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Ever since its first foldable smartphone came out in 2020, Samsung has been trailblazing the foldable smartphone industry. From innovative hinges to durable screens, every generation of the Galaxy Z series has improved on the last.
Now, in its fifth generation, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 is possibly its best iteration yet—mostly thanks to the bigger cover screen that unlocks much more potential. More to that, though, it’s a break from the ordinary, proving to us once again that smartphone don’t have to be boring squares now.
Here’s our review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 Specifications
- Display: 6.7" FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X (Main Screen), 3.4" Super AMOLED 60Hz Display (Cover Screen)
- Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy
- Operating System: Android 13, OneUI 5.1.1
- Rear Camera: 12MP F2.2 Wide Camera + 12MP F1.8 Wide Camera
- Front Camera: 10MP Selfie Camera
- Memory: 8GB + 512GB / 8GB + 256GB
- Battery: 3,700mAh
- Dimensions: 71.9 x 85.1 x 15.1mm (Folded), 71.9 x 165.1 x 6.9mm (Unfolded)
- Weight: 187g
Design
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 still retains the clamshell design of its predecessor. It folds down into a compact square that fits into just about any pocket and opens up into a stunning 6.7” phone that feels just like a regular smartphone. Remember the old flip phones? This is like that, but on steroids.
But the similarities just about end there. For one, the hinge has been upgraded to a dual-rail Flex Hinge that allows the phone to have a seamless fold unlike in the previous generations. Now, there’s no more pesky gap between the screens to allow debris and foreign objects to damage the screen!
Besides that, the Cover Screen also takes up most of the front of the phone now, with a notch for the rear cameras. The bigger screen, measuring 3.4” across, now has so much more potential!
Display
As mentioned, the Galaxy Z Flip5 now comes with a larger Cover Screen that provides more usability. At 3.4”, it’s a significant upgrade from the Galaxy Z Flip4’s 1.9”. It’s no longer limited to just reading notifications and checking the weather; now, you can reply to messages, use Samsung Wallet, and even play games without even needing to unflip the phone!
Then again, most of these features were only possible through the Good Lock app. At its heart, the Galaxy Z Flip5 really only allows very few apps to run natively on the Cover Screen. Without Good Lock, it’s still confined to mainly just notifications and widgets, albeit with a little more variety and functionality.
On the inside, the main screen doesn’t have much improvement over the last generation. In fact, the paper specs are identical. That’s not to say that it isn’t good; the screen is as paunchy as ever and looks brilliant.
Performance
Under the hood, the Galaxy Z Flip5 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 For Galaxy processor. This is the same beast that powers this year's flagship devices, ensuring smooth performance, whether you're multitasking, gaming, or binge-watching your favourite shows.
As a foldable, the “dual-screen” setup makes it a perfect device for multitasking, especially when it comes to split screens. To be honest, this would be a job more suitable for the Galaxy Z Fold5, in all its large-screen glory; the Galaxy Z Flip5, when unfolded, is really just another regular smartphone. Going into split screen mode on it just works just as well as the Galaxy S23.
Which is to say, it definitely handles the workload well. Games like Call of Duty and Genshin Impact ran seamlessly, even on the Cover Screen—though I wouldn’t say gaming on the Cover Screen is the most pleasant experience, given how small the screen is—and everything else, from browsing social media to watching movies worked amazingly well.
Camera
The Main Display wasn’t the only thing that remained unchanged in the Galaxy Z Flip5. The camera setup, as well, largely remained the same, with dual 12MP cameras on the rear and a 10MP selfie camera on the main screen.
It’s far from the pinnacle of mobile camera technology, but it’s certainly enough to satisfy the casual photographer. The photos taken with the cameras are quite detailed and clear, if not a little oversaturated sometimes, which seems to be a Samsung signature.
The most important thing about photography on the Galaxy Z Flip5, just like in its previous generations, is the Flex Mode feature. The form factor of the foldable phone allows you to take many more photos from various angles, as the Galaxy Z Flip5 can stand on its own without a tripod.
Battery
The Galaxy Z Flip5 sports a battery capacity of 3,700mAh. Given the size of the phone, it’s pretty good, though several other competitors have managed a larger battery in roughly the same size.
In terms of real-world usage, there isn’t really much notable about it. The Galaxy Z Flip5 lasted most of the day with heavy usage, including Always-On Display for the Cover Screen. Pretty standard for smartphones these days, really.
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