We put the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 through our rigorous DXOMARK Display test suite to measure its performance across six criteria. In this test results summary, we will break down how it fared in a variety of tests and several common use cases.
Overview
Key display specifications:
- 7.6-inch AMOLED, 109.8 cm2 (~91.0% screen-to-body ratio)
- Dimensions: 154.9 x 67.1 x 13.4 mm (6.10 x 2.64 x 0.53 inches)
- Resolution: 1812 x 2176 pixels (~373 ppi density)
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Scoring
Sub-scores and attributes included in the calculations of the global score.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
152
display
159
Samsung Galaxy S24+
Best: Samsung Galaxy S24+ (163)
152
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Best: Google Pixel 8 Pro (164)
159
Samsung Galaxy S23 (Snapdragon)
Best: Samsung Galaxy S23 (Snapdragon) (162)
147
Honor Magic6 Pro
Best: Honor Magic6 Pro (159)
168
Samsung Galaxy S24+
Best: Samsung Galaxy S24+ (170)
116
OnePlus Open
Best: OnePlus Open (163)
Position in Global Ranking
7
th
2. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
155
7. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
152
11. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
149
11. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
149
11. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5
149
16. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (Snapdragon)
148
16. Samsung Galaxy S23 (Snapdragon)
148
20. Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus (Snapdragon)
146
23. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
145
28. Samsung Galaxy A55 5G
141
30. Honor Magic4 Ultimate
140
43. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
136
46. Samsung Galaxy S22+ (Exynos)
135
51. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4
134
51. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Exynos)
134
51. Samsung Galaxy A35 5G
134
51. Vivo X80 Pro (MediaTek)
134
58. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
133
58. Samsung Galaxy S22 (Snapdragon)
133
58. Samsung Galaxy S22 (Exynos)
133
58. Vivo X80 Pro (Snapdragon)
133
65. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
131
65. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
131
69. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G (Snapdragon)
130
76. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
129
76. Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
129
85. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G
128
85. Samsung Galaxy S23 FE
128
85. Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
128
90. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
127
97. Vivo X70 Pro (MediaTek)
125
97. Vivo X60 Pro 5G (Snapdragon)
125
113. Oppo Reno6 Pro 5G (Snapdragon)
123
113. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
123
113. Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro Plus 5G
123
118. Apple iPhone SE (2022)
122
118. Motorola Edge 30 Pro
122
124. Samsung Galaxy A54 5G
120
128. Motorola Edge 40 Pro
118
131. Motorola Razr 40 Ultra
117
135. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
116
140. Motorola Edge 20 Pro
111
140. Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
111
144. Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
110
150. Xiaomi Redmi K50 Gaming
107
152. Nubia RedMagic 6 Pro
105
153. Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
104
161. Microsoft Surface Duo
99
163. Nubia RedMagic 7 Pro
97
164. Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro 5G
95
172. Samsung Galaxy A22 5G
74
173. Xiaomi Black Shark 3 Pro
69
175. Lenovo Legion Phone 2 Pro
60
Position in Ultra-Premium Ranking
5
th
2. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
155
5. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
152
9. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
149
9. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
149
9. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5
149
14. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (Snapdragon)
148
17. Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus (Snapdragon)
146
20. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
145
25. Honor Magic4 Ultimate
140
34. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Snapdragon)
136
36. Samsung Galaxy S22+ (Exynos)
135
39. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4
134
39. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Exynos)
134
39. Vivo X80 Pro (MediaTek)
134
44. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4
133
44. Vivo X80 Pro (Snapdragon)
133
48. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
131
48. Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
131
55. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G
129
55. Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Snapdragon)
129
59. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G
128
59. Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
128
63. Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
127
74. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G (Exynos)
123
80. Motorola Razr 40 Ultra
117
81. Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max
116
85. Microsoft Surface Duo
99
88. Xiaomi Black Shark 3 Pro
69
Pros
- Good color fidelity and suitable brightness for HDR10 video content
- Good readability in all tested lighting conditions
- Smooth in most usages
Cons
- Under sunlight, the high brightness mode gives an unnatural aspect to color content
- The crease is visible in most situations
Thanks to good readability and good performances in video and touch, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 is the new No. 1 in DXOMARK’s Display ranking. Good readability under sunlight is rare among ultra-premium devices, yet the Z Fold5 achieved very good contrast on content viewed even in bright outdoor conditions. Its brightness, color, and detail rendering make it a great choice for watching videos. Accurate and reactive, the device felt smooth when playing video games, browsing the web, and scrolling in the gallery.
