Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 reportedly only weighs a bit more than Galaxy S23 Ultra

Ben Schoon | Apr 3 2023 - 9:31 am PT

One of the bigger complaints of early foldable phones was the weight involved. Often, these devices would weigh drastically more than a typical smartphone, to the point where it was a bit cumbersome. Samsung has made strides over time, and with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 the company is rumors to be getting close to matching the weight of its normal flagship.

The original Galaxy Fold, Samsung’s first step into foldables, weighed in at 276g. At the time, that was drastically heavier than the 175g Galaxy S10+, which was the comparable flagship Samsung offered. The following year, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 upped the weight even further, measuring 282g on the scale, where the same year’s chunkier Galaxy S20 Ultra weighed 222g. At that point, Samsung started trimming down its foldable. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 dropped down to 271g, and the Fold 4 even further to 263g.

According to ETNews, Samsung has managed to lower the weight of the Galaxy Z Fold 5 even further, dropping it down to around 250g. That’s only marginally heavier than the company’s current flagship, the 234g Galaxy S23 Ultra.

The report goes on to mention that the specific weight of the current Galaxy Z Fold 5 prototypes lands at 254g, with the goal to trim the weight further before finalizing the product.

Apparently, the savings comes primarily from the Fold 5’s new hinge which is lighter. The hinge makes up one of the heaviest parts of the foldable, and also has heavy influence over the design. As other reports have made clear, the new hinge also makes it possible for Samsung to launch a thinner foldable, with the new design folding the display in a way that doesn’t require a gap between the two halves when closed.

Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 later this year.