What you need to know
- Samsung's Fold 5 external display holds well against the scratch test, but its plastic inner screen protector is more prone to such damage.
- The flex test proves Samsung's continued focus on durability as the phone holds up fairly well.
- The phone's inner display held up to the difficult heat test, though it was its protector that failed after 10 seconds.
Another durability test is afoot, and Samsung's latest Galaxy Z Fold 5 is taking enter stage to show why it wears the crown.
The host of the test, Zack Nelson of JerryRigEverything puts the Galaxy Z Fold 5 through a series of tests to see just how much the phone can take. The Moh Scale of Hardness test kicks things off with Nelson scratching away at the device's Victus Glass 2 outer display, which begins to display damage at 6 with deeper grooves at level 7.
Opening it up, the Fold 5 does sport a 7.6-inch plastic display (because it needs to flex) but also contains a screen protector on top of this. The hardness test was quick as the display began to show signs of scratching at level 2.
Placing a lighter close to the inner display, the Fold 5 holds strong for about 10 seconds before that pre-installed screen protector begins to melt. However, considering this is the protectant failing, the display beneath it still functioned properly.
When it came to the dreaded backward-bending flex test, the Fold 5 remained quite strong and only gave in a little. It was clear that the device wasn't entirely flat when Jerry tried to break its back, but it didn't show signs of cracking like the devastated Google Pixel Fold or the Motorola Razr Plus in their respective tests.
It was evident with the former that Google had not implemented any sort of "lockout or stoppage" for the hinge if someone were to bend it the other way. Samsung has continuously implemented this safety feature for its foldables like the Flip and previous Folds — and that still hasn't changed.
Samsung also upgraded the Galaxy Z Fold 5 hinge this year, and it can handle around 200,000 folds. Moreover, the new teardrop design was done so the Fold 5's display could lay closer together for a thinner frame in a pocket.
You can check out the remainder of the test, including how the outside of the Fold 5 handles scratches and how tough it is against dust and dirt despite Samsung stating resistance to such annoyances is on the way.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 may not appear much different than its previous iteration but its advancements are evident. Th Fold 5 features a new teardop-style hinge for a smaller form factor, removing the dreaded screen gap. It's display has been upgraded to be better and more vibrant. Samsung even updated its multitasking software so you can work, watch a video, and chat all at once.
