Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G specs, review, release date
Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G is one of the most fascinating devices released in 2019. The device features a primary foldable dynamic AMOLED screen, a secondary AMOLED display and an array of cameras all in a new form factor. A sophisticated hinge enables the smooth folding movement of the primary display. Besides the display, the device has some other exciting specs.
Source: UGC
While the futuristic design of the Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G looks impressive, it does not come cheap. The device is not yet available in Nigeria retail stores, but currently, gsmarena quotes the Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G price as $2149 (about 777,938 Naira). This is quite expensive, considering some of the phone’s specs are rather commonplace. Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G release date was in September 2019.
Overview
Here is a look at the device’s pros and cons.
The good
Here are the top Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G advantages.
- Massive internal memory (512GB ROM)
- An excellent dynamic AMOLED display
- The side-mounted fingerprint sensor works great
- The 12GB RAM makes multi-tasking a breeze
- Futuristic design in a form factor never seen before
- Fantastic image and video quality from all cameras
- Excellent battery performance
The bad
- The device is more of a tablet than a conventional smartphone
- Quite pricey for the available features
- The crease along the screen’s middle is quite easy to notice
Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G specs
- Released on: September 2019
- Dimensions: Unfolded - 160.9 x 117.9 x 6.9 mm, folded - 160.9 x 62.9 x 15.5 mm
- Weight: 263 grams
- SIM card: Nano-SIM
- Display: Dynamic AMOLED capacitive touchscreen
- Size: 7.3 inches
- Resolution: 1536 x 2152 pixels
- Operating system: Android 9.0 Pie (Go edition)
- Internal memory: 512GB ROM & 12GB RAM
- Expandable memory: Not available
- Rear camera: 12-megapixel wide sensor, 12-megapixel telephoto sensor, and 16-megapixel ultra-wide sensor
- Selfie camera: 10-megapixel wide camera and 8-megapixel depth sensor
- Cover camera: 10-megapixel wide sensor
- USB: Version 3.1 with Type-C reversible connector
- Bluetooth: Version 5.0 with A2DP, aptX HD & LE
- Sensors: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, barometer, accelerometer, compass, gyro and proximity sensor
- Battery: Non-removable 4235 mAh Li-Po battery
- Charging: 15W fast charging and 15W fast wireless charging
- Colours: Space Silver, Cosmos Black
Source: UGC
Hardware
Here is a look at the device’s main hardware features.
Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G design
The phone’s design is its most unique aspect. When closed, the device is held together by a combination of magnets, springs and ribbon cables. The device features a foldable display that comes to life once it is unfolded. Samsung promises that the device’s folding mechanism will survive at least two hundred thousand actuations before any part breaks down.
Once the device is open, a massive 7.3-inch display occupies most of the front. There is a module on the top right corner which houses the selfie camera and an earpiece. On the right, there is a power button and volume rocker as well as the side-mounted fingerprint sensor. While folded, the device can easily be used single-handedly, in which case one would have to use the smaller secondary display.
At the back, the phone has a triple-camera module, similar to the one found on the Samsung Galaxy S10. Users will quickly note that while the device is closed, there is a significant gap between the panels near the hinge. The phone’s design is undoubtedly eye-catching and unique but may not be the most secure. The phone lacks water and dust resistance which limits the places in which it can be used.
Displays
The device features two separate screens. The primary display is the foldable 7.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED display. The secondary display measures 4.6 inches and comes in at a relatively lower resolution as compared to the primary one. The primary display’s 2152 by 1536 pixels resolution gives users a significantly high 362PPI pixel density. The screen has a 4.2:3 aspect ratio, which is uncommon in the smartphone industry.
The display’s brightness gets to a maximum of 370nits under manual control and 560nits when left under auto-brightness control. This is slightly lower than devices such as the Galaxy S10 but still entirely usable even in bright outdoor conditions. The screen also supports HDR10+ technology which allows users to adjust the dynamic range depending on content.