The Galaxy Z Fold5 has a wide color gamut. Although its color rendering was somewhat saturated, the results were nonetheless comfortable and pleasant, except under sunlight.
The Z Fold5’s crease was visible in every condition, especially outdoors; and as with other foldable phones, the device was affected by a jello effect — a slight perceptible lag between the right and left sides of the display that can make content appear a bit “bent.” But our engineers observed no frame mismatches when evaluating the Z Fold5 while watching videos and playing video games.
Note that DXOMARK tested the Z Fold5’s main screen with its protective screen on, per Samsung’s recommendation to consumers.
Although it’s not part of our standard protocol and did not affect scoring, our technicians also measured the cover screen, which achieved peak brightness at 1710 nits and the same color gamut as the main screen; moreover, the cover screen is less reflective than the main screen (4.8% vs. 6.3%).
Test summary
About DXOMARK Display tests: For scoring and analysis in our smartphone and other display reviews, DXOMARK engineers perform a variety of objective and perceptual tests under controlled lab and real-life conditions. Note that we evaluate display attributes using only the device’s built-in display hardware and its still image (gallery) and video apps at their default settings. (For in-depth information about how we evaluate smartphone and other displays, check out our articles, “How DXOMARK tests display quality” and “A closer look at DXOMARK Display testing.”
The following section gathers key elements of our exhaustive tests and analyses performed in DXOMARK laboratories. Detailed performance evaluations under the form of reports are available upon request. Do not hesitate to contact us.
Readability
159
Samsung Galaxy S24+
Samsung Galaxy S24+
How Display Readability score is composed
Readability evaluates how easily and comfortably users can read still content (photos & web) on the display under different real-life conditions. DXOMARK uses its Display Bench to recreate ambient light conditions ranging from total darkness to bright sunlight. In addition to laboratory tests, perceptual analysis is also made in real-life environments.
Our engineers measured the device’s peak brightness at 1682 nits under bright sunlight. In low light and outdoor conditions, the Z Fold5 had more comfortable readability than either the Google Pixel Fold or the Honor Magic Vs used for comparison. The Samsung’s measured brightness was lower in indoor conditions, but the perceptual rendering remained perfectly readable and usable, thanks to well-managed contrast. Further, the Z Fold5 had good readability with the blue light filter (BLF) turned on.
Luminance under various lighting conditions
Contrast under various lighting conditions
Readability in an indoor (1000 lux) environment
From left: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5, Google Pixel Fold, Honor Magic Vs
(Photos for illustration only)
Readability in an outdoor (20 000 lux) environment
From left: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5, Google Pixel Fold, Honor Magic Vs
(Photos for illustration only)
Color
152
Google Pixel 8 Pro
Google Pixel 8 Pro
How Display Color score is composed
The color attribute evaluates the capacity of the device to accurately reproduce colors. The measurements taken are for fidelity, white point color, and gamut coverage. We perform color evaluations for different lighting conditions to see how well the device can manage color in the surrounding environment. Colors are measured using a spectrophotometer in a controlled lighting environment. Perceptual analysis of color rendering is against the reference pattern displayed on a calibrated professional monitor.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 provided a wide color gamut in its default “Vivid” mode, resulting in pleasant and saturated colors in lowlight and indoor conditions. Under direct sunlight outdoors, the high brightness mode made some colorful content appear flat, and when the BLF was turned on, the smartphone shifted to a slightly less orange cast than that of the comparison smartphones.
White point under D65 illuminant at 1000 lux
Color rendering indoors (1000 lux)
Clockwise from top left: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5, Google Pixel Fold, Honor Magic Vs
(Photos for illustration only)
Color rendering in sunlight (>90 000 lux)
Clockwise from top left: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5, Google Pixel Fold, Honor Magic Vs
(Photos for illustration only)
Color fidelity measurements
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5, color fidelity at 1000 lux in the sRGB color space
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5, color fidelity at 1000 lux in the Display-P3 color space
Each arrow represents the color difference between a target color pattern (base of the arrow) and its actual measurement (tip of the arrow). The longer the arrow, the more visible the color difference is. If the arrow stays within the circle, the color difference will be visible only to trained eyes.
Color behavior on angle
This graph shows the color shift when the screen is at an angle. Each dot represents a measurement at a particular angle. Dots inside the inner circle exhibit no color shift in angle; those between the inner and outer circle have shifts that only trained experts will see; but those falling outside the outer circle are noticeable.
