable on par with most of its foldable competitors. There is a palpable and clearly visible display crease when you unfold the device, so no improvement in this area.

A major difference between the two phones is the S Pen situation. While the Galaxy Z fold 5 technically supports an S Pen, you need to purchase it separately. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S24 Ultra will come with an S Pen hidden in a silo at the bottom.

Both Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Galaxy Z fold 5 have IP68 water and dust resistance, which should give you a lot of peace of mind when it comes to their overall durability. In the case of Galaxy Z fold 5 this is particularly impressive, because having such protection against penetration on a foldable phone remains the exception rather than the norm.

In terms of colors, the Galaxy S24 Ultra will be available in black, gray, purple and yellow. There will be online-only exclusive color options, like Orange, Light Blue, and Light Green. A more diversified selection compared to iPhone 15 Pro Max, that’s for sure. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z fold 5 is available in cream, phantom black, ice blue, blue and gray.

Display differences

Aside from the fact that we’re comparing a foldable phone to a candybar phone, the only big difference between the Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Galaxy Z fold 5 could be the much higher maximum brightness that happens at the Galaxy S24 Ultra. According to hearsay, the Galaxy S24 Ultra will be able to achieve around 2,500 nits of peak brightness, which is significantly higher than the 1,750 nits brightness displayed by the main screen of the Galaxy Z fold 5 can potentially achieve.

Apart from that, the Galaxy S24 Ultra will be a 6.8-inch phone with high QHD+ resolution and the superb quality properties of Samsung’s OLED displays: great colors and great viewing angles.

Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z fold 5 unfolds to a rather large 7.6-inch screen with a visible crease in the middle, which shouldn’t take away from the fact that we’re dealing with a screen perfect for multitasking. And with LTPO support, it can boost the refresh rate between 1-120Hz for a smooth experience. The external display, however, is slightly less impressive with LTPS support for a dynamic refresh rate of 48-120Hz.

In terms of biometrics, both phones rely on fingerprint sensors. While the Galaxy S24 Ultra there will surely be an ultrasonic one on the screen, the Galaxy Z fold 5 has a fingerprint sensor integrated into the side power button, which means you can easily unlock the phone whether it’s folded or not. Face Unlock as a secondary biometric system is available on both phones.

Performance and software

Qualcomm’s best title for a second consecutive year

Unlike the more affordable Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus, the Galaxy S24 Ultra will come with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 generation 3 in all regions of the world. Additionally, the specific flavor of the onboard Qualcomm chip will have the suffix “for Galaxy”, meaning it will be slightly spicy compared to the regular Qualcomm chip. Snapdragon 8 generation 3.

THE Galaxy Z fold 5on the other hand, relies on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip for Galaxy, which on its own is a slightly improved version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. The difference between the chips inside the Galaxy Z fold 5 And Galaxy S24 Ultra is it major? Of course not!

In terms of memory and storage, we’re looking at 8/256GB, 16/512GB, and 16/1TB options, while the Galaxy Z fold 5 comes with 12 GB of RAM in all its 256 GB, 512 GB and 1 TB storage versions.

In terms of software, both devices will receive four major Android updates followed by five years of security patches.

Camera

One of the most versatile cameras on Android compared to a simple performer

Focusing with the Galaxy Z fold 5 isn’t on camera, but even then he’s potentially seriously outclassed by the next one Galaxy S24 Ultra.

THE Galaxy Z fold 5 relies on a powerful, but rather “normal” camera system, which combines a 50 MP wide-angle camera with a 10 MP 3X telephoto lens and a 12 MP ultra-wide-angle snapper, which provide excellent image quality consistent that still suffers from the scourge of overprocessing that has plagued Galaxy’s most recent flagships.

At the same time, we await the Galaxy S24 Ultra coming with a 200 MP wide-angle camera (like its predecessor), a 12 MP ultra-wide, and 3X and 5X telephoto lenses for long zoom. Yes, the 10X periscope is most likely being removed in favor of a shorter, but equally capable, 5X solution, which should still allow the 100X space zoom feature to make an appearance.

When it comes to selfie cameras, the Galaxy S24 Ultra will rely on a 12MP, but the Galaxy Z fold 5 has two on deck. The external camera measures 10MP, while the 4MP internal under-screen camera offers questionable image quality and is best avoided.

Audio and haptic quality

When it comes to audio quality, Galaxy flagships typically have very solid audio performance that rivals the best in the field and often sets new benchmarks. Certainly, the Galaxy S24 Ultra will be yet another exemplary performer in the region, to what extent exactly remains to be seen.

The same goes for the haptic feedback situation. We have nothing negative to say about the Galaxy flagships and their feedback, it’s always superb.

Battery life and charging

The Galaxy S24 Ultra could score an easy victory

With a more efficient chipset and a larger 5,000 mAh battery, the Galaxy S24 Ultra will likely improve the battery life of the Galaxy Z fold 5which doesn’t do exceptionally well with its small 4,400 mAh battery.

As a reminder, the Galaxy Z fold 5 performed well in our custom battery tests, but didn’t impress. In particular, the foldable phone lasted 6 hours and 30 minutes in our video streaming test, 9 hours and 22 minutes in our web browsing test and only 5 hours and 34 minutes in the gaming test. Totally unimpressive and definitely beaten by the Galaxy S23 Ultratherefore the Galaxy S24 Ultra will most certainly beat him too.

From a charging point of view, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is very likely to retain its predecessor’s 45W wired charging speeds, which would likely allow a full charge in around an hour. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Z fold 5 does the same exercise in one hour and twenty minutes. In terms of wireless charging, both phones support 15W wireless fast charging. It’s definitely slower, with the Galaxy Z fold 5 requiring a 133-minute appointment with the wireless charger.

Specification Comparison

	Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra	Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
Size weight	162.3 × 79 × 8.6mm, 233g	Unfolded: 154.9 x 129.9 x 6.1 mm Folded: 154.9 x 67.1 x 13.4 mm Weight: 253gr
Screen	6.8-inch OLED screen Dynamic 120 Hz 2,500 nits	Internal: 7.6″ OLED 1-120 Hz External: 6.2″ OLED 48-120 Hz
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy 4nm	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy 4nm
RAM, storage	8/256 GB 16/512 GB 16/1 TB LPDDR5X	12/256 GB 12/512 GB 12/1 TB LPDDR5
Cameras	200MP main 12MP ultra 10MP 5X Telephoto Lens 50MP 10x periscope 12MP front	50MP main 12MP ultra 10MP 3X Zoom 4MP internal front 10MP external front
Battery	5,000mAh*	4400mAh
Loading	USB-C 45W wired 15W wireless	USB-C 25W wired 15W wireless

Summary

Overall, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is shaping up to be one of the most important phones to be released in 2024. Apparently, it will have all the assets to continue Samsung’s unwavering dominance in the flagship Android market.

At the same time, if you are too tired of ordinary phones, then the Galaxy Z fold 5 might be one to consider. Its form factor is still new, although not executed in the best possible way. With capable hardware and software suited to the multitasking experience, it’s certainly a very decent phone. However, compared to the next Galaxy S24 Ultraits value will probably be lower.

Which one should you take? It’s the form factor and camera that will likely bear the brunt of the differences, so ultimately the question should be: “A new foldable phone or a capable regular phone”?