How Durable Is The Samsung Z Fold 5 Hinge? And How Long Will It Last?
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Samsung has just announced the Galaxy Z Fold 5, its latest tablet-inspired foldable phone alongside a slew of other devices. Aside from the customary silicon upgrade, the biggest change is the refined hinge hardware, which now allows the phone to close without leaving any wedge-shaped gap between the two halves of the screen.
That's a reassuring durability-focused tweak, as it effectively blocks liquid ingress and solid particles from making their way inside and damaging the sophisticated display-hinge assembly. Talking about the hinge hardware, Samsung calls it the Flex Hinge. It is claimed to be sturdier thanks to a unique dual-rail structure. The company says that the reworked hinge allows the Galaxy Z Fold 5 to brush off accidental bumps and impact.
Moreover, the tension level has also been enhanced between the hinge elements, allowing more angular stability when the inner foldable display has each half positioned at different angles in Flex Mode. As far as protection against the elements goes, the hinge assembly itself comes with an IPX8 certification on the latest Samsung phone, which means it can handle the occasional liquid splash without giving up.
The competition is stronger than ever
Samsung tells SlashGear that the Galaxy Z Fold 5's hinge can survive 200,000 folding and unfolding cycles. That's the same as the Galaxy Z Fold 4 — and the Google Pixel Fold – but it's not a shabby figure. According to Samsung's estimates, that's good enough for the phone to last around five years of regular usage. However, the competition has caught up and is, in some cases, doing better.
Take, for example, Motorola. The company claims that its latest foldable phone, the Razr 40 Ultra, can handle 400,000 folding and unfolding cycles. China's Honor also touts identical hinge endurance figures for the Honor Magic V2 foldable phone, which packs a larger battery than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 while at it, and also happens to be slimmer.
However, that doesn't mean Samsung's latest foldable flagship is a laggard. The phone's frame is made out of what Samsung calls Armor Aluminum, while the rear and front sides are protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Additionally, the inner foldable screen adds a shock dispersion layer for extra mechanical strength. There are other things to like about the phone, which we've detailed in our hands-on experience with the foldable. Sound exciting? You can buy the Z Fold 5 from Samsung now starting at $1,799.