Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
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Samsung has responded to the ante that Motorola set earlier in the year by giving the Flip 5 a fancy new 3.4-inch cover screen. Add in some upgraded specs and some slight modifications to the cameras, and the Flip 5 is proving to be the flip phone to beat once again. Plus, it’s the same starting price the previous generation was at launch.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
The Galaxy Z Flip 4 may seem like old news because of its small cover screen, but it’s still a great entry into the world of foldable. With plenty of power and performance under the hood, buying a Galaxy Z Flip 4 now could earn you a great clamshell smartphone and a lower price.
When the invitations went out forSamsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event, the tagline was “Join the flip side.” Of course, that foreshadowed some significant changes coming to the new version of Samsung’s clamshell foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Flip, and now that it’s been announced, we can see why. From big changes like the new cover screen to some new internals, you may wonder how the Galaxy Z Flip 5 stacks up against last year’s Flip 4; here’s what you need to know when comparing the two devices.
Price, specs & availability:
Perhaps in a surprising turn of events, the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the same price as its predecessor was at launch, despite having some significant upgrades over the previous model. you’re able to pick up the Flip 5 when it launched on August 11 (pre-orders start July 26), starting at $1,000 from Samsung directly and from the major carriers in the U.S. Much like the Flip 4, the new model will have 5G compatibility from all the major networks and should be available anywhere you like to purchase your phones.
With the Z Flip 4 being replaced, it will likely be a little harder to find as time goes on, but if you’re looking for a brand new unlocked version, you’ll still spend about $900 as it stands right now. Of course, Samsung has been running a pretty good trade-in deal that can see you take up to $700 off a Flip 4 with an eligible phone to swap. The Flip 5 will likely have some trade-in deals available through Samsung as well on launch.
Design and displays: The new cover screen is all the rage
Unfolded, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 looks nearly identical to the Flip 4 that came before it; both primary inner displays are 6.7-inch AMOLED panels with the same 2640 x 1080 resolution and have an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. That means the screen will be smooth for scrolling and gaming and offer great color contrast, just like what we expect from high-end Samsung panels. Even the dimensions are nearly identical when the Flip 4 and Flip 5 are unfolded, with the new model measuring just the slightest (0.1mm) less tall than last year’s model. Of course, the big difference in design and display comes when you fold the clamshell.
After seeing what Motorola did with the cover screen on theMoto Razr+early this year, we expected Samsung to upgrade the cover screen in a big way on the Z Flip 5, and they did not disappoint. Gone is the tiny little sliver of a screen (1.9-inches) that the Flip 4 had, and in its place comes a 3.4-inch OLED display that takes up most of the folded-up top of the Galaxy Z Flip 5. It has a bit of a unique shape, looking like a file folder icon on a computer and bringing it to a 720 x 748 resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. Unlike the Moto Razr+, the display doesn’t wrap around the two cameras, thus making its weird shape possible. Still, the 3.4-inch cover display is a stark difference when compared to the previous model, and much like Motorola, it offers a lot more functionality. You’ll have access to more features and app functions than ever before, making it possible to not need to unfold your Z Flip 5 as often.
Lastly, when folded up, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 looks about the same as its predecessor did in terms of size, although the minimum thickness where it tapers off is a little bit thinner at only 15.1mm instead of the 15.9mm we saw last year. It’s likely not a massively noticeable difference, but it’s still nice to know that Samsung is trying to slim down the phone as much as it can.
Performance and software: A slight bump over last year
As with phones that get new models yearly, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 packs some slight upgrades on its internals that will boost its performance over the Flip 4 a small amount. Across the board, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Flip 5 will perform better than the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 that’s inside last year’s model. you’re able to look atreview scores and Geekbench numbers on NanoReviewto see some more granular numbers; however, real-world performance is what you will care about when using a phone, and those will likely be about the same as the average person. We won’t know for sure until after we’ve reviewed the phone properly, but typically small upgrades to the newest processor don’t offer giant leaps in performance in real-world applications.
Of course, we’ve seen the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in action inside theSamsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and we can confirm that it is an absolute workhorse, and you can likely expect about the same level of power in the Flip 5. You’ll be running any apps super well, and gaming will feel like a breeze. The chip powers some of thebest Android phoneson the market, so you know it’s going to satisfy.
You’ll still get 8GB of RAM inside the Galaxy Flip 5, though it is LPDDR5X over the LPDDR5 in the Flip 4. This will likely be unnoticeable to you when you’re using the phone, but it is a bit more battery-efficient at the end of the day.
