It might be hard to believe in the constantly crowded smartphone space, but Samsung has offered foldable phones since 2019. It all started with the Galaxy Fold, which folds from a phone into a tablet, but the retailer hit mass appeal and affordability with the Galaxy Z Flip. A modern-day take on a classic flip phone, the Galaxy Z Flip presents as a compact square but opens into a smartphone.
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With its fifth generation, Samsung is still focusing on improving where it counts while doubling down for 2023. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 sticks with a $999 price tag but finally delivers a decent-sized Cover Screen and greatly improves the hinge.
Over my week testing the new Galaxy Z Flip 5, it became clear that Samsung’s improved the phone's functionality and design without removing anything critical from the previous generation. That ultimately makes it the best folding flip phone you can get now. It’s not perfect, but it’s nearly there and bests the competition (looking at the Razr+) in two key ways.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
A larger and functional “Flex Window” cover screen lets you do more than just dismiss notifications. |
Battery life could still be better, especially for power users. |
The upgraded “Flex Hinge” allows the Z Flip 5 close fully flat. |
The Z Flip 5 only has two main cameras. |
It’s a fast, fluid experience with several years of guaranteed updates. |
A bigger cover screen—ahem, “Flex Window”—with more functionality
While I’m excited about the new hinge, the Galaxy Z Flip 5's leading attraction is a larger front screen that Samsung dubbed the Flex Window. Compared to the first-generation Flip, it’s like the biggest growth spurt ever, but even over the Galaxy Z Flip 3 or 4, it’s a jump from a 1.9-inch display to 3.4-inch one. That’s, in a word, massive.
Unlike the Razr+, which has a 3.6-inch front display, Samsung opted not to fill the entire front of the phone with a screen. The 3.4-inch Super AMOLED display here wraps around the cameras and looks clean.
Previous Z Flip screens feature mini widgets that allowed for limited control and the ability to view all your notifications; the fifth-generation steps up functionality. You can run through your calendar, a full hourly or five-day weather forecast, set alarms, track activity, and respond to a message with a full QWERTY keyboard. It's all done without opening your phone, and it’s been a real boon.
It eliminates how often I open the Z Flip 5 and helps reduce my screen time. Still, my favorite feature is using this outer screen as a viewfinder for photos and videos. Dear reader, it’s pretty next-level and a joy to use.
Countless times throughout my testing, I could just double-tap the power button and jump right into the camera to capture a selfie with friends. It’s a much better viewfinder than previous generations but also genuinely useful for quickly framing a selfie or a shot. I also like that you can quickly swipe between the wide or ultra-wide lens and shoot in portrait mode for the unique bokeh effect. One feature that I want to see other tech companies adopt is that you can raise a hand to get a countdown and capture a shot for the Z Flip 5.
Since it’s a Super AMOLED display, it packs in the details and scales with plenty of brightness. You can make out text, images, and interfaces on the cover screen in direct sunlight or under brighter artificial light. When taking in a video via YouTube, which is optimized or recording, it’s helpful that the display scales to 60Hz.
Of course, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is more than about these grown-up widgets; like the Razr+, you can use regular Android applications on the front. It’s a tale of two different approaches, though.
On the Razr+, within Settings, you can enable any application to run on the front screen, so it’s free for all, and the result is a bit of the wild west. Many Android applications are not optimized for the experience, especially with a small screen, and don’t always function perfectly.
Samsung went a different route, and out of the box, six applications are optimized for the Flex Window front screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 5. Maps, Messages—either the Samsung variant or the Android one—, Netflix, and YouTube all offer terrific experiences on the front. The interfaces are optimized, and it’s comfortable to type on. I could quickly respond to a message and search for items.
Samsung is taking a more curated route, but there is a way to unlock any app on the front, and it’s def a more advanced or “Pro” route. Via the Galaxy App Store, you’ll need to download Good Lock, and from within that application, you need to enable “i <3 Galaxy Foldable” and select which applications you’d like to work within the “Launcher Widget.” You can run any application on the front from there, but it will be a mixed bag. You won’t want to run TikTok or view a spreadsheet on the front, as there simply isn’t enough room.
I believe we’ll see more applications natively adopt support for Samsung’s Flex Window, and the curated approach is the best for most users. After all, you don’t want to spend over $1,000 on a phone and not find the experience buttoned up.
Similar looks with an upgraded Flex Hinge
Samsung has a design language they love for the Galaxy Z Flip, as they all look the same after five generations. The Z Flip 5 doesn’t change much regarding the material build. It’s a square with rounded edges and a shiny, stainless steel frame when closed. The rear is a colored glass that attracts fingerprints, and the front is now all-screen with two main cameras and an LED flash.
When closed, the Z Flip 5 is about two smartphones stacked on each other at 15.1-millimeters thick. It’s not alarming, and the Z Flip 5 is still very pocketable. It’ll fit in a shirt pocket, pants, a bag, a kangaroo component of a sweatshirt, and even a purse. Of course, with the right case, you might just find yourself holding it in your hand. I particularly like the Samsung-made Gadget case, which provides a ring on the back that you can simply slide a finger through for easy carrying.
Once you unfold the Z Flip 5, it shrinks to a thickness of 6.9-millimeters, which is on par with a regular old smartphone. It also unveils the classic smartphone experience, helmed by the 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex display. Enabling the seamless opening and closing of the Glaaxy Z Flip 5 is the hinge, specifically a new “Flex Hinge.”
