The Galaxy Z Flip 5 from Samsung has a larger cover display, a faster CPU, and a redesigned hinge. But is it sufficient to outperform the opposition? View our initial thoughts on the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
The 3.4-inch cover display of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is referred to by Samsung as Flex Window. Shiary Tomer/HT Tech
Samsung finally debuted their upcoming foldable smartphones on July 26 at Galaxy Unpacked 2023, which was hosted in Seoul, South Korea, after weeks of suspense. Even though the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 were the two noteworthy unveilings, everyone is talking about the Flip smartphone. The smartphone has undergone some significant improvements, but are they sufficient to make it the finest flip phone on the market once more, especially in light of the intense competition in this market?
Here are our initial thoughts after using the Galaxy Z Flip 5 for a few days.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5: Excellent in every way
Flexible Window
The wide cover display is one aspect of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5’s design that sets it apart from its predecessor. The smaller 1.9-inch panel has (eventually) been replaced by a larger 3.4-inch AMOLED screen known as the Flex Window by Samsung, which opens up a wide range of options. The Flex Window may be customised in a variety of ways, including the ability to display the time, weather, alerts, and battery level all in one spot.
The Flex Window on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 offers more flexibility than its predecessors. Shiary Tomer/HT Tech
You can scroll through a carousel of additional widgets, like the weather, quick dialer, alarm, health, and more. The fast access options, which include toggles for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, sound modes, a torch, volume, and more, are accessed by simply swiping downward. Oh, and you can rapidly respond to messages right from the cover screen.
Only first-party apps are supported right now, however you can use the Good Lock launcher to use other apps. We wish there had been at least a native Spotify widget like the Oppo Find N2 Flip, but we can only hope that it will be released in the future.
Flex Hinge
With the help of the innovative Flex Hinge, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 can fold completely without leaving a big gap. Shiary Tomer/HT Tech
It’s past time for Samsung to restructure the hinge so that the phone can fully close, and the South Korean tech titan has succeeded in doing just that. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 may now close completely without leaving a sizable gap thanks to the new Flex Hinge. Although it still weighs the same, this has also made the phone slightly thinner. The Z Flip 5’s functioning is as fluid as ever, and the phone remains in place at all angles, unlike the Find N2 Flip which requires quite a bit of effort to open the smartphone with one hand.
According to Samsung, the redesigned hinge will also increase durability. There are less moving parts, but we won’t know that until after several months of use.
updated processor
Additionally, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, which is anticipated to result in overall performance improvements. The chip is both more powerful and more energy-efficient than the Snapdragon 8+ Gen1 in the Z Flip 4 device. Even while the battery performance currently maintains roughly the same, the phone feels a little snappier than its predecessor. There is still room for advancement because smartphone batteries take several cycles to reach their peak performance.
The storage capacity is perhaps one of the most underappreciated improvements. Although exclusively available in the US, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 now comes with 256GB of basic storage while maintaining the same pricing. Brands should start supplying 256GB as the default storage option by 2023, especially with the size of Android apps continuing to grow.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 might use some improvements.
The cameras, display, and battery of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip are all the same as those of its predecessor. Shiary Tomer/HT Tech
There isn’t much to discuss save the larger Flex Window, cameras, and improved hinge. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 boasts the same cameras, battery, and display as its predecessor, at least on paper. The crease is among the larger disappointments. The crease on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is still noticeable at a time when rivals like Oppo have been able to minimise it. The charging is still limited to 25W, which is far slower than the quick charging offered by its rivals.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is Samsung’s most advanced and, arguably, most practical flip phone yet, despite these drawbacks. But at Does it provide enough to compete with devices like the Oppo Find N2 Flip and the Moto Razr 40 series, which have a price tag of Rs. 99,999? When we come back with a comprehensive review, be sure to find out.