As for software, you can expect the Flip 5 to launch with the newest version of OneUI (OneUI 5.1.1), which is based on Android 13. Samsung’s version of Android is pretty refined at this point and offers a ton of customization and settings to play around with, so nobody will feel like there is a lack of features on the Flip 5. Plus, with the new cover screen, you can expect a vastly improved software experience when using the Flip 5 folded up. Plus, as Samsung is still leading the way in post-launch software support, the Flip 5 should receive plenty of updates over the coming years and will be supported just a year more than the Flip 4 is planned to receive support.
Battery: Same size; cover screen could be deciding factor
With no incredibly major changes in the device’s physical design, it’s unsurprising that the Galaxy Z Flip 5 carries the same 3,700mAh battery inside that its predecessor did. While reviewing the Galaxy Z Flip 4, we found that the battery life was pretty sufficient, often getting through a whole day with moderate use just fine. If you do a lot of gaming throughout your day, you’ll likely see that dip a bit; however, the Galaxy Flip 5 has a few things that may improve its battery life.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is a more power-efficient chipset than the Flip 4 carried, and the LPDDR5X RAM inside the Z Flip 5 should also be a little more battery-friendly. Of course, on the flip side (pardon my pun), that new 3.4-inch cover screen is undoubtedly going to take more power to run than the tiny 1.9-inch screen on the Flip 4, so even with the better efficiency on the internals, battery life overall might not change too much. We won’t know how it performs precisely until we get our hands on it, but in any case, I wouldn’t expect much more battery life than the Flip 4 offered.
The battery charging is still stuck at 25W for wired charging, which still pales in comparison to the 45W you can get on other Samsung flagships like theGalaxy S23+, but wired charging should juice up from 0-50% in about 30 minutes. Plus, the Flip 5 also brings back Wireless PowerShare, so you can once again charge up your Samsung earbuds or other compatible devices with the battery on your Flip 5.
Cameras: Not too much improvement on paper
One of the weakest parts of going with Samsung’s clamshell foldable is the camera performance, as the company has opted to put less fancy hardware in its lenses than the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Still, it’s not like they can’t take some good pictures, and the Z Flip 4 specifically improved the night photography performance of the foldable over the Flip 3.
Looking at the hardware itself, the rear cameras appear nearly identical; the same 12MP f/1.8 wide-angle we had on the Flip 4 makes its return on the Flip 5 as the primary sensor. It’s good at taking a wide variety of shots and will produce great results as a point-and-shoot option, while the ultra-wide (the same as last year) is excellent for taking landscapes.
The most significant advantage of using the cameras on the Z Flip has always been when Samsung leverages its unique foldable design to its best abilities. Using the cover screen as a viewfinder or propping the phone up on an angle, so you can take selfies without even touching your phone, will always be infinitely more fun than just snapping a pic with a regular old slab phone. Now, with the cover display even bigger and better than before on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, that experience should be more enjoyable and valuable.
Speaking of selfies, the selfie camera has changed a little bit, offering a 10MP f/2.2 sensor instead of one that only has an f/2.4; this should result in a slight upgrade in the selfie camera experience, as the wider aperture offers a bit more of that natural bokeh on your photos. It likely won’t be noticeable unless you’re a real photography fanatic, but it’s a slight upgrade nonetheless.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 vs. Z Flip 4: Should you upgrade?
It’s hard not to recommend the Galaxy Z Flip 5 to anyone interested in the clamshell-style foldable phone, as it looks just as impressive (maybe even more so) as the Moto Razr+, and that cover screen looks great. Add in the fact that it’s starting at the same price (with more base storage) as the Flip 4 was at launch, and I think Samsung has once again positioned itself to be the clamshell foldable phone manufacturer to beat.
Of course, if you’re talking about upgrading your current Z Flip 4 to the new one, it will likely come down to how much you love the new cover screen since many of the internal upgrades are minimal. Yes, the Flip 5 is likely a tad more powerful and could be more battery efficient. Still, the experience it offers outside the cover display changes will likely be very similar to its predecessor.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 features some impressive upgrades, including the awesome 3.4-inch cover screen, that’s surely going to keep it in the conversation of the best foldable phones once again.
Frankly, if you’re looking to jump into the foldable phone market for the first time, now (or a little later) might be the best time to get a Galaxy Z Flip 4. It has a cheaper starting point and will offer pretty comparable performance to the new model. Of course, you’ll resign to the much smaller, less helpful cover screen. But, with good trade-in deals and sales bound to pop up as this product starts to fade from the conversation, you might find yourself getting a lovely deal on still a pretty great phone all around.
If you’re looking to jump into the world of foldable for the first time, you can’t go wrong with the Galaxy Z FLip 4. It still delivers plenty of power and performance, even if it does lack a nice big cover screen. Still, as the stock of this phone begins to fade, deals and sales might make it a very savvy purchase if you’re looking to save some dough.
