Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Galaxy Z Fold 5: Which should you buy?

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra might be the most powerful and expensive flagship in the S Series lineup, but it’s far from the company’s most expensive phone. The ultra-expensive Samsung Galaxy Fold 5 offers a unique foldable experience rivaled by few and has many of the same high-end features as the S series. So how do the two handsets compete? We take a closer look in this Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Galaxy Z Fold 5 comparison.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a fairly large device, measuring 79 x 162.3 mm with a thickness of 8.3mm. It is only slightly larger than the folded Galaxy Fold 5, which has dimensions of 67 x 154.94 mm. That said, the Fold is quite a bit thicker in this state, at 13.4mm. It also weighs more than the S24 Ultra, tipping the scales at 253g compared to the S24 Ultra’s 232g.

When unfolded, the Galaxy Fold 5 boasts a significantly larger 7.8-inch display and expands to dimensions of 154.94 x 129.8 mm, yet maintains a slim profile with a thickness of just 6mm. In essence, both phones are big-screen behemoths, but the Fold 5 offers the unique ability to compact down to a more modest 6.2-inch display, revealing its expansive size only when in tablet form.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 costs more than your typical flagship, and yet its expensive folding technology means it still has to cut corners to keep costs from skyrocketing. The day-to-day performance of the Z Fold 5 is going to always be pretty close to the Galaxy S Ultra series, you’ll just be missing a few extras. The Galaxy S24 Ultra also has the advantage of featuring the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. Taking a closer look at the specifications, you’ll notice that storage, RAM, and other core components aren’t significantly different between these phones on paper, except in two key areas: camera and battery.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 uses the same sensors as its predecessor, resulting in a somewhat mediocre camera experience compared to the Galaxy S23 series. Compared to the S24 Ultra, we’d argue that there’s no contest, although we haven’t fully tested out Samsung’s latest phone yet. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra boasts a powerful 200MP primary wide sensor, coupled with an f/1.7 lens that should be great for low-light shooting. There’s also a revised telephoto system, which drops optical zoom from 10x to 5x in favor of upgrading one of the telephoto sensors from 10MP to 50MP. Samsung claims this will improve zoom quality in the ranges most customers use, though it might be seen as a step back for some. There are also some camera software improvements, which we’ll touch on briefly later.

It’s too early to say much about the Galaxy S24 Ultra’s battery life. However, considering the Galaxy S23 Ultra could make it through two days before needing a charge, you should expect at least as good an experience. In contrast, the Fold 5 battery life isn’t so hot. While exact battery features will vary depending on which display you are using and many other details, it’s certainly a device you’ll need to charge by the end of the day.

Now let’s take a closer look at software changes. First and foremost, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra offers the advantage of seven years of updates, compared to Samsung’s previous policy of four years of OS updates and five years of security patches. Second, the Galaxy S24 series introduces Samsung Galaxy AI features. Samsung Galaxy AI offers a lot of the same kind of AI trickery as you’d get from a device like the Pixel 8 Pro, including real-time live translations during calls, transcription assistance, chat assistance, note summarization, and plenty of new AI camera features.

Some of the features are cloud-based like Circle to Search and Samsung’s take on Magic Editor, but quite a few functions will work completely offline as well. While Samsung Galaxy AI features are likely to come to older hardware like the Z Fold 5 eventually, some of the features are dependent on newer SoC technology and will remain exclusive to the S24 series and other newer Galaxy devices.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra was officially announced on January 17th with pre-orders starting the very same day. Customers who pre-order from Samsung.com are also eligible to receive a $100 Samsung credit and a free upgrade to the next highest storage tier at no extra cost. This represents a total savings of about $220. For those who don’t pre-order, the phone will be available starting January 31st.

The base 256GB model of the Galaxy S24 Ultra will have a starting price of $1,299.99, which is a $100 increase compared to its predecessor. There’s also a 512GB model for $1,419.99 and an even more expensive 1TB model at $1,659.99.

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Fold 5 has been available since August 2023. It starts at a significantly higher price point, with the 256GB model priced at $1,800. Opting for the 512GB model will raise the price to $1,900, and for the highest configuration, it will cost $2,150.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra isn’t targeted at everyone, as it represents a substantial investment designed with power users in mind. However, when it comes to overall value, the S24 Ultra certainly outshines the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. With the S24 Ultra, you’ll enjoy a superior SoC, camera performance, better battery life, enhanced software support, and the opportunity to be among the first to experience all the new Galaxy AI features. The only trade-off is that you won’t have the large tablet display found in the Fold 5.

If you seek a premium Android experience and aren’t particularly committed to owning a foldable device, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra offers a more attractive proposition. If the price of the S24 Ultra seems a bit steep, you can consider the Galaxy S24 or S24 Plus to save some money. If you’re unsure whether Samsung is the right fit for you, check out our guide covering the best Android phones from other manufacturers like Google, Motorola, and more.

However, if you are determined to get one of the best foldable devices, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a compelling option worth considering, even with the trade-offs. If the Z Fold 5 doesn’t meet your expectations, there are other excellent foldable phones available, such as the Google Pixel Fold, which could also serve as a viable alternative.