Even before the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 foldable smartphone was officially released, Gadget Bridge had been tinkering with it. Everyone at Gadget Bridge was incredibly eager to explore the device once it arrived, and the cover screen in particular was the main driver of this enthusiasm. All of the foldables have been reviewed by our team members up to this point, and we have been using this one as our daily driver for almost a month.
We wanted to highlight certain significant features of this phone, one of which is its build and durability. Long-term durability is provided by the hinge design, which feels stronger and now folds with absolutely no gap. The phone’s larger, better cover screen, though, has to be its main selling point. In order to determine whether it is necessary to upgrade your foldable phone if you currently own one, let’s quickly review the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Design and Display
Due to dust particles building up underneath the display on the previous generation of Samsung foldables, there were problems with the screen, and the display protector frequently wore out quickly. In order to fix this issue, Samsung greatly improved the space between the hinges, preventing dust from entering the area where the phone actually folds in the middle. Regarding the crease, it is undeniably visible.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 featured increased durability and water resistance in addition to fitting almost any place. This foldable smartphone is protected by Armour Aluminium frames and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The current models don’t have dust resistance, but they do have IPX8 water resistance (you can swim with it) for increased durability.
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The Galaxy Z Fold 5’s two halves now almost touch when folded; there is a small gap there that is not as noticeable as much as on the previous model (Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Review). The hinge is sturdy enough to be used with the numerous Flex-mode-related software functions and to be held at the desired angle.
One of the phone’s most noteworthy improvements this time is the larger Cover Screen, which offers both productivity and customised features. It sports an improved Flex Window that is 3.78 times bigger than the Cover Screen of its predecessor.
In contrast to its predecessor, which was 17.1mm thicker, the Z Flip 5 is smaller and measures 15.1mm thick when folded.
Consequently, it is significantly more portable and feels sturdy in the hand. Despite being a flip phone, it doesn’t seem at all flimsy and is more portable.
At the bottom, there is a speaker grille, a USB Type C port, and two microphones. The SIM card tray, which only supports one nano SIM card (of which one must be an eSIM), is located on the left side of the device. The volume rocker and power button are located on the right side. At the top, there is a noise-cancelling microphone.
The remaining design elements are, nevertheless, unchanged. The power button on the left is integrated with a fingerprint scanner. Additionally, the Z Flip 5 is now available in fresh mint colour, which we have for review. While there are other options, such as black, white, and lavender, we believe this mint looks good.
It has a 1,080×2,640 full-HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex inner display with a refresh rate of 120Hz. The main display’s aspect ratio is 22:9. A 3.4-inch Super AMOLED cover display with a resolution of 720×748 pixels, a refresh rate of 60Hz, and a pixel density of 306ppi is featured on the device. Additionally, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection is present on the back panel and the display.
The main foldable AMOLED screen has a new shock-dispersion layer inside, while the sides are made of armour aluminium. Thus, the display is almost entirely tall. The bezels are thin and of identical size. Dynamic refresh rates range from 1Hz to 120Hz on it. The inside is dynamic, however, the cover panel only has a 60Hz refresh rate.
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The stereo speakers, which are still at the bottom, are also the same. You receive stereo speakers that are powerful and of high quality, along with Dolby Atmos support. This phone is fantastic for multimedia as well.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Performance and Camera
With the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, you may flip open the device to answer calls. Simply folding the phone closed will end a call as well.
The new cover screen, which Samsung refers to as a Flex Window, is now 3.78 times bigger than the previous iteration, as we have noted. This is currently one of the significant advancements that the foldable phone has received. It introduces a number of new features and customisation possibilities.
With a right swipe, you can access notifications, check out the quick settings, and launch Samsung Pay from the bottom. There are also many widgets when you swipe right. These perform better and look better on a larger screen. On the cover screen, you can easily access the widget you want by pinching it, which allows multitasking on this screen.
For the Flex window, you also receive a tonne of awesome wallpapers that you can all customise. Additionally, a better camera preview is now displayed on the screen. In either photo mode or video mode, you have access to all the controls. You may even instantly check your images right here. The phone’s flex mode allows you to use the main camera or the ultra-wide angle camera to snap pictures or videos.