Processor, performance, and storage
Unlike most Samsung flagship devices, the Galaxy Fold 5G only comes in one variant which uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset. This runs on eight cores; clocked differently for optimum efficiency and performance. The most powerful is clocked at 2.84 GHz and the least powerful at 1.78 GHz. The phone uses an Adreno 640 GPU which combined with the CPU, delivers outstanding performance.
Source: UGC
In addition to the powerful chips, the Galaxy fold 5G comes with 12GB RAM and 512GB ROM. This is a spec combination fit for any flagship device today. Users will not experience any lag even when running resource-intensive tasks on the device. There is, however, no option to expand the inbuilt memory via a microSD card although it will hardly be needed.
The Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G is the company’s first device to use UFS 3.0 storage technology. This is significantly faster than the common UFS 2.1 tech used in devices such as the S10.
Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G battery
The device is powered by a non-removable 4235 mAh Li-Po battery which is split in two. There is a battery unit in each half of the device. The phone supports fast wireless and wired charging up to 15W. In a gsmarena test, the phone’s battery lasted ten and a half hours of continuous web browsing, seventeen hours of video playback and more than thirty-seven hours of 3G calls.
The 15W charging unit can charge the device from zero to a hundred percent in one hour and fifty minutes. Thirty minutes of charge time will give you a thirty-seven percent battery charge. This is not bad considering the high battery capacity. However, some devices support faster charge rates using chargers rated as high as 30W.
Speaker and call quality
The phone, like most modern ones, does not have an audio jack. Uses will, therefore, have to get the USB Type-C to 3.5mm audio adapter. There are two stereo speakers on the device whose output is quite exceptional. When the phone is held in landscape orientation, each speaker handles the channel on its side. In portrait mode, each speaker handles the channel it was previously allocated.
Source: UGC
Call and music audio quality is excellent on the Galaxy Fold 5G. The loudness, clarity, and stereo crosstalk levels are all at par with modern flagships from Samsung and other companies.
Software
Here is a look at the phone’s software features.
Operating system and features
The device comes preinstalled with Android 9.0 (Pie). However, the user experience on this OS is a far cry from stock Android. This is because Samsung has overlaid the OS with its proprietary launcher called One UI. The launcher has previously made its way into the Galaxy S10 and S9 devices. The custom skin was added to increase productivity and enhance user experience on the device.
The Always-On display feature is available and enabled by default. However, users now have the option to disable the feature and only have it work by tapping on the screen. The installed software also allows smooth transition between the primary and secondary displays. Transitioning from the secondary to the primary display will take you to the exact page position where you were on the secondary screen.
Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G camera review, video, and image quality
The device’s camera setup is almost similar to the one on the Galaxy S10. At the back, the phone has a 12MP primary camera, 12MP telephoto sensor, and a 16MP ultra-wide sensor. Images from the back cameras are excellent with amazing detail, clarity, and colours. The dynamic range is also excellent, and sharpness is better than on the S10.
The phone can shoot 4K video at sixty, thirty, or nine hundred and sixty frames per second. There is also an option to shoot Full HD video at sixty or thirty frames per second. There is an electronic stabilization mode to capture steady footage as well as a Super Steady mode when shooting video in bumpy conditions. The video output from the Galaxy Fold 5G is fantastic.
Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G review
Here is a look at what users are saying about the device on social media.
Verdict
Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G is truly a remarkable device. The foldable screen will undoubtedly be its main selling point in the early stages. In this era where phone manufacturers make pretty much similar devices, the Galaxy Fold 5G is a breath of fresh air in terms of design. The phone’s price will probably be the primary reason why most people might not buy the device. For those who can, it is worth giving the new tech a try.
Samsung Galaxy Fold 5G has a lot of fascinating features. The dual display setup, fantastic RAM and ROM and the excellent cameras all make the phone worth buying. Potential buyers can also consider the Huawei Mate X. Its design concept is similar to the Galaxy Fold 5G but with a different implementation since its display folds outwards. We can only wait to see what other companies will come up with regarding foldable screen tech in the future.
Source: Legit.ng
