Folding phones haven’t replaced the standard smartphone, but the summer of foldables heated up when Samsung announced the Z Fold 5. The fifth-generation folding device is the more expensive of Samsung’s two folding phones and the more feature-filled. It’s essentially a package of everything Samsung wants you to consider its phones for, from its three-camera system to its foldable-tweaked software.
One thing that struck me as I begin to test the Z Fold 5 is that it finally has competition this generation. There’s finally another book-like foldable available in the U.S.—and at the same $1,800 starting price, too. Google’s Pixel Fold is a compelling first-generation product with algorithm-enhanced cameras and a squarer shape. But the Z Fold 5 and Pixel Fold are disparate enough that they appeal to different types of folding smartphone users. Here’s what to know before you consider either of these similarly but still exorbitantly priced folding phones.