Comparison of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google Pixel Fold by ENBLE.
Comparison of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google Pixel Fold by ENBLE.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs. Google Pixel Fold: A Battle of Foldable Titans
In the world of foldable smartphones, one company stands above the rest as the heavyweight champion: Samsung. With nearly four years of experience refining its foldable designs, Samsung has become the leader in the market. Last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 4 proved that Samsung’s design was ready for prime time. Now, with the new Galaxy Z Fold 5, Samsung has delivered even more quality-of-life improvements and power under the hood, solidifying its position as the top contender.
However, this year, another notable player has thrown its hat into the ring: Google. With its Pixel Fold, Google has entered the foldable market with a unique take on foldable designs, drawing inspiration from its successful Pixel series. As a first-generation device, the Pixel Fold showcases Google’s design and engineering prowess, creating something that could potentially challenge Samsung’s dominance. The question remains whether the Pixel Fold can unseat Samsung or if Samsung has widened the gap even further with the Galaxy Z Fold 5.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs. Google Pixel Fold: Specs & Design
When it comes to design, Samsung has refined its foldable smartphones over the years, and the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is no exception. While there aren’t any revolutionary changes, the design has been further perfected with subtle refinements. On the other hand, Google’s Pixel Fold showcases a familiar design language seen in the Pixel 7 series, with a stacked phone aesthetic. However, what sets the Pixel Fold apart is its narrower “candy bar” style when closed, reminiscent of classic feature phones and earlier foldables. This results in a cover screen with a taller and narrower aspect ratio compared to most flagship smartphones. The Pixel Fold also offers a wider screen and proper 1080p HD resolution, giving it an advantage for video viewing without unfolding the phone.
While the Galaxy Z Fold 5 has a larger cover screen, when opened, both phones have identical sizes and resolutions. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 boasts enhanced AMOLED screens with 1,750 nits of peak brightness, while the Pixel Fold impresses with 1,550 nits. Additionally, Samsung has finally achieved a flat-fold design with its new “Flex Hinge” on the Galaxy Z Fold 5, similar to the Pixel Fold’s ability to close flat. Overall, the design and display specs of both devices are comparable, making it a tie in this category.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs. Google Pixel Fold: Performance & Battery Life
In terms of performance, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 takes the lead on paper with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, a notable improvement from its predecessor. While the Pixel Fold’s custom Tensor G2 chip is impressive, it may not match the optimized performance of the Snapdragon lineup. The Tensor G2 chip, although suitable for everyday tasks, may struggle with demanding activities like gaming, resulting in potential heating and battery life compromises.
Speaking of battery life, both phones offer solid performance. The Pixel Fold delivers a reliable 24 hours of battery life for regular usage, while the Galaxy Z Fold 5’s battery specs remain comparable to its predecessor, ensuring a robust performance. While the phones will likely be tied in terms of overall battery life, the Galaxy Z Fold 5’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip guarantees a stronger performance, giving it the edge in this category.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs. Google Pixel Fold: Cameras
When it comes to photography capabilities, the Pixel Fold excels with its Tensor G2 chip’s neural engine, allowing for powerful computational photography features. In head-to-head comparisons, the Pixel Fold surpassed the Galaxy Z Fold 4. Although the Galaxy Z Fold 5 retains the same camera sensors as its predecessor, the potential improvements lie within the new image signal processor in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. However, further testing is required to validate these enhancements. Meanwhile, the Pixel Fold offers a 5x optical zoom and an 8MP inside front camera, which is not obstructed by the display like the Galaxy Z Fold 5’s 4MP shooter. While the camera specs may not match Google’s flagship Pixel 7 Pro, they are closer than the gap between the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S23 Ultra. Thus, the Pixel Fold emerges as the winner in the camera department.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs. Google Pixel Fold: Software & Updates
Both the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and the Pixel Fold come with Android 13, but with their respective customizations. While Samsung layers its One UI 5.1.1 interface on top of Android 13, Google provides the traditional “pure Android” experience on the Pixel Fold. Surprisingly, Samsung edges out Google in terms of Android updates, with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 slated to receive four years of updates compared to the Pixel Fold’s support up until Android 16 in 2026. This gives Samsung an advantage in terms of longevity. However, with both devices receiving five years of security updates, it is still a tie in this category.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs. Google Pixel Fold: Special Features & Software Experience
As for special features, Google takes the spotlight with its excellent utilization of Android 13 capabilities and learnings from Samsung’s previous foldable models. With Android 13’s improved support for larger screens, both the Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 5 provide powerful split-screen and multitasking features, along with an intuitive experience. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 offers a productivity advantage with the ability to run up to three apps side-by-side and float a fourth on top. However, Google’s Pixel Fold holds a few unique tricks, such as advanced machine learning-powered photographic tools and the upcoming Dual Screen Interpreter feature in Android 14. Despite Google’s innovative additions, the Galaxy Z Fold 5’s additional software features and the inclusion of the S Pen make it the winner in this category.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs. Google Pixel Fold: Price & Availability
The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is available now for pre-order from Samsung, starting at $1,800 for the 256GB/12GB RAM configuration. Additional storage options include 512GB and 1TB. Samsung offers a range of color options, including Phantom Black, Icy Blue, Cream, Blue, and Gray. As an exclusive offer, pre-ordering directly from Samsung grants double the storage for the price of a lower configuration. The Pixel Fold is available at a similar price of $1,799 for the 256GB/12GB model, with a 512GB variant. Color options are limited to Porcelain and Obsidian finishes.
Conclusion: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Takes the Crown
While the Google Pixel Fold showcases impressive design and phenomenal computational photography capabilities, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 emerges as the overall winner. Samsung’s extensive experience in building foldable smartphones shines through in the refined design, enhanced performance, and additional software features. With a more powerful processor, improved hinge design, remarkable multitasking capabilities with the S Pen, and a competitive price point, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 solidifies Samsung’s dominance in the foldable smartphone market. However, the Pixel Fold remains a strong contender, appealing to users seeking a clean Android experience and innovative photography features. Ultimately, the battle between these foldable titans highlights the incredible advancements in smartphone technology, offering consumers a wealth of options and possibilities.
