What Cases Did I Buy For The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5?

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The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is an expensive phone. At nearly $2,000, this is a clear cut case of a product that requires protection. This foldable is also unique in that it requires two separate pieces to cover the front and the back of the phone. Without the large selection of options out there that a single slab phone has, here are the phone cases I chose to purchase for my Z Fold 5. Which of these stay on my phone the most? Let’s find out.

Samsung Slim S-Pen Case

The first case I purchased prior to even receiving my Z Fold 5 was the official Samsung S-Pen case. As a phone that is compatible with an S-Pen, I wanted to test the foldable out with an official pen. The Slim S-Pen case is the easiest way to get into the Samsung S-Pen ecosystem for the Z Fold 5. The pen stores into the rear panel of the case. It isn’t flush to the case like the camera sensors nearly are, but the storage compartment for the pen doesn’t protrude out too much. It’s a very clean look when everything is stored away.

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I purchased the Icy Blue color that includes a neon yellow-ish S-Pen. It probably isn’t the first color that comes to mind when matching with this baby blue shade, but I actually think it compliments one another nicely. When the pen is slotted into the case, it essentially becomes an accent color for the case. There’s a groove at the tip of the storage space that when pressed down into will release the S-Pen from their resting spot. The S-Pen does stay in place neatly and tightly and I’ve never seen it fall out by accident. 

The included S-Pen is the slim variant and not the S-Pen Pro version which does provide some additional benefits. The irony of the Z Fold 5’s S-Pen is that the cover display isn’t compatible with it at all. You can only operate the S-Pen and its features on the full screen. That is a major detractor that might not make buying this case worth it for some.

The other minor detractor is that the front case that clips onto the cover display uses adhesives to stay into place. Once it’s attached, it should stay there as these adhesives do get messy when you peel it off, leaving residue on the frame of the Z Fold 5. When you peel it off or want to change it to a different phone, you could reapply new adhesives into the case.

I find the case to be well made with it being a matte plastic material that feels good to hold. It doesn’t add too much additional weight or bulk to the Z Fold 5. The volume rockers, power button and the hinge are exposed for easy access to the functions they hold. Those aren’t that big of an issue whereas the hinge is the potentially dangerous spot as I have already dinged up mine from a drop. If you’re looking for added protection on the hinge, this case doesn’t cover that. 

Samsung Standing Case With Strap

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Another official Samsung product, the Kickstand case is unique because it can be swapped out with another piece that transforms the functionality of the product. While it is made out of the exact same material and looks similar to that of Samsung’s Slim S-Pen case, the major difference is located on that rear piece. Instead of an S-Pen slot, this Samsung case has a kickstand that can prop up the phone while it is oriented in landscape mode. There’s a slight groove for your finger to prop the kickstand out of the resting slot that houses the flap inside the body. Once again, Samsung has designed this to look clean and minimalist where the case looks satisfying to look at when everything is stored away. Unfortunately, the kickstand is a bit awkward in that the length and angle where it is located doesn’t comfortably prop the Z Fold 5 open without wobbling in portrait mode.    

Since this slot is modular, Samsung does provide buyers with a second addition to the case in the form of a strap. By sliding the module with a little force out of the slot, you can then insert the other module for a different function. I originally wanted to buy this case solely for the ability to have a better grip on the Z Fold 5 while the phone was fully opened. With a 7.6 inch display when fully opened, that’s a lot of real estate to hold and navigate with one hand. This case module allows you to push the strap down from its resting spot where you can then slide a couple fingers through the loop formed by the strap. It’s not the best solution for a stable grip, but it at least does feel slightly safer to hold the phone while opened as a tablet. 

The unfortunate downside of this modular design is that you cannot benefit from both functions at the same time. When the kickstand module is attached, you can’t have a strap handle and vice versa. That means if you do want to hold the phone with a strap and then set it down on a table with a kickstand after, you will need to carry both modules with you at all times. Like with most things in life that have detachable parts, that’s a potential recipe for losing items.

Torras Slim Armor Pro Case

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The case I currently use most of the time is from Torras. Unlike the Samsung OEM cases, the cover case does not use adhesives to keep attached to the phone. It’s as simple to remove as it is to put on. I can get a solid grip on the case even though the back material is a bit of a smooth and silky feeling. The Torras case has a translucent back that is protected by something they call 2nd gen X-SHOCK tech. I’m not exactly sure what that entails in terms of the materials they use, but it has endured a bump and drop like a champ. However, like a lot of slim cases, the hinge is exposed and as I mentioned prior, is a potential danger for the functionality of the phone if damaged.     

Circling back to the rear piece, the case is Magsafe compatible with a ring designating the area for the magnetic connection. All the Magsafe accessories that I’ve attached onto the Torras case have held on firmly and have gained my trust to stay in place. I love the clean aesthetic the case brings to the phone. A Magsafe ring didn’t used to tickle my fancy, but something about a dark frosted translucent appearance mixed with black accents has me interested in this one. 

The protection this case offers is also visibly attentive to detail as you can see the 1.5 mm camera and screen lips that guard both of those things respectively. They’re not prominent enough to add bulk to the case as it still is a slim feeling slab, but the lips provide enough extra depth where I do feel confident that it could hit the edges first before it would hit the lenses. This case does cover up the volume rockers with two separate clickable buttons, only leaving a sliver open for the fingerprint scanning power button.

A main selling point for the Torras case is that it can house an S-Pen internally. The way this case stores the S-Pen is interesting as it lodges into the right frame on the cover display panel. It is there that a cutout is positioned for an S-Pen and a sleeve is also stored into the holder slot. When I say a sleeve, I actually mean a sleeve that can protect an S-Pen. It’s a removable rubber that wraps around the pen. It even has a round tip that acts as a precision point for the S-Pen. I had anticipated that a raw S-Pen would just rest in this cutout so that’s a nice surprise that I wasn’t expecting.

However, this S-Pen holder doesn’t house every S-Pen out there. It only fits the S-Pen Fold Edition from the Fold 3 and 4, as well as the Z Fold 5 S-Pen Edition. The S-Pen that comes with the Slim S-Pen case from Samsung does not lodge correctly here and will fall out.

If you don’t own one of those S-Pens or don’t plan on using an S-Pen with the Z Fold 5, then that expanded lip where the pen stores on the cover display frame is a bit awkward to look at empty. I’ve resided to resting my left thumb in that area to try to grasp a stronger grip hold onto the phone when opened up in tablet mode. The great thing about this type of case is that it is in two pieces. You could hypothetically mix and match the front and back pieces with different makes and models to Frankenstein one that works for you.

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