SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FLIP5 REVIEW: A Flexible and Powerful Evolution Over Its Predecessor
Following an extended period of uncontested leadership in the foldable phone market, Samsung faced a notable shift when competition took the center stage among all-screen fronts smartphones. This marked a significant turning point, as Samsung’s dominant position was challenged by this innovative feature, now introducing their Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, being recognized as the best option in this category, thanks to its innovative features and impressive design.
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 Specifications
| OS: | One UI 5.1.1, Android 13 |
|---|---|
| Processor: | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 For Galaxy |
| Display: | Cover Screen – 3.4″ Super AMOLED, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 Inner Screen – 6.7″ Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X 120Hz HDR10+ |
| Wireless Connections: | 5G, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Memory: | 8GB+256GB 8GB+512GB |
| Connectors: | USB Type-C, OTG |
| Cameras: | Rear Camera: Main – 12MP. f/1.8 Ultrawide – 12MP, f/2.2 Front Camera: 10MP, f/2.2 |
| SIM Card Slots: | Dual SIM (Nano-SIM), eSIM |
| Battery: | 3,700mAh 25W Wired Charging 15W Wireless Charging |
| Price: | 8GB+256GB – Php 64,990 8GB+512GB – Php 71,990 |
Its Appearance
At first glance, foldable phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 may resemble standard phones in chunky cases. However, when you fold up the Galaxy Flip5, its distinctive and eye-catching compact form immediately sets it apart. It’s perfectly pocket-sized and ideal for one-handed use. We’ll delve into interacting with the expanded cover screen, now referred to as the Flex Window, shortly.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 has a body measurement of 165.1×71.9×6.9mm and weighs 187g. The noteworthy design change in the Galaxy Flip5 is Samsung’s decision to enlarge the phone’s exterior Flex Window. Samsung chose not to integrate its primary camera lenses directly into this screen. Instead, they’ve designed a corner notch for the cameras, which gives the cover screen a resemblance to an inverted file folder.
Another significant development this year is the complete reengineering of Samsung’s hinge design, resulting in the phone folding completely shut without any visible gap at the hinge end. While it might appear to be a minor alteration, it represents a notable achievement for a phone that has been seen by many generations. This change effectively eliminates what I would describe as one of the significant compromises associated with the Galaxy Flip5.
Samsung added small, raised parts at the corners of the Flip’s screen. These prevent the screen halves from touching when the phone is closed using the flat hinge. Without these raised parts, the screen could get damaged, so they’re a useful addition for protection.
On the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip’s perimeter, you will find the USB Type-C port centered on the bottom edge along with the speaker and microphone holes. Moving up the right side, beyond the hinge, you’ll come across the power button and volume rocker. The power button houses the phone’s fingerprint scanner. At the top, you’ll find a microphone hole along with a SIM tray and a window for antennas on the left.
It features a screen protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and is encased in an aluminum frame. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 that we have on hand is in its Mint Color variant. Other color options available are Graphite, Cream, Lavander, and Blue.
Its Display and Features
The primary display, which you’ll frequently fold and unfold to use the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 as a regular phone, hasn’t undergone significant changes. It remains a 6.7-inch 120Hz Super AMOLED panel with a resolution of 2640 x 1080 pixels, but it now boasts a peak brightness of 1750 nits. On the other hand, they’ve expanded its Flexible Window from a 1.9-inch, 512 x 260 display to a 3.4-inch, 748 x 720 Super AMOLED screen with 306 pixels per inch that largely occupies the available space.
This boosted brightness is readily apparent during use, whether indoors or in well-lit outdoor settings. Additionally, the Galaxy Z Flip5 retains all the typical advantages of Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays with 120 Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ having a resolution of 1080x2640px. Its aspect ratio is 22:99 with 425 pixels per inch, including wide viewing angles, deep blacks, and vibrant colors.
In the past, foldable phones may have appeared as a solution to a problem that didn’t exist. While that perception may still hold, the convenience of being able to send messages, take photos, and respond to notifications on a device that comfortably fits in the palm of your hand offers a level of practicality that’s challenging to appreciate until you’ve experienced it.
With the Galaxy Z Flip5’s smaller screen that gives you a bigger upgrade from its predecessor, this is hard to miss. The larger front screen on the Galaxy Z Flip5 opens a world of possibilities even when the phone is closed. The small screen is primarily designed for widgets rather than full apps. These widgets display the kind of information you’d typically find on a compact screen, including weather updates, your calendar, alarms, and pinned apps and contacts.
From the main lock screen, you can swipe from right to left to navigate through various widgets, and swiping from left to right will display your notifications. An ingenious touch is a small dot on the left side of the screen, which lets you know if you have any unchecked notifications, giving it a smartwatch-like feel.
The Galaxy Z Flip5 features a convenient pinching gesture that shows all widgets on the screen at once, making it easy to jump to a specific screen without repeated swiping. This feature showcases Samsung’s unique approach to navigation and user interface design on a small display. Samsung’s implementation of the Flex Window of the Galaxy Z Flip5 is a promising beginning. It’s straightforward and user-friendly, with ample room for Samsung to further enhance its capabilities.