It’s the most important part of a folding phone, and Samsung has an extensive history here. It has brushes inside, which work to remove any debris or dust to avoid a catastrophe, and a unique mechanism that ensures a smooth experience that can be stopped a lot along the way. This aptly named “Flex Mode” lets you prop open the Z Flip 5 like a laptop at a 90-degree angle and a bevy of other degrees.
The new trick with the Flex Hinge for 2023 is that the Z Flip 5 closes without a gap and is one thickness all around instead of a wedged design like an M1-MacBook Air. It also lowers fears about items getting into the main screen while it is folded. Previously the gap could have let lint, dirt, debris, or sand into the screen, which would be less than ideal.
After all, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 sports an IPX8 resistance against water, but it doesn’t offer any rating for dust. That material can harm a folding phone, especially if it goes under the display. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 doesn’t sport any updated rating against it, but the gapless hinge does lower the fear level. It also lets this flip phone make a satisfying click when closed.
There is still a power button with a fingerprint sensor and a volume rocker baked into the left side of the Z Flip 5. You can also charge the phone with either the USB-C port on the bottom or by placing it on a Qi-enabled wireless charger. And while there sadly is no bright purple shade, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 comes in Mint, Lavender, Cream, or Graphite. Samsung also exclusively sells it in Yellow, Blue, Green, or Gray.
A nearly zero-compromise smartphone experience
As I wrote last year with the Galaxy Z Flip 4, Samsung removed or solved most of the compromises you might encounter when opting for a foldable over a traditional smartphone. With Galaxy Z Flip 5, that remains true, and Samsung added features that are less gimmick and more functional.
Still, I wasn’t kidding when I said the Flex Hinge and Flex Window were the two main upgrades, as the rest of Flip is still a classic Flip. The internal display still offers a buttery smooth experience for taking in videos or gaming and gets super punchy with colors, as a Samsung display has become known for. I could easily get through most of my everyday tasks on it, from responding to Slacks, updating a board on Monday, splitting the screen between two apps, scrolling through TikToks—among other social networks—, and even some gaming.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 steps things up with Flex Mode—essentially leaving the phone at a right hand angle with the Z Flip 5 acting like a mini-laptop. I could take video calls within Google Meet using the pinhole selfie camera. You can also scroll through the photos or videos in Gallery, as they’ll appear on the top, and you can use the bottom half of the screen as a trackpad.
My entire experience thus far with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 has been smooth and fluid, and that even goes for just the front Flex Window, including customizing the various home screens. It’s not leagues faster than the Z Flip 4, but as a $1,000 smartphone should be, it feels instantaneous, and everything is snappy. That’s largely thanks to Samsung opting for the same processor featured in the Galaxy S23 family—Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy. I wish it were a bit more efficient in the battery department, as with moderate to heavy use, you will find yourself reaching for a cable and plug to recharge the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
It doesn’t let down in the camera department for the most part and is better than the Motorola Razr+. For starters, it usually delivers a great image with punchy colors and crisp details from the 12-megapixel wide or 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens. One key advantage is that these are selfie cameras when using the Flex Window front screen of the Z Flip 5.
You can see a gallery of images I captured on the Galaxy Z Flip 5 below, and for the most part, it’s been a good performer that’s in line with other phones at this price point. It’s pretty much on par with the Galaxy S23 or S23+ and has similar results to that of the iPhone 14 family though those tend to present colors a bit cooler in tone, while Samsung favors a warmer one.
What I did find myself craving, especially considering it’s available on other phones at this price point, is a telephoto lens. The Galaxy Z Flip 5, from the wide and ultra-wide lens, can zoom in up to 10x digitally—but it’s not crisp and leads to blurry results. Especially as a device poised for content creation—remember, it can be its own tripod—I hope it eventually arrives.
The other advantage is Samsung’s promise and commitment to Android software and security updates. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 gives you multiple years of updates, including four generations of Android releases and five years of security updates. That’s unmatched by other foldable flip phone makers, and Samsung has an excellent history of meeting these commitments. It seriously stretches the value of the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
Bottom line: Is the Galaxy Z Flip 5 worth it?
Between a larger display on the front and an improved hinge, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 moves closer to being the perfect folding flip phone. There are things I want to see and that I’m sure you’d like to see, but Samsung effectively created a foldable with lower durability concerns that doesn’t compromise much over a standard smartphone; the Z Flip 5 is a success.
Whether you’ve been waiting for the right moment to ditch your flat smartphone and opt for one that is more portable or you’ve wanted to get a foldable, the Z Flip 5 hits the mark. You get a dependable experience that impresses with two cameras, swift performance, and a functional “Flex Window” cover screen that stands as Samsung’s must-have feature.
If you’re ready to lock an order in, Samsung’s still taking preorders for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 ahead of its official street date on Aug. 11, 2023. Using our link, you’ll immediately save $50 off the cost, score a free upgrade to 512GB of storage, and knock up to $900 off the $999 price if you trade in a smartphone. And I’d suggest you go with a fun color like Minit, Lavender, Blue, or Yellow.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 specs
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 | |
|---|---|
Display |
3.4-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X at 60Hz (Cover Screen), 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x Infinity Flex at an adaptive 120Hz (Main Screen). |
Processor |
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy with 8GB of RAM. |
Cameras |
12-megapixel ultra-wide and 12-megapixel wide main cameras; 10-megapixel selfie camera. |
Battery |
3,700mAh |
Connecitvity |
5G: Sub-6, mmWave, and C-Band. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 6. |
Storage |
256GB or 512GB. |
Colors |
Mint, Lavender, Cream, Graphite, Yello, Gray, Blue, or Green. |
Price |
$999.99 (starting) |
Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.
