Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 enjoyed a few years as the go-to book-style foldable phone in the US. Unless you were willing to import a competitor from China and work around certain limitations, it was your only option. Now, Google’s long-awaited rival is here. The Pixel Fold is an enticing option for anyone who wants to reach outside of One UI while still having access to US-based apps and services, but is it the foldable for you? Let’s compare the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs Google Pixel Fold to see which one you should buy.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs Google Pixel Fold: At a glance
- Both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google Pixel Fold are expensive. You’ll pay $1,799 for either device with 256GB of storage, while the 512GB upgrade will set you back $1,919.
- The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 supports faster wired charging than the Pixel Fold, topping out at 25W to Google’s 21W, but neither foldable comes with a charger in the box.
- It’s tough to compare the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google Pixel Fold cameras as they take opposite approaches. Samsung’s trio of sensors offers plenty of flexibility and manual control, while the Pixel Fold’s setup lets the Tensor G2 do much of the heavy lifting.
- The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a bit more powerful than the Google Pixel Fold, at least on paper. Its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy put up better benchmarking numbers in our testing, though the Pixel Fold’s Tensor G2 is all about machine learning and using AI to make life easier.
- Both the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google Pixel Fold pack 7.6-inch internal displays, though Google’s panel has a slightly higher resolution. The main difference is whether you prefer a taller (Samsung) or a wider (Google) aspect ratio.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs Google Pixel Fold: Specs
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 | Google Pixel Fold | |
|---|---|---|
| Displays | Exterior: – 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED – 120Hz refresh rate – 2,316 x 904 resolution – 23.1:9 aspect ratio – Gorilla Glass Victus 2 Interior: |
Exterior: – 5.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED – 120Hz refresh rate – 2,092 x 1,080 – 408ppi – 17.4:9 aspect ratio – Gorilla Glass Victus cover – Up to 1,550 nits brightness – HDR support Interior: |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy | Tensor G2 Titan M2 security coprocessor |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB LPDDR5 |
| Storage | 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB No expandable storage |
256GB or 512GB UFS 3.1 storage |
| Power | 4,400mAh dual-battery 25W wired charging Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare No charger in box |
4,821mAh ~21W wired charging 7.5W wireless charging No charger in box |
| Cameras | Exterior rear: – 50MP wide, 1.0μm, OIS, Dual Pixel AF, ƒ/1.8 – 12MP ultra-wide, 1.12μm, ƒ/2.2 – 10MP telephoto, 1.0μm, OIS, 3x zoom (30x digital), ƒ/2.4 Exterior front: Internal UDC: |
Rear: – 48MP wide main sensor (ƒ/1.7, 1/2-inch sensor, 0.8μm, 82° FoV, OIS, CLAF) – 10.8MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.2, 1/3-inch sensor, 1.25μm, 121.1° FoV, Lens correction) – 10.8MP telephoto (ƒ/3.05, 1/3.1-inch sensor, 1.22μm, 21.9° FoV, 5x optical zoom) Front: Internal: |
| Audio | No 3.5mm headphone port | Spatial audio support Stereo speakers Triple-microphone |
| SIM | Dual nano-SIM tray eSIM support |
Nano-SIM tray eSIM support |
| Biometrics | Side-mounted capacitive fingerprint sensor | Side-mounted capacitive fingerprint sensor Face unlock (cover screen only) |
| Software | Android 13 One UI 5.1.1 |
Android 13 |
| Dimensions and weight | Folded dimensions: – 154.94 x 67 x 13.4mm Unfolded dimensions: Weight: |
Folded: – 139.7 x 79.5 x 12.1mm Unfolded: Weight: |
| Colors | Global: Cream, Icy Blue, Phantom Black
Samsung Exclusive: Gray, Blue |
Obsidian Porcelain |
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google Pixel Fold show how differently two companies can approach one central idea. Both are book-style folding Android phones, but they’re as different under the hood as the Pixel 7 Pro and the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Where Google prefers to keep things in-house and let its powerful assistant be your guide, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 gives you granular control over every little setting.