Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 teardown puts the all

Aug 20, 2023

The foldable's 'shock dispersion layer' also makes a cameo

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is one of the best foldables you can get today, although the company now has more global competition in the segment than it did a couple of years ago. In this environment, Samsung has managed to cram in some hardware upgrades inside the recently launched book-style foldable. But unless you're an expert or know how to take the foldable apart, you're likely not going to know what's exactly changed. This is where people like Zack Nelson, a.k.a JerryRigEverything on YouTube, come into the equation. Having already put the Samsung foldable through the paces in a durability test not too long ago, the popular content creator has now taken the device apart to ascertain what's new inside, with the results posted on YouTube.

Taking a foldable apart piece by piece is no easy task, and JRE's video drives that point home. After first heating up the corners of the inner displays and then removing the plastic bumper surrounding the inner screens, Nelson discovers that it's difficult to remove the display from the frame without wrecking it.

However, since there are no other internal components here, the only time someone would pry open the display is to replace the display itself. We must state at this point (as does Nelson) that this isn't meant to be a guide or explainer on dismantling the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Doing something like this on your own would certainly void its warranty, so keep that in mind.

Among the key differences between the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and its 2022 predecessor is the presence of what Samsung calls a shock dispersion layer (pictured below). This new component is revealed after prying open the display and is seemingly made of foam.

But it's hard to understand how this actually works and if Samsung's claims of the phone's durability being improved over previous Z Fold models will hold. Perhaps we'll have to wait for a future drop-test video to learn more about this new part's effectiveness in real-world situations. Moving on to the front screen, the Z Fold 5 shattered as soon as Nelson tried to open it using the tried-and-trusted combination of a heat gun, a suction cup, and a prying tool.

There's some good news, however, as both batteries on the foldable are easily removable. This is great from a repairability perspective, but the fact that you may accidentally wreck one of the screens while getting to the batteries makes this an exercise in futility.

Moving on to the hinge, which has been among the most talked about upgrades this year, JRE found a ton of moving parts keeping it together. In a video detailing the "rigorous reliability tests" that the two new foldables went through, the company explained that the hinge includes a "dual rail structure," supposedly aimed at "diffusing external impacts." The sheer number of screws, springs, and other small components that make up this three-part hinge is quite impressive.

One of the primary design complaints about Samsung's previous Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip models has been the dreaded hinge gap. Fortunately, the company's engineers have ensured this year's models have no such concerns, as is evident from this detailed teardown video. By contrast, one of the Z Fold 5's primary rivals in the industry, the Google Pixel Fold, has a few issues with regard to its internal assembly, as highlighted by a recent teardown of the device, also conducted by JerryRigEverything.

The Z Fold 5 is here, and it’s nothing short of splendid! While it doesn’t particularly blow us away with what it offers, we surely appreciate the subtle improvements it sports over its already-decent predecessor, the Z Fold 4. Even though we didn’t get to see some of the changes we'd hoped for — such as improved battery life — the disappointment was compensated by a powerful chipset, an aesthetically pleasing hinge, and an upgraded camera setup.

Chethan Rao is a news writer at Android Police, primarily focusing on the weekend coverage. He has covered tech for over a decade and has a soft spot for the latest Android hardware. CR scours the internet for live cricket streams or watches NBA highlights in his free time. He also enjoys the occasional hour or two of console/mobile gaming.