The Fold 5 is made with multi-tasking in mind, blending the lines between a powerful smartphone and mini tablet. It’s our new pick for the best foldable phone, and if you’re keen to buy it, we’ve taken a close look at Telstra, Optus and Vodafone to find the best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 plans available.
Vodafone has the cheapest plan available, and that’s a big reason why we’ve chosen it as the best option for most people. If you want to save a little more money on your phone plan, some telcos will offer you a discount if you trade in an older device when you first sign up. Considering the Fold 5 has an incredibly high starting price of AU$2,599, we definitely recommend considering this option.
You can also buy the Fold 5 outright from Amazon, Samsung and other retailers, which will allow you to choose any telco for your phone plan. We have a dedicated guide to the best SIM-only plans if you want some recommendations on which provider to go with. And if you’re on the fence about this phone, our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review has in-depth analysis.
Noteworthy Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 deals
You can score some good deals on the freshly launched Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, here are the ones you need to know before committing to a contract:
- Optus | get a bonus Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 when you buy the Fold 5 on a plan, and remain on an Optus Watch Plan for 24 or 36 months
- Vodafone | save AU$300 on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 when you connect to a plan + get a bonus AU$500 credit if you trade in an older device
Best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 plans: our picks
Best overall Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 plan
Best premium Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 plan
Cheap Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 plans
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is an expensive phone, with prices starting at AU$2,599. But if you’re set on buying it and you’re looking for a way to reduce your monthly phone bill, one option is to sign up for a 36-month contract. This will lower the cost of your monthly repayments, but you’ll be stuck with your chosen telco for longer, which may see you pay more than you need to in the longer term. In general, we recommend signing up to a 24-month contract if you can. Here’s a look at 36-month options from the big three:
Outright Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 deals
Buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 outright from these retailers:
| Storage | 256GB | 512GB | 1TB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | AU$2,599 | AU$2,799 | AU$3,149 |
| Colours | Black, cream, light blue. Samsung exclusives: grey, blue | Black, cream, light blue. Samsung exclusives: grey, blue | Black, cream, light blue. Samsung exclusives: grey, blue |
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 at a glance: what you need to know
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is almost like two devices in one – you’ve got a smartphone on the outside and a mini tablet when you open it up. The Fold 5 is also slimmer and lighter than the Galaxy Z Fold 4, and it now folds perfectly flat when you close it, all excellent design updates we’re happy to see.
Now that the two internal screens fold flat and the gap has been removed, it feels as though the severity of the screen crease has lessened somewhat. For now, the crease is part and parcel of having a flexible screen, but it’s not prominent enough to take away from the lovely 7.6-inch AMOLED display that greets you when you open up the device. This display is excellent for managing multiple apps, taking photos, streaming Netflix and playing games.
As we discussed in our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review, we now feel that the 6.2-inch cover screen on the device is a step too narrow, which detracts from its productivity capabilities. While a 6.2-inch screen might sound quite spacious – it is technically bigger than the iPhone 14’s 6.1-inch display – keep in mind that it measures diagonally and the Fold 5’s exterior screen is narrow.
The outside display is still great for checking email, social media and browsing the web, but we found the keyboard could be too cramped for typing. Experience might vary person to person, but ultimately you’ll have to open the phone up to get the most out of its multi-tasking talent.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 now comes with the custom-made Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Samsung, which is the same processor powering the Samsung Galaxy S23 series. That means the Fold 5 is primed for almost anything – high frame rate gaming and editing 4K video from a pocket-sized device.
As for cameras, it’s packing the same lenses as its Fold 4 predecessor. Its rear cameras include a 50MP wide-angle, 12MP ultra-wide and 10MP telephoto lens, while the cover display has a 10MP selfie camera and the folding display has a 4MP under-display lens.
All told, if you’re ready to try your first foldable phone, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is easily the top choice in Australia.
