Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 could be the most durable foldables yet

Samsung makes some of the world’s best foldables, and one of their key selling points is durability – and the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 could be the most durable folding phones from any brand yet, if a new rumor is to be believed.

There are plenty of flagship phones that boast IP-certified resistance against dust and water ingress, with IP68 certification being the most common and most robust level of protection you’ll find in devices like the Samsung Galaxy S23 series and iPhone 14 family (check out our IP ratings explained article for more).

The landscape looks rather different when it comes to foldable phones, however, with the added complication of moving parts and exposed hinges making such fortification seemingly impossible; or so we thought until Samsung introduced the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3, back in August 2021.

The company’s last two generations of foldables have boasted IPX8 water resistance, meaning they can withstand being fully submerged in water while being able to keep on ticking; no mean feat, and one that rival foldable makers are yet to match.

Even with this generational lead, Samsung doesn’t appear to be resting on its laurels, if new rumors about the Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 (expected to arrive this August) are to be believed. Claims that both folding phones will see the ‘X’ in their predecessors’ IP ratings replaced with a ‘6’ would mean certified protection against dust, dirt and grit, as well as water.

As suggested by tipster chunvn8888 on Twitter, not only will the Fold 5 offer a more lightweight design compared to its predecessor, while both expected foldables will boast a zero-gap folding design, thanks to the adoption of a new waterdrop hinge; apparently the company is testing certified dust-proofing too.

This would make the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5 the world’s first folding phones to be IP68-certified against both dust and water ingress, strengthening the South Korean company’s lead in foldable durability, and further closing the compromise gap between foldables and conventional candybar-style smartphones.

They’re already number one, so why try harder?

Considering that we’ve now enjoyed two generations of Z Flip and Z Fold phones with IPX8 certification against water ingress, it feels as though it won’t be too much longer before the company’s most notable rivals in the foldable space manage to match or surpass Samsung with regards to device durability.

Oppo’s latest foldable, and its first clamshell – the Oppo Find N2 Flip – was erroneously listed as boasting IPX4 certification when it first launched internationally. Oppo promptly corrected this detail but followed with the statement, “the Oppo Find N2 Flip has other features to ensure it delivers [an] excellent dustproof and waterproof experience for consumers. To prevent dust from coming into the device, the middle bezel of the hinge and rotation shaft are carefully merged, making sure that the dust-repelling gap is less than 0.18mm. This gap is designed as part of the hinge, stopping foreign matter from filtering into the unit and impacting the internal components of the device.”

So, while Samsung remains the only phonemaker producing IP-certified foldables at the moment, there are clear signs that the competition is catching up, making the need to add dust-proofing, and thus offer another unique selling point on its foldables, all the more pressing.

Alex joined as TechRadar’s Senior Phones Editor in June 2022, but brings over a decade’s worth of experience to the role, with an expertise in smartphones, tablets and wearables. He’s covered keynotes hosted by the biggest brands and attended the launches for some of the most influential mobile products of the last few years. His experience was amassed at some of the most reputable consumer technology publications out there, including GSMArena, TechAdvisor and Trusted Reviews. Alex is currently holding out hope for the Pixel Watch’s success and is excited for the advancements coming to the world of foldable phones in the near future.