White spectrum with/without Blue Light Filter
Spectrum measurement comparison of a white web page with the Blue Light Filter on and off.
Video
159
Samsung Galaxy S23 (Snapdragon)
Samsung Galaxy S23 (Snapdragon)
How Display Video score is composed
Our video attribute evaluates the Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) and High Dynamic Range (HDR10) video handling of each device in indoor and low-light conditions. We measure tone mapping, color gamut, brightness and contrast of the display. We perform perceptual analysis against our professional reference monitor (Sony BVM-HX310) to ensure that the rendering respects the artistic intent.
As is typical of Samsung devices, the Z Fold5’s brightness and detail rendering make it a good device for watching HDR10 videos. Tested on a 100% gray pattern (which equals pure white), the Pixel Fold had higher brightness than the Z Fold5. However, the average perceivable brightness for videos is closer to 50% gray, and at this level, the Samsung device was brighter than the Pixel. This difference in smartphone tuning means that the Z Fold5 provided a more comfortable viewing experience.
Video brightness at 10% APL in the dark ( < 5 lux)
Video rendering in a low-light (0 lux) environment
Clockwise from top left: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5, Google Pixel Fold, Honor Magic Vs
(Photos for illustration only)
Gamut coverage for video content
The primary colors are measured both in HDR10 and SDR. The extracted color gamut shows the extent of the color area that the device can render. To respect the artistic intent, the measured gamut should match the master color space of each video.
Motion
147
Honor Magic6 Pro
Honor Magic6 Pro
How Display Motion score is composed
The motion attribute evaluates the handling of dynamic contents. Frame drops, motion blur, and playback artifacts are scrutinized using games and videos.
These long exposure photos present the number of frame irregularities in a 30-second video. A good performance shows a regular pattern (either a flat gray image or a pull-down pattern).
Touch
168
Samsung Galaxy S24+
Samsung Galaxy S24+
How Display Touch score is composed
To evaluate touch, DXOMARK uses a touch robot and a high-speed camera to play and record a set of scenarios for smoothness, accuracy and response-time evaluation.
Thanks to good smoothness in all usages, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 achieved a database-leading score for touch.
Average Touch Response Time Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
This response time test precisely evaluates the time elapsed between a single touch of the robot on the screen and the displayed action. This test is applied to activities that require high reactivity, such as gaming.
Artifacts
116
OnePlus Open
OnePlus Open
How Display Artifacts score is composed
Evaluating artifacts means checking for the performance, image rendering and motion flaws that can affect the end-user experience. DXOMARK measures precisely the device’s reflectance and the presence of flicker, and assesses the impact of residual aliasing when playing video games, among other characteristics.
Only slightly detracting from its all-round excellent performance, the Z Fold5 was highly reflective, had low frequency flicker in low-light conditions, and was reactive to unintentional touches.
Average Reflectance (SCI) Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
SCI stands for Specular Component Included, which measures both the diffuse reflection and the specular reflection. Reflection from a simple glass sheet is around 4%, while it reaches about 6% for a plastic sheet. Although smartphones’ first surface is made of glass, their total reflection (without coating) is usually around 5% due to multiple reflections created by the complex optical stack.
Reflectance (SCI)
Measurements above show the reflection of the device within the visible spectrum range (400 nm to 700 nm). It includes both diffuse and specular reflection.
PWM Frequency Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
240 Hz
Bad
Good
Bad
Great
Displays flicker for 2 main reasons: refresh rate and Pulse Width Modulation. Pulse width modulation is a modulation technique that generates variable-width pulses to represent the amplitude of an analog input signal. This measurement is important for comfort because flickering at low frequencies can be perceived by some individuals, and in the most extreme cases, can induce seizures. Some experiments show that discomfort can appear at a higher frequency. A high PWM frequency (>1500 Hz) tends to be less disturbing for users.
Temporal Light Modulation
This graph represents the frequencies of lighting variation; the highest peak gives the main flicker frequency. The combination of a low frequency and a high peak is susceptible to inducing eye fatigue. Displays flicker for 2 main reasons: refresh rate and Pulse Width Modulation. This measurement is important for comfort because flickering at low frequencies can be perceived by some individuals, and in the most extreme cases, can induce seizures. Some experiments show that discomfort can appear at a higher frequency. A high PWM frequency (>1500 Hz) tends to be safer for users.
Aliasing (closeup)
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
(Photo for illustration only)
English
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Camera
Audio
Battery
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