Its Speakers
The speaker setup on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 follows the typical pattern with one bottom speaker and another at the top, serving as the earpiece. When holding the phone in portrait orientation, the top speaker plays the left channel. However, in landscape mode, the phone dynamically assigns the channels to match the phone’s orientation in space.
Regarding sound quality, the new Flip is on par with the previous model. It delivers clear vocals, well-defined treble, and a respectable low-end response.
Its Performance
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 runs Samsung’s One UI 5.1.1, based on Android 13. With its powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 For Galaxy (4 nm) Octa-core Adreno 740, this chipset of the Galaxy Z Flip5 is equally fast compared to the S23 series. It may run slightly warmer, possibly due to the limited space for cooling mechanisms, but it doesn’t get excessively hot in my pocket. The base model Galaxy Z Flip5 features 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, which is an improvement from the Flip 4, which began with 128GB. It also has another storage option of 512 GB with 8GB of RAM.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 proves itself as a capable gaming device, well-suited for a wide variety of games, from casual titles like Baloons TD to demanding games like Genshin Impact, although it may experience occasional stuttering when set to high graphics settings. When playing less demanding games like League of Legends: Wild Rift, the experience is smooth, especially when using optimal graphic settings.
Here are some benchmark results of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5:
The Camera
Samsung equips the Samsung Galaxy Flip5 with a pair of 12MP sensors for its primary cameras. The first is the wide-angle camera with an 83˚ field of view, OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), and an f/1.8 aperture. The second is an ultra-wide camera with a 123˚ field of view and an f/2.2 aperture. Both cameras produce images with the typical Samsung-style vividness and saturation that many users appreciate. In terms of low-light performance, it’s functional, but you may encounter some light bloom and flare from sources outside the frame. However, the most significant limitation of this camera setup is the absence of a telephoto option. While digital zoom is available, it comes with inherent compromises.
Moving on its 10MP selfie camera, it may not be exceptionally remarkable, but it does capture clear shots, although with a slightly washed-out appearance. What’s worth noting is Samsung’s decision to stick with a traditional notch cutout for the front camera on this foldable device, avoiding experimentation with under-display technology. However, the real intrigue when discussing selfies on Flip5 lies in the unique features it brings to the table.
The camera on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 truly shines when it comes to the interaction between its imaging hardware and the unique foldable form factor. This combination results in some exciting features, such as the phone acting as its own stand when partially open. However, the standout feature is the ability to use the flexible screen as a viewfinder for the phone’s primary camera, providing a significant enhancement to your selfie game. The experience is remarkably versatile: you can enable the front preview with the phone fully unfolded right from the camera app, or quickly access it when the phone is closed by double-tapping the power button. You can also switch between a smaller view that displays the entire sensor’s view or zoom in to fill the screen.
Here are the sample pictures:
In terms of video capabilities, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 excels. Its rear camera can capture videos at up to 4K resolution at either 30fps or 60fps, while the front camera is capable of recording 4K videos at 30fps. Both cameras perform admirably in terms of accurately exposing the subject. Color reproduction is consistent with the main camera’s output, and other aspects like contrast and dynamic range are well-matched. The Galaxy Z Flip5 also boasts excellent stabilization. Walking-induced shake is minimal, pans are smooth, and pointing the phone in one direction makes the footage appear as though it was shot on a tripod.
Selfie videos on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 also yield impressive results. The cover screen provides a sufficiently large viewfinder for precise framing, skin tones appear natural, and the background blur adds a pleasing level of subject separation.
The coverage you get at arm’s length, thanks to stabilization cropping, is also satisfactory, reducing the need for selfie sticks (though they can be helpful if you’re seriously into selfie videos for vlogging or other purposes).
Its Battery Life
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 is equipped with 3700mAh battery, and it is capable of charging up to 25W (wired) and 15W in wireless charging. Unfortunately, charger is not included upon receiving the review unit. In my experience with the Galaxy Z Flip5 so far, it has been able to sustain me of mixed usage on a single charge for my normal daily usage of reading, watching videos or movies, playing games and making art works.
Final Thoughts about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, with its larger and more practical external screen, represents the most compelling option in the category’s history, catering to a broader audience beyond just tech enthusiasts. It delivers outstanding performance, capable cameras, and, of course, the unique folding capability. Additionally, it successfully merges advanced flexible screen technology with an exterior panel size that invokes nostalgia, making it an appealing choice for both those eager to explore new possibilities and those driven by sentimental value. These enhancements combine to create a more comprehensive and refined package compared to its predecessors.
While the Galaxy Z Flip5 isn’t without its flaws, it stands as the best device in its lineup thus far. It’s an excellent choice for individuals looking to transition from traditional slab-style phones to a foldable device, and it also serves as a noteworthy upgrade for those who own the original Galaxy Z Flip and the Galaxy Z Flip 3.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 is priced at Php 64,990 for its 8GB + 256 GB and Php 71,990 for its 8GB + 512 GB model. You can buy it at their official store as it will be available on Lazada, Shopee and their official store at https://www.samsung.com/ph/.