It’s good that you can now perform other tasks like dialling a number with this fully functional dialer without having to open the entire phone. In addition, a full Qwerty keyboard is available for text replying directly from the Flex window. The calendar’s view can also be changed. The weather widget will then scroll so you can see more information. Swiping up launches the Samsung Wallet, allowing you to tap and pay and access documents like IDs and boarding passes. You can also use Samsung Pay and NFC to make payments with a card or UPI.
Not only that, but we really appreciate the bubble that appears in the bottom left corner of the cover screen while music is playing or a call is in progress.
You can try out some of the new capabilities in the Lab option under Advanced features in the Settings. For example, you may add your preferred apps to the cover screen as well as use the primary panel on the cover screen. There are a few apps like messages, maps, and others available right now. It’s interesting to note that WhatsApp and maps functioned flawlessly on the cover screen.
However, little has changed in terms of specifications. It features the identical Armour Aluminium frame, IPX8 water resistance rating, LTPO display, battery, and camera set-up. The performance improvement comes from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy. CPU and GPU cores of this particular Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC have been overclocked. 8GB of LPDDR5x RAM and 256GB or 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage are both included with the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
Adreno 740 GPU is already included inside it for graphics. We have found the device to be responsive, both while using it regularly and when playing games. You can play games on the highest settings. We used a 120FPS setting for Call of Duty: Mobile.
The phone’s benchmarks are undoubtedly excellent. In our Geekbench 6 CPU test, it scored:
- Single-Core Score: 2017
- Multi-Core Score: 5280
CPU Benchmark results: 7380
It has the latest OneUI 5.1.1 software, which is based on Android 13. Samsung promises major updates for four years and security updates for five years. This foldable phone, taking into account the software and hardware, is in our opinion one of the finest optimised. The new dual touch feature that Samsung has incorporated into the Z Flip 5 is another intriguing feature. This makes it simple to drag and drop several photographs to WhatsApp and do a lot more.
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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5’s camera is a dual rear camera system, just like its predecessor. It features a 12-megapixel ultra-wide primary sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and 123-degree FoV, as well as a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera with dual pixel autofocus and an f/1.8 lens, 83-degree field of view, and support for optical image stabilisation (OIS). A 10-megapixel selfie camera with an f/2.2 aperture and an 85-degree FoV is used to take pictures and make video calls.
The camera, whether on the front or back, is identical to that of the Flip 4, however, Samsung has improved its optimisation. The images come out well; Samsung never lets us down in this area. Both the colours and the details are brilliant. The photographs appear clear and with good sharpness.
A new AI-powered method ensures that noise in low-light images is minimised. The photographs captured at night have richer colours and details in addition to less noise. You also get a digital 10X zoom along with upgraded Nightography features to optimise pictures in dim light.
Not just images, but also 4K videos seem fantastic. Both the rear and the front cameras are capable of recording 4K footage. The videos that were recorded have good clarity, sharpness, and most important of all, stability.
The battery is identical to that of the previous model. On the Galaxy Z Flip 5, Samsung has included a 3,700mAh battery that enables 25W rapid charging. The battery can be charged from empty to 50%, according to the manufacturer, in just 30 minutes. Additionally, Fast Wireless Charging 2.0 and Wireless PowerShare are supported by the phone. Given that it features the newest flagship chipset in comparison to what you had on the Flip 4, the battery will likely last you longer. We were able to get a screen on time of 5 to 6 hours without interruption.
Verdict
Handling the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is effortless. Additionally, it is smaller and more robust. The new models still have an IPX8 construction but lack dust resistance. Due to the revised hinge design, the phone no longer has a gap, but a dustproof folding phone would undoubtedly provide Samsung an advantage over rivals. It’s a powerful phone, so you can play games at the highest settings. The speakers are quite loud and clear. Additionally, the cover display is a lot more functional, so you’ll probably open the Flip 5 much less than you would the Flip 4. With all the functionality it adds, the cover screen is undoubtedly the best and a significant game-changer in this situation.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 begins at Rs 99,999 (but you might get some discount with your bank cards). The company is currently providing a lot of offers, though, if you purchase it immediately. So we say, just buy it if you can afford it.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Pros
- Portable
- Has a larger cover display
- Amazing cameras
- New hinge design
- Any games can be played on the highest settings
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Cons
- Expensive
- Is not dustproof
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