With the cheapest Galaxy S23, Samsung has opted for a compromise that can affect the performance of the top smartphone in the long run. Samsung wants to make exactly the same compromise with another smartphone. The aim is to keep the price within limits.

SamsungElectronics

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 with slower storage

Samsung launched the Galaxy S23 smartphones and only offers a version with 128 GB of internal memory for the cheapest model. This memory is one of the UFS 3.1 class, which corresponds to older smartphones. All other models and memory versions from 256 GB is UFS 4.0 storage and about twice as fast. This is exactly what Samsung wants to save on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 (source: SamMobile). Only there should there be a version with 128 GB and slower memory. The Galaxy Z Fold 5, on the other hand, is said to start at 256 GB and faster storage.

This may not seem like a big problem at first, because UFS 3.1 storage in combination with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 also produces very high performance, as I noticed when testing the Galaxy S23 with 128 GB. But in the long run this could become a disadvantage. Samsung gives software updates for five years and the trend is that more and more people use their phones for a very long time. A 128 GB model of the Galaxy S23 could therefore be inferior to a 256 GB model in four years and not be quite as powerful. Accordingly, the surcharge of 50 euros is worth it to not only get more, but also faster storage.

Samsung is taking this step to keep the price of the Galaxy Z Flip 5 stable or not having to boost too much. Despite this trick, the price of the Galaxy S23 was increased by 100 euros (see Amazon). If Samsung had used 256 GB directly, you would have had to pay 1,000 euros directly for the Galaxy S23.

This is what the current Galaxy S23 smartphones from Samsung can do:

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 with large external display

It was only recently announced that Samsung will install a much larger external display in the Galaxy Z Fold 5. This allows you to use the smartphone better if you don’t want to open it. Many other manufacturers from China are going in a similar direction. So Samsung has to do it again in order not to be overtaken by the competition.

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