The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has come, and it is one of the greatest phones of 2024. We were convinced it would be a winner even before launch, as Samsung’s Ultra models are consistently ranked among the best phones of the year and among the greatest Samsung phones, but this isn’t Samsung’s sole high-end cellphone.
The business also develops foldable phones; the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 from last year is currently its most costly model. How much cheaper is the Galaxy S24 Ultra? How does it compare in other ways?
Here’s how the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 compare in terms of features and impressions. For further Samsung possibilities, see our Samsung Galaxy S24 review and our hands-on Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus review.
GALAXY S24 ULTRA VS Z Fold 5: SPECS COMPARISON
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is incredibly powerful, with a bright screen and a luxury design; but, its new AI functions add little, and it lacks the display adaptability of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. It still costs less. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is one of the greatest folding phones available and a terrific pick if that’s what you’re looking for, but its fundamental specifications can’t compete with the S24 Ultra, and it’s more expensive. When the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra debuted earlier this year, it left a lasting impression. But will it win a duel between the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Galaxy S24 Ultra when the foldable phones debut later this summer?
After all, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 will enter a more competitive foldable phone market, putting pressure on Samsung to provide a convincing improvement. With a smaller design reportedly in the works and the possibility of new Galaxy AI features arriving on the Fold, there’s a high chance this next phone may replace the Galaxy S24 Ultra as the finest Samsung phone.
We can only speculate on what the Galaxy Z Fold 6 will bring to the table, as nothing has been officially announced about the next foldable. However, reports provide insight into what a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 vs Galaxy S24 Ultra comparison would look like once both phones are launched.
CAMERA
The Galaxy S24 Ultra’s most significant camera improvement included its telephoto lenses, which replaced one of the previous models’ 10MP sensors with a 50MP one. That switch occurred at the sacrifice of zoom length, as the S24 Ultra has telephoto lenses with optical zooms of 3x and 5x, rather than the prior model’s 3x and 10x. Even yet, the S24 Ultra remains one of the greatest camera phones available, thanks to a 200MP main camera with bigger pixels.
Foldable phones are not often known for their cameras, however Samsung has made efforts with recent Galaxy Z Fold models to improve the optics on its main foldable. However, reports say that the Galaxy Z Fold 6 will include the same 50MP primary, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP telephoto lenses as its predecessor. Even the much-maligned camera under the Z Fold’s display is not expected to be upgraded.
If the lack of camera enhancements in the Galaxy Z Fold 6 proves to be accurate, the Galaxy S24 Ultra should remain the top pick for photo-focused smartphone customers.
DESIGN AND DISPLAY
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has a traditional candy bar design, whereas the Z Fold 5 is foldable. The Galaxy S24 Ultra resembles the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, with an angular appearance and a quad-lens camera, each lens protruding from the glass rear.
However, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra design has undergone several alterations, including a redesigned titanium frame. It also has an IP68 rating for water and dust protection, weighs 232g, and measures 162.3 x 79 x 8.6mm. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra comes in Titanium Violet, Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, Titanium Yellow, Titanium Blue, Titanium Green, and Titanium Orange.
As a foldable device, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5’s dimensions can vary from 154.9 x 67.1 x 13.4mm when folded to 154.9 x 129.9 x 6.1mm when unfurled. The former is smaller but thicker than the S24 Ultra, whereas the latter is larger but thinner. In either case, it weighs 253 grams, which is more than the Galaxy S24 Ultra. The Galaxy Z Fold 5 has a glass back, similar to the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, but an aluminum frame instead of the Ultra’s more premium titanium.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 includes two displays, the main one being a 7.6-inch 1812 x 2176 foldable display with a refresh rate of 120Hz and a maximum brightness of 1,750 nits. So it has a larger screen than the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but a lower maximum brightness and fewer pixels per inch (373 vs. 505).
The Galaxy Z Fold 5’s second screen is a 6.2-inch cover display with a 904 x 2316 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 1,750-nit peak brightness.
HOW’S THE PERFORMANCE?
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra features a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, which is a significant advance over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset seen in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. So, naturally, the newer phone will perform better. However, both smartphones have 12GB of RAM. In any event, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is a high-performance smartphone that, according to our evaluation, provides “a smooth and effortless user experience.”
So, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra is even snappier, with our review claiming “the Ultra is just as fast as the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and in many ways, it’s even faster,” you won’t feel like you’re missing out on too much horsepower by going with the Z Fold 5. Storage is the same, with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 ranging from 256GB to 1TB and the Galaxy S24 Ultra following suit.
And because all of these phones run Android with Samsung’s One UI on top, the software is comparable as well – however the Galaxy S24 Ultra includes several AI gimmicks not present on the Galaxy Z Fold 5, such as live translation of voice calls and the camera functions mentioned above.
GET THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S24 ULTRA FOR:
- Great cameras.
- Titanium frame
- Very powerful.
GET THE GOOGLE PIXEL 8 PRO FOR:
- Phone and tablet in one
- It folds flat.
- Quick performance
