I'll be honest — I've always been a foldable sceptic. Sure, smartphone innovation was plateauing, but there were lots that could be done, such as improving battery life using new technologies. And for that reason, a phone that folds in half, to me, seemed like innovation for the sake of innovating. Flip phones made sense, because they are about form and function, but I really couldn't see myself using a foldable phone. That's until I used one. And now, I get it.

I have the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 to thank for that. This was my first time with a vertical foldable phone, and for the first two days after I set up my review unit, I struggled to find the sweet spot — when do I use the cover display, which, functionally, allows you to do everything on the smartphone, and when do I use the larger, inner screen? Plus, my first impressions of the device were somewhat underwhelming — the cover screen seemed too narrow, and the inside screen, too big. There was a missing link I couldn't identify, not yet.

Then the genius of Samsung's design hit me. To quote the Joker from The Dark Knight, "It's all part of the plan."

Samsung designed the cover screen so that you can, technically, use it without ever needing to open the phone, but made it too narrow for many tasks. All apps open, but the interfaces are quite small, so I found myself often unfolding it to use the larger screen — for emails, web browsing, and reading books. That, right there, is why Samsung stuck with the same design, with minor annual iterations, for five generations.

I've seen several renowned tech reviewers compare the outside screen to that on the Google Pixel Fold — yes, the Pixel Fold does have a wider screen that makes it easier to use, but it also never you gives a reason to unfold it unless it is a conscious decision. That is not a knock on the Pixel Fold, which hasn't been released in India, but Samsung clearly put a lot of thought into the Z Fold5.

But first, let's get the specifications out of the way.

This is the heaviest smartphone I've used, clocking in at just over 250 grams. But the weight distribution is much better once it's unfolded, making it easier to use one-handed.

The design

This year, Samsung adopted flat sides on both its foldable devices — this is to ensure better ergonomics when they are folded — or flipped shut — as the new hinge, dubbed the Flex Hinge, now allows you to shut the device with no gap. This is a very important move, as the device is rated IPX8 for water resistance, meaning it has no dust resistance. And the gapless design makes it tougher for pocket lint or dust to get inside.

When folded shut, it is a wee bit cumbersome to use the Z Fold5 one-handed due to its thickness and narrow-body design. It's easier to hold. But to operate? Not so much — you'll still need both hands or risk wrist fatigue in no time.

The cover screen has a 6.2-inch AMOLED display that refreshes at 120 Hz, and it is as good as any Samsung display — which is to say, excellent. It's bright even in bright lighting conditions, and though optimised for the narrower display, OneUI 5.1 is still among the best Android skins I've experienced. And Samsung keeps adding features with its updates, so make sure you keep an eye on that.

Unfolded, It becomes a compact tablet that has a 22:9 aspect ratio. This is not my favourite aspect ratio to watch videos, as there is massive letterboxing especially if you hold the Z Fold5 the right side up. Turn it sideways, and it becomes a more conventional tablet style display, which makes for a better viewing experience.

User experience

This is a premium not-quite-flagship phone from the Samsung stable — certainly, it is more expensive. Yes, it has the same chipset — the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 — as the Galaxy S23 Ultra, as well as the same amount of starting RAM and storage, but there's something about the S23 Ultra that screams power. That said, The Z Fold5 matches the S23 Ultra in raw performance with nearly identical numbers in CPU benchmark tests.

The Z Fold5 (left) has nearly identical single-core and multi-core performance as the S23 ultra (right). Testing was done on Geekbench 6.

But benchmark tests don't really matter in real life. The Z Fold5 is not about performance. I mean, performance and efficiency do matter, but this one is all about the X-factor, its design. It is available in Icy Blue, Phantom Black, and Cream colour options. My review unit came sporting the Icy Blue colour and it looks stunning. The subtle matte finish on the back makes it look understated and elegant, with a polished aluminium frame complementing the colour. It is a joy to behold and hold — and fold.

The usefulness of the Z Fold5 became more and more apparent to me as I tested it. Whenever I go out, I always take my Kindle with me, as I read whenever I get the chance. Since I've started using the Z Fold5, my Kindle lies forgotten, gathering dust, because I can simply slip the Fold into my pocket and, should the need arise, just whip it out, unfold it, and start reading.

This, to me, is the greatest convenience the Z Fold5 offers. Of course, email, WhatsApp and browsers are well optimised to take full advantage of the extra screen real estate — the apps are not simply stretched fit across the larger display, they make full use of it to give you a seamless experience.

The way Samsung implemented the main display keyboard is fun. Essentially, the keyboard splits into two halves that skew towards either edge of the screen, making it easier to type with just your thumbs. It takes a little getting used to, but the keys have been arranged such that it feels natural, much like typing on a traditional smartphone keyboard.

Crease or no crease?

The crease is still visible, though I found myself not noticing when I look at the screen. It's only when you're touching the screen, sliding your finger across, that the crease makes its presence felt. There are other brands that have made crease-less foldable, but since I have not personally been able to test them, I cannot comment on how much better those screens are.

All I can say is the displays on the Z Fold5 — inside and outside — are gorgeous. They are as good as it gets.

Battery life

This was one other area of concern for me. The S23 Ultra was an absolute beast where battery life was concerned, with its 5,000 mAh battery easily giving me nearly two days of use between charges. The Z Fold5, on the other hand, has a much smaller battery, clocking in at 4,400 mAh. This, in itself, is no big deal, as the Nothing Phone (2) has a similar battery capacity and delivers stellar battery life.

But the problem is that the Z Fold5 has two displays, with the larger display bound to draw more power the more it is used. It didn't take me long to realise that my concerns were unfounded.

The Z Fold5 easily got me through a full day of heavy use, and since I'm someone who charges his phone overnight, every day, I found myself plugging in the Z Fold5 with nearly 40 percent left in the tank, nearly every day.

Camera quality

The cameras on the Z Fold5 are fine. They are obviously not in the same league as the S23 Ultra's, but they are as good as any flagship smartphone camera setup you can get right now, if not better. They take good photos in all lighting conditions thanks to Samsung's secret sauce.

The Z Fold5 has a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 12MP ultrawide and telephoto lens each on the back, and a 10 MP selfie camera on the cover display. On the inside, it has a 4 MP under-display camera, which does an okay job with video calls, but it is a far cry from being able to take good selfies. That's probably why Samsung included the 10 MP selfie camera on the cover display, which most people will use anyway.

As I have noted in my review of the Galaxy Z Flip5, the cameras are really not why you will be buying the Z Fold5 — the S23 Ultra is available at a lower price point (The Z Fold5 starts at Rs 1,54,999, while the S23 Ultra starts at Rs 1,24,999). It's for the oomph — a phone that can turn into a tablet, equipped with the most powerful Snapdragon chipset.

In conclusion

The Z Fold5 is focused on both fun and productivity — especially when paired with an S Pen Pro. While the Z Fold5 can do everything the S23 can, the S23 cannot quite do what the Z Fold5 can do, especially with the larger inner screen. If you can get past the hefty price tag, the Z Fold5 will serve you well for years, especially since Samsung promises four years of OneUI updates and five years of security patches. You only need to ask yourself one question — to fold, or not to fold? I'll leave that one to you.

Also read: The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 review: You can safely judge this phone by its 'cover'

(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)